ICT Association of Malawi hosts International Conference on Open Access

In what is a major first for our fledgling association, the ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM), we will host the 6th International Conference on Open Access (IOAC2008).

This not only speaks volumes for the amount of recognition we are beginning to receive beyond our borders but also of the tireless efforts of some selfless individuals in promoting our agenda.
Honourable mention here goes to our president, Boster Sibande and the chairman of the organising committee for the IOAC2008, Charles Govati.

The theme of the conference is "Open Access to ICT for Social Economic Growth" and we will be hosting it in collaboration with The Royal Swedish Institute of Technology (KTH) and The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).

Open Access in the context of Communication (Open Communication) means that anyone, on equal conditions with a transparent relation between cost and pricing, can get access to and share communication resources on one level to provide value added services and on another level in a layered communication system architecture. There is currently a high momentum in the deployment of infrastructure such as optic fiber, wireless technologies and the like.
It is also the advancement in the use of ICT in general such as through mobile phones and multipurpose telecentres. If used wisely, we believe these developments can facilitate the provision of relatively inexpensive, easily accessible, diversified and expandable ICT services. The objective of this workshop is to identify and share experiences on affordable and cost effective ICT technologies around the globe. Based on Open Access principles, the workshop intends to address ICT as a tool that will bring developmental change to the society at large.

The call for papers is now out and we're encouraging the participation of academicians, professionals, researchers, planners, political leaders, innovators and the private sector.

It will be hosted at the Crossroads Hotel, Lilongwe, Malawi from the 12th to the 14th of November 2008.

More details can be found by clicking on the link in the this post's title.

If you can make it, please attend, we look forward to hosting you in the warm heart of Africa!

A Tentative Sort

In this day and age of skyrocketing fuel-prices (4$ on Brent crude this week alone! And the week isn't even over yet.), World-economies playing the rope-a-dope trying to bear the brunt of punishing fiscal blows and food shortages galore, with Governments at wits end on how to maintain a semblance of normalcy, we begin to reap the bitter harvest of capitalistic avarice.
No one is angrier than the rich whose stockpile of money dwindles in value day by day.
Conversely, the poor wake up to just another dreary day, same old struggles, taking pleasure in the simplest of things, a warm meal, somewhere sheltered to sleep, health. Maybe harder than the day before, but in hardship monotony is the order of the day.

Those whose lofty dreams of success suddenly seem to be vanishing at a steady clip beyond the horizon start to despair and seek contentment in their statuses quo.

The World ticks over, life goes on, time marches on.

The panaceas for these woes are myriad, solace is sought in many different ways. Different strokes for different folks.

I find myself adrift not really wanting to settle one way or the other. Into despondency or into complacency. Into Pollyanna optimism or prospective euphoria.

Maybe some sage philosopher has already catalogued this sensation and all that remains is for me to chance upon their writings and find myself bedazzled by the glowing relevance of it all.

Still I press on, hardly engaging yet not letting go completely.

Amused, confused, worried, pleasantly surprised to discover that deep down it turns out I am after all, a tentative sort...