[gu-l] (01/06/03) Two articles by John Eger
Takeshi Utsumi
utsumi@columbia.edu
Mon, 06 Jan 2003 22:59:41 -0500
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<<January 5, 2003>>
Archived distributions can be retrieved by clicking "Correspondence" in our
home page at <http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/>.
For those after 2/27/01, see or bookmark:
<http://www.friends-partners.org/pipermail/gu-l/> and click on "Date,"
For example. The most recent archives are the bottom line.
John M. Eger
Executive Director
International Center for Communications
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-4522
619-594-6933
619-594-6910
Fax: 619-594-4488
jeger@mail.sdsu.edu
http://www.smartcommunities.org/
http://www.smartcommunities.org/guidebook.html
Dear John:
(1) Many thanks for your very interesting articles.
(2) I am taking the liberty of distributing them to our list.
Best, Tak
On 1/5/03 5:38 PM, "john eger" <jeger@mail.sdsu.edu> wrote:
ATTACHMENT I=20
> Sunday, Jan. 5, 2003
>=20
> Sunday
>=20
>=20
> HIGH PRICE OF IGNORANCE
>=20
>=20
> By John M. Eger
> Eger is the Van Deerlin Endowed Professor of Communication and Public
> Policy at SDSU. He was senior vice president of CBS and head of CBS
> International from 1981 to 1986.
>=20
> January 5, 2003
>=20
>=20
> On Sept. 11, 2001, America awakened to a new world order and has been
> living in fear ever since as it learns increasingly more about Osama bin
> Laden, al-Qaeda, Islamic fundamentalism and the coming "Clash of
> Civilizations."
>=20
> Sadly, as Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek first reported, we know little about
> "Why They Hate Us." Indeed, America knows little about the Middle East,
> Arab history, culture or commerce, or the concerns of the average Arab
> citizen, who is as deeply concerned about the war in Iraq, the continuing
> Middle East conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, and their ima=
ge
> in the rest of the world, as we are.
>=20
> In truth, America knows much less about the Arab world, or indeed most
> other countries in the world, than the world knows about America. Part of
> the problem is historical. Most Americans have been insulated from the
> trials and tribulations of other nations; buoyed by our relative
> prosperity, more or less surrounded by water and influenced by media that
> feeds our obsessions with sports, entertainment, fashion and the topical
> events of the day.
>=20
> At a recent Harvard University conference chaired by David Gergen, former
> adviser to three presidents and now director of the Center for Public
> Leadership at Harvard, he and his colleagues talked about the challenges
> such ignorance poses for the press and public diplomacy, and expressed
> their "concern that international news coverage nearly reached a vanishin=
g
> point in the mainstream press before Sept. 11, 2001."
>=20
> The reasons for this phenomenon included: "(1) Lack of general interest i=
n
> international affairs post-Cold War, (2) family ownership of networks bei=
ng
> replaced by chains, (3) the breaking down of editorials and, (4) a 'cynic=
al
> evasion of responsibility.' " In general, participants at this conference
> and others in universities and think tanks across America are expressing
> similar concerns about America's ignorance of world affairs, the state of
> journalism education in our universities, and asking what can and should =
be
> done.
>=20
> In mid-December, Secretary of State Colin Powell, building hope for the
> years ahead, announced a new U.S.-Middle East Partnership. He called it a
> response to the reality that Queen Raina of Jordan so eloquently termed
> "the hope gap." In announcing this initiative, Powell said "It has become
> clear that we must broaden our approach to the region if we are to achiev=
e
> success. In particular, we must give sustained and energetic attention to
> economic, political and educational reform. We must work with peoples and
> governments to close the gulf between expectation and reality - (to close=
)
> the hope gap."
>=20
> Powell's remarks were widely reported throughout the Arab world and in
> Amman, Jordan, where I was attending a World Bank Conference on "Children
> and The City." When I returned to the United States a week later, I was
> surprised to find that the U.S. press provided almost no coverage of
> Powell's initiative.
>=20
> The meeting in Amman itself was quite extraordinary and worth reporting a=
s
> it dealt directly with the problems Powell is most concerned about, i.e.
> the education and well-being of Arab women and children and their
> participation in the governing process. The conference venue, Amman, was =
of
> particular interest. Women, in particular, are well integrated into the
> political and social structure of Jordan. Women were well represented at
> the conference and played a major role in the "Amman Declaration" on
> Children and the City.
>=20
> Under the patronage of Queen Rania, conference delegates committed to new
> initiatives affecting early childhood development, improving the urban
> environment to most benefit children, and putting a high priority on
> educating children for the 21st century. Tehran, for example, talked of i=
ts
> politically influential School Mayors of Iran Program in which students i=
n
> over a thousand schools participate in school governance. Cairo gave
> examples of how children of immigrants in the poorest neighborhoods were
> learning marketable skills through community-based learning programs.
>=20
> Jordan described a Center for Performing Arts that is integrating theater
> into the K-12 curriculum. The study of a second language, of the three
> great religions, and the integration of the arts into the curriculum are
> used as a vehicle to enhance global understanding.
>=20
> Issues of poverty, population growth, children and gender were widely
> discussed and often heatedly debated, but the interests of the children
> were always the foremost priority. Clearly, this was a successful
> conference for its candor, openness and message of hope.
>=20
> It is clear to me that there is hope in the Middle East and hope for the
> U.S.-Middle East partnership. I am not naive about the challenges we face
> in fighting the worldwide threat of terror, or the political differences
> America faces with some Middle East states. But as we learned after the
> fall of the Berlin wall, that there was no Eastern Bloc, so, too, we must
> understand that the Arab region is equally complex and diverse.
>=20
> Our media and we Americans need to do much more to understand the world o=
f
> which we are so much a part. We must broaden the focus of our university
> journalism curriculum and engage our journalism fraternity, and in turn,
> America, in this effort. Surely, we can do a better job both of
> communicating who we are to the world and reporting the world to America.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Copyright 2003 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Site Index | Contact SignOn | UTads.com | About SignOn | Advertise on
> SignOn | Make SignOn your homepage
> About the Union-Tribune | Contact the Union-Tribune
> =A9 Copyright 2002 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
ATTACHMENT II=20
> Collaboration in the Middle East
>=20
> John Eger, December 2002
>=20
> Dubai's "Internet City" initiative like Singapore's "Intelligent Island"
> project, or Malaysia's "Multi-Media Super Corridor" is gaining in
> recognition as one of the world's best and boldest efforts to renew citie=
s
> for the new 21st Century knowledge-based economy and society. In America,
> and throughout Western Europe, examples of hundreds of cities large and
> small deploying technology as a catalyst to transform their communities f=
or
> the new economy are legion. But in the Middle East, a vast region of 280
> million people, there's not that much to report.
>=20
> But all that may, or certainly could change, as a result of a new
> collaboration between the Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) the
> technical and scientific arm of the Arab Towns Organization, the Muscat
> Municipality and The World Foundation for Smart Communities, and its
> research arm, The California Institute for Smart Communities at San Diego
> State University, and the World Bank.
>=20
> At a recent conference on "Children and the City" in Amman Jordan -- once
> known as Philadelphia, "the City of Brotherly Love," after Alexander the
> Great conquered the region in 332 B.C. -- an agreement in principle was
> developed between AUDI, Muscat Municipality and the World Foundation to:
>=20
> * Co-host and develop the first e-government conference in Muscat,
> Oman in May 2003, (co-organized with the World Bank)
> * Establish an annual forum on "Smart Communities" to be held in the
> fall of 2003 promoting the idea of ICT as a catalyst to transform life an=
d
> work in Arab towns and cities to meet the challenges of a new information
> economy
> * Appoint a high level industry-government Middle East Smart
> Communities Advisory Council to help shape the annual forum, advise AUDI
> and the Foundation in their efforts to promote ICT throughout the region
> * Identify and develop initiatives and pilot programs that underscore
> the importance of the smart community movement. (Such initiatives and
> pilots will be discussed and showcased at each annual forum with the best
> innovations in governance and applications highlighted for the larger
> pan-Arab audience)
> * Develop an ICT/Smart Community "boot camp" for mayors and other key
> municipal executives throughout the region and a certificate program in I=
CT
> for other government and agency leaders; and
> * Formulate a long-range strategic plan and program within AUDI to
> help Arab towns and cities make the transition to the coming knowledge
> economy.
> AUDI, established in 1980 and based in Riyadh, represents 425 Arab towns
> and cities. Over the last several years, AUDI has been promoting the
> concept of collaboration and consensus decision-making and re-inventing
> Arab towns and cities for the new economy. In a ground-breaking conferenc=
e
> entitled "Future Cities" hosted by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin
> Abdul Aziz al Saud, governor of the Riyadh region and chairman of the Hig=
h
> Commission for the Development of the City of Riyadh, in November 2001, t=
he
> symposia concluded, among other matters, that: "cities need the full
> participation of all members of society, including women, children and
> youth in the process of planning for future development, aiming to develo=
p
> common perceptions conforming to the community's aspirations and ambition=
s,
> its cultural tenets and its aspirations for economic prosperity and socia=
l
> welfare." This was a relatively novel and bold initiative by the convener=
s
> since it recognized that devolution of power -- or the reverse flow of
> sovereignty -- had indeed moved to individuals and individual communities
> as never before. Naturally it closely parallels the findings and supports
> the work of SDSU's California Institute for Smart Communities on behalf o=
f
> the state of California.
>=20
> Additionally, the Future Cities Forum further embraced the idea of the
> smart communities concept and argued that communities needed to "utilize
> digital technologies" in the various walks of life in future cities and
> provide the infrastructure necessary to incorporate and utilize (such new
> technologies); that governments should support the provision of informati=
on
> infrastructure as an essential component of "future cities"; and that the=
se
> efforts should begin in earnest.
>=20
> In Amman, program planning for the region's first e-government symposium =
to
> be held in mid-May 2003 in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman, was begun.
> Sponsored in part by the World Bank, this seminal effort will examine the
> role of technology and economic development; the importance of
> collaboration and consensus decision-making in using technology as a tool
> for transformation; portal strategies as a product of e-governance and; t=
he
> role of private/public cooperation in reinventing communities.
>=20
> While the agenda for discussion is still in development, it is expected t=
o
> attract senior government officials from throughout the region and senior
> industry executive as well. Importantly the first meeting of the Smart
> Communities Advisory Council will be held in Muscat. Industry leaders fro=
m
> Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Telcordia, Qualcomm and other
> leading IT companies have already been invited and are expected to
> participate.
>=20
> John M. Eger, Van Deerlin professor of Communication and Public Policy at
> SDSU is also president of the World Foundation for Smart Communities.
> (Companies who have an interest are encouraged to contact John Eger at
> (619) 594-6910 for additional background and information.)
**********************************************************************
* Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E., Chairman, GLOSAS/USA *
* (GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A.) *
* Laureate of Lord Perry Award for Excellence in Distance Education *
* President Emeritus and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of *
* =A0=A0Global University System (GUS) *
* 43-23 Colden Street, Flushing, NY 11355-3998, U.S.A. *
* Tel: 718-939-0928; Email: utsumi@columbia.edu *
* http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/ *
* Tax Exempt ID: 11-2999676 *
**********************************************************************
--B_3124738783_2160436
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<HEAD>
<TITLE>(01/06/03) Two articles by John Eger</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FONT FACE=3D"Verdana"><<January 5, 2003>><BR>
Archived distributions can be retrieved by clicking "Correspondence&qu=
ot; in our home page at <<FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><U>http://www.friends-part=
ners.org/GLOSAS/</U></FONT>>.<BR>
For those after 2/27/01, see or bookmark:<BR>
<<FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><U>http://www.friends-partners.org/pipermail/gu-l=
/</U></FONT>> and click on "Date," <BR>
For example. The most recent archives are the bottom line. <BR>
<BR>
John M. Eger<BR>
Executive Director<BR>
International Center for Communications<BR>
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts<BR>
San Diego State University<BR>
San Diego, CA 92182-4522<BR>
619-594-6933<BR>
619-594-6910<BR>
Fax: 619-594-4488<BR>
jeger@mail.sdsu.edu<BR>
http://www.smartcommunities.org/<BR>
http://www.smartcommunities.org/guidebook.html<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><FONT SIZE=3D"2"><FONT FACE=3D"Courier"><BR>
</FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE=3D"Verdana"><BR>
<B><U>Dear John:<BR>
</U></B><BR>
(1) Many thanks for your very interesting articles.<BR>
<BR>
(2) I am taking the liberty of distributing them to our list.<BR>
<BR>
Best, Tak<BR>
<BR>
<HR ALIGN=3DCENTER SIZE=3D"3" WIDTH=3D"95%">On 1/5/03 5:38 PM, "john eger&qu=
ot; <jeger@mail.sdsu.edu> wrote:<BR>
</FONT>
<P ALIGN=3DCENTER>
<FONT FACE=3D"Verdana"><B><U>ATTACHMENT I=20
</U></B></FONT>
<P>
<FONT FACE=3D"Verdana"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><BR>
> Sunday, Jan. 5, 2003<BR>
> <BR>
> Sunday<BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> HIGH PRICE OF IGNORANCE<BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> By John M. Eger<BR>
> Eger is the Van Deerlin Endowed Professor of Communication and Public<=
BR>
> Policy at SDSU. He was senior vice president of CBS and head of CBS<BR=
>
> International from 1981 to 1986.<BR>
> <BR>
> January 5, 2003<BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> On Sept. 11, 2001, America awakened to a new world order and has been<=
BR>
> living in fear ever since as it learns increasingly more about Osama b=
in<BR>
> Laden, al-Qaeda, Islamic fundamentalism and the coming "Clash of<=
BR>
> Civilizations."<BR>
> <BR>
> Sadly, as Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek first reported, we know little ab=
out<BR>
> "Why They Hate Us." Indeed, America knows little about the M=
iddle East,<BR>
> Arab history, culture or commerce, or the concerns of the average Arab=
<BR>
> citizen, who is as deeply concerned about the war in Iraq, the continu=
ing<BR>
> Middle East conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, and their =
image<BR>
> in the rest of the world, as we are.<BR>
> <BR>
> In truth, America knows much less about the Arab world, or indeed most=
<BR>
> other countries in the world, than the world knows about America. Part=
of<BR>
> the problem is historical. Most Americans have been insulated from the=
<BR>
> trials and tribulations of other nations; buoyed by our relative<BR>
> prosperity, more or less surrounded by water and influenced by media t=
hat<BR>
> feeds our obsessions with sports, entertainment, fashion and the topic=
al<BR>
> events of the day.<BR>
> <BR>
> At a recent Harvard University conference chaired by David Gergen, for=
mer<BR>
> adviser to three presidents and now director of the Center for Public<=
BR>
> Leadership at Harvard, he and his colleagues talked about the challeng=
es<BR>
> such ignorance poses for the press and public diplomacy, and expressed=
<BR>
> their "concern that international news coverage nearly reached a =
vanishing<BR>
> point in the mainstream press before Sept. 11, 2001."<BR>
> <BR>
> The reasons for this phenomenon included: "(1) Lack of general in=
terest in<BR>
> international affairs post-Cold War, (2) family ownership of networks =
being<BR>
> replaced by chains, (3) the breaking down of editorials and, (4) a 'cy=
nical<BR>
> evasion of responsibility.' " In general, participants at this co=
nference<BR>
> and others in universities and think tanks across America are expressi=
ng<BR>
> similar concerns about America's ignorance of world affairs, the state=
of<BR>
> journalism education in our universities, and asking what can and shou=
ld be<BR>
> done.<BR>
> <BR>
> In mid-December, Secretary of State Colin Powell, building hope for th=
e<BR>
> years ahead, announced a new U.S.-Middle East Partnership. He called i=
t a<BR>
> response to the reality that Queen Raina of Jordan so eloquently terme=
d<BR>
> "the hope gap." In announcing this initiative, Powell said &=
quot;It has become<BR>
> clear that we must broaden our approach to the region if we are to ach=
ieve<BR>
> success. In particular, we must give sustained and energetic attention=
to<BR>
> economic, political and educational reform. We must work with peoples =
and<BR>
> governments to close the gulf between expectation and reality - (to cl=
ose)<BR>
> the hope gap."<BR>
> <BR>
> Powell's remarks were widely reported throughout the Arab world and in=
<BR>
> Amman, Jordan, where I was attending a World Bank Conference on "=
Children<BR>
> and The City." When I returned to the United States a week later,=
I was<BR>
> surprised to find that the U.S. press provided almost no coverage of<B=
R>
> Powell's initiative.<BR>
> <BR>
> The meeting in Amman itself was quite extraordinary and worth reportin=
g as<BR>
> it dealt directly with the problems Powell is most concerned about, i.=
e.<BR>
> the education and well-being of Arab women and children and their<BR>
> participation in the governing process. The conference venue, Amman, w=
as of<BR>
> particular interest. Women, in particular, are well integrated into th=
e<BR>
> political and social structure of Jordan. Women were well represented =
at<BR>
> the conference and played a major role in the "Amman Declaration&=
quot; on<BR>
> Children and the City.<BR>
> <BR>
> Under the patronage of Queen Rania, conference delegates committed to =
new<BR>
> initiatives affecting early childhood development, improving the urban=
<BR>
> environment to most benefit children, and putting a high priority on<B=
R>
> educating children for the 21st century. Tehran, for example, talked o=
f its<BR>
> politically influential School Mayors of Iran Program in which student=
s in<BR>
> over a thousand schools participate in school governance. Cairo gave<B=
R>
> examples of how children of immigrants in the poorest neighborhoods we=
re<BR>
> learning marketable skills through community-based learning programs.<=
BR>
> <BR>
> Jordan described a Center for Performing Arts that is integrating thea=
ter<BR>
> into the K-12 curriculum. The study of a second language, of the three=
<BR>
> great religions, and the integration of the arts into the curriculum a=
re<BR>
> used as a vehicle to enhance global understanding.<BR>
> <BR>
> Issues of poverty, population growth, children and gender were widely<=
BR>
> discussed and often heatedly debated, but the interests of the childre=
n<BR>
> were always the foremost priority. Clearly, this was a successful<BR>
> conference for its candor, openness and message of hope.<BR>
> <BR>
> It is clear to me that there is hope in the Middle East and hope for t=
he<BR>
> U.S.-Middle East partnership. I am not naive about the challenges we f=
ace<BR>
> in fighting the worldwide threat of terror, or the political differenc=
es<BR>
> America faces with some Middle East states. But as we learned after th=
e<BR>
> fall of the Berlin wall, that there was no Eastern Bloc, so, too, we m=
ust<BR>
> understand that the Arab region is equally complex and diverse.<BR>
> <BR>
> Our media and we Americans need to do much more to understand the worl=
d of<BR>
> which we are so much a part. We must broaden the focus of our universi=
ty<BR>
> journalism curriculum and engage our journalism fraternity, and in tur=
n,<BR>
> America, in this effort. Surely, we can do a better job both of<BR>
> communicating who we are to the world and reporting the world to Ameri=
ca.<BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> Copyright 2003 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.<BR>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------=
--<BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> Site Index | Contact SignOn | UTads.com | About SignOn | Advertise on<=
BR>
> SignOn | Make SignOn your homepage<BR>
> About the Union-Tribune | Contact the Union-Tribune<BR>
> © Copyright 2002 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.<BR>
<HR ALIGN=3DCENTER SIZE=3D"3" WIDTH=3D"95%"></FONT>
</FONT>
<P ALIGN=3DCENTER>
<FONT FACE=3D"Verdana"><B><U>ATTACHMENT II=20
</U></B></FONT>
<P>
<FONT FACE=3D"Verdana"><FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF"><BR>
> Collaboration in the Middle East<BR>
> <BR>
> John Eger, December 2002<BR>
> <BR>
> Dubai's "Internet City" initiative like Singapore's "In=
telligent Island"<BR>
> project, or Malaysia's "Multi-Media Super Corridor" is gaini=
ng in<BR>
> recognition as one of the world's best and boldest efforts to renew ci=
ties<BR>
> for the new 21st Century knowledge-based economy and society. In Ameri=
ca,<BR>
> and throughout Western Europe, examples of hundreds of cities large an=
d<BR>
> small deploying technology as a catalyst to transform their communitie=
s for<BR>
> the new economy are legion. But in the Middle East, a vast region of 2=
80<BR>
> million people, there's not that much to report.<BR>
> <BR>
> But all that may, or certainly could change, as a result of a new<BR>
> collaboration between the Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) the<=
BR>
> technical and scientific arm of the Arab Towns Organization, the Musca=
t<BR>
> Municipality and The World Foundation for Smart Communities, and its<B=
R>
> research arm, The California Institute for Smart Communities at San Di=
ego<BR>
> State University, and the World Bank.<BR>
> <BR>
> At a recent conference on "Children and the City" in Amman J=
ordan -- once<BR>
> known as Philadelphia, "the City of Brotherly Love," after A=
lexander the<BR>
> Great conquered the region in 332 B.C. -- an agreement in principle wa=
s<BR>
> developed between AUDI, Muscat Municipality and the World Foundation t=
o:<BR>
> <BR>
> * Co-host and develop the first e-government confere=
nce in Muscat,<BR>
> Oman in May 2003, (co-organized with the World Bank)<BR>
> * Establish an annual forum on "Smart Communiti=
es" to be held in the<BR>
> fall of 2003 promoting the idea of ICT as a catalyst to transform life=
and<BR>
> work in Arab towns and cities to meet the challenges of a new informat=
ion<BR>
> economy<BR>
> * Appoint a high level industry-government Middle Ea=
st Smart<BR>
> Communities Advisory Council to help shape the annual forum, advise AU=
DI<BR>
> and the Foundation in their efforts to promote ICT throughout the regi=
on<BR>
> * Identify and develop initiatives and pilot program=
s that underscore<BR>
> the importance of the smart community movement. (Such initiatives and<=
BR>
> pilots will be discussed and showcased at each annual forum with the b=
est<BR>
> innovations in governance and applications highlighted for the larger<=
BR>
> pan-Arab audience)<BR>
> * Develop an ICT/Smart Community "boot camp&quo=
t; for mayors and other key<BR>
> municipal executives throughout the region and a certificate program i=
n ICT<BR>
> for other government and agency leaders; and<BR>
> * Formulate a long-range strategic plan and program =
within AUDI to<BR>
> help Arab towns and cities make the transition to the coming knowledge=
<BR>
> economy.<BR>
> AUDI, established in 1980 and based in Riyadh, represents 425 Arab tow=
ns<BR>
> and cities. Over the last several years, AUDI has been promoting the<B=
R>
> concept of collaboration and consensus decision-making and re-inventin=
g<BR>
> Arab towns and cities for the new economy. In a ground-breaking confer=
ence<BR>
> entitled "Future Cities" hosted by His Royal Highness Prince=
Salman bin<BR>
> Abdul Aziz al Saud, governor of the Riyadh region and chairman of the =
High<BR>
> Commission for the Development of the City of Riyadh, in November 2001=
, the<BR>
> symposia concluded, among other matters, that: "cities need the f=
ull<BR>
> participation of all members of society, including women, children and=
<BR>
> youth in the process of planning for future development, aiming to dev=
elop<BR>
> common perceptions conforming to the community's aspirations and ambit=
ions,<BR>
> its cultural tenets and its aspirations for economic prosperity and so=
cial<BR>
> welfare." This was a relatively novel and bold initiative by the =
conveners<BR>
> since it recognized that devolution of power -- or the reverse flow of=
<BR>
> sovereignty -- had indeed moved to individuals and individual communit=
ies<BR>
> as never before. Naturally it closely parallels the findings and suppo=
rts<BR>
> the work of SDSU's California Institute for Smart Communities on behal=
f of<BR>
> the state of California.<BR>
> <BR>
> Additionally, the Future Cities Forum further embraced the idea of the=
<BR>
> smart communities concept and argued that communities needed to "=
utilize<BR>
> digital technologies" in the various walks of life in future citi=
es and<BR>
> provide the infrastructure necessary to incorporate and utilize (such =
new<BR>
> technologies); that governments should support the provision of inform=
ation<BR>
> infrastructure as an essential component of "future cities";=
and that these<BR>
> efforts should begin in earnest.<BR>
> <BR>
> In Amman, program planning for the region's first e-government symposi=
um to<BR>
> be held in mid-May 2003 in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman, was begun.<B=
R>
> Sponsored in part by the World Bank, this seminal effort will examine =
the<BR>
> role of technology and economic development; the importance of<BR>
> collaboration and consensus decision-making in using technology as a t=
ool<BR>
> for transformation; portal strategies as a product of e-governance and=
; the<BR>
> role of private/public cooperation in reinventing communities.<BR>
> <BR>
> While the agenda for discussion is still in development, it is expecte=
d to<BR>
> attract senior government officials from throughout the region and sen=
ior<BR>
> industry executive as well. Importantly the first meeting of the Smart=
<BR>
> Communities Advisory Council will be held in Muscat. Industry leaders =
from<BR>
> Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Telcordia, Qualcomm and other<B=
R>
> leading IT companies have already been invited and are expected to<BR>
> participate.<BR>
> <BR>
> John M. Eger, Van Deerlin professor of Communication and Public Policy=
at<BR>
> SDSU is also president of the World Foundation for Smart Communities.<=
BR>
> (Companies who have an interest are encouraged to contact John Eger at=
<BR>
> (619) 594-6910 for additional background and information.)<BR>
<HR ALIGN=3DCENTER SIZE=3D"3" WIDTH=3D"95%"></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE=3D"Courier">**=
********************************************************************<BR>
* Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E., Chairman, GLOSAS/USA  =
; &nb=
sp;*<BR>
* (GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A.) *<BR>
* Laureate of Lord Perry Award for Excellence in Distance Education *=
<BR>
* President Emeritus and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of &nbs=
p; *<BR>
* ??Global University System (GUS) &nbs=
p; &n=
bsp; =
*<BR>
* 43-23 Colden Street, Flushing, NY 11355-3998, U.S.A. &n=
bsp; *<BR>
* Tel: 718-939-0928; Email: utsumi@columbia.edu &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp; *<BR>
* http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/ &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp; *<BR>
* Tax Exempt ID: 11-2999676  =
; &nb=
sp; &=
nbsp; *<BR>
**********************************************************************<BR>
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