SECONDSECOND

Internet Gouvernance ForumInternet Gouvernance ForumMEETINGMEETING

DDIIVVEERRSSIITTYY TRACK TRACK

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro

13 November 200713 November 2007

4pm -6pm4pm -6pm

Daniel PimientaDaniel PimientaUniversité Antilles GuyaneUniversité Antilles Guyane

pimienta@funredes.orgpimienta@funredes.orgNETWORKS & DEVELOPMENT NETWORKS & DEVELOPMENT

FOUNDATIONFOUNDATIONhttp://funredes.orghttp://funredes.org

Language & CultureLanguage & Culture OBSERVATORY OBSERVATORY

http://funredes.org/LChttp://funredes.org/LC

MEMBERMEMBER

LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY NETWORK LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY NETWORK

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

http://maaya.orghttp://maaya.org

Linguistic & Cultural Diversity Linguistic & Cultural Diversity in Cyberspacein Cyberspace

1.1. A framework to understand the A framework to understand the complexity of the digital divide.complexity of the digital divide.

2.2. Its Its application to the understanding to the understanding of the diversity issue.of the diversity issue.

My statement In 3 sentencesMy statement In 3 sentences

There are many diversity issues There are many diversity issues beyond………………………………………………beyond………………………………………………

It is a transversal matter crossing all It is a transversal matter crossing all digital inclusion picture.digital inclusion picture.

It rises complex problems which need to It rises complex problems which need to

receive more receive more focusfocus if we pretend to build a if we pretend to build a truly inclusive Internettruly inclusive Internet

IDN

APPLICATION APPLICATION OF THE PREVIOUS OF THE PREVIOUS

ICT4HD FRAMEWORK ICT4HD FRAMEWORK TO CULTURAL & LINGUISTIC TO CULTURAL & LINGUISTIC

DIVERSITYDIVERSITY

HOW DOES THE HURDLES HOW DOES THE HURDLES TRANSLATE IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE TRANSLATE IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE

(AND CULTURE)?(AND CULTURE)?

1-ACCESS/INFRASTRUCTURE1-ACCESS/INFRASTRUCTURE

Technological neutrality is a myth.

InterfacesInterfaces concentrated most of the concentrated most of the problems related with diversity. problems related with diversity.

AccesibilityAccesibility approaches required. approaches required.

2-ACCESS/AFFORDABILITY2-ACCESS/AFFORDABILITY

Universal access shall include Universal access shall include consideration forconsideration for pricing

coherent with the level of with the level of revenues of the target revenues of the target

populationpopulation

Lenguages & cultures of poor Lenguages & cultures of poor segments of population (basically in segments of population (basically in the South but also immigrants in the the South but also immigrants in the

North)North)

3-ACCESO/SUSTAINIBILITY3-ACCESO/SUSTAINIBILITY

Telecenters’ organization scheme shall be coherent with local shall be coherent with local

cultural practices.cultural practices.

Telecenter as a community centered Telecenter as a community centered place with obvious cultural and place with obvious cultural and

linguistic implicationslinguistic implications

4-ACCESS/LOCALIZATION4-ACCESS/LOCALIZATION

Access shall be in mother Access shall be in mother tongue and be natural to tongue and be natural to one’s culture.one’s culture.

IDNIDN Keyboard layoutKeyboard layout

Alphabet codification (Unicode)Alphabet codification (Unicode) Online dictionnaries, language correctorsOnline dictionnaries, language correctors

and other support softwaresand other support softwaresAutomatic TranslationAutomatic Translation

Web design styleWeb design style

5-ACCESS/LITERACY5-ACCESS/LITERACY

Universal access …. to shared Universal access …. to shared knowledgeknowledge

If Internet is for every one,If Internet is for every one,

then basic functional literacy shall then basic functional literacy shall be first for every one…be first for every one…

6-USE6-USE

Here starts the requirements forHere starts the requirements for digital literacy

Digital literacy a learning Digital literacy a learning process while Unesco has shown process while Unesco has shown

the importance of the use of the importance of the use of mother tongue in education.mother tongue in education.

7-TECHNOLOGICAL 7-TECHNOLOGICAL OWNERSHIPOWNERSHIP

Digital and information literacy is Digital and information literacy is probably the highest challenge of probably the highest challenge of inclusive Information Society… inclusive Information Society…

Time to switch paradigm! Time to switch paradigm!

How would I really get ownership of a How would I really get ownership of a tool which does not understand my tool which does not understand my

mother tongue with training package mother tongue with training package in a foreign language?in a foreign language?

8-MEANINGFUL USAGE8-MEANINGFUL USAGE

Content production, virtual Content production, virtual communities, social applicationscommunities, social applications

In my language and coherent In my language and coherent with my culturewith my culture

9-SOCIAL OWNERSHIP9-SOCIAL OWNERSHIP

Culture & Ethics ofCulture & Ethics of

Network & InformationNetwork & Information

are not “culturally neutral”are not “culturally neutral”

a process of a process of sincretism with with local cultures shall develop for local cultures shall develop for

ownership to happenownership to happen

10/11-EMPOWERMENT10/11-EMPOWERMENTSOCIAL INNOVATIONSOCIAL INNOVATION

The closer we get to Human The closer we get to Human Development the more the Development the more the

importance switch into culture.importance switch into culture.

What is the semantic of What is the semantic of “empowerment” and “innovation” in “empowerment” and “innovation” in

my linguistic/cultural context?my linguistic/cultural context?

12-HUMAN DEVELOPMENT12-HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

We will only get close to this goal if We will only get close to this goal if people’s people’s participationparticipation has been a has been a

reality along the process…reality along the process…

¿What meaning has “participation” and ¿What meaning has “participation” and how does it get real in a given cultural how does it get real in a given cultural

context?context?

¿Does real participation exists if a language ¿Does real participation exists if a language different form mother tongue is imposed?different form mother tongue is imposed?

The cyberdiversity challenge.The cyberdiversity challenge.

Triggers two type of reactions:Triggers two type of reactions:

1)1) This is too complex. Let’s be This is too complex. Let’s be ““pragmatic”pragmatic” … and just do everything … and just do everything in English…in English…

2)2) This is such a complex and key issue that This is such a complex and key issue that we need to start early and dedicate we need to start early and dedicate more attention and resourcesmore attention and resources..

DIVERSITY CHALLENGEDIVERSITY CHALLENGE

If you are a type 1 person, If you are a type 1 person, just think about Ashby theorem just think about Ashby theorem (system theory) and how it applies to (system theory) and how it applies to the situation of our planet, its the situation of our planet, its ecosphere and its human beeings.ecosphere and its human beeings.

Reducing diversity is jeopradizing Reducing diversity is jeopradizing our chance to evolve and adapt.our chance to evolve and adapt. Internet duty is to worry about Internet duty is to worry about diversity… if it is really for every one.diversity… if it is really for every one.

Let’s think againand revamp the Babel mythin light of systemTheory and todayWorld challenges!

MERCI

Thank youGracias

Obrigado Amesegnalhu

Shukran  Dhonnyobaad

Orkun

Doh jeh

Dekuji 

Salamat

Adjarama

Abhar

Toda raba

N’gue penù

Mese ampil

REFERENCESREFERENCES http://funredes.org/presentationhttp://funredes.org/presentation

http://funredes.org/mistica/english/cyberlibrary/themhttp://funredes.org/mistica/english/cyberlibrary/thematic/Paradigmatic_Divide.pdfatic/Paradigmatic_Divide.pdf

http://funredes.org/english/publicaciones/indhttp://funredes.org/english/publicaciones/index.php3/docid/469ex.php3/docid/469

http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=20882&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URLURL_ID=20882&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html_SECTION=201.html