Agenda

With the launch of a national programme to establish 100,000 Community Service Centres, the Indian telecentre movement is at a vibrant stage of development, with the key stakeholders representing the government, the private sector, and civil society besides donors, being engaged in fulfilling the aspirations of the grassroots community to join the knowledge economy. For the second year in the series of annual consultations, the Indian Telecentre Forum 2007 will provide the platform to take stock of what has happened. The Forum will shape the way forward for the telecentre movement within India, and for making it an example for the world to learn from.

A close examination of the aspirations, up-scaling plans and the challenges that continue to confront the telecentre movement indicates not only the need to keep a development perspective on the forefront, but also to balance it with economic and social sustainability questions. Key challenges that require addressing include development and collation of local need based content, addressing the diverse language issues (both technical and cultural), coping with cultural and social diversities, and dealing with the special needs of people with different abilities. While the need for new innovations, and technology advances in connectivity is crucial, the focus on upgrading the skills of the grassroots managers is critical issue too.

Who should attend

• Telecentre practitioners
• Solution providers
• Trainers
• Telecentre managers
• Project implementers
• Telecentre leaders
• Government implementers
• Private sector investors
• Think tank members of the telecentre movement
• Consultants and experts
• Researchers
• Donors
• Social Investers

Why attend

• Indian Telecentre Forum 2007 is an exciting space for the stakeholders to meet, renew friendships, network, learn and collaborate.
• The gathering will provide opportunities for the ecosystem players to learn ways to work better at what they are already engaged in.
• An opportunity to showcase your experiences
• Identify and learn to play leadership roles in the telecentre movement in India