Conference update: Technology - a platform for Development

Professor Love Ekenberg, Christer Marking and Afzal Sher participated in the conference "Technology - A Platform for Development?" that was organized by Chatham House in London in October 2008. Major part of the discussion focused on the role of ICT in development with presentation of concrete projects that have led to positive results.

SPIDER was specifically invited by Professor Tim Unwin, the UNESCO Chair in ICT4D, with whom SPIDER has had an active collaboration with for the last four years. The conference brought up topics such as: good practice framework, how to create an enabling environment, as well as the potential of technology: ICT, mobile applications and beyond. The conference was attended by approximately seventy people. Presentations were made by high profile experts including José María Figueres Olsen, CEO Concordia 21 and former President of Costa Rica, Professor David P Mellor OBE, Chairman, United Kingdom Telecoms Academy and Ken Banks, Founder of Kiwanja.net. A full list of the speakers and the conference agenda is available here.