Welcome to the Virtual Conference Area of the IRFD World Forum on Information Society  
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  To integrate and share the concerns and ideas of all the stakeholders involved, IRFD is launching a Virtual Conference as a pre-cursor to the World Forum in Tunis in November. This will make possible the participation of those who are unable to attend the face-to-face conference in Tunis as well as facilitate the sharing of ideas by allowing participants to present their papers prior to the main event. This virtual dialogue will be carried into the IRFD World Forum on Information Society in November, which will enhance the face-to-face conference and contribute to achieving its goals.  
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  This virtual event, being conducted on this website will allow registered participants to present their papers within one or more of the 17 Thematic Categories that have been identified to address the Digital Divide, Global Development and the Information Society.  
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  An open, interactive online discussion format is also available (blog) to facilitate dialogue on these themes and the presentations made by registered participants. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to be involved in these discussions as much as possible.  
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  The presentations made in this virtual forum will be included in the next publication of the World Forum Proceedings of the International Research Foundation for Development.  
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  Papers may still be submitted for presentation in this virtual forum. Please send abstracts to wfis2005@irfd.org. Registration deadline for this virtual conference has been extended until October 28th, 2005.  
 
 
     
  Click any of the themes to the right to view the corresponding presenters and their papers, currently posted.  
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  Or click the image below to jump straight to the online discussions on these themes and their presentations.  
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  Enter the Virtual Conference by Selecting one of these Panels or Thematic Categories/Sessions:  
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. Panel 1 - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the United Nations Environment Programme .
. Capacity Building for Electronic Information Tools and the Environment .
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. Panel 2 - International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) .
. Transfer of Information Technology and Knowledge: Development and Underdevelopment .
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. Panel 3 - International Geographical Union's Commission on the Geography of Information Society .
. The Geographical Dimension of the Information Society .
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. Theme/Session 1 .
. Knowledge Economy, Knowledge Management and the Information Society .
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. Theme/Session 2 .
. Information Communication Technology, e-Commerce and the Business Environment .
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. Theme/Session 3 .
. The Role of ICT in Economic Growth and Socio-Economic Development .
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. Theme/Session 4 .
. Information Science and Technology: Scientific Innovation and the Information Society .
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. Theme/Session 5 .
. Transfer of Information Technology and Knowledge: Development and Underdevelopment .
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. Theme/Session 6 .
. Geographical Information System and Sustainable Information Society .
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. Theme/Session 7 .
. Cities and Regions, and Community Empowerment in an Information Age .
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. Theme/Session 8 .
. Information Society and e-Governance .
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. Theme/Session 9 .
. Social Stratification and the Digital Divide .
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. Theme/Session 10 .
. Culture and Politics in an Information Age .
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. Theme/Session 11 .
. Issues and the Role of Media in an Information Age .
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. Theme/Session 12 .
. Digital Divide: Development Policies and Action .
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. Theme/Session 13 .
. Digital Education, Distance Learning and Creation of Information Society .
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. Theme/Session 14 .
. Financing Mechanisms and International Cooperation for the Information Society .
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. Theme/Session 15 .
. Presentation of Case Studies: Best Practices and Experiences of ICT Application for Development .
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. Theme/Session 16 .
. ICT for Small Island Developing States, Least Developing Countries, and Land Locked Developing Countries .
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. Theme/Session 17 .
. The Role of ICT in Women's Participation in Development .
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