http://jcottes.tigblog.org/ What's on the minds of young leaders from around the globe? en-us http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/13188
A Thanks to Maja, Maitreyi, Titi and Mahmoud for their generous input. I can't wait to get the magazine by snail mail. Here's where you can find it on-line:

The online version of Women in Action No. 2, 2003, issue on "Young Women" is now available at http://www.isiswomen.orgor http://www.isiswomen.org/pub/wia/wia203/index.html. The print edition will be off the press by the end of December 2003.

Women in Action No. 2, 2003
Theme: Young Women

Here is my article:
Young Women's Participation in International Conferences in the New Information Society
By Jennifer Cottes
The information society, driven by the "new" information and communication technologies (ICTs), has a dangerous potential to further marginalise young women.
http://www.isiswomen.org/pub/wia/wia203/cottes.htm

There are lots of other articles in this mag. Definitely worth the read!

]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2003 15:41:00 EST http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/13188 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/10163 MS Swaminathan Research Foundation) speak on "Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural India and Conserving Coastal Mangrove Wetlands". He outlined for us some guided principles for using ICT to benefit the poor and to reach the unreached. In this case he spoke of generating awareness around managing Mangrove forests.

So often we concentrate too much on the technology and not enough on the information. We need to focus on knowledge management if we want to benefit the poor. Some guidelines outlined for us were:
1) The technology must be user-oriented and user-controlled
2) Information generation must be “demand driven”
3) Content creation, rather than technology for access, should be a central focus
4) Value added information (knowledge) and a bottom-up process must be integrated for content creation

He emphasised that the best Knowledge Managers are local women. They are the ones managing the households and the livelihoods of their families. Therefore the technology must be gender sensitive (and socio-economic sensitive).

My fear is that youth have not been able to get this ground-level point, where the content is managed based in the NEEDS of young people working generate income of support their own livelihoods, especially, young people who are on merely trying to survive. Dr. Swaminathan also emphasised the importance of connecting the “scientist” with the poor. The scientist must be credible in the eyes of the local community to organise what knowledge is needed for local communities to succeed. Are there any youth-led ICT projects that achieve this? I sense that there are so many projects ideas, and projects that are started, but do not have the capacity to be fully implemented. This is often due to lack of funding, lack of mentoring and a lack of credibility.

It was great presentation and a great example of the need of knowledge communications for the poor. Visit Reaching the unreached: How can we use ICTs to empower the rural poor in the developing world through enhanced access to relevant information? for more information.
]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2003 18:46:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/10163 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/9525
Ahhh, the great north! Did anyone else see them?]]> Wed, 18 Jun 2003 09:38:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/9525 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/9232 Just as I realised I missed my connecting bus, a Liberal Party van pulls up. "Hmmmm, maybe they can drive me work!" -I thought. Low and behold, Jon Gerrard, ( who is currently running for provincial premier) got out of the Van and was joined by three sign waivers carrying brochures,... first thing he did was walk straight up to me (the only person at the bus stop then) and shook my hand - "Good Morning, Jon Gerrard". I asked him to change the weather in Manitoba and improve the transit system,...hmmm, we'll see.
I don't think I will ever vote Liberal in my life time (although I think Chretien is doing a good job), but it was a neat suprise,... you never know what can happen when you miss your bus. He is a very bouncy and energetic man as he waived to drivers-by. - Elections are on June 3rd.]]> Fri, 30 May 2003 11:00:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/9232 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/9219 www.craigslist.com. The article boasted how its popularity grew by word of mouth and not marketing. Its simple layout and the fact that its free and lacks commercialism is the real seller. Check it out its got everything! Although, its mostly based in the US, it seems to be spreading to Canada and the UK. (I used it to look for cheap furniture, when I lived in Boston.)]]> Thu, 29 May 2003 14:37:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/9219 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/8974 Microsoft Tries Flush Away Its iLoo Snafu

hee, hee,... "iLoo",...iLoo?? like seriously! Perhaps we could put our time toward some REAL accessibility issues?]]> Wed, 14 May 2003 10:18:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/8974 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/7496
Later this week I will attend a WSIS regional meeting at the University of Manitoba. I am looking forward to seeing who the participants will be. I feel like I have been away from Winnipeg so long, I don’t really know what are the latest “hot topics”.

Stay tuned!
]]> Thu, 30 Jan 2003 01:19:00 EST http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/7496 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/5995 Today, I managed to spend time in the thematic session, ICTs for Youth Employment, and really feel what was actually going on. The “YES” language is being used everywhere. The same language I have written, and re-written in so many letters. The content we have written, for the web site, and I have uploaded. Did we do this? Did we bring all these people together?
Initiatives are being launched left and right: YCDO - Youth Creating Digital Opportunities, DPYI – Digital Partners Youth Initiative, and NIIT’s / Virgitech’s initiative for an IT literate city of Alexandria - this in the ICT session alone.
Anyway, I am starting to ease in and enjoy myself and appreciate the purpose of the Summit, and at the same time envisioning the next 10 years, and beyond. How will YES impact the world? How will all these initiatives being launched at our Summit flourish? We’ll see. I am young and a new member of the international development community and there is so much to look forward to.
]]> Mon, 09 Sep 2002 16:55:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/5995 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/5832 Alex is beautiful - I hope to see you there and meet all the faces of people who now an abstract email address.
]]> Thu, 29 Aug 2002 08:15:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/5832 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/4864
July 4th was just a day off work for me,..sort of. I was up at 6:30am, went to Starbucks and wrote a paper for work until about 4 or 5 pm. But, when I returned home, and turned on my TV, the news was dominated by the spectacular show in Boston for the 4th of July. They declared the Boston show to be the centre of the nations 4th of July's celebrations.

Headlines were crazy in Television: "3 Shot in LA - Was it Terrorism?,... find out at 6:00!" Well, it turns out that carefully analysis has proven that: "No, it was NOT terrorism",... oh the cliff hanger. People NEVER get shot in LA! Because of Sept 11th, the flying zone was restricted to five miles away from the fireworks and show area,... not even the Good Year Blimp could come near,.. but you saw it not too far away.
Well, back to the show: The world renowned POPS band was playing at the Esplanade (a stage along the Charles River, downtown). Who are they? I asked the same thing. They are the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Barry Manilow was going to sing a few songs with them.
So thats it I decided, forget work, I GOTTA GO!,.. for Barry of coarse. "Copa, Copa Cobanna!"
I met friends at the famous "Cheers"(otherwise known as the Bull Finch), outside the Public Garden (which was closed, by the way, for security reasons), we watched Barry Manilow on TV. I had the Bartender make me a Caesar and bellow "CANADA!!!!" - it was great. Around 9:30, we headed down to the Esplanade where Barry and the POPS band were playing. Fireworks started at 10 and went for a half hour, as the symphony played throughout.
For the last 10 minutes of the Fireworks, you heard President Bushes voice echo throughout the city the same message that is played over and over again from September 11th. "Today, America, we were attacked...." then "Amazing Grace" played on Bag Pipes, again echoing through out the city. For the finale... "America the Beautiful". Throughout America the Beautiful - the fireworks shot out hearts and stars and the most beautiful SHOWER of sparkles that fell back down to the water. - Truly a great show!

Touching even,... America has a way with its people...

That's the Canadian report of the 4th of July!

After the Fireworks we went to Little Italy for Gellato, to end the night... the temperature was about 35 Celcious at 10pm!... the ice cream was well deserved!
]]> Fri, 05 Jul 2002 11:28:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/4864 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/4040 Okay, that was the background info. :P I had such a great time! Dr. Seragledin gave us a wonderfully entertaining history lesson of Egypt. He began with Aristotle and finished with....well, today. It felt short, as his speech was sweet, funny and interesting....definitely not your average academic speech, with tendencies for boredom. It also happened to be his birthday, so everyone surprised him with cake and flowers and of course "Happy Birthday".
The dinner party was a challenge, no less. There were so many people from the Center for Economic Development who were interested in learning about YES. Being in the office so much, I hardly get the chance to communicate what I know. It was good practice, especially given that these people have good knowledge if the International Development Community. I also found myself to be very bashful regarding my responsibility to develop our Knowledge Resource web site.
There was also a new reason to be grateful that day. In New York, just hours earlier, Poonam Ahluwalia, the Summit Director, and Suzanne Mubarak, the Summit Co-Chair, met with Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations. It resulted in a press conference with about 50 different press personal attending. Kofi Annan had announced that he will endorse the Summit! Poonam said that the room was full of energy and the sense of commitment to creating youth employment was vibrant.
I love my "job" and the energy I get from it. The most valuable thing I have learned so far, is that any individual can accomplish anything when there mind and heart is put into it.

]]> Sat, 11 May 2002 16:56:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/4040 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/3600
Unfortunately, I missed the Boston Marathon. Dratt!!! But I was busy working hard at the YES Secretariat. Writing letters for support, inviting participants and helping youth create networks for youth employment in their communities. So my day was not a complete loss. :) I did, at least, get to celebrate the marathon, with my Bostonian friends. The weather is great here, so we had a BBQ on a friend¡¦s apartment porch. Later in the evening we went on the roof and enjoyed a wonderful view of the city. Both a man and women won the marathon. Both are from Kenya.
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/106/sports/Street_sweepers+.shtml
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/106/sports/Rop_s_win_puts_Kenyan_men_back_in_power+.shtml

Well, we have our own race her at YES! We have a 147 days left to bring everything together! And it is definitely coming together! My old professor of International Relations emailed me today and gave me wonderful tidbits of information on being a tourist in Egypt. He warned me of a possible ¡§Culture Shock.¡¨ No doubt this will be the case, as this often comes with travelling. I anticipate I will be entirely too busy to actually, take in the culture to the greatest level. Never the less, his advice on Egypt has gotten me bright-eyed about more than the Summit itself.

Well, back to Boston thinking! There is a lot to do yet. Must focus, stay motivated, motivate my team, and make things happen!!

We just released our scholarship contest for the Summit:
http://www.takingitglobal.org/opps/...r.html?moid=416 ]]> Tue, 16 Apr 2002 16:23:00 EDT http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/3600 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/3228 - working on schematic for GKR
- got in touch with Ukraine
- respond to Vandana in India for support on the GA db
- wrote tons of letters to India for YES2002 and 2003
- LEARNING TONS! MEETING REALLY COOL PEOPLE!
This is just the begining!
]]> Thu, 21 Mar 2002 16:34:00 EST http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/3228 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/3225 ]]> Thu, 21 Mar 2002 15:59:00 EST http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/3225 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/2577 Getting furhter involved with TIG can give this back to me! Only now I don't need to travel, I can communicate on my computer.
I haven't figured out my path of involvement yet. I don't know what's out there. But, as I learn more, and "meet" more people I hope everything will snowball from there.
I look forward to connecting! :P

]]> Fri, 01 Feb 2002 12:25:00 EST http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/2577 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/2570 Thu, 31 Jan 2002 15:12:00 EST http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/2570 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667 http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/2569 Cheers!]]> Thu, 31 Jan 2002 14:58:00 EST http://jcottes.tigblog.org/post/2569 49.8833333 -97.166666749.8833333-97.1666667