i4donline: November - December 2003 issue: First i4d seminar

The first i4d seminar was held at Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with Map Asia 2003. The event was attended by eminent individuals from the field of ICT and development, both from Asia as well as other parts of the world.

In his presidential address, Dr. Karl Harmsen, Director, Centre for Space Science and Technology, Education in Asia and the Pacific located in India, said, "I think, in general, technology is not a limiting factor". He was of the view that ICT should be taken as means to the end and ends in itself. Information has to be demand driven. The focus in ICT4D activities should be both at the center and at the periphery. Discussing various economic indicators like GDP, PPP (purchasing power parity) Dr. Harmsen said that lack of development strategy is one reason for existing poverty. If we do not address the poverty issue, it will create many more problems.Commenting on the argument of the book the Great Indian Dream, he said, "I can't comprehend how a corrupt system can generate a clean system". His paper, covering wider issues, set the momentum for the first i4d seminar.

The theme of the first session was 'ICTs- bridging the digital divide?'. Two papers were presented in this session with Mr. Lom Koi Fong, Managing Director of Malaysia International Multimedia Centre for e-Community Development in the chair.