I just returned from a fascinating trip to Morocco, where, among other
things, I helped to organize this event on language localization in
Casablanca. I thought this statement might be of interest. Take note in
particular of the project homepage (http://www.bisharat.net/PanAfrLoc).
This announcement is also posted on the Kabissa site at
http://www.kabissa.org/gong_gong/ict_news/casablanca_statement.html
It would be interesting to discuss where Mailman fits into this picture.
From: "Donald Z. Osborn" <dzo@BISHARAT.NET>
Date: June 21, 2005 10:52:57 AM EDT
To: AFRIK-IT@LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Casablanca Statement on ICT Localisation in Africa
Reply-To: "African Network of IT Experts and Professionals (ANITEP)
List" <AFRIK-IT@LISTSERV.HEANET.IE>
The PanAfrican Localisation workshop held in Casablanca, June 13-15,
brought
together localisation experts and representatives of localisation
projects from
various countries in Africa and some beyond. We considered the state of
localisation on the continent, key issues, and ideas for facilitating
and
advancing localisation efforts. The meeting also produced a brief
declaration
(below). URLs for the sponsoring and collaborationg agencies and for
the
project webpage follow. (Pardon the cross-posts.)
Don Osborn
Bisharat.net
Coordinator of the PanAfrican Localisation Project
Pan African Localisation Workshop
Casablanca Statement
African localisation experts met in Casablanca in a workshop organised
by
Kabissa with Bisharat under IDRC funding, and in collaboration with
MTDS and
the Casablanca Technopark centre. The event benefitted from
contributions from
the Moroccan Minister-Delegate to the Prime Minister in Charge of
General and
Economic Affairs, the Canadian Ambassador to Morocco, and experts from
other
continents.
After three days of work, the participants in the meeting reached the
following
conclusions:
- Limiting people to the use of information and communication
technology (ICT)
in a foreign language tends to exacerbate the digital divide; makes ICT
adoption long, difficult, and expensive; and impoverishes local
culture.
- Localisation makes ICT more accessible to everybody, including users
from
rural areas and young students, reinforcing the importance of our
culture and
helping us preserve our identity.
- Localisation of ICT into indigenous African languages is therefore
key to
rapid and fair development in Africa.
- For localisation to succeed and have its maximum impact in society,
collaboration among governments, civil society, educators, linguists,
computer
professionals, standards organisations and development agencies is
necessary.
We, the participants, commit ourselves to promoting this vision and
working
towards social development in Africa through ICT localisation.
Casablanca, 15 June 2005
IDRC http://www.idrc.ca/
Kabissa http://www.kabissa.org/
Bisharat http://www.bisharat.net/
MTDS http://www.mtds.com/
Casablanca Technopark http://www.casablanca-technopark.ma/
PanAfrican Localisation Project http://www.bisharat.net/PanAfrLoc
For further information, write: bisharat@bisharat.net