Sunday, November 21st

Monday, November 22nd (Venue: Rio Othon Palace Hotel)

Tuesday, November 23rd (Venue: Rio Othon Palace Hotel)

Thematic Sessions Programme

Thematic Session 1:   Cooperation for the development of Information Society applications

This session will explore developments in regional and bi-regional cooperation as tools to foster the take up of Information Society applications in the fields of education, health and inclusion.  It will also discuss cooperation in the field of research & development, as well as the impact that interconnection of research and education networks, both within LAC and between LAC and Europe, can have on the take up of Information Society applications.

Moderator:
Isidro Fernandez – Regional Advisor for Communication and Information in Latin América and the Caribbean, UNESCO

Themes:
Cooperation initiatives in e-education, e-health, e-inclusion:
América Santos Riveras – Deputy Minister for Science, technology and Environment of Cuba
Milton Balseca – National Coordinator of the @LIS SILAE project
Sérgio Rosa – Director, Federal Service of Data Processing (SERPRO) of Brazil

Cooperation on research & development:
Mário Campolargo – Head of Unit for Infra-structure of Research, Directorate General for Information Society, European Commission

Interconnection of research and education networks:
Florencio Utreras – Director, RedCLARA
Dai Davies – Director Geral, DANTE

Thematic Session 2:   Factors for an inclusive Information and Knowledge Society

This session will address factors which are relevant to the development of an inclusive Information and Knowledge Society, such as free/open source software, interoperability of systems, Internet governance, security, and knowledge sharing.  It will discuss ways to cooperate on these topics, with a view to fostering social cohesion and digital inclusion.

Moderator:
George Papadatos - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece

Themes:
Free/open source software:
Maurício Augusto Coelho - Coordinator of the National Institution of Information Technology of Brazil

Education in the Information Society and Knowledge sharing:
Helena C. S. Vasconcelos - Coordinator of the Digital Inclusion of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil
Marcelo Branco - Adviser of the Presidency of Brazil

Interoperability of systems:
Karl Heinz Rosenbrock – General Director of the European Institution of Telecommunication

Internet governance and security:
Simon Bensasson – Head of unit for International Relations, Directorate General for Information Society, European Commission

Thematic Session 3:   Policy and regulatory cooperation on the Information Society

This session will address the main elements of common interest for a dialogue between LAC and the EU on policy and regulatory issues of the Information Society, including the identification of those aspects of the Geneva Plan of Action of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which are most relevant from the point of view of social cohesion and digital inclusion.   It will also discuss the role of civil society and the private sector, and appropriate mechanisms for financing and support of the development of the Information Society. 

Moderator:
João Carlos Ferraz – Chief, Division of Production, Productivity and Management, ECLAC, United Nations

Themes:
The policy and regulatory dialogue:
Edwin San Román – President of the Telecom Regulatory Agency of Peru (OSIPTEL) and of the Organisation of Latin American Telecom Regulatory Agencies (REGULATEL)
Plínio de Aguiar - Member of the Board, National Agency for Telecomunications (ANATEL) of Brazil
Viviana Diaz - Coordinator Telework Commission, Ministry of Labour of Argentina

Civil society and private sector role:
Jonas de Oliveira Junior – Deputy vice-President for Regulatory Strategy, Telefónica of Brasil - Telesp
Erick Iriarte Ahon – Executive Director, Alfa-Redi

Appropriate mechanisms for financing and support:
Fátima Cartaxo – Sector expert, Modernization of the State, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

Thematic Session 4:   Working together on e-government to modernise public administrations

E-government services are at the centre of the development of an inclusive Information Society.  Exchanging know-how and best practices between different nations and regions is critical, going beyond the development of e-government services at national and local level.  Interoperability of e-government services is important in this context.  This session aims at exchanging views on cooperation means for the development of e-government, with a view to fostering the modernisation of public administrations.

Moderator:
Raúl De la Parra – Deputy Director General, E-Government and Information Technology Policy Unit, Secretary for Public Administration, México 

Themes:
e-government national initiatives:
Giulio De Petra - Director General for Innovation in the Regions and Municipalities, National Center for Information Technologies in the Public Administration
Hérnan Moreno – Director General, Agenda of Connectivity of Colombia

e-government regional initiatives:
Angela Capati-Caruso – Economic Affairs Officer, Division for Public Administration and Management of Development,  Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations
Francisco Gomez Alamillo – Secretary General, AHCIET

Interoperability of e-government services:
Rogério Santanna – Secretary for Logistics and Information Technology, Ministry for Planning, Budget and Management of Brazil