Our Global Direction

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International Telecentre Strategic Planning Conference

(May 22-25, Százhalombatta)

Our goal is to develop a Telecentre Movement that supports grassroots initiatives such as Telecentres and Telecentre Networks which are appropriating Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) as tools for local development.

In support of this goal it is the intention of the European Union of Telecottage Associations and the Telecentres of the Americas Partnership to convene a meeting of interested Telecentre and related networks to formally launch a Global Telecentre Alliance as a support to a Global Telecentre Movement for community self-reliance, empowerment and development through the use of ICTs.

The desired outcomes of this meeting are:

·       to bring together key representatives of the variety of telecentre networks globally to create a Global Telecentre Alliance (GTA) and a Global Telecentre Movement.

·       to develop the GTA to support the interests of grassroots ICT users as articulated through telecentres and telecentre networks and to ensure that these interests are included in the development of ICT and ICT4D policy at the national, regional and global levels.

·       to develop a strategy for the development of the global telecentre movement and for inserting this into national, regional and global ICT and ICT4D policy discussions including through advocacy on behalf of telecentre users, telecentres and telecentre networks.

·       to raise the awareness among governments, businesses and the general public about the role and functioning of telecentres and the contribution that telecentres are making and can make in overcoming social inclusion and achieving economic and social development.