Media.Knet.Ca

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Sioux Lookout, Ontario

102 people from all over the world have registered for Keewaytinook Okimakanak’s (KO) International SMART Communities Gathering Wednesday and Thursday this week (March 17 and 18). The conference, which explores Indigenous communities’ use of Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) in development, will take place entirely online.

Participants will log onto the conference website (http://smart.knet.ca/international) to view, listen to, and respond to the presenters. Everyone, including those who have registered along with visitors to website, can participate through the Internet using K-Net’s on-line meeting platform The conference opening and closing sessions will be live video conferences that will be webcast so everyone can watch and contribute via live chat sessions. All sessions will be archived for people to view at their convenience.

"This conference gathers together the best of KO’s SMART project and uses the best technology available to bring Indigenous communities from around the world together," said Brian Beaton, K-Net Services Coordinator.

Keewaytinook Okimakanak ("Northern Chiefs") Executive Director Geordi Kakepetum leads the work of the six First Nation Chiefs Council. From his office in Balmertown he sums up his organization’s work in ICT development: "In the early 90's, when I was the chief in Keewaywin First Nation, we were busy building our community. We had no telephones. Telephone service in Keewaywin was finally installed to the organizations and homes at the end of 2000. Some of the homes in Keewaywin were connected to the Internet before they had telephones. We are now able to host and deliver an international conference from our own communities. I understand that we have people registered for this conference from six continents from around world. This is truly an exciting opportunity for our organization and the communities we serve."

Conference Keynotes are

• Darlene Rae, e-Centre Manager for North Spirit Lake: Managing ICT Development from the Ground Up
• Heather Hudson, Professor of Communications, University of San Francisco: Bridging the Broadband Divide: Strategies for Rural and Developing Regions

There will also be five presenters from indigenous communities on three continents, including:

• Kasmira Warbrooke and Melody Hare from Tuhoe, New Zealand, on that community’s Computers in Homes project
• Domingo Camaja Santay and Andrew Lieberman from el Quiché, Guatemala, on Using ICTs to Strengthen the Training of Mayan Teachers: Lessons Learned from Enlace Quiché
• Lekoko Ole Sululu from Arusha, Tanzania, on Linking Transitional Maasai Villages to the Global Community.

The e-Centre managers from the five KO communities – Deer Lake, Fort Severn, Keewaywin, North Spirit Lake, and Poplar Hill – will speak in an online forum describing the way they have used ICTs to improve secondary education, health service delivery, and community development in their communities. K-Net staff will discuss specific aspects of the SMART project.

The Gathering is the culminating event for KO’s SMART First Nations Demonstration project. The SMART project is a three-year initiative led by the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Council in partnership with the government of Canada that blends community leadership with technological innovation. Together – with everyone – the Kuh-ke-nah First Nations are defining a new network of community development, opportunity and wellness.

Brian Beaton, K-Net Services Coordinator (807) 737-1135 ext. 51251
Geordi Kakepetum, Keewaytinook Okimakanak Executive Director (807) 735-1381

Conference website: www.smart.knet.ca/international

Keewaytinook Okimakanak website: www.knet.ca

Journalists who would like to participate in the conference should contact John Rowlandson (jrowlandson@telus.net) to receive Presentation access codes.

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