Global Voices Online

Due to changes and additions in the participant list, here is our updated session plan for Saturday Dec. 11th:

9-10:30:
Intro: Rebecca and Ethan. Why we're doing this. How we'd like to use blogging and blog tools to help people in different countries hold more meaningful and direct conversations with each other. In the past people have depended on their national governments or national/multinational media to communicate with each other in a crude, agenda-distorted, group-to-group manner. Now people who aren't part of the wealthy jet-setting elites have opportunities to converse directly and understand each other better. We believe this has the potential to be very powerful.

…leading quickly into the meat of the session:
How to “bridge blog:” Led by the blogging brothers of Iraq: The Model. Also featuring Ory Okolloh and Isaac Mao. How do you explain what’s going on in a different place and culture to an audience that’s interested but inexperienced? How do you use digital tools to build links between people in different countries and cultures?

11-12:30:
Building a blogosphere: Leaders: Hoder, Jeff Ooi, and a “milblogger,” (name TBA soon). How do you build a blogging community in your country, language group, or other globe-spanning group? What kind of impact does this new kind of outlet for expression and mutual support have on a community of tech-savvy Iranians, Malaysians, or military people who feel disconnected from home and publicly misunderstood? How do you get around challenges like technical hurdles, government censorship, and language problems? What lessons can people learn for building their own blogospheres?

LUNCH.

2-3:30:
Tools: Led by Ethan and Kwin Kramer, with input from any other toolmakers in the room. An overview of various tools, not just blogs. A discussion about what we need in blogging tools and new uses for the tools we already have. UPDATE: We also hope that somebody from Spirit of America and Jeff Jarvis will talk about the new Arabic Blog tool project.

4-5:30:
Grand vision and Manifesto: Led by Joi Ito. Featuring Jim Moore, with heavy participation by everybody. The goal is to come up with a vision statement/manifesto that unites our efforts, gives some vision and coherence to the individual projects we’re all working on, and outlines an action plan for future projects.

EAT, DRINK, AND CELEBRATE…