Taíno Appointed Member of UN ICT Strategy Council

United Nations (UCTP Taíno News) – Taíno community leader Roberto Borrero has been appointed to serve as a member of the Strategy Council of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA-GAID), for a two-year term starting 1 June 2009 and ending 31 March 2011. Composed of top-level policy makers, practitioners, experts and thinkers, the high-level Strategy Council provides overall strategic guidance and priority setting to UNDESA-GAID.

The Global Alliance functions as a partnership and network supported by the United Nations, under the authority of the Secretary-General and the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Borrero will share his experience as a member of the International Indigenous ICT Taskforce (IITF) with representatives of governments, civil society/not-for-profit, private sector and international organizations.

UNDESA-GAID plans to focus on its key message of how ICTs and innovation can be harnessed to meet key global challenges such as poverty eradication, the financial crisis, climate change, governance and mainstreaming gender within the broader United Nations Development Agenda.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations established the Global Alliance in March 2006, to meet the need for an inclusive, multi-stakeholder global forum and platform for policy dialogue and partnership-building, to promote the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and to enable and catalyze multi-stakeholder partnerships for action under the GAID umbrella.

UCTPTN 05.30.2009

Taino Confederation Expands Online Networks

UCTP Taino News - The United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP) has added Facebook to its internet communications network. In its effort to increase the visibility of Taino and other Caribbean Indigenous Peoples, the Confederation continues to devote attention to the development of its online outreach capabilities.

“Along with ongoing development of our web portal at www.uctp.org, we have been making use of internet resources like Blogger, Yahoo, You Tube, My Space, and now Facebook to expand our outreach potential.” stated Ericc Ausubonex Diaz, the UCTP Director of Technology.

Using these types of resources the Confederation has successfully developed a web presence for the Caribbean Organization of Indigenous Peoples (COIP) with its headquarters in Trinidad as well as for the Consejo General de Tainos Borincanos and the UCTP’s Liaison Office in Puerto Rico.

“While the UCTP Facebook page has a little catching up to do with the pages on other networks, the trends are indicating that online social networks are becoming a more important source of media communication.” observed Diaz.

Beyond social networks, the Confederation is looking towards improvements on its webportal, the acquisition of its own dedicated server, and being involved in some ground-breaking technology initiatives with other indigenous partners. As part of the International Indigenous ICT Taskforce (IITF), the UCTP is the Caribbean content editor for www.indigenousportal.com.

Through its participation with the IITF, the Confederation is also supporting the campaign for a self-governing domain name for Indigenous Peoples. The “Dot Indigi” campaign a partnership between the IITF and the New Zealand Maori Internet Society (NZMIS) with the conditional support of World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO). The aim is to assist Indigenous Peoples around the world to be represented on the Internet in a space that is self governing, representative and restrictive of Intellectual Property abuses.

“The internet and the online revolution is here whether our communities are prepared for it or not” noted Diaz. “Recognizing this reality, the UCTP will continue to use internet and communications technologies as our ancestors have used other tools for the benefit of our people and all our relations.”