Global-ICT 2007 (17)

Theme: The world's on a string - using ICT to tie it together!

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are powerful tools, they are changing the way we work and the way we play. The global economy and the lives of many people have changed dramatically as a result of ICTs, and there is a broad consensus - almost faith - in the ability of ICT to solve many, if not all of the world's problems. The United Nations' World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) concentrated upon the use of ICTs to create an information society and move forward to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Not a day passes without some new notion about how ICT will create a better world. 


What is lacking in much of this talk is a hardheaded notion of some of the practical steps we must take to actually have some impact upon the major challenges that humanity faces. 


We have all heard the old saying, "a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step". I suspect mankind's journey to solve the major global challenges needs thousand, if not millions, of small, practical, steps. I have heard all my life - my father repeated this frequently - that, 'every complex problem has a simple answer, but it is probably wrong!' Complex problems need many simple answers. What is yours? 


What are some of the simple things, the first steps, we might take using ICTs to help deal with major global challenges, such as global warming, poverty, health, education, wars...? 


The theme for this issue of the annual Connect-World Global Visionariesissue for 2007 is - The world's on a string - using ICT to tie it together. How can we connect for a better world?