ICT Riga 2006: for an Inclusive Society Conference

Information and communication technologies, or ICTs, play a key role in all our daily lives, in our work, education, public services and in our homes. More and more new and complex services can be accessed electronically through a range of devices. Yet access, service design, personal capacity, trust, skills, willingness and awareness can represent significant barriers to some of the very people able to benefit most from these services.

Examples of imaginative and innovative uses of ICT are helping to address some of the key challenges faced by socially excluded people in many countries and regions in Europe, and beyond. Yet the widespread understanding of the issues and opportunities surrounding eInclusion, and take-up of good examples is not yet evident.

 To this end, the European Commission, together with the Latvian Government and the Austrian Presidency of the EU, is organising this high-level conference and exhibition on the theme “ICT for an inclusive society” in Riga, Latvia, on 11-13 June 2006. This conference is part of the process of ensuring an inclusive European information society and of ensuring we bring the benefits to all.

Practitioners, senior representatives of civil society, representative groups and industry and Ministers from all EU Member States will meet to:

Set the policy agenda for the coming years

Identify how best to implement this agenda

Commit, and involve, all stakeholders from the beginning.

Share examples of best practice

The conference will include an informal meeting of Ministers, where ministers are expected to adopt a declaration providing political guidance for future action.

Inclusion is one of the most difficult challenges faced in our society today.  eInclusion offers key opportunities to help meet this challenge. ICT for an inclusive society is a priority. eInclusion: ensuring no-one is left behind, everyone can contribute and participate.

http://europa.eu.int/information_society/events/ict_riga_2006/index_en.htm