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Beyond Internet Freedoms: E-Governance in Iraq June 19, 2011 Recently, marking World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD 2011), the Kurdistan Regional Government Information Technology Department (KRGIT) and IREX hosted a conference called “Beyond Internet Freedoms: E-Governance in Iraq”, to discuss Iraqi government responses to the global transparency imperative. The conference took place against a backdrop of unrest in Iraq and the Arab world as citizens demand more inclusive, transparent, and effective governance.	World Press Freedom Day 2011: The Promise and Challenge of New Technologies June 15, 2011 by Mark Whitehouse Over 800 journalists, bloggers, freedom of expression advocates, and new media pioneers gathered in Washington, D.C., May 1-3 to celebrate World Press Freedom Day 2011. This year's event, 21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers, marked the first time the United States has hosted the event. The role of new media and citizen journalism in the ongoing events in the Middle East provided an interesting backdrop and relevant case studies for the three days of debate and discussion. IREX, together with the Center for International Media Assistance at NED, the UN Foundation, and the US Department of State served as members of the Executive Committee that planned and organized the event.
Press Freedom and the Mirage in the Desert June 15, 2011 by W. Robert Pearson From May 1 to 3, for the first time, the United States hosted World Press Freedom Day, an event inspired by African journalists. Every day around the globe free expression is under threat. For the champions of a free media, the dates, places and people may change but not the objective. Twenty years ago it was the Soviet Union’s dictatorship and South Africa’s apartheid that was disintegrating; today another revolution is transforming the Middle East. Courageous journalists, advocates, and new media pioneers proclaimed a single persistent message at this year’s event: freedom of expression is indispensable to democratic growth.	Ukrainian Migrants Use Local Libraries for Immigration Aid June 6, 2011 Recently, the library in the village of Dobrohostiv, Ukraine won an award from Bibliomist’s Community Participation Contest (CPC), providing funding to implement a project to connect labor migrants and their families through the library. In the last decade, economic problems have caused thousands of people from western Ukraine to leave for the European Union seeking employment. Apart from facing numerous legal and social challenges, these migrants often find themselves isolated from the families they leave behind. Many Ukrainians do not have internet access at home and are unable to connect with relatives and friends abroad through e-mail or Skype.
Impact of Information and Communications Technology for Communities in Crisis May 26, 2011 Donors and implementers who assisted Chileans in the aftermath of the 2010, 8.8-magnitude earthquake recently stood on stage at an event in Santiago organized by the Telecentre.org Foundation in front of representatives from 50 telecentre networks of 100 countries, to share ways information and communication technologies (ICT) helped ease the pain of the disaster. As is typical in crisis situations,utilities and communications were down, government offices were closed, if not destroyed, and media outlets were not broadcasting, leaving a field of misinformation open and alarming an already distraught population.	Beyond Internet Freedoms Conference in Iraq May 16, 2011 On May 16, 2011, marking the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD), the Kurdistan Regional Government Department of Information Technology and IREX are hosting a conference on Government Responses to the the Global Transparency Imperative. A Hands-on Training will follow May 17, 2011. Both activities will be at KRG IT Academy in Erbil.
Gates Foundation Officials Witness Biblionet Achievements in Action in Romania May 1, 2011 Officials took part in recent conferences highlighting how the Romanian government is building on Biblionet's success in modernizing the public library system.	Perspective from Rwanda, Liberia, Romania, and Ukraine April 28, 2011 by W. Robert Pearson I just came home from Rwanda, Liberia, Romania and Ukraine. What do these countries have in common you ask and why is IREX focusing on them right now? Each one of these countries is in transition from a difficult past to a hoped-for brighter future. Each one of these countries is in a better position now than in over a generation to make genuine progress toward the goals they’ve set for themselves. Each has its own unique set of challenges, naturally.
Blogs Are Very Much Like Media April 25, 2011 by Michael Mirny As World Press Freedom Day approaches and interest in ongoing popular uprisings in the Middle East garner well-deserved attention in the press, we should not forget how the digital revolution continues to upend traditional notions of media (and traditional notions of state control over the media) all over the globe.	World Press Freedom Day Participant Profile: Walid al-Saqaf April 21, 2011 A speaker at this year’s World Press Freedom Day conference, Walid al-Saqaf’s work closely intertwines with the main themes of this year’s event: “New Frontiers, New Barriers.”