UNESCO BANGKOKAPEID CONFERENCE12 DECEMBER 2007

Paola Di Maio

MFU.AC.TH

PILOTING A SOCIAL NETWORK FOR THE GREATER MEKONG

SUBREGION

1. ROLE OF ICT

2. SOCIAL NETWORKS

3. RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

4. GMS

5. OUR PROJECTS!

ROLE OF ICT

Role of Information and Knowledge in Social Networks (example:Disaster Preparedness and Emergency)

Role of IT and ICT in supporting Information Flow

ICT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE:

People With Information Can Make The Right Decision

Information Changes Very Fast, Technology Can Help Us Keep Up To Date

Ict Can Help People Find Information And Communicate Very Fast. They can Operate very Fast

Many Usages: For Fun, To Improve One's Quality Of Life

INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE

Necessary to plan situations Forecast scenarios Communicate Collaborate

ICT TECHNOLOGIES

Today information flow is entirely supported by Information and Communications Technology

Fax? Internet/secure networks (VPN) Landline, Phones, Mobiles 3G, Satellites Chat, Messenger, Groups, Email, other social

technologies

INFORMATION AS TEXT

Critical data, information and knowledge in planning emergencies must be in text form (voice and multimedia can enhance data transmission but text is essential)

Data expressed as text must conform to certain formatting standards and must be suitable for remote transmission protocols

To make text as data transmission effective it is necessary to share:

goals data models (knowledge models,

information models) a 'language' (syntax) meanings standards protocols

Common Goals:

Effective communication (accurate and rapid)

Consistency Transparency Privacy Security Maximum Interoperability

Interoperability Problems

Interoperability means: different systems can work together at various levels

Data format level Network level Information model level User level

TOWARD A COMMON ONTOLOGY

Explicit information, data and conceptual models

Explicit and shared representation Agreed and shared vocabularies Emergency data exchange protocols Greater interoperability, easier

cooperation

SOCIAL NETWORKSWHAT ARE THEY?

PEOPLE+RELATIONSHIPS+TECHNOLOGY

GRAPH VISUALIZATIONS

Social Network

Source: www.ymatsuo.com/papers/foafws04/asada/

PEOPLE NETWORKS USING FOAFSource: kengo.preston-net.com/

archives/foaf_semaview.jpg

SOCIAL NETWORKS: Architectures of Participation

Source:myunderstanding.wordpress.com

CollaborativeTagging

Architecture of Participation

COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE

http://www.collectiveintelligence.info/

SOCIAL SOFTWARE WEB 2.0/SEMANTIC TECHNOLOGIES

COG Model

GREATER MEKONG SUBREGION

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS): Cambodia People's Republic of China Lao People's Democratic Republic Myanmar Thailand VietNam..

MAP

UNCAP 2005

UNCAP 2005

Challenges and constraints

Different natural language and cultures Conflicting interests among agents National security Logistics, physical barriers Imperfect information flow Poor communication infrastructure No common protocol for emergency

COOPERATION AGENCIES

Royal Government in Thailand [5] UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCO ADP, ADPC National Statistics Office Department of Local Administration NGO's People! (students, knowledge workers) OTHER (CIA?)

RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

WHAT IS ‘RESILIENCE’? According to UN International Strategy for

Disaster Reduction definition Resilience is “The capacity of a system, community or society potentially exposed to hazards to adapt, by resisting or changing in order to reach and maintain an acceptable level of functioning and structure."

UNISDR www.unisdr.org/eng/library/lib-terminology-eng%20home.

Communication (Knowledge And Information Exchange)

Making Information PUBLIC And ACCESSIBLE To Any Member Of The Social Network

Trust Neighborhood Initiative, Regional Cooperation, Private And Public Sector Participation

RESILIENT COMMUNTY DYNAMICS AND FACTORS

SELF ORGANISATION

This is determined by the degree to which the social system is capable of organizing itself to increase its capacity for learning from past disasters for better future protection and to improve risk reduction measures.”

INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND COMMUNICATION ARE ESSENTIAL TO SELF ORGANISATION

RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE

Several programs are being devised to promote ‘community resilience’ worldwide

Example: University of British Columbia initiatives such as the Community Emergency Program Review (CEPR) which provides working instruments such as the Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis (HRVA) Tool Kit

PROJECTS

EXPERTFINDER FOR EMERGENCY AND POVERTY (FUNDS: 100.000 bath)

WWW.P2PAID.ORG Cell broadcast SMS Alerts (Pilot) SOCIAL NETWORK FOR THE GMS

GOALS

IMPROVE INFORMATION FLOW IMPROVE COMMUNICATION INCREASE EFFICIENCY DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY

Goal: To promote the formation of a social network of resilient community in the GMS Timescale: 6-12 Months period for the study period, then ongoing Participants: The proposed Pilot scheme will be developed in cooperation with international agencies and major universities NGO's as well as individual citizens and students of different background and ages in the GMS region. Languages It is proposed that the pilot scheme is initially devised in English, with local language translations for the different participating countries. It assumes basic English literacy of the core group of initial participants, it is envisaged that further project development will take place over time  locally in the respective languages without further necessary input

PILOT OUTLINE

PILOT PHASES

Local Survey to identify teledensity and internet users in the region Identify all the possible fixed and mobile telecommunication access no

des that could serve a 'citizen’s’ network' during an emergency Capacity and availability assessment and skills inventory Survey and map the density, location, type of telecommunication netw

ork, Develop local guidelines and protocols to support 'readiness' of respon

se in case of emergency, as well as resilience and participation to ongoing development projects

Develop local bilingual directories with contact names and functions of key individuals and organisations operating in the region

Set up one or more  simulation scenarios to test the response capacity

CONCLUSION

ICT CAN BE VERY POWERFUL IF USED EFFECTIVELY

THERE IS SCOPE FOR A SOCIAL NETWORK TO IMROVE 'SOCIAL EFFICIENCY'

WE PROPOSE A COOPERATION PLAN TO CREATE A SOCIAL NETWORK

WE NEED PARTNERS TO GET CONNECTED

PEOPLE SCHOOLS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AGENCIES BODIES

QUESTIONS?

Much work ahead!

Contact :

Paola.dimaio@gmail.com