CILIP | World Summit on the Information Society

CILIP keeps abreast and informed of international developments in vital areas such as freedom of information, international trade treaties and intellectual property rights.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a UN initiative to make the Information Society a reality for all the world's people, not just the few.This involves specific commitments, including targets, by Governments as part of a Plan of Action.

As such, the World Summit is one of the most important issues affecting the LIS community nationally and worldwide. It is important that the voices of the LIS community, its views and priorities about the Information Society, including the vital role played by libraries and information centres, are made known and clear to a wider, global audience.
At the IFLA WSIS pre-summit Conference held in Egypt, at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, on 10-11 November 2005,
IFLA issued the Alexandria Manifesto on Libraries, the Information Society in Action.

The UN World Summit on the information society was in two phases. The first was a conference held in Geneva from 10-12 December 2003 and the second was held in Tunis in November 2005. At the Geneva summit two documents were approved: a Declaration and a Plan of Action.

IFLA

IFLA, of which CILIP is a founder member, has been very actively involved in WSIS process. see the IFLA website for details.

IFLA has set up a Success Stories Database to showcase good practice and act as a resource for lobbying and advocacy. Search the Success Stories Database.

Updated: 12 October 2007