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MEDINA LAUNCHES TOURIST GUIDE FOR REAL-TIME AND VIRTUAL TRAVELLERS [Brussels | 15th November 2006]

A new tourist guide and accompanying CD-Rom highlights the beauty and charm of different types of Mediterranean cities, taking visitors for a tour of the Medina, a Roman or Byzantine city, or a modern city. Travellers will discover beautiful - yet fairly unknown - places off the beaten track. "A trip around the Mediterranean" will encourage travellers to see the real thing and discover more of the hidden treasures of the Mediterranean. Read more

LINGUISTIC DIVIDE MORE ACUTE THAN DIGITAL DIVIDE? [Brussels | 9th November 2006]

At the UN?s first Internet Governance Forum in Athens - held from 30 October to 2 November 2006 - experts issued a stark warning on the dominant position of English on the Internet. More than 90% of the world?s 6,000 languages are not represented online, denying a large part of the global population access to information and knowledge. As English-speaking websites proliferate, they risk elbowing out the already limited linguistic diversity on the net. Sociologists and linguists also stressed that ancient cultures and traditions could be lost if English is not kept in check, arguing that the linguistic divide needs to be bridged just as urgently as its digital counterpart. Read more

INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM FOSTERS DIALOGUE ON DEVELOPMENT [Brussels | 1st November 2006]

There?s nothing new about repression: for decades citizens have responded to governments which encroach on their freedom of speech by writing letters, articles and books. They have been spied on, persecuted, and silenced. The Internet has given the oppressed a voice that reaches further than any letter, article or book ever has. But autocratic regimes have been quick to restrict the free flow of information on the Internet. In the age of worldwide mass communication, freedom of expression is being reigned in rapidly. The Internet Governance Forum seeks to safeguard the freedom to receive and access online information. Its first meeting in Athens underlines the Internet?s considerable potential to contribute to the development and flourishing of open democratic societies. Read more

CULTURAL HERITAGE ONLINE: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TACKLES CHALLENGE OF ACCESSIBILITY AND PRESERVATION [Brussels | 27th October 2006]

Virtual libraries are on the march, for better or for worse. Chaucer?s manuscripts on vellum, Greek and Roman classics on ancient papyrus sheets, and cloth and leather-bound books are decaying in traditional libraries, and the process is irreversible. With the rise of new information technologies, conservators have found a new way of preserving archive materials for future generations. ?Cultural Heritage Online? will look at the accessibility of digital libraries, discuss trends and opportunities, and promote cooperation in the field of digital preservation. Read more

COMMISSION CALLS FOR BETTER MATCH BETWEEN MEDITERRANEAN EIB FUNDS AND SMEs [Brussels | 25th October 2006]

Despite significant contributions to investment and economic growth in the southern Mediterranean region, the EIB could do a lot more to support SMEs. The European Commission?s verdict, following a review of the European Investment Bank?s Facility for Euro-Mediterranean investment and Partnership (FEMIP), should result in a facility that focuses more on private sector and SME needs. Read more

GOOD NEIGHBOURS, GOOD FRIENDS [Brussels | 13th October 2006]

Are you that person who welcomes a new neighbour with a bunch of flowers, invites them in for a cup of coffee and appreciates a friendly chat over the garden hedge? Are you a caring neighbour, concerned about the wellbeing of those around you and happy to help when and where you can? A recent Eurobarometer on the European Union and its neighbours shows that EU citizens consider cooperation with neighbouring countries important. A vast majority believe that EU assistance to neighbouring countries - such as those on the Mediterranean rim - can help to extend peace and democracy beyond the borders of the Union. Read more