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World Bank launches Development Forum for on-line dialogue and
knowledge-sharing

The World Bank's newly-redesigned Web site (http://www.worldbank.org/))
includes, among
other innovations designed to make the site more interactive, a discussion
space called the
Development Forum.

The Development Forum is an electronic venue for dialogue and
knowledge-sharing on
issues of sustainable development.  Its focal point is an ongoing and
expanding series of
electronic Development Dialogues on key issues and challenges facing the
development
community and the world's poor, with a particular emphasis on learning from
the experience
of those who face these challenges in their daily lives. These dialogues
will be
complemented by other features, including a Speaker's Corner, that provoke
discussion
and debate on development issues, and resources for those who wish to
develop their own
on-line dialogues. Also included is an index containing information on
ongoing discussions
focused on development issues such as this mailing list.

The Forum is sponsored by the World Bank as part of a broader effort to
maximize access
to, and effective use of, knowledge and information as tools of sustainable
development.
The objectives of the Forum are:

1) To increase the sharing of knowledge and experience on development
issues between the
World Bank and its external partners and clients, by providing tools for
focused dialogue that
enhances the effectiveness of our work by increasing the knowledge base
that informs that
work;
2) To increase opportunities for our clients and other stakeholders from
developing countries
to be active contributors to the creation and sharing of high-value
information and knowledge
on development issues;
3) To encourage and facilitate cooperation among development agencies and
other
organizations involved in development by permitting specialists across the
development
community to share information and knowledge in a way that enhances their
effectiveness.

In order to maximize participation in these discussions by those with
limited Internet access,
all Development Dialogues in the Forum will use an email list platform,
with messages
archived to the Forum web site for future reference.  By early 1999, the
Forum will feature a
seamless web to email, email to web interface that permits full
participation in the discussion
either by email or from the web site.  The Forum's organizers will work to
mobilize active
participation in these dialogues by individuals and groups from developing
countries.  A
particular effort will be made to reach out to partner institutions in
developing countries' training
and research institutions, think tanks, universities, non-governmental
organizations and other
development stakeholders to encourage them not only to foster participation
in these dialogues
but also, over time, to take an increasing role in proposing, planning and
leading on-line
discussions and knowledge-sharing efforts on development issues of their
own choosing.
These efforts will complement the Bank's growing efforts to help developing
countries maximize
access to and effective use of information and communications technologies
and global
networks.

The Forum was launched on Friday, October 2 as part of the launch of the
Bank's new web site.
The launch features Development Dialogues on 5 topics:

1. Ending Violence against Women (co-sponsored by UNIFEM)
2. Rural Communications in Africa
3. Corporate Governance: Issues for Developing Countries
4. Facilitating Foreign Direct Investment
5. Distance Education and Challenged Communities (sponsored by the
Commonwealth of
Learning)

The Speaker's Corner within the Forum features as its inaugural speakers
- World Bank President James Wolfensohn on the need to learn from others,
particularly those
facing development challenges in their daily lives;
- UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen Heyzer and Third World Network Director
Martin Khor on
the social impact of the East Asia crisis.

The World Bank welcomes the active involvement of other development
partners in proposing,
organizing and moderating on-line discussions within the Development Forum,
which is
intended as a resource for the entire development community.

For more information, please contact the Forum moderators at
devforum@worldbank.org