Southlinks Information (UNV)

COMMUNITY-BASED INFORMATION USEFUL FOR ACTION

******
To retrieve the document the document mentioned in the text (_An exchange format for information useful for action_, 36Kb) send an empty message to sl-format@igc.apc.org
******

Southlinks is an initiative of United Nations Volunteers aimed at stimulating the sharing of information among community groups, especially but not exclusively those who deal with technologies and resource management. In the context of this project, information must be immediately "useful for action," it should aim at making replicable an experience or a technology, and have at its original source the actions of practitioners at the community level.

Southlinks aims at making contributions to a model of grass roots information sharing which takes advantage of information technology development, especially in the field of electronic networking. UNV seeks new roles for volunteers in the field of information sharing, and new opportunities to encourage the cross-fertilization of ideas across regions and continents. It is also an attempt to bring more non-mainstream knowledge systems into the flow of the electronic networks, and in this way share with the dominant knowledge systems the search for sustainable and equitable development.

The attached document _An exchange format for information useful for action_ attempts to define the mechanisms for a systematic approximation to an environment where this information can flow as freely as possible, and reach the people who can "put it in the ground," who can make it go to work.

Southlinks is looking for organizations who have experience in brokering information to community groups, or who are networks of community groups capable of generating and using information in the field. The ways and means of possible cooperation are described in the attached document.

There is no intention to centralise either information or to impose formats beyond what is practical. There is a wide diversity of information projects, collections, and experiences which are suitable vehicles, and the intention is to provide the optimal environment for the coordination and enlargement of existing networks, and the far reaching propagation of the information they use and generate. The purpose of the document is to offer a suitable model for new initiatives, or for new distribution projects.

Avenues for cooperation

Technical                         Information Networking
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Technical support                 Adoption of exchange formats
Computing platforms               Training of "barefoot journalists"
Training                          Personal exchange opportunities
Access to established networks    Common information environment
Electronic publication            Specialised area providers
of collections

Southlinks has a number of contact points (Regional Resource Centres) and technical contact points, from where support to new initiatives can be coordinated regionally.

Southlinks Coordinator

Miguel Peirano
PO Box HP126
Hermit Park QLD 4812
AUSTRALIA
Tel +61 77 753501
FAX +61 77 256489
E-mail: miguel@unv.ch

Southlinks Asia

Social Work and Research Centre
Tilonia 305816
Madaganj, Rajasthan
INDIA
Tel: +91 1464 3016
FAX: +91 141 40909
E-mail: swrc@doe.ernet.in
Contact: Parveen Sikand & Susan Abraham

Southlinks Latin America

Colegio Verde de Villa de Leyva
Villa de Leyva, Boyac
COLOMBIA
Tel: +57 87 320514
FAX: +57 1 2828742
E-mail: southlinks@cvvl.colnodo.apc.org
Contact: Sylvia Cadena & Noe Jimenez

Southlinks East Africa

African Centre for Technology Studies
PO Box 45917
Nairobi
KENYA
Tel: +254 2 741651
FAX: +254 2 743995
E-mail: acts@elci.gn.apc.org
Contact: Myra Navarro-Mukii

Southlinks Southern Africa

SANGOnet
13th floor Longsbank Building
187 Bree Street
PO Box 31 Johannesburg 2000
SOUTH AFRICA
Tel: +27 11 8386944
Fax: +27 11 8386310
Email: southlinks@wn.apc.org
Contact: Anriette Estherhuysen

Documentation Project

Global Village Action Network
Falls Brook Centre
RR# 1 Hartland
New Brunswick EOJ INO
CANADA
Tel: +1 506 3758143
FAX:+1 506 3754221
E-mail: fbcja@web.apc.org
Contact: Jean Arnold

Technical Contact Points:

Latin America

COLNODO
Carrera 23 #39-82
Santaf de Bogot
COLOMBIA
Tel +57 1 2697181 / 2444692
FAX +57 1 2444984
E-mail: julian@colnodo.apc.org
Contact: Julian Casasbuenas

Asia

India-Link
c/ Indian Social Institute
10 Institutional Area
New Delhi
INDIA
Tel +91 11 4625015
E-mail: leo@unv.ernet.in
Contact: Leo Fernandez

Africa

SANGOnet (address above)

Newsgroups: bit.listserv.devel-l
Message-ID: <199409071802.LAA00196@igc.apc.org>
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 1994 11:02:14 -0700
From: mpeirano@IGC.APC.ORG
Subject: Southlinks information (UNV)