Full Day Pre-Summit Event Focuses on Aboriginal Opportunities
February 20, 2007
(Vancouver, BC) – The First Nations Technology Council announced today that it will turn ideas into action by webcasting the 3rd Annual Strategic Use Information and Communication Technologies for Communities Summit to extend information sharing directly into urban and rural Aboriginal organizations and First Nations communities.
The theme of the 2007 Summit is "Technology as a Bridge for Nation Rebuilding". Beginning February 22nd at 9:00 am, people can log onto the First Nations Technology Council (or FNTC) website at www.fntc.info to see real-time Summit content. Highlights of the 2007 Summit will be archived and available in the future, and a dynamic special issue of RedWAY BC News will be updated as delegates submit articles to the free on-line publication.
The live broadcast will begin during the pre-Summit First Nations focused event called, "Gaming And Game Development As A Tool For Education And Economic Development". Presenters will explore the impact, opportunities and challenges video games provide as tools for education, business development, cultural preservation and sharing and economic development in communities.
"We’ll be using webcast management software that allows us to add flying captions and mix multiple video sources to create television-quality content for viewers on-line," says Jess Gordon, Manager of Technical Services for the ‘Namgis First Nation and member of the FNTC.
"We’re pretty excited about how we’ll be able to synchronize live video with concurrent presentation media shown at the Summit," Gordon continues."It’s like shifting seamlessly from a speaker’s face directly to a slide on their computer and back again – in live, real-time video – as if you were there, watching," he explains.
The demand for sharing high quality live and archived content from conferences is growing, especially as capacity development is critical for First Nations working towards self-governance and self-sufficiency. "Our resident web guru and technician in ‘Namgis, Glen Nickol, is helping bring new webstream technology to light for our communities. It’s providing an innovative yet easy tool to increase communication and information sharing between First Nations members, organizations, health providers, governments, businesses and educators."
Webcasting the February 22nd event and sessions from the subsequent 3-day Strategic Use Information and Communication Technologies for Communities Summitreflects the commitment of the FNTC, Summit organizers and Summit partners to share tools and knowledge to a broader audience. This enables community organizations to create and implement local projects defined by their own community’s needs.
The 2007 Summit kicks off with a pre-Summit event on February 22nd called, "Gaming And Game Development As A Tool For Education And Economic Development". It focuses on the impact, opportunities and challenges video games provide as tools for education, business development, cultural preservation and sharing and economic development in communities.
Elder Leonard George, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and First Nations Summit Grand Chief Edward John will welcome guests to the interactive pre-Summit event.
Video gaming industry leaders and educators will present topics like "Gaming as Industry, Community, and Education" and "Gaming Research". A Showcase will feature posters and interactive access to information about past, current and future projects, technologies, and groups working in the area of indigenous gaming. Panel presentations like "Voices of Youth" engage Youth in sharing how learning through gaming has brought change to their lives.
The full 2007 Summit, a partnership between the First Nations Technology Council and other organizations such as the Pacific Community Network Association, Industry Canada’s Community Access Program and Human Resource Development Canada/Service Canada’s Learning Communities Initiative and BC3, will bring together a powerful mix of community leaders, technology service providers, business, government, researchers, and non-profit organizations that are engaged in using Information and Communications Technology, or ICT, for developing capacity and building community capital.
Beginning February 23rd, 2007 Summit speakers and presenters include Minister Olga Ilich, Dave Porter from the First Nation Summit and Political Analyst, Vaughn Palmer. Over 20 diverse presentations will reflect the local, regional, national, and international make up of the organizers, presenters, and delegates.
The First Nations Pre-Conference Agenda for February 22nd is available at http://www.2007summit.ca/FNTC%20Agenda.htm and the subsequent 3-day 2007 Summit Agenda is available at http://www.2007summit.ca/program.htm.
Media Contacts
First Nations Technology Council
First Nations Summit Communications Coordinator, Colin Braker
E-mail: info@fns.bc.ca
Tel: 604.926.9903 or Toll Free: 866-990-9939
On-site at 2007 Summit
Spiritlink Communications, Kristin Kozuback
E-mail: events@spiritlinking.com
Tel: 604-783-8304
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