ICTs and Constitution Building Tech Fair
International IDEA, in partnership with the Google Docs and Google Ideas, is organizing a one-day ‘Constitution Building Tech Fair’ for technology entrepreneurs to present services, platforms and products that could help in a constitution making process on 16 November 2015.
The making of a Constitution is one of the most difficult processes a nation can embark on. As well as critical political hurdles of reaching agreement among disparate groups regarding the basic structure and vision for the country, there are a number of other challenges that must be overcome if the constitution making process is to succeed. These include learning from the vast experience of other countries, ensuring the citizenry are kept informed and involved in the process and allowing opportunity for citizens to participate in the process, such that the constitution results from the voices of the people – their hopes, dreams, fears and concerns.
A number of innovative technology solutions have been developed and used by various constitution making processes around the world, but there is no effort to catalogue these products and practices such that new processes can learn from, and build upon, existing knowledge and experience.
The Constitution Building Tech Fair will feature TED-talk-like keynote speeches on the challenges of constitution making today and how public domain information can be leveraged for participatory processes around governance. It will furthermore feature ‘ignite talks’ where tech entrepreneurs present their tools as they may relate to three interrelated issues in any given constitution building process: Access to information, transparency in the process, and encouraging public debate.
Goal: To build awareness amongst the constitution-building community of easily adaptable technologies that can help the process and their work. To learn about potential negative consequence and spoiler dynamics increased through the adoption and adaptation of ICTs. To strengthen the links between the technology and the constitution-building communities. To create a robust network of practice and practitioners to develop cutting-edge technology responses to address both substance and process of constitution building.
Organised by: International IDEA, in partnership with Google Docs and Google Ideas, hosted by the National Constitutional Center, and curated by ICT4Peace.
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