As I write this brief text the clothesline seems to be protesting under the weight of the laundry, the dog scratches at the door begging for his food, and my son asks me if there will be lunch today. After several days of neglecting the house the domestic routine calls me, pulling me away from the dream of kilobytes and returning me to everyday life. But it was worth it. Since last Thursday I have lived a preview of the future, a piece of tomorrow in the midst of this Havana trapped in the past. The CLICK Festival was just a foretaste of the topics that Cubans will discuss in the year 2020, and my restless grandkids in 2050. Three days to "think about technology, plan for it, and make it ours.. ." developing an inclusive and plural atmosphere. The issues addressed ranged from discussions about artistic production in the digital age to the outline of a possible bill of rights for Internet users.
It proved to be very difficult to organize this event through alternative channels, in a society where each action is surrounded by obstacles and impediments, much more so if it is undertaken independently. So, several times, someone invited to be on a panel was not able to arrive in time due to transportation problems, the rustic audio equipment deafened us with its feedback, and the frugal snack was delayed longer than our stomachs could bear. But that was just the stage, the improvised physical context where the transcendental took place. With material simplicity, the CLICK Festival managed to exceed our expectations. The frank and open debate, uncensored, the great participation by the audience, and the success in pulling off a technological and futuristic event, were some of the major achievements. More than 200 people passed through the doors during the three days of the meeting, and on Thursday, in the afternoon, 102 of us, interested in social networks and Web 2.0, gathered. All the planned workshops took place and even the heavy rains falling over the city didn't manage to dim the enthusiasm, although several people came down with colds thanks to wet shoes and the damp.
We could not, however, achieve as diverse as representation of Internauts as we desired. And not because we imposed an ideological or group filter, but because many of those invited preferred not to come. Fear of exchanging opinions, fear of the embrace, continues to dominate the Island -- including the virtual scene. An editorial in Cubadebate -- threatening and extremist -- must have scared off some who would have liked to join us. Thanks to us the Cuban government hastily organized a "Knowledge Festival" for the same days, to teach people how to create blogs and Twitter accounts. Which to me is one of the best outcomes of our little CLICK Festival. If pushing the wall forces them to move it a few inches... then... then we have achieved part of what we want.
Next year the CLICK Festival will have to improve the level of its panels, create a WiFi network for the participants to download event materials, shed a certain level of seriousness in favor of making it more interactive, and manage to attract those journalists, bloggers and Twitterers who, this time, preferred not to join us. We need to reach younger people for whom the cellphone, keyboard and mouse are like extensions of their own bodies. Although -- and it makes me happy to say so -- several of them gatecrashed this edition. As a brief tweet on the #festivalCLIC said, "We are not only an event. Today a community is born." So we see again, with the collaboration of Spain Blogs Event (EBE), the clumsiness of the official editorials and the playful and rebellious spirit of our internauts.
Follow Yoani Sanchez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/yoanifromcuba
I understood that CLIC was to be a forum for proposals, not complaints, and that participants were welcome from all sectors -- civil society, the government, etc. Global online education is taking off and Cuba has medical expertise. There is nothing political about this.
I was on vacation and disconnected from the Internet at the time of the conference, so missed the news while it was going on. I just returned, and in searching online for news of the conference, see only the usual political discussion.
What about the conference content as opposed to the politics -- what actually went on? Were there other proposals? Was there any government participation? Will there be a published proceedings? Were any conclusions or recommendations reached?
(For more on what I proposed, see the last section of the article at: http://vocescuba.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/voces15.pdf).
"More than 200 people passed through the doors during the three days of the meeting, and on Thursday, in the afternoon, 102 of us ... gathered."
"We could not, however, achieve as diverse as representation of Internauts as we desired ... because many of those invited preferred not to come."
** Independent Technology Festival a Huge Success in Havana **
A huge success, Yoani? It sounds more like a small and insignificant disaster, and properly reflects just how miniscule Sánchez's 'dissidence' really is. A massive own goal by all accounts.
http://www.iri.org/
STATE MONOPOLY OF THE MEDIA
The media has the potential to help shape public opinion and to monitor and assess the performance of those holding public office at all levels; it is an important tool for scrutinizing government practices in all societies no matter their political ideology. The absence of an independent media is a serious obstacle to the enjoyment of freedom of expression and the adequate review of corrupt and abusive official practices. Restrictions on the Cuban media are stringent and pervasive and clearly stop those in the country from enjoying their right to freedom of opinion and expression, including freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.8 The state maintains a total monopoly on television, radio, the press, internet service providers, and other electronic means of communication.9 According to official figures, there are currently 723 publications (406 print and 317 digital), 88 radio stations, four national TV channels (two devoted to educational programming), 16 regional TV stations and an international TV channel. All are financed and controlled by the government.10 Three newspapers provide national coverage: Granma, which is the organ of the Cuban Communist Party, Juventud Rebelde and Trabajadores.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR25/005/2010/en/62b9caf8-8407-4a08-90bb-b5e8339634fe/amr250052010en.pdf
CONTROL OF INTERNET ACCESS
In Cuba, access to the internet remains under state control. It is regulated by the Law of Security of Information, which prohibits access to internet services from private homes. Therefore, the internet in Cuba has a social vocation and remains accessible at education centres, work-places and other public institutions. Internet can also be accessed in hotels but at a high cost. In October 2009, the government adopted a new law allowing the Cuban Postal Services to establish cyber-cafés in its premises and offer internet access to the public. However, home connections are not yet allowed for the vast majority of Cubans and only those favoured by the government are able to access the internet from their own homes.
However, many blogs are not accessible from within Cuba because the Cuban authorities have put in place filters restricting access. The blogs affected are mainly those that openly criticize the Cuban government and its restrictions on freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and movement. For example, Generation Y is one of the dozens of blogs that are filtered or intermittently blocked by the government and are not accessible inside Cuba.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR25/005/2010/en/62b9caf8-8407-4a08-90bb-b5e8339634fe/amr250052010en.pdf