10 June 1996 ISTANBUL -- As HABITAT II Secretary-General Wally N'Dow engaged in an "on-line chat" this morning with people throughout the world on the Internet, it became evident that it may not be necessary in the future to transport thousands of people to global conferences.
Instead, government delegates, non-governmental participants, the press and perhaps even heads of state may meet "on-line" in a virtual environment through the Internet.
"At the very least, the ecological footprint caused by global conferences is decreased when people can travel with their computers instead of with fuel-intensive aircraft," said Conrado Hinojosa, who is producing the project on behalf of Apple Computer.
Apple andWETV have teamed up to produce a "Webcast" at Istanbul, providing daily news reports, photographs and even video to a global audience. To help facilitate participation by people in developing countries who may not have access to computers, Apple has set up pavilions in such cities as Montevideo, Uruguay and Mexico City where people can access the site.
Also on the Webcast are electronic forums for group discussion on the issues relevant to sustainable urban management, and an online application where millions of people throughout the Internet can vote on the same issues government delegates are negotiating at Istanbul. The utility automatically tallies each vote and compares it with a running total. A question asking whether or not access to adequate shelter should be a human right solicited 84 per cent in favour and 16 per cent against.
Others who are scheduled for chats today on the Apple/WETV Webcast include Elizabeth Dowdeswell, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, Nitin Desai; UN Under-Secretary General and head of the UN's Commission on Sustainable Development; and singer/songwriter Peter Gabriel. The site has been so successful on the Internet that the Microsoft Network recently nominated the Webcast a "Pick of the Week."
The URL for the Webcast is http://habitat.apple.com
Contact:
Conrado Hinojosa or Hugh Locke
Apple Computer / WETV Pavilion
Salipazari / Best Practices Exhibition Hall
Tel: 249-9090