The Brahma Kumaris participated actively in the Summit with a delegation from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America and organized several side-events to address some of these questions.

Held in the Palexpo Conference Centre, the Summit and an exhibition/forum, the “ICT-4D Platform” (Information and Communication Technologies for Development) attracted over 35,000 people from all over the world. Filtering past high-tech and human security checks into four cavernous open-plan halls, participants were instantly surrounded by the sights and sounds of a 21st Century global village council meeting in full multi-dimensional swing: people communicating, sharing information, making speeches, expressing their dreams and fears, and showing the latest technology – all amplified by sound systems that blasted their way through the background buzz of machinery. Into the midst of this conference concert, the Brahma Kumaris delegation brought pause to reflect, and some silence between the notes. Acknowledging that the free flow of a good quantity of information is to be welcomed, the BKWSU pointed out that of equal importance is the quality, relevance, accessibility and distribution of such information, along with the ability to make use of it. Knowledge is empowering and the challenge we face is to make the most of the new capabilities at humanity’s disposal in ways that truly bring benefit and improvement to the lives of all people.

Below is a summary of the main events that the BKWSU organized or co-chaired:

Tuesday 9 December

“Images and Voices of Hope: a global dialogue on how public images and stories impact society”

This dialogue, facilitated by Jacqueline Berg, freelance journalist from Amsterdam and initiator of Journalists for Tomorrow Network, was aimed at professionals from the media in its broadest sense, including journalists, broadcasters, authors, advertisers, artists, filmmakers, academics and educators. The gathering was a small one but included people from France, Holland, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine and the USA. The aim of the meeting was to explore the question: “How do we, as agents of world benefit, convey messages and images that raise public trust, generate constructive meaning and amplify human hope, thus enhancing humanity’s capacity for life-promoting action?” The workshop made use of the appreciative inquiry technique to explore the deeper motivations and values of participants in their field of work and to create a vision of a future where the information society benefits everyone in the world. In the words of one participant: “I find it heart-warming to know that there are other individuals that share my passion for using the power of the media for the benefit of people”.

Images and Voices of Hope is convened by three partners: the Institute for Advanced Appreciative Inquiry, at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA; the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University; and the Visions of a Better World Foundation.

Wednesday 10 December

“Preferred future: the power of choice – The quality of our communication today determines our society of tomorrow”

Moderated by Beryl Carby-Mutambirwa, publications officer of TIYE International, Geneva , this panel discussion drew over 40 participants. The first speaker, Trushar Barot, broadcast journalist for BBC Radio Five Live, emphasized how the choices made by the media have a tremendous influence on the lives of ‘real’ people and gave several examples of creative new methods applied in reporting that were stimulated by the aim to serve listeners rather than just report a story. Jacqueline Berg suggested that, in order for the right choices to be made and to create a fresh perspective, we need to understand both our internal and our external world. She highlighted the use of silence as a means to help create such perspectives: only when there is a silent and still mind can one listen without the veil of prejudice. Chris Drake, representing Living Values Education, pointed out that we communicate not only with words but also through actions, and that our values are communicated through our actions. Values guide our choices and since these impact our future, we need to be more aware of the consequences of the choices we make. Education is empowering when it helps young people become more aware of the choices they can make and their consequences. Finally, Dominique Peccoud, Special Adviser, External Relations and Partnerships, International Labour Organization, provided a four-step method to help create sound decisions in the face of the vast amounts of information available. The first step is to create inner silence. Step two: be selective in absorbing information relevant to the choice to be made. Thirdly, think of the consequences of the decisions you might make; and finally, remembering that we are the active authors of our own future, transform words into actions. This was followed by an exchange of questions and reflections from the audience around the question of whether we truly do have a choice or if choices are largely determined by our circumstances.

Thursday 11 December

“From information to wisdom: enhancing human capacity”

In a discussion moderated by Helen Sayers, BKWSU Geneva, Pierre Chometon, a professor of Information Sciences and Communication in France, began by giving his vision of the future information society: “My vision is of a world where people know who they are and what their responsibilities are and fulfil their true needs.” He posed the question: “How much of the information we receive today is fulfilling our true needs? What we really need is peace; when I am peaceful, I am happy.” Pratiba Daya, systems analyst from South Africa, continued this theme saying that peace required an appreciation of ourselves and of other people: “This is what is driving our need for information – we thirst to know one another better.” How information is used depends on the choices we make. To make the right choices, the individual needs to tap into their higher values: the original qualities of the individual, the soul. “Love, peace, respect and compassion are our higher values. You as an individual have tremendous inner strength that emanates from these inner powers. All that is required to unleash this potential is to believe in ourselves.” Chris Drake, BKWSU representative to the UN, emphasized the need to bring spiritual knowledge and the awareness and experience of the inner self into our lives if we are to bring about an inclusive home for the human family and a culture of common values. The session attracted over 40 participants and concluded with a thought-provoking series of questions, answers and comments.

Friday 12 December

“The ethical dimension of the Information Society: best practices and reflections”

This event was organised by the WSIS Ethics and Values Caucus – a working group composed of members of NGOs, formed during the preparatory meetings leading up to the Summit. An interactive, experiential workshop, it included images, music and silent reflection and brought together over 20 participants in an exploration of how best to highlight the importance of the ethical dimension in communication and the use of technologies. During previous discussions the Caucus had agreed on the principle of including intervals of silence in public meetings as a means of creating new perspectives that come from a deeper level of awareness. The statement that the Caucus had drawn up as a contribution to the Civil Society Declaration was read to the group and comments were invited. After a period of reflection new insights were shared and discussed before the workshop closed with a reflection on the values that participants had experienced or observed during the Summit. The meeting was co-chaired by Bahiyyih Chaffers of the Baha'i International Community and Julia Grindon-Welch, BKWSU representative to the UN in New York.

Conclusion and next steps:
In a world that is increasingly dominated by new technology, it was encouraging to note the emphasis given to the human dimension at the Summit. Bridging “the digital divide” – and other divides – was the theme of many debates, and numerous innovative, cost-effective and user-friendly projects were presented, indicating commitment to make ICTs more available to developing countries and to the disadvantaged and marginalized. The focus of the BKWSU was on maintaining the quality of interpersonal communication; of making available clear information that is relevant to the deeper needs of the individual and the community; and of empowering people to develop the power of choice – from deciding what to receive or transmit through ICTs in daily life, to looking ahead and determining the sort of society we would like to see in our world. A copy of the full text of the BKWSU’s written statement is available on this site.

The second phase of the Summit will be held in Tunisia in November 2005 to assess the progress made and initiate further action. For more information about BK participation in this and other UN events, please contact the BK Office to the UN at bkun@bkwsu.com.