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Paromita Pain

13 young researchers seek to analyse how information and communication technologies can help promote peace.

We're all in it together.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) and global peace? What's the connection?

That's the answer 13 young researchers, working from 11 geographically, culturally and economically diverse countries, are seeking to find.

The Human Network (http://www.h-network.org) is a vision for global cooperation between youth using and developing ICTs for the betterment of society, in partnership with the ITU Youth Program.

Initiated as part of Phase III of the Toda Institute research programme, the project is launched under the general theme `Peace, Education, Art, Culture, and Environment in a globalising world" (PEACE). PEACE, one of the projects based on the Human Network, has as its aims to analyse and identify possible relationships — between conflicts and the set of technological and educational inequalities known as the digital divide. It will look into the views and perceptions of youth on how communication technologies can promote peace and tolerance. The project will analyse the collected data and produce it in the form of a book that will serve as a reference material for peace researchers.

shaping the stone

"The world's first weapon was created when one human being picked up a stone and threw it at another. The stone itself is not a conflict-creator. The human was. ICTs are merely stones. Humans have the power to pick it up and do something with it," explains Vipavinee Artpradid, 24, researching youth initiatives using ICTs in the ASEAN region.

Research design

The research design is simple. The participants seek to find out what young people and policy experts around the world think about the digital divide and draw out the most innovative ideas to promote peace, justice and digital inclusion. The research will gather ideas and opinions through essay inputs from young people, interviews with industry experts and policy contributors, and workshops held around the research topic. The group consists mainly of students and young professionals in ages 20-27 spread all over the globe. This particular project has a core group of 10 members from nine countries and four continents.

Since young people represent the major percentage of the victims (and perpetrators) in conflict conditions, the book will include extensive primary source data and opinions in addition to information drawn from expert discussions, seminars and written submissions.

No super ICT machine

Yet they are not building a super ICT machine which once placed between parties in conflict will spread waves of peace.

"We first have to investigate as to what sustains peace. ICTs offer a practical solution that may ensure greater inclusion in society, which can wash away feelings of hatred, which crop up due to economic and developmental divisions. On a broader level, they offer a medium of communication between parties which otherwise have no alternative,"says Farah Mahmood, in her final year of Electrical/Telecom Engineering at the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan.

important concept

An important concept they are exploring is whether the digital divide is really a circumstance of more general social divides that vary from community to community. "Access to ICTs is the most superficial form of digital division. Issues like who and where (rural vs urban divide, English as a lingua franca for the Internet, impact of Internet cultures on traditional cultures, widening generation gap between Internet-users vs non-Internet user generations), how one uses ICTs and with what intention one uses ICTs (cultural exchange forum or forum to vent out hatred) are very significant," explains Vipavinee.

Each member of the research team is focusing on their own local context as well as the global, on the confluence of new technologies/education and the quest for peace and equal opportunity. As Farah says, "Technology introduced into society should be relevant to that society, this can truly lead to development through technology."

"Our motivation behind the entire scope of activities is a sense of responsibility for our own future and the future of those who share this world with us," says Dmitry Epstein, 26, co-founder of the Human Network.

Those interested in reading up on these initiatives can visit http://www.h-network.org/peace/index.php.

paromita@thehindu.co.in

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