Over 200 World Class ICT Speakers will Convene in Kuala Lumpur

Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) announced today that an illustrious pool of over 200 key international proponents of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) will present at the upcoming Third Global Knowledge Conference (GK3). Role players will exchange knowledge and learnings within the GK3 theme of "Emerging People, Emerging Markets, Emerging Technologies", in order for participants to obtain a deeper understanding of how ICT can impact and accelerate development.

As GKP works towards building cross sector partnerships, the role players at GK3 will represent all sectors of society. Key global advocates of ICT within the private sector include major technology corporations Microsoft and Intel. Microsoft will be represented by Mr. Orlando Ayala, Senior Vice President for the company's Unlimited Potential Group, which spearheads the organisations effort to close the digital divide.

Intel will be represented by Mr. John E. Davies, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Mr. Davies is also General Manager of Intel's World Ahead Programme, which works to develop sustainable access to useful technology for all.

Within the international non-governmental sector are key leading international role players in ICT. These role players include, Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, India, who was voted one of TIME Magazine's 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th century; Dr. Hamadoun I. Toure, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU); and Mr. Ged Davis, Co-President, Global Energy Assessment & Deputy Chairman Ecocities.

Other high profile speakers who will share their in-depth experience and thoughts on various ICT developmental projects that have helped shape the world include:

-- The Hon. Thandi Shongwe, Minister, Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Communication, Swaziland

-- Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)

-- Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

-- Mr. Walter Fust, Director-General, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

-- Ms. Kristine Pearson, Chief Executive Officer, Freeplay Foundation (a TIME Magazine Hero of the Environment for 2007)

-- Mr. Adama Samassekou, President of Maaya -- the World Network for Linguistic Diversity

-- Mr. Bonsal Glascock, President and Chief Operating Officer, iMallsGlobal Inc

-- Mr. George Sadowsky, Executive Director, Global Policy Initiative

-- Mr. Alex Wong, Senior Director, Head of Center for Global Industries & Head, Global Education Initiative, World Economic Forum

-- Ms. Valerie Faudon, Vice President, Programs, Alcatel Corporate Marketing Office, Paris

A full speakers list found at http://www.gkpeventsonthefuture.org/GK3speakers .
GK3 will attract over 2,000 visionaries, international leaders, practitioners and policy-makers to engage on the theme of "Emerging People, Emerging Markets, Emerging Technologies", with a special focus on Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) and Knowledge for Development (K4D).

GKP is a multi-sector, multi-stakeholder partnership that acts as an effective agent for change as the organisation works collaboratively with members and partners. All members share the GKP vision, and belief, that development across all spheres (social, political, economic) is dependent on knowledge and access to knowledge, that development should be guided by knowledge, and that knowledge sharing is an effective and empowering means of enabling growth and development. Furthermore, GKP and members believe that ICT is an enabler through which all people can gain access to knowledge.

More information is available at http://www.globalknowledge.org/GK3 .

For further information, please contact:
Anne Beetham / Kim Danker
Tel: +60-3-4256-2834 / +60-3-4256-2835
Fax: +60-3-4256-2842 / +60-3-4256-2843