Conference on Global Internet Freedom

State Department Hosts First Conference on Global Internet Freedom

The Global Internet Freedom Task Force (GIFT), which is jointly chaired by Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, and Josette Sheeran, Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, will host its first conference on Global Internet Freedom on January 30, 2007 in Washington, D.C. This event is a follow-up to the State Department's unveiling of the GIFT global strategy to monitor and respond to threats to Internet freedom held December 20, 2006. The presenters and attendees will include U.S. government officials and representatives of corporations, socially responsible investment (SRI) firms, and non-governmental organizations.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the establishment of the GIFT on February 14, 2006 as an internal State Department coordination group to address challenges to freedom of expression and the free flow of information on the Internet. The core aims of the GIFT are to maximize freedom of expression and the free flow of information and ideas, to minimize the success of repressive regimes in censoring and silencing legitimate debate on the Internet, and to promote access to information and ideas over the Internet

The conference will be held at the U.S. Department of State in the Marshall Center from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Media interested in covering the event should RSVP to Karen Chen, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, at (202) 647-4648 or ChenKY@state.gov. For this event, members of the press are requested to check in at the registration desk at the 23rd street entrance and present a valid ID or press credential.

Space is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis.

For more information about the event, contact Gabriella Rigg, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, at (202) 647-2311 or Nicolas Fetchko, Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, at (202) 647-5778.

2007/055, Released on January 29, 2007

Media Note, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC. January 29, 2007

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