Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh), October 22 – A global meet aimed at providing affordable Internet access to rural communities will begin here Monday.
The three-day AirJaldi Summit will focus on wireless solutions that can enhance the quality of education, governance and healthcare.
The speakers will include social activists, IT opinion leaders, philanthropists and international technology professionals.
The summit will also provide an opportunity to participants to learn from the Dharamsala Community Wireless Mesh Network (CWMN), a successful example of a sustainable technology integration model.
With its unique combination of low cost yet robust technology, community-based implementation, the Dharamsala project is an appropriate model for many rural areas around the world.
On the first day of the summit, field trips will be undertaken to key sites around Dharamsala where mesh antennas are installed, providing participants a first-hand understanding of the project.
The Tibetan Technology Centre (TibTec), which developed and maintains CWMN is sponsoring the AirJaldi Summit. The mesh provides Internet connectivity to rural communities, schools and institutions in the region. Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is based in Dharamsala.
According to Phuntsok, a spokesperson of the summit: “TibTec has partnered with the World Summits on Free Information Infrastructure (WSFII) for the summit.”
WSFII will offer a two-week workshop in a range of wireless technology disciplines after the summit.
“The summit is for politicians, wireless gurus, novices, community organisers, policy makers, security experts and anyone else who cares passionately about technology and development,” Phuntsok told IANS.
Extending moral support to AirJaldi, the Dalai Lama said: “Improved access to the Internet is very important for the Tibetan people and for all the peoples of the world.”
