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ICCTAIndigenous Commission for Communications Technologies in the Americas

Indigenous Peoples

empowering themselvesthrough technology

THE PLAN

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ICCTA’S MISSIONTo promote the appropriate use and development of

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to strengthen the recovery of the roots of the Indigenous

Peoples of the Americas and their legal, political, social,

educational, cultural, spiritual and economic well-being.

“What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences,

their attractions and repulsions.

Life is plurality,

death is uniformity.

By suppressing differences and peculiarities,

by eliminating different civilizations and cultures,

progress weakens life and favors death.

The ideal of a single civilization for everyone,

implicit in the cult of progress and technique,

impoverishes and mutilates us.

Every view of the world that becomes extinct,

every culture that disappears,

diminishes a possibility of life.”

Octavio Paz

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VOLUME I - THE STORY

ICCTA’S MISSION � NOTE TO THE READER �EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6

ABOUT ICCTA 8SHOWCASING ICT AT WORK �8ICCTA � YEARS FROM TODAY �6

PLANS IN BRIEF �8CORPORATE DETAIL �8

END NOTE �9

VOLUME II - THE PLANS

DETAILED PLANSADMINISTRATIVE PLAN (MODUS OPERANDI)

SALES & MARKETING (FUNDING PLAN)FINANCIAL PLAN

ANNUAL PLAN SUMMARIES (NEW)LEGAL PROSPECTUS

VOLUME III - APPENDICES

TABLEOF CONTENTS

NOTE to the reader This document which

describes ICCTA’s Plan is divided

into � volumes. The first provides

background material and essentially

tells the story of ICCTA; its reason for

being; its history; where it expects to

be in � years time; elements of the

mission it sees; and a brief description

of its plans.

The second volume contains the

details of its plan to reach its �

year objective. As with all plans it

is expected that the details and

schedules will alter over time as

the execution of the plan unfolds

and unanticipated situations occur.

Consequently the detailed plans must

be flexible and open to immediate

amendment as circumstances change.

To be kept current the format must

allow for timely updating.

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ICCTA: the Indigenous Commission for Communications Technologies in the Americas is an incorporated, Indigenous organization, whose members are Native Americans, Aboriginal Canadians and the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and Caribbean.

The objective of this Plan is to create an effective, efficient, low overhead organization which can work with others to channel energy, expertise and funds to bring the significant benefit of ICT to the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.

At the end of the first five years ICCTA will have Indigenous membership of 15,000 people; 2,000 Indigenous organizations and 2,000 non-Indigenous friends. Income will come from membership (17%), with support from governments (21%), agencies/foundations (14%), and 70 corporations (39%). ICCTA is the incarnation of an ambitious idea: it is the idea that Indigenous Peoples, given the right tools and training, can further their own prosperity.

The tools are in the Information and Communications Technology kit bag. ICT is the technology that uses computers to analyze data; aggregate fact into information; and archive knowledge, culture and tradition. ICT enables the processing and communication of all kinds of information. It is a great deal more than just computers and the Internet. Information may be wisdom, ideas, opinion, tradition, culture, history, help, instruction, references, data, and importantly, sources and contacts. Communication may be by radio, television, telephones, public address systems and newspapers or by the Internet. Deprived of access to this technology the Indigenous Peoples will be impeded from sharing in global prosperity, blocked by a “digital divide”.

ICCTA, being an organization of Indigenous Peoples, is uniquely qualified to identify and enumerate their “needs”. These have been listed, split into strategic goals and tactical objectives and are set out in the Project Agenda.

Across the globe, there are many examples where Indigenous Peoples either on their own or assisted by generous support from the public or private sectors, have addressed some of these needs in whole or in part. ICCTA’s plan is to find these examples, and where possible, form partnerships, and adapt them for replication in different circumstances. In other cases, Indigenous entrepreneurs, who are frequently imagining new and innovative applications, can turn to ICCTA for assistance in defining projects, finding funding, and managing them to a successful completion. In turn these new applications will be publicized and shared with other Indigenous communities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYCommissioner

P r e s i d e n tCANADA

T o n y B e l c o u r ttonyb@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Tony Belcourt has 40 years of experience and significant

achievement in the corporate, government and not-for-profit

sectors. Mr. Belcourt was instrumental in creating a national voice for Canada’s Métis and Non-Status Indians, and his efforts were an

important contributing factor in the Métis being recognized in the

Constitution Act, 1982, as one of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.

Tony has served with distinction in numerous positions including

President of the Native Council of Canada, Member of the Board of Governors of the Métis National

Council, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario, Chair of the Métis Nation of Ontario Cultural Commission and

President of the Métis Nation of Ontario Development Corporation and Métis Nation Ambassador on

International Issues.

Five years from today ICCTA, making maximum use of the technology itself, intends to have a central web presence which is the major meeting place and the virtual marketplace, for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and Caribbean: the place containing comprehensive reference data on peoples, communities, languages, and ICT applications: the place where individuals can connect with each other: the place where they can gain access to effective and appropriate applications for telemedicine, e-health care and distance learning: the place where wisdom, culture and tradition are kept alive.

Five years from today ICCTA will have NGO status and be a registered charity. It will be an important partner with governments, agencies, foundations, universities and corporations in defining and undertaking ICT projects aimed at improving the well-being of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.

Five years from today ICCTA will be operating a web based marketing and sales agency, an Indigenous Web Mall, enabling the Indigenous Peoples to easily sell their goods and services to the world. ICCTA will be known for the importance of the research it conducts and the quality of its databases on who’s who; its sources of funding in the private sector; its companies with CSR Statements; its government programs and services; its agency programs and support services.

To accomplish its mission and realize its vision, ICCTA has created detailed plans to build the necessary infrastructure capacity to support this initiative across two continents and the Caribbean. Commissioners representing 16 countries are already fulfilling what in a corporation would be the role of the Board of Directors, setting objectives, reviewing plans, exercising fiscal control, and measuring performance. Plans are being laid to establish regional offices to bring ICCTA closer to its membership. Image development is underway to produce a strong brand and logo. Recruiting plans to enlarge membership attract corporate sponsorship, and gain government support, – only need funding to begin execution.

“Give me but a place to stand and I will move the earth” said Archimedes to emphasize a tool’s power of leverage. With ICT as the lever, Indigenous Peoples will change their world in the Americas!

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ABOUT ICCTAIntroduction

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ICCTA is a recently created and unique Indigenous organization positioned to enhance the quality of life for Indigenous Peoples of the Americas through the appropriate use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). ICCTA’s domain includes Native Americans, Aboriginal Canadians and all the Indigenous Peoples of South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

There are estimates of some 40 million Indigenous Peoples living in the Americas who are constrained from improving their social, economic and environmental well-being. ICCTA encourages and facilitates the use of ICTs to smooth the progress of positive development among all Indigenous Peoples in the Americas. There are among the communities of Native Americans, Aboriginal Canadians and Indigenous Peoples some who have had immense success in harnessing the potential of ICT. These positive examples need to be publicized and shared within Canada, the United States, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sustainable development of ICTs that can provide Indigenous Peoples with access to information and capital and markets while preserving their cultural and sociopolitical roots is the challenge.

ICCTA’s Mission is to bring Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (computers, software and the Internet and communication; radio, cellular phones, wireless networks and broadband) to Indigenous Peoples of the Americas no matter where they are located. With this technology they can connect with each other, and the world. With ICT they can benefit from trading knowledge, ideas, skills, goods and services with each other and the developed world.

ICCTA is seeking the financial resources to pursue its Mission for the development of ICTs that will benefit its Indigenous constituents and their partners.(www.iccta-citca.org)

INCORPORATION ICCTA is incorporated as a not-for-profit Corporation under the laws of Canada. Its Head Office is located in Ottawa, Canada.

HISTORY In November 2005, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas (CDI) jointly organized the 1st Regional Workshop on Indigenous Peoples and ICTs in Mexico. This event, held for the first time in the history of the Indigenous communities, attracted almost one hundred fifty (150) Indigenous representatives from all over the Americas Region. At the Workshop many of the Indigenous representatives realized that there was a need for their own organization and their own Indigenous Peoples voice. The idea of ICCTA was conceived and ICCTA was created through a resolution of the Indigenous Peoples Delegates who attended.

With financial support from the Government of Canada, the First Board of Commissioners, which was appointed at the Mexico Workshop, gathered in Antigua, Guatemala on March 6 - 8, 2007. There, they formally created ICCTA and began the work of planning for the future.

From the beginning, ICCTA has undertaken work building the foundation for a solid organization. It held a Marketing Workshop in Ottawa in March of 2008; it has undertaken to create a formal plan to identify the tasks and resources necessary to accomplish its Mission, realize its vision and, not least, to enable it to generate revenues and to secure support funding from governments, agencies, foundations and corporations.

In August 2009, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) transferred ownership of its Indigenous Americas Portal to the Indigenous Peoples themselves. The exchange took place in Brasilia, Brazil on August 9, 2009, which is declared by the United Nations as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The transfer took place at the conclusion of the ITU’s Second Regional Workshop of Indigenous Peoples and ICTs, which was attended by over 120 Indigenous representatives from 21 countries of the Americas region. The ITU Portal, which was formally transferred to the International Indigenous Task Force (IITF), will, by agreement between the two parties, be developed and managed by ICCTA. The agreement between the IITF and ICCTA for the future management of the Americas Regional Portal also marks a milestone in their quest to develop and provide mechanisms where Indigenous Peoples can connect with each other and the public and private sector at large and share their websites, blogs and other media.

Following the ITU Workshop in Brasilia, ICCTA’s Commissioners met for two days to review progress, consider its plans and direction, elect new Commissioners and attend to the business of ICCTA.

CommissionerV i c e - P r e s i d e n t

PERU

M a r i s o l L l a n t o y B a r b o z amarisoll@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Marisol is from Quechua speaking families from both the hills and the

jungle in her region in Peru. As a child she studied hard while she worked

sheparding cattle and sheep together with her parents. She has a Bachelor’s

Degree in Social Communications from the San Cristobal National University of Huamanga, Peru.

Marisol has worked at the regional newspaper La Voz de Sucre writing

cultural articles while also producing radio programs in Quechua for

Quispillaccta Radio, Takiyninchik, Radio Huanta 2000 and Estación Wari,

Radio Vilcashuamán.

Marisol is a co-founder of the Saywa Network – Indigenous

Communications for Sustainable Development. Its productions include

Waylischa Willakamun (electronic bulletin) and Kuskanchakuy (radio

program). Saywa Network provides support to Quechua communicators

and social activities for the upper Andes communities in the

Province of Ayacucho.

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LEADERSHIP & COMMITMENTDifferentiating between good intentions and positive results requires leadership. ICCTA is emerging as a leader for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. But leadership alone will not be sufficient to bring about a positive shift in the circumstances of the Indigenous Peoples. A strong commitment of support from all potential financial backers is also necessary. A critical aspect of ICCTA’s leadership role will be to secure that commitment on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples.

CONSTITUENCY & MANDATEICCTA is unique! It is an international Indigenous organization whose voting members are Indigenous Peoples, their organizations and their businesses. This inclusive Indigenous constituency is broadened by the addition of non-Indigenous individuals who are non-voting members, together with corporate sponsoring partners. ICCTA’s mandate stems directly from its voting members expressing their views through their General Assembly and their elected Commissioners who govern ICCTA.

GOVERNANCEGeneral Assembly of the Membership

The General Assembly is composed of all voting members of ICCTA. It is the highest

authority of the organization and provides a voice and vote for all voting members.

The General Assembly meets every year. It reviews, approves, or modifies, bylaws and

regulations. The General Assembly analyzes projects, defines policies and guidelines.

Members may participate by electronic means. The members of ICCTA, its General

Assembly, will be Indigenous entrepreneurs, community leaders, professionals,

program administrators and leaders who are aware of the potential of communications

and ICT.

Commissioners (Directors)The Indigenous Commissioners of ICCTA fulfill the role of Directors. A Commissioner

is elected or appointed for every nation-state in the Americas and the Caribbean.

Commissioners hold office for a two year term or until the next General Assembly. The

Commissioners meet at least twice a year.

The present Board of Commissioners is composed of seventeen Commissioners from

the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: Qom (Argentina), Arawak (Caricom), Aymara

(Bolivia), Terena (Brazil), Métis (Canada), Totoróez (Colombia), Bri Bri (Costa Rica), Kichua

Kanaris (Ecuador), Maya K’iche’ (Guatemala), P’urhépecha (Mexico), Mestizo & Creole

(Nicaragua), Kuna (Panama), Quechua (Peru), Muscogee (Creek) Nation (United States),

Charrúa (Uruguay) and Wayuu (Venezuela), who constitute the Governing Body of

ICCTA. An early priority of ICCTA is to broaden the number of Commissioners until

there is representation from every country of the Americas and Caribbean.

Leadership CircleNotable individuals from all of the countries of the Americas and Caribbean can be

of enormous help to ICCTA and the Indigenous Peoples simply by being aware of

the aims of ICCTA, speaking favourably of its activities, and introducing ICCTA to key

players in governments, agencies, foundations and corporations. The Leadership Circle

composed of such notable leaders would receive regular reports on ICCTA’s plans and

progress and use their connections and influence to help realize the ICCTA Vision. Their

names would be shown on the masthead of ICCTA’s website and publicity material.

Executive CommitteeThe Executive Committee of ICCTA consists of a President, four Vice-Presidents and

a Secretary-Treasurer. The Committee implements decisions made by the General

Assembly or Commissioners; recommends projects and budgets to Commissioners;

takes authority over the general decision-making process; approves administrative

policies and procedures; assists in the selection of senior managers; appoints the

Executive Director upon recommendation of the President; recommends the

appointment of operating personnel.

ROLESThe Challenge

Everyone recognizes that there are Indigenous Peoples who are living in poverty,

poor health, and suffering from malnutrition. Governments, academia, foundations,

corporations and NGOs typically have programs aimed at improving these

circumstances. All wish to help and undertake aid programs. The difficulty is that, up

to now, there has not been a straightforward way for them to connect directly with

Indigenous Peoples. On the reverse, it has not been easy for Indigenous Peoples to

connect with the public and private sector either. There has been no easy way for the

intended recipients of well-intentioned help to be able to communicate, in their own

languages, their most important needs, priorities and objectives.

This is why ICCTA has been created: this is the role it seeks to fulfill; to amplify and

transmit the voice of the Indigenous Peoples, but with a specific orientation to the

potential offered by ICT. To fulfill its role, ICCTA proposes to act as a Champion for

Indigenous Peoples, a Connector to supporters, be they governments, NGOs or

corporations and as Guide, leading partners to positive returns for their investment

and effort.

CommissionerV i c e - P r e s i d e n t

VENEZUELA

J a y a r i y u F a r i a s M o n t i e ljayariyum@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Jayariyu has been the Director of the WAYUUNAIKI newspaper for nine years. She also directs the WAYUUNAIKI radio station and

conducts the program Faith and Happiness in Guajira 100.1 FM. She has received a scholarship from the

United National Indigenous Program.

Jayariyu also conducts workshops on journalism at schools in the

municipalities of Mara and Paez while also promoting alternate

cultural spaces. She has participated in national and international events representing her native community

of Guajira, Venezuela.

ICCTA proposes to act as a Champion for Indigenous Peoples, a Connector to supporters and a Guide leading partners to positive returns...

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As ChampionICCTA is a Champion of the Indigenous Peoples explaining background, publicizing

challenges, promoting answers, securing support and loosening any bureaucratic log

jams blocking ICT solutions.

In many Indigenous communities, solutions have already been found for various

needs through applicable use of ICTs. ICCTA’s first role is to identify the uses of ICTs by

Indigenous Peoples in the Americas and maintain a catalogue of those solutions. The

catalogue will be extended to include ICT solutions that exist outside of the experience

of Indigenous Peoples. As a Champion, ICCTA will trumpet and publicize these success

stories.

As a Champion, ICCTA will also, in direct consultation with the different communities

of Indigenous Peoples, first record the “needs” as expressed by the communities’

leaders. ICCTA will then define and refine the “needs” as enumerated at the Workshop

in Mexico (see Appendix I) and where necessary restate them in terms best understood

by those seeking to help. Once challenges have been identified, ICCTA will seek out

and promote ICT solutions.

As ConnectorICCTA is a Connector, linking local Indigenous Peoples community leaders and

organizations with each other and the private sector, governments, academia,

industries and NGOs for the purpose of exchanging news of imaginative ICT

applications; helping replicate these solutions or identifying new Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) opportunities.

As a Connector, ICCTA will be the means by which catalogued ICT solutions can be

shared among the Indigenous communities. As a Connector ICCTA will seek out the

“right” benefactors and partners (governments, academia, corporations and NGOs) and

forge a link between all parties and the project.

PartnershipsICCTA’s vision of a world where Indigenous Peoples are rooted, recognized, respected,

connected, educated, and prosperous, is understandably ambitious. It cannot be

realized by ICCTA alone, nor is that the intention. But by joining with others, great

things can be accomplished. ICCTA aims to be a partner in its endeavors with:

Governments and their domestic and international agencies with whom ICCTA can

suggest projects and activities that complement governmental foreign policy goals

intended to benefit Indigenous Peoples and their communities; NGOs who have

projects that could benefit by having more direct input from Indigenous Peoples or

who have capabilities which would support an Indigenous community or the ICCTA

Initiative; Companies who wish to undertake projects that will fulfill their Corporate

Social Responsibilities (CSR) objectives and positively promote the Global Reporting

Initiative or where their corporate activities in territories impinging on Indigenous

Peoples can benefit from mutual understanding and accommodation; Universities and colleges that wish to reach out to potential Indigenous students, extend distance

learning opportunities to Indigenous communities and that wish to enhance their

knowledge of the history of Indigenous Peoples, their culture, their traditional

knowledge and who are seeking to find answers to the best aid and investment

mechanisms.

ConnectivityICCTA intends to use all media to connect Indigenous Peoples and their partners, the

foremost means being via the Internet but also employing and expanding existing

radio, television and print media as well as emerging uses of technology including cell

phones, MP�s, CDs and video. It will create connection channels with VOIP (Skype),

webinars, collaborative software tools, email, and appropriate social networking tools

as well as its own web portal. Secondary routes to connectivity will be face-to-face

conferences and workshops where opportunities can be thoroughly explored and

plans developed.

As GuideICCTA is a Guide, pinpointing mutually beneficial market opportunities for businesses

among Indigenous Peoples where both sides can benefit.

As a Guide, ICCTA will seek those projects that will build capacity, be sustainable over

the long term, provide a positive return on investment and at the same time will help

its partners achieve their goals.

CommissionerV i c e - P r e s i d e n t

GUATEMALA

M a r l e n y T z i c a pmarlenyt@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Marleny Tzicap, a K’iche’ Maya communicator from Totonicapan, Guatemala, has a title of “Expert in

Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights, Governance and International

Cooperation” from the Carlos III University in Madrid, Spain. She has a

Bachelor’s Degree in Intercultural Bilingual Education from Rafael

Landivar University in Guatemala.

Marleny is a member of the Linguistic Advisory Commission of the K’iche’

Community in the Mayan Languages Academy of Guatemala. Marleny’s

work experience has been in research and training in Mayan languages, as a K’iche’ translator, as a trainer in active

and participatory methodologies in the educational field, and in

designing and producing interactive materials within the cultural context.

ICCTA’s vision of a world where Indigenous Peoples are rooted, recognized, respected, connected, educated and prosperous is understandably ambitious

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Referential DatabasesICCTA will conduct research, either by itself or with partners, of current use of

ICT by Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. The General Objective is to improve

understanding of how ICTs are used by Indigenous communities in the Americas to

respond to development priorities, in order to promote knowledge sharing and inform

relevant stakeholders. Specific Objectives are to:

Conduct research to identify the projects, initiatives and applications of ICTs by

Indigenous Peoples; how these approaches/solutions are responding to the

developmental priorities of the relevant Indigenous groups, peoples and communities

and lessons learned which may be valuable to ICCTA, other Indigenous organizations

and stakeholders.

Develop an on-going electronic database of ICT activities by Indigenous Peoples in the

Americas that all Indigenous Peoples and stakeholders can share and use to further

their ICT related objectives.

Contribute to strengthening the understanding of ICT issues and needs by the

Indigenous community through the broad dissemination of the research findings,

including a final written and electronic report, a video and web conferencing.

RESPONSIBILITY & CONTROLICCTA is accountable to its members, sponsors, subscribers and patrons. Every ICCTA Initiative will have a clearly stated objective with measurable performance criteria. ICCTA produces a Bi Annual Report for its members, sponsors and supporters. The Annual Report is accompanied by audited Financial Statements.

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Every ICCTA Initiative will have a clearly stated objective with measurable performance criteria

CommissionerS e c r e t a r y - T r e a s u r e r

MEXICO

P e d r o V i c t o r i a n o C r u zpedroc@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Pedro is the founder and current director of the Mexican Indigenous

Communications System:www.xiranhua.com.mx

which was given the World Summit Award WSAMX 2005 in the

e-inclusion category granted by Media Innovations-CIE, ICNM, UN,

Monterrey’s Technical University, and WSA The Best in

e-Content & Creativity.

Pedro is also the founder of an FM radio station that is heard in the

Indigenous communities, and he is also the creator of the first digital

radio station on the Internet XHKR: Root songs,

www.purepechas.orgwhich transmits 24 hours a day,

365 days a year, linking the Indian Peoples, as well as being an

instrument to fight for Indigenous traditions and customs. Pedro has received regional, provincial and

national recognition for his work in Indigenous communications and the

New Information Technologies for Communications.

CommissionerU.S.A.

G e o f f r e y C . B l a c k w e l l

Biography

Mr. Blackwell is Director, Strategic Relations and Minority Business

Development for Chickasaw Nation Industries, a family of

companies providing ICT services and infrastructure, medical, manufacturing, and related

professional services.

Mr. Blackwell chairs the National Congress of American Indians

Telecommunications Subcommittee. He serves on the Boards of Native

Public Media, National Federation of Community Broadcasters, National

Small Business Association, and Acoma Business Enterprises. For six years, he was Senior Attorney and Liaison to Tribal Governments for the U.S. Federal Communications

Commission. He serves on the FCC’s Federal Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications

in the Digital Age.

Mr. Blackwell graduated from Dartmouth College and the

University of Virginia School of Law. He is an enrolled member of the

Muscogee (Creek) Nation and alsoof Omaha, Choctaw, and

Chickasaw heritage.

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SHOWCASING ICTAT WORK

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ICCTA believes that progress for Indigenous Peoples will come from the inspiration of other’s success, coupled with building on their experience and learning from their example. To capitalize on this philosophy ICCTA will search out success stories where one implementation can be replicated in other locales, perhaps many times over to the benefit of a great number of people. What follows are such inspirational examples

FROM BRAZIL Arco Digital (Digital Bow)www.indiosonline.org.br

Índios Online is a website in which seven Indigenous nations,: Kiriri, Tupinambá, Pataxó-Hãhãhãe, Tumbalalá in Bahia, Xucuru-Kariri, Kariri-Xocó in Alagoas and Pankararu in Pernambuco, exchange information and experience. The Indigenous get connected on the Internet from their own villages, organizing themselves through studies and initiatives to benefit their communities and society at large.

Its main goals are: facilitate access to information and communication to different Indigenous nations; stimulate intercultural dialog; preserve, update, appraise and publish Indigenous culture; promote respect for their differences; reflect about the native of today; catalogue archives about natives from the Northeast of Brazil and the world; improve the process of continuing education for Indigenous Peoples; and improve the educational level of different ethnic groups to guarantee their rights.

Índios Online is a network made up of volunteer natives that are looking for human, cultural, social and economic development by taking advantage of a series of tools made available by the Internet.

Historically for the people of these Indigenous nations, life has depended on the bow and arrow (arco e flescha), the instrument of protection and the hunt. The web presence of Índios Online is styled as the new bow and arrow, as the new instrument of protection and nourishment.

The website contains maps, archives (texts, pictures and videos), and a chat room. It offers information about education, agriculture, heath, citizenship and cyber activism. Individual blogs bring varied stories told in the unique voice of the Indigenous nations unfiltered by outside views. According to the Thydêwá NPO,1 the non-profit organization behind Índios Online, around 25,000 Indigenous People are using the site.2

Thydêwá’s goal is to recover, preserve and defend the value of Indigenous culture, promote intercultural dialog and respect for differences through educational activities.

FROM BOLIVIARed De Comunicaciones Indigenas Apachita

The Apachita Indigenous Communications Network is incorporated by Public Deed No. 597/02 and it is made up of 42 FM radio stations and community telecenters (Communication Centers) whose mission is to disseminate technical information for agricultural production and transparent information on the situation in Bolivia; all messages are transmitted in the Aymara language.

At the same time the network gives support to empower women’s human rights and citizenship, community health and reproductive sexual health, infectious-contagious diseases, HIV/AIDS, training leaders who are women, and political training.

Children and young students (and) adults access the communication centers to use the virtual libraries, to communicate with their relatives over the phone and electronic mail within the framework of the democratization of communications and access to ICTs.

All activities are oriented towards providing training and technical assistance through volunteer technicians and people knowledgeable about the topic.

These examples simply illustrate the intention. While they may be developed into projects that ICCTA could attempt to replicate at some point in the future, it should be understood before that occurs it would be necessary to have in hand a thorough case study which would contain information on costs, benefits, funding sources, issues of sustainability, staffing and organization, contact people and so on. Case study requirements are crucial to every project

1 Thydêwá Rua Pau Brasil 7A Itapoan. Salvador. Bahia. Cep 41410-190. dosindios@terra.com.br www.visaodosindios.com.br (71) 375-1441 / (71) 9123-6699

2 Translation from Portuguese and abstraction by Ediléia de Toledo Figueiredo

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FROM CANADAK-Net

FROM MEXICOCOMUNICACIÓN INDÍGENAXiranhua Comunicacioneswww.xiranhua.com.mx

Is a group of communicators of the Indigenous P’urhépecha nationality of Mexico whose objective is to investigate the historical background of their people and communicate their cultural values to the current and future generations. To carry out this task they support themselves with Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and other instruments of traditional communications.

As a group it has founded a FM radio station, a printed newspaper, an Internet radio station and several websites with which it is carrying out its communications within the communities and outside with the migrant P’urhepecha Indians in different parts of the world, mainly within Mexico and the United States of America.

As part of their work strategy they hold constant training courses on using Information Technologies and how to master the art of communication. They have received several acknowledgements at the state, national and international level for their work.

The Kuhkenah Network (K-Net) provides Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), telecommunication infrastructure and application support in First Nation communities across a vast, remote region of northwestern Ontario as well as in other remote regions in Canada. This private telecommunications network supports the development of online applications that combine video, voice and data services requiring broadband and high-speed connectivity solutions. K-Net is a program of Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO), to provide a variety of second level support services for their communities. Kuhkenah is an Oji-Cree term for everyone, everywhere.

SERVICESAmong its various services, K-Net operates a HelpDesk for First Nations schools who are getting Internet access through School-Net; advocates for full broad band capacity in member communities and in other NAN First Nations; develops and maintains computer networking support in member First Nations in and between the Sioux Lookout and Red Lake offices; and develops and delivers a wide range of training and capacity building programs aimed at strengthening computer and telecommunications expertise at the community level.

LANGUAGE & CULTUREK-Net strengthens culture and language with online resources including an Oji-Cree Translation Dictionary, stories of native legends in text and audio in both Oji-Cree and English.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPEMENTKeewaytinook Okimakanak’s Economic Development Advisor works closely with First Nations to develop initiatives which are appropriate to the socio-economic, cultural, and geographical environment of each First Nation. The priority is to increase business skills and knowledge in member communities.

TELEMEDICINEKO Telemedicine (KOTM) delivers clinical, educational and administrative services via videoconferencing and advanced Information and Communication Technologies to First Nation communities in Ontario.

Keewaytinook Okimakanak,3 which means Northern Chiefs in Oji-Cree, is a non-political Chiefs Council serving Deer Lake, Fort Severn, Keewaywin, McDowell Lake, North Spirit Lake and Poplar Hill First Nations in Ontario. The Council provides health, education, economic development, employment assistance, legal, public works, finance, research, clean water, cellular, administration and computer communication services. The organization is directed by the Chiefs of the member First Nations who form the Board of Directors.

As part of their work strategy they hold constant training courses on using Information Technologies and how to master the art of communication. They have received several acknowledgements at the state, national and international level for their work

3 Paraphrased from K-Net website http://knet.ca/

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FROM UNITED STATESThe Tribal Digital Village

The Tribal Digital Village4 (TDV), a project of the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association (http://www.sctca.net), is based in Southern California’s San Diego County. The project set out to connect the Reservations in San Diego County to a high-speed Internet backbone; to use Internet connections recently installed at Pala, La Jolla, and Rincon Educational Centers as a model; to work with each Tribe to design and deploy a working solution within 9 months; to build a network within each Reservation for Internet access and provide the local knowledge to use it and to use the Internet to build communities of interest among Tribal members in ways that resemble family and community networks.

This mountainous and remote land is home to 18 Native American Reservations – each one a sovereign nation – with an aggregate population of 15,000. As with other rural areas of the U.S., wiring Native American Reservations for telephony and Internet access has never been an attractive proposition for established phone companies.

Tribal governments have taken matters into their own hands. Three years ago, the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association applied for a $5m grant from Hewlett-Packard. The technology giant had decided to set up three so-called digital villages.

Now a wireless Internet connection spans an area 150 miles long by 75 miles wide. Bubbles of wi-fi networks cover local government offices, libraries, schools and museums. More than 900 computers are connected to the network. More than 1,500 people use e-mail and access online Tribal calendars. Educational software is available to supplement high school courses. There are 25 learning labs equipped with video, audio and digital photography equipment.

The TDV offers a range of computing courses. One Tribal chairman is doing a Cisco Academy certification course in order to be able to support his Tribe of eight people. But people have not gone on to get jobs with outside companies as yet. “Everybody we’ve trained is

The Tribal Digital Village (TDV), a project of the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association (http://www.sctca.net), is based in Southern California’s San Diego County

busy doing it here at the moment,” said Jack Ward. Staunching the “brain drain” from these deprived communities was another objective of the project.

Having connectivity has made it easier for most Tribes to provide local services such as courts, fire and security departments as well as apply for the many grants they use to run their nations. A handful of reservations in the coverage area have no water, power or phone lines. They therefore rely on the Tribal Digital Village resource centres of their better connected neighbours.

4 Paraphrased from BBC News – Elizabeth Biddlecombe http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3489932.stm

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ICCTA 5 YEARS FROM TODAY

�8 �9

OVERVIEWFive years from today, ICCTA aims to be the place where Indigenous Peoples, Native Americans, and Aboriginal Canadians go when they need to know who among them is doing what, how to join forces with the like minded, what ICT capability can they use, how to initiate, implement and manage an ICT project, where to get project funding, how to have a dialog with and get support from governments, how to encourage entrepreneurs, and how to form successful partnerships with business and industry.

In five years, ICCTA sees itself as a vibrant, rapidly growing, cohesive organization connecting some 15,0005 Indigenous members from North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean connecting with each other. An organization buttressed with 30006 non-Indigenous members and with corporations, foundations agencies and governments. Where a substantial part of its core operation will be sustained by income earned from membership dues, subscriptions, advertising sales, project development and management fees, conference sponsorship and trade shows. Necessary government support will be warranted by the cooperative contribution ICCTA makes to their intended programs and initiatives. The projects it undertakes will be separately funded. It will be bridging the Indigenous digital divide with ICT applications.

NGO STATUSICCTA will have obtained NGO status to better enable it to represent the interests of its members in international forums such as the UN Permanent Forum on the Indigenous Issues, the International Telecommunications Union, the OAS and CITEL and at specific international conferences hosted by their agencies. ICCTA’s purpose will be to promote and encourage access to and development of communications and information technologies which serve to meet the needs of Indigenous communities.

REGISTERED CHARITYICCTA will be a registered charitable organization which can raise funds from philanthropic individuals to aid Indigenous Peoples in instances of disaster and to finance specific projects.

WEB MEETING PLACE At ICCTA’s core will be its Internet web presence. This website, with facets in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French will be the meeting place, a virtual village square where Indigenous Peoples connect and share experience, expose obstacles, and exchange ICT answers; where fading cultural tradition is reignited through ICT; where successful ICT applications by Indigenous Peoples are showcased and adopted; where matchmaking produces team

partnerships between complementary Indigenous organizations, business, industry, NGOs, agencies and government; where Indigenous products are bought and sold; where communities find the nourishment to blossom and flourish.

News of the DayIn the Web �.0 idiom, a network of Indigenous reporters in their communities

throughout the Americas and Caribbean will feed news stories, written or audio, to

ICCTA’s wiki page. Multilingual ICCTA Members in the wiki will translate the stories

from their mother tongue to other languages. Editors will collaborate to select the

most relevant “news” to be featured daily on the ICCTA home page. A RSS news feed

from ICCTA to broadcast partners will provide broad coverage to the most noteworthy

stories. An ICCTA Twitter page will highlight the headline stories. A program of “rewards”

will compensate and encourage involvement with the wikis.

Daily FeaturesMore elaborate stories of cultural experience and tradition will be featured on the

website. Stories will originate from members or will be republished (with permission)

from other sources. The rewards program which encourages participation will be

promoted and refined.

ShowcaseICCTA’s research activity on ICT usage and applications by Aboriginal First Nations,

American Indians and Indigenous Peoples can be expected to uncover imaginative

and ingenious examples of ICT use in the fields of health care, distance education,

communication, commerce, environment, human rights, culture, governance and

more. The inspirational cases will be highlighted and showcased as part of the website.

PartnersThe Partners Page will describe the many organizations that collaborate with ICCTA to

improve the well-being of Indigenous Peoples. Links will be provided.

CommissionerECUADOR

M a n u e l C a s t r omanuelc@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Manuel’s experience includes appointments as Communications

Leader of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador

(CONAIE), Leader of Organization and Training for CONAIE and the

Mayor for the Suscal Municipality in the Province of Cañar in Ecuador. He is currently Leader of the local and

regional community organizations of UNOICS and UPCCC in Cañar.

Manuel Maria has participated in different international conferences and he has publications such as a

political project for the UNPOICS, in local government magazines and

CONAIE magazines, among others.

5 See plan for selling Indigenous Memberships6 See plan for selling non-Indigenous Memberships

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CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, TRADE SHOWSWhile major emphasis is placed collaborating and meeting over the Internet, there is still a place for conferences, workshops, and trade shows. Human nature still favors face-to-face dialog and friendships formed in person enhance later Internet collaboration.

Five years from now, ICCTA will be organizing and holding biennial conferences on e-health, e-education, drawing participants from Indigenous Peoples, governments, agencies, NGOs, and industry. The conferences will be accompanied by a trade show where industry can promote their goods and services; venture investors can connect with Indigenous entrepreneurs; governments and agencies can unveil and explain their Indigenous programs; and Indigenous professionals can meet community elders.

It is anticipated that attendance at these conferences would be 1000-2000.

Two to three Workshops would be conducted each year with the purpose of addressing specific issues and would have a strong training component. Conference exhibit management for Indigenous groups would be a service that ICCTA will offer. Sponsorship fees will be a significant source of income for ICCTA.

RESEARCH Comprehensive Reference Databases

Indigenous Peoples (Organizations, Communities, Languages)Five years from now, perhaps for the first time, interested parties will be able to query a

census of Indigenous Peoples organizations, communities, and languages.

Indigenous ICT Applications To propose a solution one must first define the problem and then understand its

dimensions. The problem is the digital divide. Broadly speaking, “The term digital divide

refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information

technology and those with very limited or no access at all. It includes the imbalances in

physical access to technology as well as the imbalances in resources and skills needed

to participate effectively as a digital citizen.”� It is axiomatic that there is an Indigenous

Peoples digital divide: but what is its magnitude?

Web MallFinished goods and products, art, crafts and tourism that Indigenous communities or

Indigenous entrepreneurs and companies wish to sell will be bought and sold on an

active trading page of the website.

ReferenceReference material on Indigenous Peoples languages, communities, and organizations;

funding sources and ICT usage and applications, the product of ICCTA’s research effort,

will be available to ICCTA members, and for a fee, to subscribers or casual users online

from the website.

Links to Indigenous SitesLinks to Indigenous websites will guide users to related web pages.

Collaborative Internet CommunicationThe members of ICCTA, its Commissioners and partners are spread throughout the

Americas, thousands of kilometres apart. Of necessity, meetings must be done with

ICT and in particular the Internet. ICCTA will be a very advanced user of collaborative

Internet communication. Working with its partners, ICCTA with its demanding agenda

will be a major force pushing the advance of this technology.

Simultaneous InterpretationGiven the multilingual nature of ICCTA, an important feature that it will be promoting

is multiple VOIP channels to accompany PC based collaborative software tools. This

feature will enable ICCTA to provide simultaneous interpretation in many languages

where participants could select a channel and receive a simultaneous feed in their

own language. Interpreters would in many cases be bilingual members who would

be compensated through the rewards program. Such a feature does not appear to be

currently available in any of the popular PC based software but ICCTA’s need could be

used as the impetus to create it.

COMMUNITY RADIOIn addition to the Internet, Community Radio can be a vital means of disseminating information and strengthening cultures. ICCTA will have formed partnerships and established collaborative Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with numerous organizations interested in the dynamic growth of Community Radio throughout the Americas.

In addition to the Internet, Community Radio can be a vital means of disseminating information and strengthening cultures

CommissionerCOLOMBIA

J o s e F e r n a n d o C o n e j ojosec@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Jose Fernando is the creator and founding member (1999) of

the Association of Indigenous Communications Media of Colombia

(AMCIC). He is also the creator of radio programs regarding his

community’s culture, organization and territory. He has participated in

national and international eventsas a community leader and Indigenous communicator.

Jose Fernando has also received local, regional and national

recognition for his work in Indigenous communications, among which is recognition from the National

University Association of Colombia ASCUN, for his work, management

and support in monitoring the national media’s portrayal of

Indigenous Peoples.

7 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_divide

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Using database technology, ICCTA will be answering the question with an inventory

of communication infrastructure and documentation on a large cross section of

e-citizenship, e-economy, e-education and e-health initiatives that bridge the digital

divide.8

ICCTA’s reference database will be providing empirical data on the range of ICT usage

by Indigenous Peoples; the problems they have encountered; who is using ICT; and

which ICT solutions have been successful. This invaluable database will be in extensive

use by potential partners, governments, corporations, NGOs and relevant agencies and

will enable Indigenous Peoples and their communities to learn from the experiences of

other Indigenous Peoples.

Funding SourcesEvery idea conceived by Indigenous Peoples that develops into a project will require

financial support. ICCTA will have an Internet accessible database identifying potential

supporters among foundations, corporations, governments and agencies.

INDIGENOUS PROJECT SUPPORTThroughout the Indigenous communities the entrepreneurial members conceive of ways to use the technology to the benefit of the community. But one thing tends to be lacking: the relatively small amount of money that needs to be invested. Support is frequently available but only in response to a formal application and subject to proper management and control. ICCTA can provide the service needed to help realize these projects. ICCTA would earn a fee for these services.

Proposal & Application AssistanceMembers will bring their projects to ICCTA through their Commissioner. ICCTA

will provide assistance by assessing the project; aligning it with the objectives of a

particular government, agency, foundation, NGO or other sponsor. ICCTA will prepare a

plan and make an application.

Funding AssistanceUtilising ICCTA’s database of funding sources, ICCTA will direct the application to the

most promising organizations and will assist in making the presentation.

Project Development & Management AssistanceOnce the project has been initiated, ICCTA will assist the member by developing

project plans and exercising management and financial control to ensure success.

MARKETING & SALES AGENCYThere are many imaginative Indigenous entrepreneurs who have created products or services that would be valuable to a broad audience. ICCTA will create the equivalent of Craig’s List or Kijiji which will categorize products and services and bring greater publicity to the items.

A straightforward way to bring prosperity to a segment of Indigenous Peoples, those with unique talent, is to provide them with a way to sell their products. Experience has shown that the Internet can open the door, enabling people in remote, isolated communities to display their wares and make a sale. A “web mall” is simply a website where many different artists and artisans can each have a separate “store window” at the same web address offering purchasers one stop shopping for many different items.

The concept of a web mall is now relatively commonplace. Many web-hosting companies offer very low cost templates for the service and ICCTA can easily acquire the necessary software and add the service to its web portal. The challenge is not building the store; the problem is filling the shelves with product; creating the window display; supplying the pictures and descriptions, and setting price tags.

PARTNERSHIPSICCTA has an ambitious vision and a difficult mission: to achieve its objectives, ICCTA will seek to join other like-minded organizations in partnerships. Depending on the specific goal each partnership may consist of two or more partners.Obviously, it is impossible at this stage of ICCTA’s development to set out a detailed plan of partnership formation. It is however appropriate to indicate what is being contemplated.

For Purposes of IllustrationThe following comments are presented solely to illustrate the types of organizations

ICCTA believes could be helpful and would complement its plans. It must be

emphasized that these thoughts are strictly ICCTA’s and no connections of any sort

have been broached at this time.

CommissionerCARICOM

D a m o n G e r a r d C o r r i e

Biography

Damon Gerard Corrie is a member of the 2,000 person Eagle Clan Arawaks (Bariria Korobahado Lokono) of the

country of Guyana inNorth-East South America.

Since 1992 Damon has represented his people internationally at the United Nations (UN) – where he

registered the Eagle Clan Arawaks as observers and is himself a

registered participant of the United Nations Permanent Forum on

Indigenous Issues (UNPFII); and at the Organization of American States (OAS) – where he is a member of the Indigenous Caucus of the Americas. Damon has retained ‘Special Advisor’

status on International Affairs to consecutive elected National Chiefs

of Pakuri since 1992.

In 1996 Damon founded thePan-Tribal Confederacy of Indigenous

Tribal Nations – a worldwidemulti-racial Indigenous Confederacy.

Damon writes most of the news articles highlighting the plight of

member tribes – and has retained the Presidency of the Confederacy – which he funds entirely himself.

8 ICCTA IRDC Proposal

A straightforward way to bring prosperity to a segment of Indigenous Peoples, those with unique talent, is to provide them a way to sell their products

�� ��

Benefiting from ExperienceIn Canada, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) has �� years of

experience as a non-profit, non-partisan organization that helps facilitate sustainable

relations between the Canadian business sector and Aboriginals. CCAB’s programs and

services support the Aboriginal business entrepreneur through stages of education;

business development and leadership. Particularly noteworthy for ICCTA is that at

CCAB they “share what we know and what has worked for others”.

Advancing ICTThere are a number of other organizations that have the objective of harnessing the

potential of ICT to improve lives, reduce poverty, and empower people although not

specifically focused on the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas as ICCTA is. Consider

the Global Knowledge Partnership Secretariat (GKP) an international organization

incorporated in Malaysia. By forming a partnership, both ICCTA and GKP could help

each other achieve their respective goals.

e-LearningHarvard University’s Native American Program has as its purpose “advancing the well-

being of Indigenous Peoples through self-determination, academic development and

community service”. A partnership between ICCTA, with its Indigenous membership

throughout the Americas, and Harvard, seeking to connect with Native Americans

could be mutually beneficial. Beyond that, could the Harvard idea be replicated

by introducing new partners such as Canada’s virtual Athabasca University or the

Universidad de Buenos Aires with its distance-learning program, extending the reach

beyond Native Americans to all Indigenous Peoples of the Americas?

Consulting CompaniesCompanies such as PriceWaterhouseCoopers suggest to their clients that “global

best practices must often consider Indigenous factors that affect the effectiveness of

governance and structure”.9 Again, ICCTA with its Indigenous membership could be a

valuable partner in highlighting the “Indigenous factors” which will differ from country

to country.

Community RadioIndigenous Community Radio is seen to be an important way for ICCTA to get its

message broadly disseminated. Lacking experience in this field, ICCTA intends to turn

to those who have it and to pursue a partnership arrangement. Highly promising as

partners in this endeavor is the radio network of Native Public Media in the U.S.A. and

the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) which brings

together a network of more than �000 community radios.

PUBLIC SECTOR RELATIONSICCTA’s relations with the public sector will clearly be non-partisan andnon-political. It expects its relationship to be one of providing neutral assistance.

Governments

LiaisonICCTA anticipates an important role providing liaison between governments and their

Indigenous communities, helping each to understand the other. Because of its broad

Indigenous membership in all the countries of the Americas and Caribbean, ICCTA

will offer a unique audience for government initiatives. Through cooperation and

consultation it will be of vital assistance in aligning policies with needs.

TradeICCTA plans to have a program to provide information on Indigenous concerns to

government trade offices in the countries of the Americas and Caribbean.

Submission Protocols Governments with programs to support Indigenous Peoples and their communities

often seek advice in designing application forms and protocols suitable for the

Indigenous audience they are targeting. Where needed, ICCTA could provide an

outsourced service for both the design phase and could assist the preparation of

submissions and their subsequent evaluation.

Roundtables Governments at time convene meetings or “roundtables” to consult those who may

be affected by policies or initiatives they are considering. For those issues relating to

Indigenous Peoples, ICCTA, because of its membership, will be ideally positioned to

nominate suitable participants.

CommissionerCOSTA RICA

A l í G a r c í a

Biography

Alí García Segura belongs to the Sëbliwak Clan of the Bribri People.

Alí attended universities in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador and holds a

B.A. in Ethnology.

He is currently co-professor in the Bribri language course at the Faculty

of Arts at the University of Costa Rica, where he also acts as a writer and researcher in projects on the

Indigenous languages and culturesin the country.

Alí is a member of theSub-Commission for Indigenous

Peoples’ Access to Justice developed by Costa Rica’s Supreme Court of Justice. He is active in Indigenous

organizations that manage development projects in Indigenous communities in Costa Rica and other

Central American countries.

Alí has published and recorded books, articles and radio plays in America and

Europe on Indigenous cultures and in 2006, received the National Values

Prize granted by the Costa Rican State acknowledging efforts made in favor

of the most vulnerable peoples.

ICCTA’s relations with the public sector will clearly be non-partisan and non-political

9 http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/emerging-markets-strategies/governance-structure.jhtml

�6 ��

Policy DevelopmentInsofar as existing and contemplated government policies and regulations relating to

ICT would affect the lives of Indigenous Peoples, ICCTA would, when invited to do so,

survey its membership and report the Indigenous point of view.

Agencies (UN [ITU], OAS [CITEL])Indigenous Peoples should be directly represented in the forums of the UN, the

ITU, CITEL and others. If it is currently not the case, ICCTA will recommend inclusion,

propose candidates, and provide the reporting mechanism for proposals and decisions

to be communicated to the Indigenous Peoples.

NGOsICCTA plans to enter into partnership arrangements with numerous NGOs where the

knowledge of its membership would greatly help NGOs realize projects that would be

very beneficial to Indigenous Peoples.

PRIVATE SECTOR RELATIONSCosmetic, pharmaceutical and resource development companies, among others, have a particular need to consult and accommodate the interests of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples likewise need the facilities to be able to adequately communicate their interests to these industries. ICCTA, with its distinctive Indigenous membership is the ideal body for the private sector to connect with.

KnowledgeIndigenous Peoples have knowledge of geography, terrain, nature and traditions,

which can be an asset to these companies.

OpinionFrom surveys or reports by its membership, ICCTA will be able to provide opinion on

the merits of certain business activity as it affects the Indigenous Peoples and their

communities.

CertificationICCTA plans to develop an evaluation/certification process regarding private sector

activity for GRI and CSR reporting.

CommissionerURUGUAY

P a u l a H e r n á n d e zpaulah@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Paula is studying law at the Faculty of Law in Uruguay. She also

studies painting and sculpture at the Pedro Figari School of Art. In 2004 she participated in the

virtual courses given by the UN for young Indigenous leaders. She also

participated in the courses given by the ITU on “Indigenous Peoples’

Rights through the Use of and Access to ICTs” and “Indigenous People’s

Development with Identity through the use of and access to ICTs”.

Paula is currently the coordinator of Cerro Community Radio 8.5 Uruguay.

She also works in the provinces with HIV orphans within the context of the ICTs framework for a better, healthier world. She is also the creator of the Chalona Ethnic Clothes Creations.

CommissionerPANAMA

N e l s o n d e L e ó n K a n t u l enelsonk@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Nelson is a scholar and researcher of the Kuna culture who majored in

Philosophy and History at theJose A. Remon Cantera College in

Panama. He was a co-founder of the Napguana Association and was the Association’s President from 2001 to 2007. He is a past Treasurer of

Napguana, was the Director of the Napguana’s Traditional

Fishing Project.

Nelson is the editor of the Centre of Kuna Information and Communication (CICI-K) and of

the International Indigenous Press Agency. He has participated in many international events on

justice, human rights and traditional knowledge sponsored

by the World Bank, the UnitedNations and the Organization of

American States.

ICCTA, with its distinctive Indigenous membership, is the ideal body for the private sector to connect with

�8 �9

PLANS INBRIEF

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ADMINISTRATIVE PLANThe objective of the Administrative Plan is to create an efficient, effective, low overhead organization which can work with others to channel energy expertise and funds to bring a significant benefit of ICT to the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.

ICCTA owes a duty and a responsibility to the Indigenous Peoples it serves and to its financial supporters: governments, agencies, NGOs, foundations and corporations and to individual members. To fulfill its duty, its guiding principles must be those of accountability and transparency. It must maintain rigid financial control following international accounting standards. Projects undertaken must have clearly identified objectives, include a cost benefit analysis, have specific timelines, detailed budgets for all required resources and produce measurable results as indicated in a list of deliverables. Projects must be evaluated at timely milestones to ensure they are on track with their plans.

OrganizationICCTA plans to structure its organization as indicated in the following chart. The

President and CEO will be assisted by a team of Advisors providing valuable skills and

local knowledge together with the notable individuals of the Leadership Circle. A

major undertaking of the early years will be enlisting this body of noteworthy people

capable of assisting ICCTA in achieving its aims. Administrative duties will be overseen

by a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).

To accomplish its objectives functional responsibilities are defined as: Application Development; Communication & Marketing; Information Services & Webmaster; Finance; Sales & Funding; and Research & Database Administration.

Application DevelopmentIts role is to receive and catalog ICT application opportunities from Commissioners

and Membership; to analyze cost benefit relationships; to propose solutions either by

replicating existing methods or developing new ones; assist in project definition and

preparation of funding applications; and assisting in project management.

PR & MarketingMarketing will be responsible for creating and managing material that will carry ICCTA’s

image and message on pamphlets, brochures, presentations, the website, newsletters,

reports and press releases.

Communications will transmit the message in producing speeches, press releases,

newspaper stories, radio and TV broadcasts. It will arrange venues and develop a base

of receptive supporters in the media of all regions of the Americas and Caribbean.

Information Services & WebmasterInformation Services (IT) will be responsible for keeping ICCTA current with the

technology; administering IT infrastructure; and answering all technical questions.

ICCTA has ambitious plans to make its web presence the major focal point for all

Indigenous Peoples. The Webmaster will be responsible for gathering and presenting

content in four languages; establishing and maintaining links; arranging search engine

positioning; capturing and analyzing web traffic statistics; security and member login;

and referential databases.

FinanceFinance is responsible for control of financial records; budgeting; accounting;

reporting; and banking. It will operate a controller function and meet all international

accounting standards.

CommissionerBOLIVIA

F é l i x G u t i é r r e z M a t t afelixm@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Félix has Bachelor’s Degrees in Agronomy Engineering, Social

Communications and Anthropology from the Universities of Tomas Frias in

Potosi and in Saint Andrew’s Higher University of La Paz and a Master’s in Agricultural Economy from the

Bolivian Catholic University.

He has participated in various national and international events in which he has advocated for the

democratization and access to Information and Communication

Technologies for Indigenous Peoples.

Félix is also the General Director of the Apachita Indigenous

Communications Network, which includes 42 FM radios and community

telecenters that are spread out inthe rural communities

in the mountainous regions of western Bolivia.

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Sales & FundingSales will create and manage the membership recruitment program; corporate

sponsorship; subscriber and advertising sales. It will assist the President, Advisors and

Advocates in seeking government, agency and foundation funding.

Research & Database AdministrationThe development of comprehensive databases of census information, ICT usage, and

funding sources are a major activity of ICCTA and will require a network of researchers.

Accurate and accessible databases will require specialist knowledge. This is the

responsibility of the Research & Database Administration Function.

The Central Office is in Ottawa, Canada. Regional Offices will be established over time in all geographic regions in the Americas and Caribbean.

ICCTA will operate in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Simultaneous interpretation will be required for meetings and all written material will be translated into these languages.

SALES & MARKETING (FUNDING PLAN)Self-sufficiency has been the custom among all Indigenous Peoples throughout the ages. Their goal for ICCTA is no different.

The Sales & Marketing Plan does postulate funding support from private sector corporate sponsors, and public sector foundations, agencies and governments as substantial at the beginning but diminishing over time. Throughout the five years addressed in this plan, the participation from public and private sector sponsors will increasingly be “earned” in the sense of providing solid value, and real returns. Over that time, ICCTA foresees that involvement changing from capacity building participation to that of a valued partner’s investment.

The charts (right) show the Government of Canada extending the first capacity building support, joined by the United States, Mexico, Agencies & Foundations, and corporate sponsors. By 2014 the pattern has changed with membership, activities and corporate sponsorship providing most of ICCTA’s income.

MarketingMarketing is to produce a brand image and message which will instantly identify

ICCTA and succinctly convey the message of the importance of its work. The marketing

activity is to design and produce material which will support an outstanding sales

campaign.

The challenge will be to create a brand that will instantly identify ICCTA as an

organization of Indigenous Peoples, run by Indigenous Peoples, for the benefit of Indigenous Peoples! And the challenge is to deliver a concise message that will

succinctly explain ICCTA’s plan to use ICT to enable Indigenous Peoples to join in

global prosperity.

With marketing and advertising, public awareness, conferences and trade shows,

branding and messaging will create a receptive climate for membership recruitment

and gather support for project development and fundraising.

The immediate tasks for Marketing are:

Branding and messaging

Defining the cost benefit argument for membership recruitment

Defining the cost benefit for corporate sponsorship

Defining the argument for government, agency and foundation support

•

•

•

•

Marketing is to produce a brand image and message which will instantly identify ICCTA and succinctly convey the message of the importance of its work

CorporateSponsors

19%

Subscribers1.5%

Advertising0.5%

ConferencesGovt: Mexico

Agency &Foundations

6%

Govt: USA18%

2010 Source of Funds 2010

CorporateSponsors

19%

Subscribers1.5%

Advertising0.5%

Conferences,Trade shows

3%

Membership3%

Govt: Canada46%

Govt: Mexico3%

Agency &Foundations

6%

Govt: USA18%

2010 Source of Funds 2010

Membership,17%

Subscribers, 5%

Advertising, 2%Govt: Mexico,4%

Govt: SouthAmerica, 3%

Agency &Foundations,

14%

2014 Source of Funds 2014

Membership,17%

Subscribers, 5%

Advertising, 2%

Conferences,Trade shows,

2%

CorporateSponsors, 39%

Govt: Canada,7%

Govt: USA, 7%

Govt: Mexico,4%

Govt: SouthAmerica, 3%

Agency &Foundations,

14%

2014 Source of Funds 2014

CommissionerARGENTINA

M i g u e l M e d i n a

Biography

Miguel is an Indigenous communicator who belongs to the Qom people in Argentina. He is the

founder of a Cooperative thatsupports the employment needs of Indigenous People who were forced to abandon their communities and

migrate to the city.

In this Cooperative, besides thesocial work, Miguel has created a Working Group on ICTs with

the intention of expanding the organization’s communications to

the international level.

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SalesThe Sales Plan addresses four areas:

Recruiting members;

Attracting corporate sponsors;

Securing public sector support; and

Building revenue from subscribers, advertising and conferences, workshops and trade

shows.

Membership RecruitmentThe plan contemplates three categories of membership: Indigenous Peoples (Voting)

– $�0 for � years; Indigenous Organizations (Voting) – $��0 for � years; and Friends

(Non-Voting) – $�0 for � years where the Friends category is for supportive non-

Indigenous People. It is forecast that some of the membership fees would be paid in

kind rather than cash: Indigenous Peoples (�0%) and Organizations (��%).

Corporate SponsorsThree types of corporate sponsors are projected: Gold, with an annual fee of $�0,000;

Silver at $��,000 and Bronze at $9,000.

�.

�.

�.

�.

Corporate SubscribersThese would be smaller companies that wish to market to Aboriginal Canadian, Native

American and Indigenous communities and who could profit from access to ICCTA’s

databases of communities and contacts.

AdvertisingAdvertising revenue will come from web banner ads, sidebars, pop up/under ads,

floating and unicast ads and ads in an ICCTA electronic newsletter and its print

publications.

Conferences, Workshops, Trade ShowsICCTA plans to hold a major conference each year addressing solutions and success

stories of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. Attendance is projected at �000

in year �, rising to ��00/�000 by year �. Through registration fees, advertising and

sponsorship each conference is expected on average to realize a profit of $�0,000.

Agency & FoundationsCertain International government agencies such as the Inter-American Development

Bank (IDB), created by the Organization of American States (OAS), the World Bank,

or the agencies of national governments such as Canada’s CIDA may have interests

that can benefit from coordination with ICCTA and therefore be interested in funding

specific projects or activities of ICCTA.

Government FundingICCTA will turn to governments to play a major role funding the capacity building

stage.

FINANCIAL PLANThe Financial Plan takes into consideration the fact that as the view reaches out into the future, the ability to accurately foresee circumstances get progressively more difficult and therefore the reliability of the projections is more open to question. To acknowledge this, the Plan is considered from three points of view: an immediate First Quarter Budget, then the Tactical Plan for the first two years which is encompassed within the five year Strategic Plan.

ICCTA plans to hold a major conference each year addressing solutions and success stories of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. Attendance is projected at �000 in year �, rising to ��00/�000 by year �

6,0008,000

10,00012,00014,00016,000

Mem

bership

Indigenous Peoples (Voting)Members

02,0004,0006,0008,000

10,00012,00014,00016,000

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Mem

bership

Year

Indigenous Peoples (Voting)Members

1015202530354045

orpo

rate

Spon

sors

Corporate Sponsorship

Gold

Silver

05

1015202530354045

2101 2011 2012 2013 2014

CorporateSp

onsors

Year

Corporate Sponsorship

Gold

Silver

Bronze

CommissionerBRAZIL

M a r c o s T e r e n a

Biography

Marcos Terena is the Professor of Traditional and Spiritual Knowledge of

the Indigenous People and Coordinator of the International Indigenous Forum

on Biodiversity.

Mr. Terena founded the United Indigenous Nations, the first

Indigenous movement in Brazil and was one of the coordinators of the push

for Indigenous Rights in the Brazilian Constitution. He coordinated the

World Conference of the Indigenous People on Territory, Environment and Development, in an Indigenous zone,

the Kari-Oca Park, where the Earth Letter and the Kari-Oca Declaration was

created in Rio in 1992.

Besides being the creator of Indian Voice, a radio programme,

Mr. Terena has also commented about Indigenous Rights in various television

programmes. He has written two books: The Indian Aviator and

The Citizens of the Jungle.

Mr. Terena is the Articulator of the Indigenous Rights in the UN as well

as the President of the Intertribal Committee (ITC) and the VIATAN, an

Indigenous Information Center.

�6 ��

The Income Forecast is made up of two components, “Earned Income”, which means income that it is directly related to providing value for money and “Funding Income”, from agencies, foundations, and governments where the benefit of the contribution may be judged on wider criteria.

Revenue from membership sales, corporate sponsorship, corporate subscribers, advertising and conferences, workshops and trade shows is what is termed “Earned Income”.

In 2010 ICCTA is seeking government capacity building support of $1,100,000 ($750,000 from Canada, $300,000 from the United States and $50,000 from Mexico). By 2014 it expects to merit continued support from governments of $750,000 (Canada $250,000; U.S. $250,000; Mexico $150,000; South America $100,000) with the balance being derived from agencies & foundations ($550,000), membership dues, friends, corporate sponsor support, subscribers, advertising, conferences and trade shows.

The degree to which the sales effort is successful will affect the Earned Income forecast. In order to assess the reliability of the numbers, a sensitivity analysis has been done which shows that reaching only 50% and 75% of forecast membership sales would change the forecast by 0.5% to 1.7% or 0.8% to 3.4%. corporate sponsorship sales are clearly more important: if projections in all sponsorship categories were to fall short by 50%, the effect on revenues would range from 10.2% in 2010 to 20.6% in 2014.

The distribution of projected expenses is shown in the chart (right). A major component of the expense budget is the plan to open Regional Offices throughout the Americas but primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. Incurring these expenses will very much depend on the success of the income projections, with the pace at which they are opened up, speeding up or slowing down as circumstances dictate.

ICCTA is a not-for-profit organization. The Financial Plan is predicated on maintaining Income and Expense in balance and budgets will be aimed at a breakeven position or a small surplus.

ICCTA is a not-for-profit organization. The Financial Plan is predicated on maintaining Income and Expense in balance and budgets will be aimed at a breakeven position or a small surplus

$

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

Expense distributionRegional Offices

Administration

Sales & Marketing

Research & Database

IT & Webmaster

Application Development

$0

$200,000

$400,000

$600,000

$800,000

$1,000,000

$1,200,000

$1,400,000

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Expense distributionRegional Offices

Administration

Sales & Marketing

Research & Database

IT & Webmaster

Application Development

Communication & PR

Finance

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

Income Sources

Earned Income

Governments

Agencies & Foundations

$0

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Income Sources

Earned Income

Governments

Agencies & Foundations

CommissionerNICARAGUA

A d a V i l l a r e a ladav@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Ada is a Computer Skills educator by profession with intercultural

communication skills. A student in her last quarter for a Masters in University Teaching, she has taught Computer Architecture, Networks, Introduction to Communications, Linux Operating Systems and Computer Information

Applications. She has given talks on the Use of Free Software at the University.

Ada has collaborated in the production of documentaries on the history of the RAMA people in the RAAS

[SAAR], directing and producing such documentaries as: “By Marking the

Boundaries of our Lands we Ensure our Future”, the “Environmental Impact of

the Bluefields United Nations Highway”, “Municipal Governance and Citizens’

Participation Forum”. She is the Director of the Educational Magazine for

Caribbean TV and a TV program and events conductor.

She is a member of the organization committee of the Organized Civil

Society for the South Atlantic Autonomous Region of Nicaragua,

the Somos@telecentros.org network, Free Software Network of Nicaragua

and is a Commissioner of ICCTA.

CommissionerNICARAGUA

E l l e c h W i l t s h i r eellechw@iccta-citca.org

Biography

Ellech is a Systems Engineer with a major in computer science software

development and websites. He worked at the University of the

Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast as a website and

computer science systemsdeveloper; he also worked at

Nicaragua’s Superintendence of Banks as the website administrator

and support technician.

Ellech has participated in different workshops and activities related

to the topic of Indigenous Peoples and has developed systems and

educational websites for Indigenous Peoples. He is currently a member of ONECA (Central American Black

Organization) in which he is a Senior Advisor to the President for

ICT matters.

�8 �9

CORPORATEDETAIL

INCORPORATION

Incorporated pursuant to the Canada Corporations Act,

Letters Patent No. ��6���-9, January 8, �008.

HEAD OFFICE

�9� Holland Avenue

Ottawa, Ontario

K�Y 0Y�

Canada

�-6��-6�6-�0��

WEBSITE

www.iccta-citca.org

PRESIDENT

Tony Belcourt – Métis (Canada)

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Marisol Llantoy Barboza – Quechua (Peru)

Jayariyu Farias Montiel – Wayuu (Venezuela)

Marleny Tzicap – Maya K’iche’ (Guatemala)

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Pedro Victoriano Cruz – P’urhépecha (Mexico)

COMMISSIONERS

Geoffrey Blackwell – Muscogee (Creek) Nation (United States)

Manuel Castro – Kichua Kañaris (Ecuador)

Jose Fernando Conejo – Totoróez (Colombia)

Damon Corrie – Arawak (CARICOM)

Alí García – Bri Bri (Costa Rica)

Paula Hernández – Charrúa (Uruguay)

Nelson de León Kantule – Kuna (Panama)

Félix Gutiérrez Matta – Aymara (Bolivia)

Miguel Medina – Qom (Argentina)

Marcos Terena – Terena (Brazil)

Ada Villareal – Mestizo (Nicaragua)

Ellech Wiltshire – Creole (Nicaragua)

LEGAL ADVISORS

Blaney McMurtry, LLP

� Queen Street East, Suite ��00

Toronto, Ontario

M�C �G�

AUDITORS

Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP

Suite �00

�0� Moodie Drive

Ottawa, Ontario

K�H 9C�

END NOTEThe detailed plans to realize the Vision

and accomplish the

Mission are to be found in

Volume II of this Plan