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<DIV><FONT face=Arial><B>Unprecedented Global Event:</B></FONT><BR><FONT
face=Arial><B>Tens of Thousands of World Citizens Unite Online<BR>to Debate
Urban Sustainability Issues</B></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#3366ff size=-1><B>Habitat JAM</B></FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=-1> </FONT><A
href="http://www.habitatjam.com/"><FONT face=Arial
size=-1>www.habitatjam.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT face=Arial size=-1><B>Thursday,
December 1 - Saturday, December 3, 2005</B></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=-1><SPAN class=406044804-16112005><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#008080 size=3><STRONG><FONT face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>O</FONT></STRONG></FONT></SPAN><STRONG>pen to everyone interested in
creating a better world.</STRONG></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=-1><B>Come for an hour or stay online for three
days</B></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><B> ---- Register NOW at</B></FONT> <A
href="http://www.habitatjam.com/"><FONT
face=Arial>www.habitatjam.com</FONT></A><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><BR>London, UK (PRWEB) November 5, 2005 -- Habitat
JAM, an unprecedented online global dialogue on urban sustainability, will be
held for 72 hours from 1-3 December, 2005.<BR><BR>Sponsored by the Government of
Canada, in partnership with UN-HABITAT and IBM, the Habitat JAM promises to
engage, empower and stimulate tens of thousands of global citizens, rich and
less fortunate alike, with the ultimate goal of turning ideas into action on
critical issues related to urban sustainability.<BR><BR>Under the leadership of
the Honourable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing, the Government of
Canada is taking a highly innovative approach by investing in global
sustainability and funding Habitat JAM.<I> "Canada is pleased to partner with
UN-HABITAT and IBM to introduce this experimental form of problem solving -- a
dialogue that cuts across the borders and silos of politics, culture, economics,
social class and expertise, to extract concrete solutions to the urgent and
controversial issues facing our rapidly urbanizing planet. The Government of
Canada is proud to host this event because Canada recognizes the enormous impact
of urbanization on the sustainability of the planet."</I><BR><BR>The Habitat JAM
is a preparatory event to the third session of the World Urban Forum being held
in Vancouver in June 2006. The World Urban Forum is an initiative of the United
Nations Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) held every two years to debate ideas
and issues about sustainable development in today's context of rapid
urbanization.<BR>Topics for discussion will include:</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT><BR> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Wingdings>§</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=-2> </FONT><FONT face=Arial>
improving the lives of people living in slums,</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Wingdings>§</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=-2> </FONT><FONT face=Arial>
access to water,</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Wingdings>§</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=-2> </FONT><FONT face=Arial>
environmental sustainability,</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Wingdings>§</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=-2> </FONT><FONT face=Arial>
safety and security,</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Wingdings>§</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=-2> </FONT><FONT face=Arial>
finance and governance,</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Wingdings>§</FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=-2> </FONT><FONT face=Arial>
and the future of our cities.</FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>"We live in an increasingly urban world which is
unfortunately divided between the North and the South. What is worse is that in
most cities, wherever they are, people are forced to live in divided cities.
Cities in developing countries are suffering from problems associated with rapid
urbanization, which has led to over one billion people living in slums without
adequate shelter and basic services. In developed countries, citizens suffer
from the effects of ill-planned cities and environmental degradation. At the
heart of this crisis is a failure to consult and to allow the full participation
of ordinary people in the development of the city. It is my hope that innovative
technologies associated with Habitat JAM will help bring people closer together
to plan and develop truly human settlements," adds Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive
Director, UN-HABITAT.<BR><BR>The Habitat JAM will bring together academics and
students, planners and builders, politicians, governments, the private sector
and ordinary citizens from across the globe in real time, all contributing ideas
and expertise during the 72-hour global problem-solving session. Moderators will
include government leaders, renowned experts, and key thinkers.<BR><BR>To ensure
the most inclusive event possible, grass root organizations, institutions,
women, youth groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are helping to
bring people to the technology who might otherwise not have access or
opportunity to share their experiences and ideas with others around the
world.<BR><BR>To name just a few examples, the Habitat JAM is teaming with
the:<BR><BR>---- World Bank Institute to offer access to many of their
satellite-based Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) to enable people
living in regions with inadequate or no Internet access to participate in the
Habitat JAM.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR>---- Huairou Commission and GROOTS Canada to bring the
voice of non-English speaking women into the Habitat JAM.<BR><BR>---- World
Urban Forum and Youth Organizing Committee (WUFY) who will hold over a dozen
World Urban Cafe JAM Sessions to engage communities in slums and impoverished
human settlements in Asia, Africa, India and Latin America.<BR><BR>In hosting
and providing the technology for the JAM, IBM is enabling this innovative
democratic process where, without hierarchy, people from all walks of life have
the opportunity to come together to present and evaluate ideas on how to solve a
focused set of issues or problems.<I> "IBM has used JAMs internally to involve
employees in over 75 countries to collaborate in real time on the company's
values and then to develop pragmatic solutions and best practices around growth
and innovation,</I>" said Irving Wladawsky-Berger, Vice President of Technical
Strategy and Innovation, IBM. <I>"JAMs enable a kind of mass collaboration
and problem-solving that has simply never before been possible on a global
scale. This is innovation that matters for the world.</I>"</FONT><BR><FONT
face=Arial></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>For additional information on Habitat JAM and to register
for the event, visit</FONT> <A href="http://www.habitatjam.com"><FONT
face=Arial>www.habitatjam.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>.
<DIV><FONT color=#008080>
<DIV><FONT face="Bradley Hand ITC"><SPAN class=406044804-16112005><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS"> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Bradley Hand ITC"><SPAN
class=406044804-16112005> </SPAN><EM>Christine</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=1></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#008080><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=2><STRONG>Christine
Whitney Sanchez</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=265140401-10082005><STRONG><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS"><FONT color=#000000>K</FONT><FONT
color=#800080>AI</FONT><FONT color=#000000>R</FONT>OS<FONT color=#000000><SPAN
class=656063917-10082005><FONT color=#008080> </FONT></SPAN>Alliance Inc<SPAN
class=656063917-10082005>.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000000 size=2>2717 E. Mountain Sky
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