Pro Bono Australia - International IT Award Finali
9 July 2001 at 1:07 pm
We have some exciting news to share with our readers….Pro Bono Australia has made the top one hundred finalists in the international Stockholm Challenge Awards for 2001.
The Stockholm Challenge gathers some of the most innovative IT projects from around the world and Pro Bono Australia is just one of four Australian organisations to make it into the finals from a tough field of 742 entrants from 90 countries!
Award organisers say one of the biggest challenges in the information era is to spread the use of IT to larger groups in society and enable groups with less resources and capabilities to share the benefit of technological development.
The Stockholm Challenge says the finalist group of 100 projects includes the very best examples of how to take up this challenge.
The Chairman of the Stockholm Challenge Jury, Professor Alfonso Molina from the University of Edinburgh says of the finalists that he is impressed by the display of bold imagination and innovations and above all the profound concern and generosity towards fellow human beings particularly those on the wrong side of the digital divide.
Pro Bono Australia is nominated in one of seven categories under “New Economy”.
Pro Bono Australia founder Karen Mahlab says she is delighted and proud to be nominated for this prestigious international award.
She says it is clear from the list of finalists that the new technology is not just about profit- it is also about providing access, democracy and decisio- making to the disadvantaged in our communities as well as those working in the Not for Profit Sector.
Mahlab says the Pro Bono Australia nomination gives her an optimism that the new technology can do good for society.
In a breakdown of the entrants, the United States holds the lead with 140 projects, followed by Sweden with 68 and Italy with 54 participating projects. Other participants with up to ten entries include Australia, United kingdom, Canada, Israel, India, France and Brazil.
The other Australian finalists include a project to bridge the digital divide for low income and disadvantaged communities by the Info Xchange in Victoria, Ararat Community college projects that explore multiculturalism in a number of global societies and a project to improve the health of Australia’s indigenous people via the Internet called HealthInfoNet.
The awards will be announced at a ceremony in Stockholm on September 26th. The Prize giving ceremony will be streamed in real time at www.challenge.stockholm.se.
