Digital Citizenship developed on wireless network in geographically isolated areas
The main objective of the project WDCNET is to realize a radio frequency wireless network, linking all public services suppliers (municipalities, schools, welfare) in geographically isolated areas, able to transport data and information valuable and helpful to citizens. The wireless technology grants a high performance and reliable network with minimum environmental impact, on which implementing and managing an Internet Portal which takes priority to citizens, also who lives in most isolated place, be informed and advised about the problems and services useful to the community, allowing the criteria of OCSE 2001.The main characteristic of developed societies is a high level of information use : Citizens also use information to exercise their civil rights and responsibilities, and social exclusion is compounded by a society divided into the information-rich (urban area) and the information-poor (rural area). The challenge is to ensure to rural peoples having access to the information they need to overcome their rights’ lacks, granting communications between the towns and isolated villages, information resource sharing among themselves and easy accessed by citizens.To address this target we need a high performance and reliable digital network. The objectives of the project are the following: • To give to the citizens, living in geographically isolated areas, an opportunity to use innovative ICT to support a participative use of public services • To realize a radio frequency wireless network with minimum environmental impact and at reasonable costs • To link all public services suppliers (municipalities, schools, welfare,..) in geographically isolated areas. • To develop and manage an Internet Portal which takes priority to citizens in transporting data and information valuable and helpful them to: 1. Be informed about available public services and their accessibility; 2. Be informed about new “in fieri” services and their process status; 3. Give a feedback on common themes and arguments under discussion; 4. Be actor (take part) in decision-making processes of local government. The main activities will be: 1. Establishment of transnational cooperation between partners to grant the access to developed innovations in project. 2. Implementation of wireless network covering the mountain and rural community’s territory, linked with National and International networks. 3. Designing, developing and managing an e-democracy Internet Portal, allowing the criteria of OCSE 2001 4. Know-how transfer and exchange of experiences and good practices between the partners. The project expects to improve the quality of life of rural and mountain communities and to provide them with quality services at an affordable cost. The deliverables will be three wireless digital networks in Italy, Greece, Malta and an transnational e-democracy portal focuses on issues such as development, environment, civil rights, public services and other social issues. Direct Beneficiaries: Local Administration, Welfare, Educational Institutions, Citizens and SMEs.