Breaking boundaries and barriers

Increasing access to communication technology and new media provides us a historical opportunity to promote our voices, strengthen collaboration, ensure we are heard at the highest forums. It gives us the ability to create content, publish instantly and share with an infinite global audience. What excites me most about the internet is that it is also a truly democratic medium. Anyone with net access can create content as well as share content others have created. This engagement and sharing with online communities is extremely enriching for all.

As an active Facebook user I find it alerts me to news and events across the world much before newspapers and television. Be it a bomb blast in a distant country or a terror alert in another city in my country, or the death of a celebrity like Michael Jackson, today I first read about it on Facebook. This also means that this kind of media is completely free of commercial dictates and hence truly represents public consciousness.

In communities and countries where media is heavily censored, we depend on bloggers and web journalists to understand the true picture. The medium is free-ing, liberating, and empowering all at the same time. Its immediacy is a unique quality. This also means that response and feedback is quick and dynamic. Since the audience also knows that the creator of content will engage with the response he/ she is likely to be more responsive. This also puts the onus on the creator of content to use this opportunity to interact and engage with others and hence help bring together people interested in common issues from across the globe – be in culture, rights, causes, interests.

New media has widened my knowledge of issues and exposed me to different perspectives. Sharing solutions, experiences, thoughts, ideas has enriched me immensely. Interacting with a global community helps build greater understanding and hence a more tolerant society.

As someone interested in communication for development I am extremely excited about new media and learning new ways to use this medium. As I once heard someone say unless we speak up, find a voice, how will people know we exist. And if we don’t exist in the awareness of others how can we fight for our rights. Truly an opportunity to reach out and create greater awareness on issues that matter to us.

Today, with the world’s richest people having generated their wealth through the knowledge economy, they are committed to solving the world’s problems. There is a never before opportunity: The best of human resource as well as enough wealth to address problems. The commitment and resource is there. How can we use new media to work together towards building a better world for everyone.

As I once heard Bill Gates say, unless we read about issues and problems that plague parts of the world how will we even know they exist. So here's our opportunity to reach out to people with issues that concerns that matter to us most. We want to be heard -- and for once, people are ready to listen.