© Infopoverty 2013 Infopoverty World Conference 2013 INNOVATIONS FOR NATION BUILDING AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF PEOPLE March 25-26 2013 UN Headquarters New York At the present stage of the incumbent digital revolution, facing dramatic events that are changing every aspect of society, from finance to economy, to development strategies, it is important to highlight the efforts of many Countries, which have launched or are launching national digital plans, regarded as strategic tools for development and the empowerment of people. Even in recent times, many consider Information and communication Technologies (ICTs) as an accelerator of old praxes, while now it is well understood that they have a strength of their own, which tends to upturn old paradigms and regimes, creating unprecedented forms of development. While industrialized Countries are struggling to fully exploit the potentials of the digital era, emerging Countries are reaping its most innovative aspect, which is the possibility to swiftly acquire competences at low cost so to empower people. The fact that in those Countries vast parts of the population are young and digitally native, thanks to mobile connectivity and smartphones, and willing to exploit natural and human resources that for too long have been in the hands of foreign, post-colonial entities, makes this process even faster. The Infopoverty World Conference, at its 13th edition, highlighted the most strategic and effective aspects of the national digital plans, often the result of local solutions, or new bottom-up approaches with high communitarian values, to favor social applications and promote the empowerment of people and communities, with great impact on the most basic needs, such as health, education, food security and decent work. The 2013 edition continued the work begun in 2001: not just monitoring the digital era, but also supporting and promoting innovative solutions to fight poverty and empower people, exploiting past results such as the Platform of e-Services that was launched in 2012 also at the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development, catalyzing the best stakeholders for a large scale application. For more information, see the FULL AGENDA or download the PROGRAM of the Infopoverty World Conference 2013. The live Webcast coverage is available on the UN Webcast Archive