Update November 2000: Lithuania

Promotional actions and activities of governmental organisations aimed to support development of Information Society. Lithuania’s White Book on Science and Technology was presented in September. The most important IS events of the year 2000 are the International Conference Jump into the new e - Economy and the annual International Trade Fair of Information Society Technologies.

1. Governmental organisations and their activities

The practical activities aimed for support and promotion of the development of IS started in the middle of 2000. In the context of the European Commission’s e - Europe initiative, the Lithuanian Government announced a plan to establish e - Vyriausybe (e - Government). The working group, which will prepare the concept of e - Vyriausybe and realisation plans was created. Mr. J.Milerius, head of Lithuania Seimas Information Technologies Department, is Chairman of this group.

The Lithuanian Government announced the strategic directions of IS development:

• computerisation of Lithuanian schools, modernisation of science and education system,
• promotion and support of e - business.

The Ministry of Science and Education drafted the Strategy of implementation of advanced Information Technologies in Lithuanian Education. The Strategy describes the current situation, the future vision and goals of modernisation, priorities and ways of realisation. More details can be found at http://www.ipc.lt.

The Lithuanian Government supports two long-term projects in the science and education area:

• Lithuanian schools computerisation project,
• Integration of Lithuania’s Academic and Research Computer Network LITNET in the European Academic Network TEN 155 (LITNET - GEANT) project.

2. White Book on Science and Technology

The first version of White Book on Science and Technology was presented at the annual session of the Academy of Sciences, which took place in Vilnius on the 22^nd September. The Book was prepared by a group of scientists and experts that was established in 1999.05.14 by Government Decree. The leader of the group was the Academician Eduardas Vilkas, Director of the Institute of Economy and Chairman of the State Privatisation Council. This White Book, for the first time published in Lithuania, describes the development of science and technologies as the most important part of the country’s development strategy. The main topics are:

• National Lithuanian interests in the modern world;
• Why Lithuania needs a long-term strategy;
• The country’s progress is the main goal of the development of sciences and technologies;
• Reforms of Lithuania’s science and technology system.

3. On going developments

The most important IS promotional events, which take place in Vilnius are:

(a) International Conference Jump into the new e - Economy, 23 October 2000, Vilnius

The subject of the conference is the new e-economy and the information society: state, science, education, business and investment, knowledge management and the future of globalisation.

The aim of the conference is to introduce the main trends of the new e-economy and of the development of knowledge management in the information society, as well as the impact of information technologies and their place in the contemporary society at the international level.

Public persons, politicians and specialists are welcome to the conference Information Society '2000 to represent the interests of state and international organisations, or of the areas of science, business and investment. It’s also the place to present the possibilities to implement local and international projects in the fields of the new e-economy, state and knowledge management, public welfare, and education by means of the most recent technologies.

(b) 2nd international conference Information Society '2000 organised by the Association INFOBALT

This 2nd international conference launched by the Association INFOBALT expands the scope of the mission of the growing international exhibition InfoBalt that is being successfully organised for the sixth year by turns (the exhibition INFOBALT '2000, October 25-28, 2000). The main objectives are, in particular, to present the most recent information technologies, Baltic States’ information technologies and telecommunications market, as well as the intellectual potential of Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and foreign partners.

The issues of the reports at the conference will cover theoretical and practical possibilities of the new e-economy and the information society, as well as its trials, challenges, risks and other specific problems in this field. (Extract from Association Infobalt announcement, http://www.infobalt.lt )

Preliminary programme:

• The subject of the conference is the new economy and the information society: state, science, education, business and investment, knowledge management and the future of ICT industry.
• The aim of the conference is to introduce the main trends of the new e-economy and of the development of knowledge management in the information society, as well as the impact of information technologies and their place in the contemporary society at the international level.
• Lithuanian and foreign public figures, politicians, businessmen and experts in the most recent information technologies will take part and deliver speeches at the conference.
• The presentations at the plenary session are to be made in Lithuanian and English. The simultaneous interpretation will be in English as well as French and German. The work in parallel sections will be in Lithuanian and English.

(c) Annual International Trade Fair of Information Society Technologies, 25-28 October 2000, Vilnius

The Annual International Trade Fair of Information Society Technologies is the largest fair of the information technologies and telecommunications in the Baltic States. It enjoys the largest number of visitors. The estimates say report that 73 thousand people paid a visit to the fair in 1999. 81 percent of the companies, which participated in the INFOBALT'99, declared their intentions to take part in the year 2000 exhibition.

The exhibition space has been broadened since 2000 and will be divided into specialised areas according to the major technological themes:

• Telecommunications
• Complex IT Solutions, e-commerce
• Data Transfer
• Finance Management Systems
• Office Equipment Technologies

(d) New Exhibition Project - Commerce and Entertainment Pavilion e-FUTURE

This year, for the first time, a new project under the name of e-FUTURE will be introduced. In a separate pavilion (Hall 5) companies will demonstrate and sell products, services designed both for the general public and especially for youth - multimedia, Internet innovations, computer games etc. This brand-new project would bring an exceptional opportunity to stay on top in supplying the market's growing needs for leisure, entertainment, and self-education. (Extract from Association Infobalt announcement, http://www.infobalt.lt).

Main information sources:

• Lithuanian Prime Minister office, http://www.lrvk.lt
• Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament), http://www.lrs.lt
• European Committee under the Government, http://www.euro.lt
• Department of Information and Informatics, http://www.iid.lt
• Ministry of Economy, http://www.ekm.lt
• INFOBALT Association, http://www.infobalt.lt