The Ilham Winter 2010

The Digital Policy Council is a non-partisan, international think tank that aims to make “inclusive” governance, despite its form, democratic or otherwise, its platform.With the firm belief that citizens need to be included in the decision making process and the first priority of citizens is the quality of their lives and that of their future generations, the DPC is a gathering of like- minded individuals who believe that engagement with open information is a fundamental right of citizens. The DPC aims at achieving its objectives using a global audience that has already been captured by various social networking and information platforms to bring the debate on Policy and governance online, creating an online lobby for significant initiatives and interacting with policy makers.The DPC aims to be the collection of decision makers, academics, public and private sector to create a “Society 2.0” one that is able to truly bring its priorities into everyday governance using the power of the internet. Equally, the DPC hopes to encourage serving governments and rising political leaders to harness the power of the Internet to converse with its citizens, to engage citizens of the world in an attempt to garner progressive influence, to create interactive foreign policy and to establish support in civil society for its actions. The Ilham,A Journal of Contemporary Digital Policy, is dedicated to encouraging fresh policy formation by striving to be a professional and rational advocate of ideas that are in the principal long-term interests of society. Ilham draws from the meaning illumination and inspiration and within this context the Journal’s objectives are to gather together different ideas and perspectives from academia, business, citizens and other stakeholders to serve the society of the day and promote dialogue and engagement. An idea can still change the world. And the World needs ideas that spread ......... A Journal of Contemporary Digital Policy WINTER 2010 VOLUME 1 THE ILHAM The Ilham, A Journal of Contemporary Digital Policy, is published quarterly by: The Digital Policy Council The Willard 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 United States of America T/F: +1 (202) 379-4787 For subscriber services please send enquiries to customerservice@digitaldaya.com Introduction