For two days, we invite you to explore the wider world of online citizen media. Our speakers and participants include some of the most dynamic bloggers and digital activists from around the world. We guarantee you'll rarely encounter such a diverse gathering of interesting people.

The main conference theme is “The Global Rise of Online Citizen Media.” We wish to examine how social media has become such a powerful force for change around the world. Was it deliberate or accidental, what are the new opportunities, and where will we go next?

We speak to global bloggers, activists and scholars who have innovated in this field since the first blogs were created.

The program consists of a combination of panels in the morning hours, and “unconference” sessions in the afternoon. This means that participants will be invited to host workshops and sessions about the topics that interest them most, while other participants are free to wander and learn.

A number of the sessions on the program deal with freedom of expression, censorship, and how to engage citizens in decisions about the corporate and government structures of the internet. We also discuss indigenous language preservation, important stories that go unreported in global news, and practical advice for network building in Africa and in the Middle East.

If you have suggestions for the program, we'd love to hear them. Our preliminary program still has some room for fresh ideas. Otherwise, we'll surely hear from you during the open agenda sessions!