Social Media Exchange to Host Seminar on Social Media for Social Change

PR Log (Press Release) – Jul 28, 2008 – A one day seminar on Web 2.0, organized by Social Media Exchange and hosted in collaboration with Rootspace, the new Beirut–based incubator for social entrepreneurship, will be held at The Ministry of Social Affairs at Rass El Ein in Baalbek on 29 July, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. till 4:30 p.m.

The workshop, entitled “Social Media for Social Change” is the eighth introductory seminar, part of a series of tutorials on the social web which aim at introducing the concept of social media, also known as Web 2.0 referring to a new set of Internet tools that make it easy for users and NGOs not only to consume content but also to produce and share it in strategic ways.

The workshop will bring together representatives from diverse NGOs in Lebanon and shall discuss chosen topics on alternative media.

In addition to an overview of the Web 2.0 universe, attendees will get basic training in how to set up an RSS feed, a blog, and a social-bookmarking page and will implement what they have learned through a lateral-thinking exercise at the end of the day.

The conference program shall include:

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     1-    Introduction to Web 2.0
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     2-    Tools of the Trade: Technical Primers in Social Media, including RSS, Social Bookmarking, Blogging and Project Collaboration.
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     3-    ICT for Peace and Development and Case Studies in Social Media.
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     4-    Lateral Thinking with Social Media
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     5-    Questions, Answers, and Evaluations.

At the end of the introductory seminar, a call for proposals will be issued from NGOs interested in developing pilot projects using social and mobile media. Promising projects will be invited to participate in a second series of intensive hands-on workshops, where an emphasis will be placed on mastering the technologies, applying them to real-world problems, and developing an implementation plan.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release contact Jessica Dheere or visit our individual blog, www.socialmediaexchange.blogspot.com or the Rootspace website, www.therootspace.org/socialmediaexchange

About Social Media Exchange:

Social Media Exchange  is a six-month program to introduce and train members of Lebanon's civil society (organizations and individuals) in social and participatory media on the Internet, both (1) to help organizations and projects improve and streamline their internal organization, management and communications, and (2) to help them more efficiently and effectively achieve their social objectives.

The program will unfold in two phases. The first phase will consist of an introductory seminar on the social web, including social bookmarking, RSS (Really Simple Syndication), and blogging, and how it can be applied in an NGO environment. The second phase will comprise advanced, hands-on workshops in the various technologies as well as mentorship opportunities for select NGO participants.

Introductory seminars will be conducted in various regions of Lebanon, while most of the hands-on workshops will take place in Beirut

Contact:

Jessica Dheere, Program Director
Social Media Exchange- Lebanon
961-03-251099
jessica.dheere@gmail.com

jessica@therootspace.org
www.socialmediaexchange.blogspot.com