Waterloo, Canada - The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)) has partnered with the Canadian International Development Agency's (CIDA) Office for Democratic Governance in the development of Governance Village, a new online network for good governance practices and policies.
This free knowledge network, which is set to launch in the fall of 2007, will bring Canadian researchers, policymakers and practitioners together in an effort to establish and share proven good governance practices in international development.
"Canada is committed to promoting effective governance as an essential element of reducing poverty and facilitating development around the world," said the Honourable Josée Vermer, Minister for International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages. "Governance Village is an excellent tool to widely share Canadian expertise in the area of governance and to enhance networking and knowledge sharing between partners in development," she added.
John English, CIGI's executive director, notes, "There is a tremendous opportunity to increase the stature of Canadian knowledge and expertise on the world stage. Using Governance Village we aim to improve the outcomes of the development work supported by Canada and its partners."
Through this network NGOs, the Government of Canada and private sector organizations will have an opportunity to influence Canadian decision-makers; collaborate with peers on new ideas; network with individuals and organizations; raise professional profiles, knowledge and experiences; access a centralized knowledge base; and to raise the awareness of Canadian and global knowledge of governance practices.
Governance Village is affiliated with the IGLOO network ? an international community that facilitates knowledge exchange between individuals and organizations studying, working or advising on various global issues. Thousands of researchers, practitioners, educators and students use IGLOO to connect, share and exchange knowledge, experience and ideas regardless of social, political or geographical boundaries.
For more information on how to get involved or learn more about this network, please visit www.insidethevillage.org
About CIDA
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is Canada's lead agency for development assistance. It has a mandate to support sustainable development in developing countries in order to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world. CIDA's Office for Democratic Governance works to promote freedom and democracy, human rights, the rule of law and open and accountable public institutions in developing countries. It aims to enhance aid effectiveness by leveraging Canada's comparative advantage and establishing partnerships with key Canadian experts, organizations, institutions and other government departments whose focus is democratic governance.