[okfn-discuss] [Fwd: Invitation to attend RSA / The Guardian Event - "Free our Data", Monday 17 July]

Fri Jun 16 16:17:02 UTC 2006

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Invitation to attend RSA / The Guardian Event - "Free our
Data", Monday 17 July
Date: 	Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:36:20 +0100
From: 	Mairi Ryan <Mairi.Ryan at rsa.org.uk>
To: 	Mairi Ryan <Mairi.Ryan at rsa.org.uk>

             *FREE OUR DATA*

             *“Should Public Sector Information be available to all for
             the cost of reproduction?”*

I am writing to invite you to attend an event hosted jointly by the RSA
and /The Guardian’s /‘Free Our Data’ campaign on access to public sector
information.

The debate, followed by a drinks reception, will be held at the RSA, 8
John Adam Street, London on *Monday 17 July at **6pm*.

Government-funded and approved agencies such as the Ordnance Survey, UK
Hydrographic Office and Highways Agency collect data using public funds,
and charge users and companies for access to it.  The ‘Free Our data’
campaign and the RSA believe that making that data available for free -
rather as commercial companies such as Amazon and Google do with their
catalogue and maps data - would vastly increase creative and economic
activity. This would thereby create more revenue for the Government in
the long term.

The Guardian and the RSA are considered voices in the debate around
intellectual property rights.  The debate should attract a large number
of interested stakeholders, such as Government officials, politicians,
journalists, people from industry and RSA Fellows.

The format of the event will be a debate between 6-7.30pm, with the
drinks reception 7.30pm-8pm. Derek Wyatt MP, Chairman of the All-Party
Group on the Internet, will chair the debate.  The speakers will be:

     * Charles Arthur, Technology Editor, The Guardian;
     * Paul Crake, Programme Director of the RSA;
     * Carol Tullo, Director, Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI)
       and Controller of HMSO and Queen's Printer;
     * Ed Parsons, Chief Technology Officer, Ordnance Survey; and
     * David Vaver, Director of the Oxford University IP research centre

I do hope you can join us for what promises to be a lively and
informative debate.  If you would like to attend, please reply by return
email or call *020 7451 6840*

We look forward to welcoming you to the RSA in July.

Mairi Ryan

Assistant Programme Manager, RSA Lectures

RSA, 8 John Adam Street

London WC2N 6EZ

+44 (0)20 7451 6840

*_http://www.theRSA.org <http://www.thersa.org/>_*

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