I welcome you all at our first conference on: “Information Technology in a Modern and emocratic Society” which comes as the culmination of the “Youth and Democracy” project that the PCRD is carrying out.

The Palestinian Center for Research and Cultural Dialogue-PCRD was established in 2003 by a group of Palestinian intellectuals who believe that inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue is the best way to bridge the gap between peoples and a civilized way to respect the convictions of the other and put an end to conflicts. The PCRD believes that the development process starts from the marginalized societies, which explains why PCRD works in remote villages and with the youth in particular, for we believe in their vital role in protecting the Palestinian national project and achieving our national aspirations.

The center is currently implementing the “Youth and Democracy Project with its related portal:(www.paldemocracy.ps). The PCRD believes in the youth role in promoting democracy
concepts and values towards building a society based on accepting and respecting the other via the optimum use of technology. PCRD also perceives democracy as a conceptual framework, the youth as a tool for a change, and technology as a fruit of mankind innovation as a trilogy composed of these interconnected elements. The PCRD is implementing this project in cooperation with the Hanns Seidel Foundation since both believe in the significant role of technology in disseminating the culture of democracy and in modernizing the society.
It is natural for the scientific advancement to pester totalitarian leaders because of the free access to information that people can have and the different means of communication.

Exchanging thoughts and getting exposed to democracy experiment of others will expose despotic regimes and prove how brutal they are. Such regimes believe that by surrounding themselves with an iron curtain they can prevent their people from communicating with the rest of the world. Yet, technology has already penetrated their countries and information and telecommunication revolutions have imposed themselves as essential elements in the international political arena, even in the countries where leaders want their people to live outside history.
 

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