gdln

The Government of Japan and the World Bank are equal partners in the ‘Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) Project', founded in 2004 with as its main objectives: (i) to establish TDLC as an important part of Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region; (ii) to provide access to Japanese knowledge and expertise in development, to Asia and internationally; and (iii) to contribute to the development and sustainability of GDLN in EAP by taking a leadership role in programs, operations, or technology.

The current phase of the Project ends in June 2010. In order to document the major achievements, outcomes and impact of the TDLC Project, to ensure the accountability of the Project to its stakeholders, and to provide a sound basis for the future of TDLC, an external and independent assessment is put in place, which focuses on key features and functions of TDLC. The assessment tries to answer to what degree TDLC Project has achieved its current goals, to what extent it has operated effectively and efficiently, and what its impact has been until today. Mathy Vanbuel, ATiT is based in Tokyo for most of April to participate in the assessment.

Details of the Second Dialogue in the Women's Dialogue series about women in political leadership have been been announced. This two hour dialogue, taking place on February 25, 2009, will feature an interview with Former President of Ireland (1990 - 1997) and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997 - 2002) Mary Robinson, followed by a discussion with a worldwide audience on closing the political gender gap and on ways to empower and prepare the next generation of women leaders. It will link through videoconference participating live audiences in Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania and Ghana. Recommendations from this and the other Virtual Dialogues in the series will feed into a major international conference hosted by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - The International Colloquium for Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace & Security Conference to be held on March 7 ­ 8 in Monrovia, Liberia.More information about the series is available from the Virtual Dialogues site http://www.womensdialogue.org. More information about the Colloquium is available from the Colloquium site http://www.womenscolloquium.org.

Watch the live stream on Wednesday 25 February 2009 at 11.30 - 13.30 EST US Eastern Time (check your time) on http://vcg01.worldbank.org/vc/. Please note that the conference will only appear at the top as soon as the conference starts. Meanwhile you can test your streaming by visiting one of the recorded public conferences mentioned on that same page.

ATiT are currently supporting the GDLN Secretariat at the World Bank Institute in Washington to determine the services offered by GDLN Affiliates all over the world. This research will contribute to the new web site being launched shortly for GDLN.  The website will feature GDLN impact stories and will help potential and current clients locate all GDLN Affiliates around the world and will display, for the first time in GDLN history, the different services offered by each and every affiliate.