W3C Celebrates Twenty Years
October Anniversary Symposium to Focus on Potential and Challenges of Future Web
http://www.w3.org/ —18 June 2014— In October 1994, Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to lead the Web to its full potential. To mark the anniversary this year, W3C invites the Web community to W3C20 Anniversary Symposium: The Future of the Web to discuss how together we can:
- Create a more beautiful Web to enable our creative expression;
- Extend the Web to the many devices people use to improve their lives;
- Support trusted communications, secure and private; and
- Empower all people to use and contribute to the Web, including support for diverse languages and accessibility.
W3C is pleased to announce the following confirmed Symposium speakers and panelists:
- Tim Berners-Lee, Inventor of the Web and W3C Director
- Vinton Cerf, Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist at Google
- Fadi Chehadé, Chief Executive Officer of ICANN
- David-Michel Davies, Executive Director, The Webby Awards & the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences
- Di-Ann Eisnor, Head of Platforms and Partnerships, Community Geographer at Waze
- Sue Gardner, Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation
- Alberto Ibargüen, President and CEO, Knight Foundation
- Jun Murai, Dean and Professor at Keio University
- Sandy Pentland, Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT
- Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
- Anders Wahlquist, CEO and Founding Partner of B-Reel
- Intel Speaker, To Be Announced Soon
W3C20 is made possible by the generosity of sponsors Intel (Platinum), ICANN (Silver), and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (Silver).
"This symposium will help engage Web users, business and policy makers in the kind of conversation we need to have about improving access to the Internet as well as reducing the kinds of "e-friction" that constrain economic activity," said Fadi Chehadé, President and CEO of ICANN. "As a member of the Internet ecosystem, ICANN is a keen supporter of dialogues like this that advance the development of a secure, stable and resilient Internet and through that, the digital economies of individual countries."
"While the Web has transformed the way that the world communicates, its full potential to empower communities has yet to be realized; ensuring digital access for all and tackling issues around privacy and security are essential to reaching this goal," said Michael Maness, Knight Foundation vice president for journalism and media innovation. "W3C20 will help explore the future of the Web and move us closer to addressing these challenges."
Key points
| What | Symposium and Gala Dinner on the future of the Web, to celebrate W3C's twentieth anniversary. |
|---|---|
| Who | Tim Berners-Lee, a program of Web luminaries. The public is invited to attend. |
| Where | Santa Clara Marriott, Santa Clara, California. The Symposium will also be streamed live. |
| When | 29 October 2014. Symposium from 3-6pm PDT. Dinner from 7:30-10:00pm PDT. |
About the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards. W3C primarily pursues its mission through the creation of Web standards and guidelines designed to ensure long-term growth for the Web. The Open Web Platform is a current major focus. Over 380 organizations are Members of the Consortium. W3C is jointly run by the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL) in the USA, the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics (ERCIM) headquartered in France, Keio University in Japan, and Beihang University in China, and has additional Offices worldwide. For more information see http://www.w3.org/
Media Contact
Ian Jacobs, <w3t-pr@w3.org>, +1.718 260 9447
