a colourful ceremony presided over by the Hon. Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Tissa Vitharana and other distinguished persons including the Country Director World Bank, Chairman ICTA and the Chief Operating Officer, ICTA. The e-Swabhimani Award process is being conducted along the lines of the World Summit Award and has input from the Digital Empowerment Foundation if India as the Knowledge Partner to ensure that the jury process conforms to international standards. The award is a stepping stone to other regional and international awards with all short listed submissions being nominated to the Manthan Award South Asia. e-Swabhimani 2011 is of special significance as it will be the precursor for selection of the Country’s best in digital content and application for submission to the World Summit Award 2013.
Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka
Set up under the Information and Communication Technology Act, No. 27 of 2003 and strengthened by the ICT Amendment Act No. 33 of 2008, the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), functioning under the Presidential Secretariat is the apex body responsible of implementing the e-Sri Lanka Development Initiative. The main thrust of ICTA is to set ICT policy as well as guide and direct national ICT development activities.
ICTA recognizes the fact that the disparities in accessing information communication technologies that exist in our society today stems not only from inadequate infrastructure but also from the lack of content. The design and development of good quality content and applications require creative imagination, engineering knowhow as well as financial resources. Through the e-Society Programme, ICTA has initiated a large number of projects some of which have been recognized through international awards. All these projects have addressed the needs of disadvantaged communities and have strived to create content and applications that would impact on the everyday lives of people. In order to maintain this heightened interest on content development, as well as to create awareness amongst the general public, the ICTA has initiated the e-Swabhimani-National Best Content Award.
