Technology 19 November 2008

Leading Latin American Foundation EsLaRed Receives 10th Annual Jonathan B. Postel Service Award for promoting Internet in Latin America

Minneapolis, USA – 19 November 2008 – The Internet Society (ISOC) today awarded the Jonathan B. Postel Service Award for 2008 to La Fundación Escuela Latinoamericana de Redes (EsLaRed) of Venezuela for its significant contributions to promote information technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean.

It is now ten years since the passing of Internet pioneer Jonathan B. Postel, the inspiration for this prestigious award. To mark this event in a special way, ISOC formed a “10th Anniversary Award Committee”, including all the past award recipients, which has formally recognised EsLaRed for “its sustained efforts to bring scientific, technical, and social progress in Latin America and the Caribbean through education, research, and development activities on technology transfer.”

The Internet Society presented the award, including a US$20,000 honorarium and a crystal engraved globe, during the 73th meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in Minneapolis, USA.

Accepting the award for EsLaRed was its President, Professor Ermanno Pietrosemoli.

“We’re very excited to be honored in this way,” said Professor Pietrosemoli.

“In the developing world, having access to the Internet, which gives us access to things like scientific journals and medical information, is not easy and it is not taken for granted. It is wonderful for us to be able to help people improve their conditions and to see first hand how the Internet can change people’s lives,” he said.

“On behalf of the ISOC community, it’s my great pleasure to congratulate Professor Pietrosemoli and his dedicated colleagues at EsLaRed for their achievements over the years,” said Lynn St.Amour, President and CEO of ISOC.

“EsLaRed’s commitment to the Internet has been at the forefront of regional development and their leadership has been an instrumental element in forming today’s dynamic Latin American and Caribbean Internet community,” said Ms St.Amour.

The award was formally presented during the plenary session of the IETF’s Minneapolis meeting on 19 November and will be celebrated with a special anniversary dinner on 21 November, to be attended by past recipients of the award, the ISOC Board of Trustees, and some of Jon Postel’s close friends.

About the Jonathan B. Postel Service Award

The Jonathan B. Postel Service Award was established by the Internet Society to honor individuals or organisations that, like Jon Postel, have made outstanding contributions in service to the data communications community. The award is focused on sustained and substantial technical contributions, service to the community, and leadership. With respect to leadership, the nominating committee places particular emphasis on candidates who have supported and enabled others in addition to their own specific actions. Previous recipients of the Postel Award include Jon himself (posthumously and accepted by his mother), Scott Bradner, Daniel Karrenberg, Stephen Wolff, Peter Kirstein, Phill Gross, Jun Murai, Bob Braden and Joyce K. Reynolds (jointly), and Nii Quaynor. The award consists of an engraved crystal globe and a US$20,000 honorarium.

More information is available on the ISOC web site.

About the Internet Society

The Internet Society is an international, non-profit organisation founded in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet related standards, education, and policy. With offices in Washington, DC, and Geneva, Switzerland, it is dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world.

Further details

Scott Hoyt
Vice President, Strategic Communications and Business Planning
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +1-703-439-2120 x2142
1775 Wiehle Avenue
Suite 201
Reston, VA
20190-5108 USA

or

Gerard Ross
Senior Communications Manager, Internet Society
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +41-228-071-444 x2261
4, rue des Falaises
CH-1205-Geneva
Switzerland

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