Free Knowledge Institute promotes sharing of knowledge

A new foundation was launched on January 16, aiming to stimulate a society in which technology, educational materials, and cultural and scientific works can be freely shared. The organisation receives the support from the Internet Society Netherlands, an association for internet professionals.

The Free Knowledge Institute (www.freeknowledge.eu) is an initiative of three Amsterdam-based professionals who currently work for Internet Society Netherlands. In the past years ISOC.nl coordinated the large-scale EU-project SELF which embraced the same objectives. The need to share knowledge freely has become so important that the institute now turns into an independent organisation.

\\\"More and more governments realise the benefits of free knowledge and free information technology\\\", says Wouter Tebbens, the president of the new institute. The Free Knowledge Institute intends to be a knowledge partner helping to show the way in available free knowledge and technology. \\\"That way, we can elaborate on the existing pool of free knowledge and free software, which is growing enourmously. Look at projects such as Wikipedia, Linux, and the internet itself\\\", Tebbens states. \\\"Why reinvent the wheel yet again?\\\"

Its main lines of activity are Free Knowledge in technology, education, culture and science. Free Knowledge in education focuses on the production and dissemination of free educational materials; Free Knowledge in IT mainly refers to free software, open standards and open hardware; Free Knowledge in culture includes open content; and Free Knowledge in science includes open access and anti-privatisation of scientific knowledge.

The action plan \\\'Netherlands Open in Connection\\\', initiated by the Dutch ministries of Economic Affairs and Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), reflects the momentum of sharing knowledge. State secretary Bijleveld from BZK emphasized in December 2007 that sharing of knowledge is essential for further progress and development of society. The statesecretary committed to pay more attention to the valuable use of free software and open standards in education, government and business.