iCommons is proud to announce the release of the iSummit programme schedule - your definitive guide to the 'who, what, where and when' of the event. The iSummit labs are packed to capacity with workshops, speedgeeking sessions, poster presentations, debates and open discussions, with a few podium addresses added to inspire you with big ideas on the Commons.
 
The iCommons staff are so enthusiastic that they can't wait to pack their bags to head to Sapporo to participate in the event. So I asked this question to a sample of staff members who were taking their Monday morning coffee break: 'If there is one session of the iSummit that you would not miss for the world, what would it be?" Here are their answers:

Anna Berthold, the newest addition to the team as multimedia co-ordinator, Texan-turned-South African and iSummit Second Life co-ordinator aptly chose the Research Workshop on Free Culture's 'Online Communities and Social Networks' session, that focuses on enquiring into how communities behave and collaborate, with two of the papers looking at the Wikipedia and Flickr communities specifically. More on this lab's session outlines here.

 
Kerryn McKay, iCommons' project manager and iSummit '07 vuvuzela keeper chose the 'Maximising Community Involvement in OERs' session about how to involve your community in the production of resources in order to maximise dissemination, sustainability and quality. To see the Open Education lab sessions, click here.
 


Heather Ford, iCommons' Executive Director chose the 'Using video to change the world!' session, which is part of the DIY Video lab. This session is all about using video as a tool to effect social change, more DIY Video sessions here.




Rosanne Hack, iCommons' office manager and the person you are most likely to have emailed about your registration, chose Johanna Blakley's keynote address 'Ready to Share: Fashion and the Commons'. See more information on all the keynote addresses here.



 
Rebecca Kahn, iCommons' writer and researcher was so sad that she missed last year's 'C-shirt workshop' in Dubrovnik, that she chose this event in the Frontiers of Openness in Japan lab as a must-attend for this iSummit. During this session participants will be able to use the C-shirt web interface to create a design using remixed CC-licensed images, to be printed on a T-shirt. See more Frontiers of Openness in Japan lab sessions here.
 

As iCommons' webqueen, I chose the 'Applying a multilingualism solution to open publishing strategies' session, which will look at the challenges of working in the multilingual Internet both in terms of content and language. See more Local Context Global Commons lab session details here.
 



And lastly, Paul Jacobson, iCommons' legal counsel chose the Mars Landing - Collecting Societies Opened' session where a discussion on interesting new developments in Australia and Denmark have taken place in this field. Musicians will also be there to give first hand experience on the effects that collecting societies have on their work. To see all the Open Business lab sessions, click here.
 

We've also developed a section of the programme devoted to high energy and interaction that will feature the Japanese culture sharing sessions on kimono dressing, the tea ceremony and calligraphy lessons, multimedia exhibitions and excursions to hit Sapporo tourist destinations - Moeranuma Park and the Okurayama Ski Jump.
 
So, take a look at the schedule and start deciding which lab you would like to attend, and if you haven't yet, register here. In the next few weeks we'll be adding resources and reading materials to the lab pages on the iSummit site, so that you can get some background to the ideas and concepts to be discussed in the labs and so that you can start preparing to participate to the max!
 
And for those who can't make it to the event - we'll be documenting the highlights so that you can participate 'remotely'. We'll have liveblogging, lists of resources on the wiki which you can add to, in-depth articles, a Flickr feed of photos from all attendees, the keynotes will be streamed and will be available on our Youtube channel and Dotsub collection and a daily podcast will be made available. There is so much to do it'll be like you are in Sapporo along with us!

Picture: Japan by tom-b on flickr.com, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0