<font size="2"><font face="trebuchet ms,sans-serif">[Forwarding from Melanie Dulong on the A2K list. --Peter Suber.]<br></font></font><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br>The Public Domain Manifesto launches today, it can be read and signed at:<br>
<a href="http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org" target="_blank">http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org</a><br>
<br>
The Public Domain as a whole is the wealth of<br>
information that is free from the barriers to<br>
access or reuse usually associated with copyright<br>
protection, either because it is free from any<br>
copyright protection or because the right holders<br>
have decided to remove these barriers. The Public<br>
Domain ensures that the principles of Article 27<br>
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights<br>
('Everyone has the right freely to participate in<br>
the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the<br>
arts and to share in scientific advancement and<br>
its benefits.') can be fully enjoyed by everyone<br>
across the world.<br>
<br>
In order to increase public awareness about such<br>
concepts and potentialities for spreading<br>
knowledge and culture, today COMMUNIA, the<br>
European Thematic Network on the Digital Public<br>
Domain, announces the launch of the Public Domain<br>
Manifesto (<a href="http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org" target="_blank">http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org</a>).<br>
<br>
The document outlines a series of general<br>
principles (opening with: the Public Domain is<br>
the rule, copyright protection is the exception)<br>
along with various issues relevant to today's<br>
Public Domain, and provides some recommendations<br>
aimed at protecting the Public Domain and<br>
ensuring that it can continue to function in a<br>
meaningful way-with particular relevance to<br>
education, cultural heritage and scientific<br>
research.<br>
<br>
The Public Domain Manifesto reinforces the recent<br>
Public Domain Day (1. January 2010) initiatives<br>
and is already available in several languages<br>
with more translations underway, also featuring<br>
dozens of initial signers-both individuals and<br>
organizations worldwide. Everyone is encouraged<br>
to sign it, to follow our Facebook page andŠ to<br>
spread the word!<br>
<br>
For more information:<br>
- Public Domain Manifesto website: <a href="http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org" target="_blank">http://www.publicdomainmanifesto.org</a><br>
- Public Domain Manifesto Facebook page:<br>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/The-Public-Domain-Manifesto/448371890304?v=info&ref=ts" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/The-Public-Domain-Manifesto/448371890304?v=info&ref=ts</a><br>
- Public Domain Day website: <a href="http://www.publicdomainday.org" target="_blank">http://www.publicdomainday.org</a><br>
<br>
<br>
-------------------<br>
<br>
About the Public Domain<br>
In the strict copyright law realm, "Public<br>
Domain" refers to those works which are no longer<br>
or have never been protected by copyright. But in<br>
today's digital networked Information Society,<br>
the definition of Public Domain essentially<br>
covers any cultural material that can be used<br>
without restriction, absent copyright protection<br>
- broadening its range to include close relations<br>
with open access, open licensing, fair use, and<br>
orphan works.<br>
<br>
About COMMUNIA<br>
The COMMUNIA Thematic Network focuses on<br>
theoretical analysis and strategic policy<br>
discussion of existing and emerging issues<br>
concerning the public domain in the digital<br>
environment. Its activities cover several related<br>
topics, including, but not limited to,<br>
alternative forms of licensing for creative<br>
material; open access to scientific publications<br>
and research results; management of works whose<br>
authors are unknown (i.e. "orphan works"). Funded<br>
by the European Commission within the<br>
eContentplus framework, the 2007-2010 project<br>
expects to provide policy guidelines that will<br>
help each stakeholder involved - public and<br>
private, from the local to the European and<br>
global level. The network includes 51 members and<br>
is coordinated by Politecnico of Torino's NEXA<br>
Research Center for Internet and Society.<br>
More info: <a href="http://communia-project.eu/" target="_blank">http://communia-project.eu/</a><br>
<br>
Contacts:<br>
COMMUNIA Media Office:<br>
<a href="mailto:press@communia-project.eu">press@communia-project.eu</a><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div>