We had a GLOWing time!

Frequently Asked Questions about GLOWeb

Why do we need a website for GLOW?

GLOWeb is the one-stop place for all information related to GLOW 2005. The purpose of GLOWeb is to provide a web-based central place where colleagues from UNV/UNDP country offices and the UNV headquarters as well as external agencies can access GLOW-related information as and when they need, on a need-to-know basis. This will also reduce the reliance on using emails to communicate, thus helping us to avoid overload of emails related to GLOW. Only urgent (time-critical) information and weekly updates will be sent out through emails. The effort is to allow our colleagues to choose how and when they receive information about GLOW.

GLOWeb is created on the GLOW principles of inclusion, participation, equality, opportunity and respect. It provides all colleagues equal opportunity to participate in the GLOW process: to contribute their inputs (ideas and comments), anonymously, on different aspects of GLOW and also to contribute their skills online, even from distance. And it respects everyone’s right to be heard and also imposes the responsibility on us to respect others’ views!

Is GLOWeb part of the UNV Intranet?

GLOWeb is not part of the UNV Intranet and is available publicly on the Internet/Web at http://glow.civiblog.org/. The website has been created in partnership with Civiblog, a project administered by the Citizen Lab at the Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto in Canada. Civiblog has provided UNV with Blogware, a blogging tool, for GLOWeb.

A weblog, or simply a blog, is a web application, which contains periodic time-stamped posts on a common web page. Such a website would typically be accessible to any Internet user. Blogs range from individual diaries to arms of political campaigns, media programmes and corporations, and from one occasional author to having large communities of writers. Many weblogs enable visitors to leave public comments, which can lead to a community of readers centered around the blog. Learn more about blogging and weblogs here.

What will I find on GLOWeb?

On GLOWeb you will find all information related to GLOW. This will include documents about GLOW, information on the programme, logistics, social events and local travel and entertainment options. There will be periodical updates from the Functional Teams about the progress in preparations as well as messages from the Executive Coordinator and the Project Task Force. You will also find links to other relevant information, like the latest weather forecast for Bonn, which you may find useful. We will also post photographs of the preparations, the event itself in May and other relevant matters in the Photos section.  

Will the information available only in English?

No. Information about GLOW will be available in French and Spanish too. Because English is the lingua franca of UNV, most GLOW information will originally be in English. Due to time and resource constraints, not everything can be translated from English to other languages. We will also not translate comments posted by colleagues. But we’ll certainly provide key information in French and Spanish. Summaries of long pieces of information (like documents) will be available in all three languages.

We need help in translating articles and documents from English to French and Spanish; if you can volunteer your time and skills, get in touch with us at glow-comm@unvolunteers.com!

Where do I find information in French and/or Spanish?

For all information in French, visit: http://glow.civiblog.org/blog/enfranais

For all information in Spanish, visit: http://glow.civiblog.org/blog/enespaol

Please note that though the information will be available in French/Spanish in these sections, the user interface of the site will be available only in English due to technical limitations. And all comments posted in these sections will be in their original languages.

Do I need a password to access GLOWeb?

No, you do not need a password to visit GLOWeb. Anyone can visit it at http://glow.civiblog.org/ and read all public information posted here. However, if you want to share your ideas and comments using the “comment” feature, then you have to log in to the site using a username and password.

Where will I get the username and password to give my comments?

Anonymous comments are not allowed on the site to prevent people outside UNV from misusing it. But to encourage all colleagues in UNV to contribute their ideas and opinions freely, we’ve created an “Anonymous reader” account. All colleagues will be provided the common username and password for that account. You can use them to log in and post your comments. This common username allows everyone to give his/her comments as an “Anonymous reader” without any personal information, so feel free to speak out your mind!

If you wish you can also give your comments using your own name. In order to do that, you need a personal user account. If you’re adventurous enough, you can create your own account on GLOWeb: click on the “Create Reader Account” link below the Login box on the right hand column of the site. If not, or if you face any problem creating one yourself, please contact us at glow-comm@unvolunteers.org with your name and email address so we can set it up for you. 

How will I know when there is new information posted to GLOWeb?

Readers with a personal user account can subscribe to alerts/notifications by email about new information being posted on GLOWeb. You can subscribe to alerts about all articles and comments posted, or those posted to specific topic areas, such as logistics, travel or to French and/or Spanish language sections.

How can I use GLOWeb for my COT?

Country Office Teams can have a secured topic area on GLOWeb where team members can post information, documents and comments for sharing among themselves. This topic area will be accessible to only your COT members on logging in to the site (using personal usernames and passwords) and not to others. You can also send information about GLOW-related work in your COT for publication on GLOWeb. If you wish to have a secured topic area set up for your team or have your GLOW information published, contact us at glow-comm@unvolunteers.org.

How can I use GLOWeb for my Functional Team?

A secured topic area can be created on GLOWeb for your Functional Team where team members can post information, documents and comments. This topic area will be accessible to only your team members on logging in to the site (using personal usernames and passwords) and not to others. You can use this space to store all your documents and to discuss issues among your team members. If you wish to have a secured topic area set up for your team, contact us at glow-comm@unvolunteers.org.

As a Team Coordinator how can I use GLOWeb?

The Team Coordinators Group can have a secured topic area for itself too, where the group can have its own discussions and share documents etc. among the members. TCs can also use the site for communicating to all colleagues updates about the progress in their preparations and to seek their inputs. Send all your communication requirements to us at glow-comm@unvolunteers.org.

Where can I find more information or help about GLOWeb?

Contact us, the GLOW Communications team, at glow-comm@unvolunteers.org for further information or help. We’ll keep updating this FAQs as we go along, so if you have any questions about GLOWeb, shoot them to us!