San Francisco, USA, Berlin, Germany, September 8, 2006

Creative Commons is pleased to announce that dropping knowledge, the not-for-profit initiative that offers a global knowledge portal and dialogue forum on its website will use Creative Commons’ licenses for its innovative online resource.

On September 9, 2006, 112 creative thinkers, ranging from artists, writers and scientists to philosophers, politicians and activists, will gather in Berlin, Germany, around the world’s biggest round-table — “The Table of Free Voices” — to simultaneously answer 100 of the most pressing questions that have been raised by people from around the world. Their digitally recorded answers will provide the foundation of a new web platform designed to promote dialogue and social change.

In order to make the resulting audiovisual footage in its online resource free to share for everyone, dropping knowledge decided to publish the 11,200 answers under Creative Commons licenses. Users of the dropping knowledge web platform will be able to freely access, share and remix the recorded answers from participants as diverse as filmmaker Wim Wenders, Chinese human rights activist Harry Wu and the Greek evolutionary biologist Elisabet Sahtouris as well as many more inspiring thinkers.

Creative Commons’ licenses offer a way to legally share and remix content and, consequently, are a logical solution for and enabler of dropping knowledge’s philosophy that sharing knowledge is key to a global dialogue.

dropping knowledge’s freely accessible web-platform invites the global public to ask and answer questions, exchange viewpoints and ideas and join in conversation of global social topics. It aims to become a knowledge-resource for individuals, schools, universities, NGOs and the media, as well as socially minded businesses, foundations and organizations the world over.

About dropping knowledge

A non-profit initative with offices in Berlin and San Francisco, dropping knowledge operates as an international non-governmental organization with 100% stakeholder perspective. A public resource, it cannot be owned and is freely accessible to all for all time. dropping knowledge’s Founding Partner is the Allianz Group. Its Founding Supporters are the Mark & Sharon Bloome Fund and the Wallace Global Fund.

For general information, visit the dropping knowledge website.

About Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 2001, that promotes the creative re-use of intellectual and artistic works—whether owned or in the public domain. Creative Commons licences provide a flexible range of protections and freedoms for authors, artists, and educators that build upon the “all rights reserved” concept of traditional copyright to offer a voluntary “some rights reserved” approach. It is sustained by the generous support of various organizations including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Omidyar Network, the Hewlett Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation as well as members of the public.

For general information, visit the group’s website.

Contact

Christiane Henckel von Donnersmarck
Executive Director, Creative Commons International, Creative Commons
Email

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