As we gather here to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the World Wide
Web Consortium, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude and excitement. We celebrate not just the
achievements of the web but also the potential it offers to transcend
geographical boundaries and rich cultural divides. The web is a platform
where ideas flow freely – unencumbered by the constraints of distance.
Think back to those early days when Tim Berners-Lee first envisioned the World Wide Web
as a means to share knowledge.
Little did he know that this nascent technology would be evolving to a global
phenomenon connecting billions of people across continents.
Consider how the web has transformed education. Students in remote regions can access
world class resources and engage in virtual classrooms alongside peers
from different continents. This democratization of knowledge has
empowered individuals who historically would have been left behind.
Imagine a young girl in a rural community learning coding skills from an
online platform. Connecting with mentors and peers thousands of miles away.
The web has made that possible. Now, let's consider the
implications of this connectivity. The web empowers individuals from
every corner of the globe to share their stories, traditions and innovations.
An artist in a small village in Africa can showcase their work to an
audience in North America, and a scientist in South America can collaborate
with peers in East Asia in realtime. These interactions foster
understanding and a shared human experience that transcends the
limitations of geography. As machine translation and localization
technologies mature, the web offers tools that bridge the language gap.
This allows users to connect with others regardless of their native tongue.
Fostering a more inclusive online environment.
However, while the web has the power to connect, we must also acknowledge the
challenges we face. Digital divides still exist. We should ensure that
every voice in the world has the opportunity to be heard. This is where
the work of the W3C becomes crucial. Through our standards, we can create
an equitable digital landscape, one that prioritizes accessibility
internationalization, privacy, and security.
As we look to the future, we must strive to make the web even more inclusive, ensuring that it
serves as a platform for all, as Seth said, to make sure it serves the
platform, serves the – all the people regardless of their language,
culture, or ability. So let's work towards the future, where the web
continues to break down barriers and build bridges, let's span cultures,
continents and planets. Thank you.