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A-WEB successfully hosted “Specialized Training Program on ICT in Elections for Policy-making Authorities” from July 15th to July 20th at A-WEB Secretariat in Songdo, Incheon city, Republic of Korea with 17 officials from Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Paraguay. The program aimed to acquire knowledge and information regarding ICT in elections for policy establishment and to understand recent technologies and systems on ICT in elections. In addition, A-WEB encourages the participants to establish mid-and long-term strategies on enhancing and applying ICT to elections in their country. 
The participants started off the program with active discussion through EMB report presentation by understanding each other's electoral systems, sharing their opinions, and presenting the current situation of elections in each country. 
Two special lectures followed the next day by Suyeon Kim, Director of Investigation Division 2 of the NEC, shared the topic of “Establishment and Amendment of Legislation in accordance with an introduction of ICT in Elections” and the other special lecture was delivered by Gunsang Cha, professor of the Department of Cyber Security of Konyang University with the topic of “Current Situation and Policy of Information Security in Korea”. The experts’ special lectures were valuable to acquire knowledge and information regarding ICT in elections for policy establishment for the participants. 
The participants had a day for a culture tour to Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and a site tour to Samsung Innovation Museum that demonstrates the importance of scientific and technical establishments in Korea. They also visited Yeonmudae to try Korean archery. The participants enjoyed to experience the latest technology as well as traditional Korean culture. 
Jordi Barrat, professor of Rovira I Virgili University, gave an in-depth lecture on the interesting topics, “Future of E-Voting” and “Election in the Digital Era: Internal Democracy”. The lectures enriched the training program to let the participants have insights of ICT in elections and applying ICT to elections. 
The ICT-specialized training program was successfully completed with farewell remarks and certificates by Yong-Hi Kim, Secretary General of A-WEB, and he encouraged the participants to earn the same vision with A-WEB through the training program to efficiently and effectively spread free, fair, transparent, and participative elections in their country. With the objective of strengthening electoral democracy worldwide, A-WEB will continuously promote exchange of experience and expertise among elections management bodies.
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