Resource Center

Local Language Programs: Creating New Tools to Preserve Ancient Cultures: The Microsoft Local Language Program is working to preserve vital pieces of ancient cultures, such as the Maori language in New Zealand and the Quechua language in South America.

Brazil: Leading the Way to Innovation: Microsoft Innovation Centers found throughout Brazil are providing local community programs and services—including business skills training, student employment programs, software development assistance, and more.

Ensuring Employability in Europe: To support its 21st Century Skills for Employability initiative, Microsoft launched a new digital literacy curriculum.

Security Road Shows on the Information Highway: In 2006, Microsoft took its security message on the road—from Asia and Europe and across the United States.

Child Safety: Employee Volunteering: Hear from Microsoft United Kingdom employees about their experiences at the Getting to Know IT All event on child safety.

Surfing Safely in Latin America: As part of the ongoing efforts to promote online safety for children, Microsoft teamed with the Ricky Martin Foundation to launch Navega Protegido in Latin America.

Microsoft and the U.N. Partner on Children's Online Safety: In June 2005, Microsoft took part in the United Nations Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional Consultation on Violence against Children with more than 600 government representatives, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), activists, media professionals, and young people from the region.

The telecentre.org: In collaboration with the International Development Research Center and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Microsoft helped develop telecentre.org—an initiative designed to strengthen the capacity of community-based telecenters to better serve their local needs.

NGO Days in Asia: NGO Days offer Microsoft staff the chance to gain a deeper understanding of the nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in their country and provide NGOs with an opportunity to learn more about Microsoft and its community investments, technology, and people.

Innovation Days in Asia and Europe: Microsoft is committed to helping nations and communities worldwide build vibrant local software economies. As part of that commitment, we regularly host Innovation Days events in different parts of the world.

POETA: POETA, a Trust for the Americas initiative funded through the Microsoft Unlimited Potential—Community Technology Skills Program, will deliver job training and placement to thousands of disabled residents across Latin America.

From Poverty to Opportunity: Microsoft Unlimited Potential—Community Technology Skills Program supports programs in Kenya that integrate IT skills with job and business training to promote economic empowerment and sustainable development.

LEARN: LEARN provides training in wireless local area network (WLAN) management, Voice over IP (VoIP) installation, commercial skills, and other IT skills to bring information and communications technology (ICT) opportunities to rural Bangladeshis.

Beijing District Library: Microsoft has teamed with the Beijing Xicheng District Library to assist rural migrant workers who lack the essential skills or abilities which they need to compete in the urban job market.

Microsoft and Novell—Building Bridges to Respond to Customer Demands: Microsoft and Novell announced a set of agreements that are now enabling greater interoperability between the two companies' products, notably the Windows Operating System and SUSE Linux.

Microsoft and Unisys—Working Together to Improve European Security: See how Microsoft and Unisys are working together to build the interoperable technology platform for European border control and visa management.

Ecma International Approves Office Open XML as Open Standard: Ecma International approves Microsoft Office Open XML, now called Ecma Open XML (Open XML), for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations as an Ecma open international standard.

 

Microsoft Unlimited Potential: Enabling Sustained Social and Economic Opportunity for the Next 5 Billion People: In this white paper, read more about the Unlimited Potential mission, and the steps we will take to accomplish our goal.

How Information and Communications Technology is Transforming Economic Development: Read a white paper about how ICT—and software in particular —is empowering countries and companies.

Developing Knowledge Economies: A Microsoft Perspective on ICT for Development: Learn how ICTs are transforming a world of individual national economies into an integrated
global workplace.

Digital Inclusion: Empowering People through Technology: At Microsoft, digital inclusion is part of our ongoing efforts to bring technology to the next 5 billion people. Read a case study about our efforts to extend digital inclusion to every part of the world.

 

Microsoft announces plans to open six new Microsoft Innovation Centers across Africa in support of the Millennium Development Goals: Watch the video of Bill Gates speaking about Microsoft’s long-term commitment to support local innovation, jobs and growth in Africa through initiatives that will lead to the emergence of a new wave of high tech inventors and skilled workers of tomorrow.

Math Matters: Public Service Announcements: Watch Washington State students and adults—from a wide range of professions—talk about why math matters in work and life.

Prosperity Partnership Fall Luncheon: See Brad Smith, vice president, Microsoft, announce the Microsoft Math Partnership initiative at the Prosperity Partnership Luncheon in Seattle, November 2006.

Microsoft Digital Pipeline Learning Center: Discover what we're doing to help improve primary schools in Kenya.

Child Exploitation Tracking System (CETS) November 2006: Internationally renowned online safety expert and former police officer Paul Gillespie talks about CETS.

West Virginia—Small Business: See how job training in information technology is having a local economic impact in West Virginia.

Partners in Innovation: How Windows Vista operating system Benefits the Knowledge Economy: Watch these stories from Europe to see how the Windows Vista operating system is helping create jobs and accelerate growth, improve security and reliability, and enhance accessibility.

Browse through the Microsoft Unlimited Potential video library and see how our programs and technologies are impacting people from around the world. Go >