'New media' execs to travel to Iraq

Representatives from nine high-tech companies with emphases on new media technologies like Twitter will travel to Iraq next week, the State Department announced Monday.

CEOs, vice presidents and senior representatives from AT&T, Google, Twitter, Howcast, Meetup, You Tube, Automattic/Wordpress, and Blue State Digital will travel to Iraq April 19-23 to meet with Iraqi officials and discuss new media opportunities.

"During their visit to Iraq, they will provide conceptual input as well as ideas on how new technologies can be used to build local capacity, foster greater transparency and accountability, build upon anti-corruption efforts, promote critical thinking in the classroom, scale-up civil society, and further empower local entities and individuals by providing the tools for network building," the State Department said. "As Iraqis think about how to integrate new technology as a tool for smart power, we view this as an opportunity to invite the American technology industry to be part of this creative genesis."

The trip is the first of its kind for the new media pioneers.

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