>http://funredes.org/mistica/castellano/emec/produccion/memoria14/0176.html

I hate to be the one disagreeing.

Although the use of video games to generate awareness and to develop
skills, competencies and knowledge among youth is a good idea, one
can't help but think about the fundamental assumption behind this
video game and the concept it pushes forward to those playing it:

Underdeveloped areas need our help, they need us to fly over and drop
some food for them. We must be brave, we must be kind, we must help
the helpless.

And then what? Start preparing for the next crisis and have the next
load of food to be dropped in the next man-made disaster area?

How about creating awareness on sustainable development and locally
created solutions, local stakeholders action, responsibility and
accountability?

I am an avid player and just started to download the game while I
write this comment based on the description and the video presented by UN WFP.

But if that is the approach, I will immediately argue that a lot more
on sustainable development strategies and local stakeholder
engagement can be learned from games such as Raise of Nations (my
favorite) and Civilization IV. Yes, I know not everyone enjoys
simulation or strategy games (even when they take place in continuous
live action as in Raise of Nations). But development and the solution
to the world's problem is not about delivering free food to others in
times of need, but about enabling local stakeholders to build local
solutions and engaging them in planning and actions to avoid such crisis.

Cheers.
Nearby Sat Feb 18 15:12:28 2006