IT MAY be known as the World Wide Web but how truly world wide is the Internet and the opportunities it has to offer?

As the developed countries get more and more economic clout from technology, the so-called digital divide increases so that developing countries are at risk of being left even more isolated.

And while some emerging countries, such as China, have embraced this challenge, for many the Internet economy is a luxury.

It is these challenging issues which will be taxing the brains of the World Economic Forum during its annual meeting starting next week in Davos, Switzerland. On the forum website, www.weforum.org, the theme of the meeting Sustaining Growth and Bridging the Divides: A Framework for Our Global Future is detailed and people are invited to participate.

So how important is the Internet and e-commerce to countries without a proper water infra-structure or a population unable to feed itself because or war or natural disaster? The website claims: "The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting 2001 in Davos will be a 'must' opportunity to discuss strategies to bridge the divides and to sketch a roadmap for a global future." But only the will of governments, industries and individuals will make initiatives like this count and those of us observing from the cosy wired world are invited to take part in this truly global debate.

The website gives us all the opportunity to participate by submitting questions or receiving the webcasts for sessions from next Thursday. It also provides useful links to other websites interested in this topic including www.digitaldivide.org from the Seattle-based Digital Partners. So the chance for a truly world wide web is out there - the challenge now is who wants to take it up.