The seventh video-conference event of the SERENE video conference series was a historic event in that it was the first South Asian Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) event to be bridged through an MCU in South Asia.

The video conference was was bridged through the LEARN MCU in Colombo operated from the LEARN Network Operations Center in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and where possible the sites were connected through the TEIN3 links at between 1.5 and 4 Mbps using High Definition (HD) codecs and cameras. This was a first for LEARN and a first for GDLN in South Asia, and it demonstrated to the participants the benefits of using NRENs and regional REN links for improving the quality of interactivity of international discussions.

Quoted below are some comments from the participants about the quality of the experience:

``For us also this was the first VC experience through the TEIN link and its was fantastic.'' - Kishor Panth, NREN, Nepal

``It was great to see you all again and in such clarity. However, in this case the MacLuhan phrase "the medium is the message" is certainly true. I was mesmerized at the clarity of the NREN and TEIN connected sites. ..... It was a great first for LEARN, but also a great first for South Asia knowledge exchange.'' - Michael Foley, GDLN, World Bank

``I am very pleased the event was so successful and that the TEIN network demonstrated its worth so well. It is always good to get first hand examples of the benefits of the network at work.'' - David West, DANTE