I have written before of the power of online games as a medium for building social awareness and raising consciousness (”War games: digital technology provides medium for educating and influencing” and “USC students develop virtual game to bring real-world attention to Darfur crisis“).

According to this story reported on the blog Boing Boing, the Spanish organization, Mensajeros de la Paz (Messengers for Peace), in an effort to raise world awareness of the plight of abused and abandoned children, has created an online presence in the virtual world of Second Life in the form of a homeless teenager. A video clip is available at YouTube.

Recently I reported that a pair of peer mediation educators were using Second Life, a multiplayer online game and virtual world which allows for player interaction, as a way to create a supportive, safe learning environment for high school students mastering mediation skills to role play together.

Here’s another example of the power of virtual worlds to transform social interactions: in “Get a Second Life Now“, communication expert Neville Hobson describes attending a meeting on avatar-based marketing organized by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School.

What was remarkable about this meeting is that it was convened not in a real-world conference center but instead took place in a virtual meeting space in Second Life.

Read Hobson’s post for this remarkable description of a meeting mediated entirely through digital technology.

The implications of this are exciting–imagine attending a conference where colleagues gather from around the globe, all without the cost and inconvenience of air travel, car rentals, and hotels (and just think, you’ll never have to worry about losing your luggage).

For divorced or separating parents, finding ways to come up with a workable visitation plan is tough enough when they live in close geographic proximity to each other. But it can be heartbreakingly frustrating for parents and children alike when many miles or even time zones lie between.

Mediators and attorneys who work with families and couples struggling with divorce may wish to explore Virtual Visitation, which offers innovative ways to stay connected through the use of digital technology.

For a primer on Virtual Visitation, stop by InternetVisitation.org, where you can watch a video to see two examples of Virtual Visitation in action, find information and updates on Virtual Visitation legislation, or learn how to get started with virtual visiting. You can even find a link to Virtual Families and Families, a blog which explores the wide range of applications for virtual visits.

As InternetVisitation.org cautions, Virtual Visitation should be used to supplement, not substitute for, face-to-face, quality time with loved ones. But it can be a great way to remain involved in the daily routines of children and other family members, regardless of time and distance.

In addition, here’s a link to “6 Ways to Make ‘Virtual Visitation’ Work“, which includes tips on creating a web page for your child as a means of sharing ideas and family news.

(Many thanks to Bob Ambrogi’s Law Sites for the link and the inspiration.)