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UNESCO at theWorld Summit on the Information Society

Briefing Meeting with Permanent Delegations UNESCO Headquarters - 21 November 2003

Abdul Waheed KhanAssistant Director-General for Communciation and Information

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• 1996: UNESCO launches discussion on the opportunity of a summit on the information society

• 1998 – 2001: Several ITU Resolutions– Resolution 73, ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, Minneapolis (1998) – Resolution 1158, ITU Council (2000) – Resolution 1179, ITU Council (2001)

• 2002: UN Resolution – A/RES/56/183 “…. the Summit is to be convened under the patronage of the

Secretary-General of the United Nations, with the International Telecommunication Union taking the lead role in its preparation, in cooperation with interested United Nations bodies and other international organizations as well as the host countries ».,

WSIS: Historical background

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WSIS: Main objectives

• Harnessing the potential of knowledge and technology for promoting the international development goals

• Ensuring a smooth coordination of the practical establishment of the information society

• Creating a unique opportunity for all key players to assemble at a high-level gathering

• Developing a better understanding of the Information Society and its impact on the international community

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WSIS in two phases

• Geneva, Switzerland, 10-12 December 2003«Adopt a Declaration and a Plan of Action, encompassing a broad range of themes,

clearly defined so as to allow for focused discussion and planning »

• Tunis, Tunisia, 16-18 November 2005«Development themes will be a key focus in the second phase in Tunisia and it will

assess progress that has been made and adopt any further Action Plan to be

taken»

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Strengthening UNESCO’s position

• Consultation process with stakeholders (Member States, NGOs)• Participation in all preparatory meetings (Regional conferences,

meetings of the PrepCom) • Promoting message «Towards Knowledge Societies» • Disseminating recently adopted instruments

• «Recommendation on the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace» 

• «Charter on the preservation of the digital heritage» 

• Disseminating Ministerial Communiqué• Lobbying Member States through WSIS delegations

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Negotiating Declaration & Action Plan

• Negotiation process ongoing • Mainly governmental process• IGOs, NGOs and Private Sector with observer role• Work of the Preparatory Commitee

– PrepCom 1 (Geneva, 1-5 July 2002)

– Informal meeting (16-18 September 2002)

– PrepCom 2 (Geneva, 17–28 February 2003)

– Intersessional Meeting (UNESCO, Paris, 15-18 July 2003)

– PrepCom-3• Main Session: 15 to 26 September • Resumed Session: 10 to 14 November• High Level Resumed Session: 5 to 6 December

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Status of negotiations - Agreed elements

• From the information society to knowledge societies• Importance of « infostructural » aspects of access including

• Communtiy accessSchools, libraries and archives Strong public domain of information

• Inclusion of women, youth, marginalized groups, poor communities, persons with disabilities, indigenous communities

• variety of software solutions, including proprietary, free software and open-source software

• Central role of capacity-building (ICTs as pedagogical discipline and as pedagogical tool)

• Importance of sciences to information society • Cultural and linguistic diversity

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Status of negotiations – Controversial elements

• Basic principles

• Freedom of Expression (Article 19, UDHR)

• Duties to the Community (Article 29, UDHR )

• Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs

• Striking a fair balance between protection of intellectual property and its use, and knowledge sharing

• Managing the Internet

• Media Development

• Digital Solidarity Fund

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Draft Action Plan

• Still under negotation, particularly the paragraphs related to controversial issues in the Declaration of Principles

• Includes general benchmarks

• No clear responsibilities assigned so far to individual organizations

• Includes many actions, for which UNESCO can and must claim responsibility as it directly affects its mandate and its areas of expertise

• 32 C/5 as framework for implementing activities

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Activities directly related to UNESCO

In the area of access to information and knowledge, for example:

• Development of policy guidelines for the development and promotion of public domain information

• Promotion of research and development to facilitate accessibility of ICTs for all, including disadvantage and vulnerable groups

• Establishment of multi-purpose community public access points

• Support to capacity building for local authorities in the widespread use of ICTs as a means of improving local governance

• Support to the development of digital public library/ archive services

• Support to initiatives to facilitate access, including free and affordable access, to publicly available journals and books

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Activities directly related to UNESCO

In the area of capacity building, for example:

• Development and promotion of programmes to eradicate illiteracy using ICTs

• Promotion of e-literacy skills for all

• Development of pilot projects to demonstrate the impact of ICT-based alternative educational delivery systems, notably for achieving Education for All targets

• Design of specific training programmes in the use of ICTs in order to meet the educational needs of information professionals

• Development of distance learning, training and other forms of education and training as part of capacity-building programmes

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Activities directly related to UNESCO

In the area of sciences, for example:

• Promotion of electronic publishing, differential pricing and open access initiatives to make scientific information affordable and accessible in all countries on an equitable basis

• Promotion of the use of peer-to-peer technology to share scientific knowledge and pre-prints and reprints

• Promotion of the long-term systematic and efficient collection, dissemination and preservation of essential scientific digital data

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Activities directly related to UNESCO

In the area of cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content , for example:

• Creation of policies that support the respect, preservation, promotion and enhancement of cultural and linguistic diversity and cultural heritage within the Information Society

• Encouraging governments to design cultural policies to promote the production of cultural, educational and scientific content

• Development of local cultural industries suited to the linguistic and cultural context of the users.

• Development and use ICTs for the preservation of natural and, cultural heritage, keeping it accessible as a living part of today’s culture.

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Activities directly related to UNESCO

In the area of media, for example:

• Encouraging the media—print and broadcast as well as new media—to continue to play an important role in the Information Society.

• Encouraging the development of domestic legislation that guarantees the independence and plurality of the media.

• Encouraging media professionals in developed countries to establish partnerships and networks with the media in developing ones, especially in the field of training.

• Promotion of balanced and diverse portrayals of women by the media

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Other activities of interest to UNESCO

• Preparation of a charter of digital solidarity for the Information Society

• Development of a framework document for Information Society measurements and analysis

• Preparation of regional action plans and the organization, in 2004 as a major component of the first Tunis PrepCom, a stakeholders’ meeting on the Digital Solidarity Agenda

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UNESCO events at WSIS

UNESCO High Level Symposium 09/12 p.m.10/12 a.m.

Cultural Diversity in Knowledge Societies 10/12 p.m.

Launch of the Community Multimedia Centres Initiative 10/12 p.m.

Education and Knowledge societies 11/12 a.m.

Public Service Broadcasting (World Electronic Media Forum) 11/12 a.m.

Sciences in Knowledge Societies 11/12 p.m.

Media development in Knowledge Societies 12/12 a.m.

Language, Literacy and New Technologies (at ICT4D) 12/12 p.m.

Exhibition «Building Knowledge Societies» Throughout

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High-Level Symposium (9-10 December)

• Title: “Building Knowledge Societies – from Vision to Action” • Bringing together eminent political and intellectual world leaders to

debate main implications and challenges for the construction of knowledge societies

• Contributing to building a holistic and comprehensive vision and a clear developmental perspective, which can be fed into the various debates and decisions of WSIS

• Organized by UNESCO together with the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM)

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High-Level Symposium (9-10 December)

• First panel (9 December p.m.): “Shaping Knowledge Societies” • Key areas of discussions

– universal access to information

– freedom of expression on the Internet

– equal access to quality education

– transition from information to knowledge societies

• Second panel (10 December, a.m) “Diversity in Knowledge Societies”• Key areas of disucssion

– Cultural, linguistic and content pluralism

– cultural heritage

– intercultural dialogue

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Roundtable discussions (10 December)

• DigiArts Presenting Digi-Arts, a web platform for digital arts aiming at promoting arts and music using ICT and fostering the culture of ICT and creative artistic practices

• Cultural Diversity in Knowledge SocietiesAnalysing the impact of the information society on social and cultural development

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CMC Initiative (10 December)

• Launch of national Community Multimedia Centre initiatives in Senegal, Mali and Mozambique

• Initiative as a means to take concrete steps to harness ICT for grass-roots development.

• Scale-up strategy aimed at rallying the support of development partners

• Establishment of a strong multi-stakeholder consortium of national and international partners

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• Public Service BroadcastingDiscussing current and future challenges to editorially independent Public Service Broadcasting and their relevance to today’s interplay of changing technological, commercial, political and cultural factors

• Education and Knowledge Societies Describing major undertakings with ICTs as a vehicle for the development of Education for All in which UNESCO plays a leading role as a catalyst for international cooperation.

• Sciences in Knowledge SocietyHighlighting the important role of Science in the Information Society and its contribution to sustainable development and its dependence from open and equitable access to scientific knowledge and the role that ICT play in this context.

Roundtable discussions (11 December)

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•Media Development in Knowledge SocietiesFocussing on freedom of expression and the free flow of information and opinion - obstacles and opportunities, and on Community Multimedia Centres.

•Language, Literacy and New TechnologiesDiscussing experiences from developing countries and an interactive moderated debate between several panellists.

Roundtable discussions (12 December)

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Structure of Summit

UNESCOEvents

Political Summit

ICT4D

Side events

WSISRoundtables

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UNESCOEvents

Political Summit

Meeting premises at Palexpo, Geneva

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UNESCO and WSIS on the web http://www.unesco.org/wsis/events