1 UNESCO’s current main priorities in communication, information and culture Distripress Council Meeting Paris, March 12, 2007 Abdul Waheed Khan Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information UNESCO

2 Content Global Context Communication and Information in UNESCO UNESCO, Cultural Diversity and the Cultural Industries UNESCO and the Florence Agreement

3 Knowledge Societies Opportunities Information and communication efficiency creates sustainable economic growth, higher standard of living More democratic participation, freedom of expression, transparency Better participation in more diverse knowledge, education and culture Threats Growing dependency on ICT infrastructure Loss of cultural diversity, indigenous knowledge Data protection, privacy, censorship Ecology: computer waste, energy consumption Digital/knowledge divide: broadening inequalities –might create global, civil conflicts

4 Knowledge Societies HumanNeedsandRights KnowledgeSocieties Pluralism HumanNeedsandRightsHumanNeedsandRights KnowledgeSocietiesKnowledgeSocieties Pluralism Knowledge Creation Dissemination Utilization Preservation Knowledge

5 The Digital/Knowledge Divide Digital divide –lacking access to digital technologies deprives of their opportunities for development, deepens inequalities –Northern/Southern hemisphere, urban/rural, rich/poor, men/women, young/old, disabled Knowledge divide –developing countries also lack education, scientific information, free media –reduction of Information Revolution to technology and commerce, commoditization of knowledge, strong IPR protection by developed countries further disadvantage developing countries

6 The Digital / Knowledge Divide Lack of knowledge Poverty Marginalization Exclusion Knowledge Prosperity Globalization Inclusion Knowledge Divide or Digital Divide

7 UNESCO’s mandate and function UNESCO’s mandate related to CI: Promote the free flow of ideas by word and image Maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge Laboratory of ideas Standard-setter Clearinghouse Catalyst for international cooperation Capacity builder

8 UNESCO Priorities Empowering people through access to information and knowledge with special emphasis on freedom of expression Promoting communication development and ICTs for education, science and culture *Programme and Budget C/5

9 Freedom of expression World Press Freedom Day and UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize – Raising awareness of freedom of expression Assisting media in open and post conflict situations Capacity building of media professionals Creation of structural stability Media laws

10 Communication media (print media pluralism, community media, Public Service Broadcasting, News agencies and services, ICT convergence and enhancing investigative capacity of media) Local content and linguistic diversity (production, dissemination and policy) Digital preservation of media heritage Capacity building (training, development of training modules, empowerment, media literacy) Community Access (development of access models, piloting and scaling up CMC, research and experience sharing, advocacy for enabling environment) Communication Development

11 Information Society Empower –Training of information specialists –Empowerment of youth, people with disabilities and gender mainstreaming –Information literacy –ICT-enabled learning Access –Public domain information –Information literacy –Multilingualism –Information management tools Share –Digital libraries –Open content –Open-access and collaborative networks Preserve –Archives –Libraries –Memory of the World

12 Cultural Diversity UNESCO Constitution UNESCO’s specific institutional mandate within the United Nations system: “…with a view to preserving and promoting the fruitful diversity of cultures” UNESCO Medium Term Strategy for Strategic Objective 8: “Safeguarding cultural diversity and encouraging dialogue among cultures and civilizations”

13 Cultural Diversity UNESCO actions on cultural diversity At the Executive Board’s 166th session (spring 2003), the Member States deemed it advisable to elaborate a binding normative instrument on cultural diversity. Four options were proposed: (a) a new comprehensive instrument on cultural rights (b) an instrument on the status of the artist, (c) a new Protocol to the Florence Agreement, (d) a new instrument on the protection of the diversity of cultural contents and artistic expressions. This last option was adopted upon recommendation of the Executive Board.

14 Main normative instruments in favour of cultural diversity Conventions and Agreements Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Cultural Property Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict Universal Copyright Convention Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials ("Florence Agreement") and its Nairobi Protocol of 1976 Recommendations Recommendation concerning the Promotion and Use of Multilingualism and Universal Access to Cyberspace Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist Declarations UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Co-operation

15 Cultural Goods World imports of cultural goods (in millions of dollars),

16 Florence Agreement Current context –3 countries have ratified Florence Agreement in last two years (99 total) –Continued relevance for member states that have ratified the agreement but are not members of WTO –Lack of implementation –Violations from signatory states –Reduction of customs duties on cultural goods is far from being achieved

17 Recent Ratifications Countries that have ratified the Florence Agreement in the last 2 years Kyrgyzstan 19/07/2005 Acceptance (97) Liberia 16/09/2005 Acceptance (98) Montenegro 23/10/2006 Notification of succession (99)

18 Challenges to Florence Agreement Challenges –Balanced and relatively equitable exchange –From Consumer to Citizen –Application of Florence Agreement faces challenges in a context of progressive reduction of tariff barriers where most international trade of cultural products (such as magazines and newspapers) does not go through customs

19 Florence Agreement UNESCO Actions to Promote Florence Agreement Production and distribution of Arabic version of guide to the operation of Florence Agreement and its Protocol Cooperated with Regional Center for the Development of Books in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC) to disseminate Florence Agreement and to analyze its implementation in the region

20 Way Forward We must continue to promote the spirit of de-taxation of cultural goods, as a means of promoting both knowledge societies and cultural diversity UNESCO will continue to fulfill its mandate to promote the free flow of ideas and cultural diversity UNESCO welcomes and supports campaigns to strengthen the Florence Agreement and its Protocol

21 Abdul Waheed Khan Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information UNESCO