1 Abdul Waheed Khan Communication and Information Sector UNESCO Building Knowledge Societies

2  Context  Challenges and Strategies  UNESCO’s Concept of Knowledge Societies  Operationalizing the Concept

3 Transformations Agricultural Society Industrial Society Knowledge Societies

4 Technology Revolution 21st

5 Emerging trends  Semantic Web  Mobile, wireless, mesh networking  GRID computing  Ubiquitous computing  New computing technologies

6 Future of knowledge acquisition and sharing  Openness (content, standards, structures)  Interoperability  Long-term availability  New communities  Revolution of processes

7 Opportunities and Threats  Opportunities – Economy – Development – Democracy – Governance – Education, science and culture  Threats – Dependency on ICT infrastructure – Security – Environment – Divides

8 Divides Knowledge Divide or Digital Divide Access to knowledge Prosperity Globalization Inclusion Limited access to knowledge Poverty Marginalization Exclusion

9 Digital Opportunity Index (DOI) ITU World Information Society Report 2005

10 Overcoming the Divides  Enabling environments  Strategic investment  Cooperation  Digital Solidarity  Knowledge strategies

11 Knowledge and Development Knowledge Economic Growth Cultural Enrichment Social Development Political Empowerment

12 About knowledge societies Knowledge Societies ≠ Information Society

13 HumanNeedsandRights KnowledgeSocieties Pluralism HumanNeedsandRightsHumanNeedsandRights KnowledgeSocietiesKnowledgeSocieties PluralismPluralism and Inclusion Knowledge Creation Knowledge Preservation Knowledge Dissemination Knowledge Utilization UNESCO’s Model of Knowledge Societies

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15 World Summit on the Information Society  Building a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society  Sets development targets for 2015  Important role for UNESCO  UNESCO as facilitator for action lines –Access to information and knowledge –E-learning –E-science –Cultural diversity –Media –Ethical dimensions

16 34 C/4

17 34 C/5 – MP 5 – Main Lines of Action 1. Promoting an enabling environment for freedom of expression and freedom of information 2. Fostering universal access to information and the development of infostructures 3. Promoting development of free, independent and pluralistic media and community participation in sustainable development through community media 4. Strengthening the role of communication and information in fostering mutual understanding, peace and reconciliation, particularly in conflict- and post-conflict areas

18 Concrete Activities  Providing enabling environments  Building capacities of institutions and individuals in communication and information  Building capacity of users  Fostering community access  Building infostructures  ICT for education, science and culture

19 Jointly promoting access Community Multimedia Centres Research and development for access for all

20 Cooperating to foster capacity building Information Literacy ICT for teacher training

21 Working together to develop media Journalistic capacity building Foster the role of traditional media

22 Foster content development Libraries Content providers

23 Résumé Creating, accessing, utilizing, sharing and preserving information and knowledge are the most powerful tools to enable individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential.