KEY STATEMENTS
In the ongoing transformation of our societies and economies through the ICTs the World Summit Award puts a focus on empowering content creators through entrepreneurship development. A well functioning e-Content production and quality ICT application design are key factors for effective industrial development.
Empowering people through freedom of expression, and access to information and knowledge is central to UNESCO's actions in the area of communication and information. UNESCO plays a leading role in the promotion of the universal human right to freedom of expression and freedom to seek, receive and impart information.It fosters free, independent and pluralistic media, communication for development, information accessibility and preservation, information and media literacy, and infostructure development.
UNIDO has been working with WSA in partnership since 2005 and I see proven that the mechanism of a fair, independent and well juried global contest is not an abstract concept, but a powerful means to network dedicated people, who move things in practice.
Through its actions, UNESCO contributes to building knowledge societies that are inclusive, pluralistic, equitable, open and participatory.
We at UNIDO and other UN agencies will keep promoting and supporting the WSA, because private sector development and growth is the key to poverty alleviation.
UNESCO welcomes the World Summit Award as a very efficient tool to promote the creation of quality e-content around the world.
I am also glad to see that the World Summit Award and the Youth Award with its focus on using Internet for getting action on the UND MDGs link the countries of the 'bottom billion', where people live on less than a dollar a day, to initiatives in other parts of the world, thus contributing crucial components in the fight against poverty, hunger and disease as well as providing key incentives for effective and sustainable industrialized development. Kandeh K. Yumkella Director-General UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (UNIDO)
Key Statements
An important aspect of UNESCO's work is its support for the production, dissemination and preservation of culturally diverse content including e-content.
ICT and the Internet bring radically new prospects to creative practices. They help to generate new opportunities for intercultural exchange and networking, innovative means to make old and new knowledge available, new vehicles for promoting and expressing creativity, and fresh avenues for accessing cultural content and services produced worldwide. E-content that is exclusionary, unrepresentative and nonparticipatory does not meet the test of quality, nor does e-Content that denies the creative involvement of local or minority cultural communities.
KoĂŻchiro Matsuura Director-General UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)
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