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[FRANCAIS ci-dessous] UNESCO action and website are very diversified and rich. Unfortunately their access is not so easy. When looking for assistance from UNESCO, the best way usually is to approach the national or regional offices. Among the programmes which are well-documented on the Website, including many news and documents to be downloaded, the following can be mentioned here, as being of great interest for broadcasters in Africa. UNESCO & Community Media: UNESCO gives high priority to providing and strengthening communication and information facilities at the level of local communities. Such facilities offer basic tools for introducing and managing community-centred development and change. In this respect, UNESCO promotes and acts in the establishment of "Community Mutlimedia Centre" (CMC): UNESCO produces several publications (including the "Community Radio Handbook", and a few "Handbook on Community Multimedia Centres": TRRAACE section Resources/Bibliography offer direct link to them). UNESCO is supporting pilot-projects in view of establishing CMC linked with community radio stations: in Burkina Faso, Benin, Sénégal, Mozambique, and in other parts of the world (Asia, Caribbean, Afghanistan, Nepal, etc.). UNESCO contributes also regularly to seminars, conferences and workshops. Training of Communication Professionals: UNESCO has a specific programme focused on training communications professionals, especially in developing countries. The Programme centres on training in journalism for the print and broadcast media, instruction in media management and the training of media technicians and engineers. UNESCO is also involved in providing media training through the Internet. Emergency Assistance to Media In conflict areas, information is very often replaced by rumours and propaganda. For this reason, UNESCO has been supporting for more than ten years now independent media in conflict areas that are providing non-partisan information to the population. UNESCO supports, as it has done in Bosnia and elsewhere, and together with the United Nations and professional organizations, local media whose independence of the parties to the conflict is acknowledged, which provide non-partisan information and which defend the values of peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding. In Africa for instance, UNESCO is among the great supporter to private media in Burundi; in Rwanda UNESCO plays a key-role in the establishment of a licensed FM Campus radio station at the Univeristy of Butare, which will broadcast country wide and will also provide training to Rwandan broadcasters. Freedom of Press and Assistance to Independent Media: Freedom of the press and assistance to independent media are essential tools for reconstructing civil societies torn apart by conflict. An independent and pluralist media, and the development of community newspapers and radio stations, are crucial for the building of a democratic society re-establishing social bonds and to the process of reconciliation. UNESO & Media Law: UNESCO assists Member States in adapting their media laws to internationally-recognized democratic standards. In cooperation with professional media organizations, academic and legal experts as well as other international and regional organizations, UNESCO is ready to respond to requests from governments and national authorities by providing expert missions, technical and logistical assistance or through the organization of meetings and other events dealing with these subjects. __________________FRANCAIS L’UNESCO accorde une haute priorité au renforcement des infrastructures de communication et d’information à l’échelle des communautés locales. De telles infrastructures offrent des outils de base permettant d’initier et de gérer le développement et les changements de la communauté. Un des programmes phares actuels de l'UNESCO dans l'appui aux médias communautaires et de proximité est l’Initiative Internationale de l’UNESCO pour les Centres Multimédia Communautaires (CMC). Ce programme cherche à renforcer l’acquisition de capacités et compétences par les communautés, et agit en faveur de la réduction du fossé numérique, en associant la radio de proximité avec l’Internet et les technologies associées. Des manuels ont été publiés par l'UNESCO sur ce thème (ils sont présentés avec les liens directs dans la section "Ressouces/Bibliothèque" de TRRAACE: mot clé "CMC"). A partir de la page d'accueil du programme CI, cliquez "Activités par thèmes", pour découvrir tous les programmes et domaines d'activités du secteur "Communication & Information" de l'UNESCO, parmi lesquels les CMC, les médias communautaires, la formation des journalistes, l'éducation aux médias, la liberté d'expression, la presse indépendante, etc. Chaque secteur propose une présentation, des nouvelles, des documents, etc. Une mine ! Bonne visite. |
