In Focus

Media and Information Literacy Curriculum for Teachers is forward looking, drawing on present trends toward the convergence of radio, television, Internet, newspapers, books, digital archives and libraries into one platform. It is specifically designed with teachers in mind and for integration into the formal teacher education system, launching a process that should build capacities of millions of young people.

The Director-General of UNESCO has designated National Archives of Australia (NAA) as the laureate of the 2011 UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize for its work, which includes publications, and innovative initiatives in the preservation of digital records.

Governments need to formulate and implement national multi-sectoral broadband plans rapidly – or risk being disadvantaged in today’s increasingly high-speed digital environment, according to a new report released by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development during its third meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

The Director-General of UNESCO endorsed recommendations by IAC to inscribe 45 new documentary collections from all over the world on the Memory of the World Register, which now numbers a total of 238 items.

More than 80 remarkable documentary items are being considered for inscription on the Memory of the World Register during a meeting of the 14 experts of the International Advisory Committee in Manchester (UK) from 22 to 25 May. This meeting was preceded by the Fourth International Memory of the World Conference in Poland (18-21 May).

The Power of Peace Network is a UNESCO initiative, aimed at promoting a culture of peace, conflict resolution and dialogue with the youth taking the lead role and through the innovative use of media and ICT.

UNESCO invites its Member States to nominate candidates for the UNESCO-IPDC Prize for Rural Communication 2012. The deadline for submitting nominations is 30 September 2011.

UNESCO is organizing a High Level Dialogue on Rights to Communication and six Thematic Sessions at the WSIS Forum 2011 (16-20 May 2011; Geneva, Switzerland).

The use of ICT can help reduce poverty by bringing basic services to vulnerable populations. This is the focus of the UNGIS meeting, held on 12 May, during the 4th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Istanbul (Turkey).

On World Press Freedom Day, 3 May, UNESCO’s Director-General, Irina Bokova, appealed to governments to uphold their commitments to protect and promote freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

I would like to greet the honourable Director General of UNESCO, as well as the members of the Prize Jury for their efforts and for the honour they have bestowed upon me with the award of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

World Press Freedom Day celebrations continue in New York today with a special focus on the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration for a free and pluralistic media. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova yesterday awarded the 2011 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize to jailed Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi at a ceremony in Washington D.C.

UNESCO’s Memory of the World register includes the world’s oldest known book printed using movable metal type, the Gutenberg 42-line Bible and numerous collections relating to the work of noted writers such as Hans Christian Andersen, Astrid Lindgren, Christopher Okigbo and Derek Walcott among others.

Imprisoned Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi is the laureate of this year’s World Press Freedom Prize. He was selected by an independent international jury of 12 media professionals. Ahmad Zeidabadi is currently serving a six-year jail sentence following Iran’s disputed presidential election in 2009.

Ninety-three projects aimed at expanding opportunities for free, independent and pluralistic media in developing countries worldwide have received funding at the 55th meeting of the IPDC Bureau.

The Bureau of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) is gathering from 22 to 24 March 2011 for its 55th annual project selection meeting at UNESCO Headquarters. It will consider 118 media development projects from 81 developing countries.

UNESCO’s Office in Brasilia launches today three studies about the Brazilian media system. The papers aim to contribute to the debate on the role of the communications industry in strengthening democracy.

On 15 March the Director of UNESCO’s Office in Quito presented the report, resulting from the application of UNESCO’s Media Development Indicators (MDI) in Ecuador, to the President of Ecuadorian Parliament. The report reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the Ecuadorian media landscape.

8 March commemorates International Women's Day and UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register lists records relating to women's issues such as the historic 1893 decision by New Zealand to give women the right to vote.

Launched annually on the occasion of International Women’s Day (8 March), Women Make the News is a global initiative aimed at promoting gender equality in the media. This year’s theme, Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and Gender, seeks to emphasize the importance of fostering media and information literate societies.

"Languages are the best vehicles of mutual understanding and tolerance. Respect for all languages is a key factor for ensuring peaceful coexistence, without exclusion, of societies and all of their members," says Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, in her Message on the occasion of International Mother Language Day 2011.

The International Mother Language Day, proclaimed by UNESCO in 1999, is observed every year on 21 February. UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register mirrors the fate of the world's languages: one that was saved, one that was lost and the prototype of all modern alphabets.

In 2007 UNESCO produced generic models for journalism education, which were since then adapted in many countries, according to their specific needs. The publication highlights the connection between democracy and journalism, and argues for a more cross-disciplinary approach within journalism training centres. It is currently available in eight languages.

"Silencing the media or attempting to intimidate them is an unacceptable assault on the right of citizens to be informed," said Irina Bokova, following numerous reports of attacks against journalists and correspondents covering events in Egypt.

The most promising global innovators in digital technologies were awarded at the 4th Netexplorateur Forum that took place at UNESCO Headquarters on 3 and 4 February 2001.

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register includes different testimonies of the Holocaust in which some six million Jews and millions of others died during the Nazi regime.

Freedom of expression, journalism ethics and media accountability are the pillars of a truly democratic and developed society. Two major events focused on these issues this month at UNESCO Headquarters.

The websites of two UNESCO’s intergovernmental programmes, the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) and the Information for All Programme (IFAP), have been restructured and redesigned.