This isn't exactly African cinema, but UNESCO is a supporter - especially of
film maker training efforts in Zimbabwe. I thought this bit might interest
many of you... (but I welcome feedback on any aspects of the listserver
meeting your needs and interests or not)
Steve Smith, scs@dsr.us.net
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From: owner-devmedia
To: DEVMEDIA
Subject: UNESCO: IPDC Approves 36 New Communication Projects (fwd
Date: Wednesday, 26 March, 1997 5:30PM
Edited/Distributed by HURINet - The Human Rights Information Network
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## author : unescony@nygate.undp.org
## date : 24.03.97
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COUNCIL OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF COMMUNICATION APPROVES 36 NEW PROJECTS
Paris, March 21 - The Intergovernmental Council of
UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of
Communication (IPDC) today approved US$2 million in
assistance for 36 new training and infrastructure
projects world-wide with the aim of reducing the gap
between industrialised and developing countries in the
field of communication and information.
The role of information and the media in promoting
democracy and development was emphasised by speakers
throughout the five-day Council meeting which also
highlighted the need to help developing nations take part
in the information revolution underway.
The projects selected prioritise the Least Developed
Countries with a special emphasis on Africa. For UNESCO,
both are priority target groups.
In Africa, the IPDC will be backing two regional and
inter-regional projects and nine national projects
covering a wide range of activities. These include
upgrading for the Internet the computer infrastructure of
the Pan African News Agency, which is slated to be
privatised; and supporting journalist training at the
West African Newsmedia and Development Centre, based in
Cotonou (Benin).
National training and infrastructure projects for the
continent include helping ERITNA, the Eritrean news
agency, acquire computer hardware and software;
supporting the creation of a Malawian women's radio
station targeting rural areas in Nankumba Peninsula; and
providing training to bolster professional journalism in
Rwanda, where 95% of the journalists active before the
1991 massacres are now either dead or in exile.
In Asia, the IPDC will back the Silk Roads Radio News
network for the production and exchange of news
programmes in and among the former Soviet Republics of
Central Asia. Nine national projects in the continent
include helping provide communication technology,
training and equipment to newspapers in China's most
remote areas; and contributing to the computerisation of
Papua New Guinea Broadcasting Corporation's news
facilities.
In three regional projects for the Caribbean, the IPDC
will provide funding and on-the-job training for the
production of a series of three 45-minute documentaries
exploring the African heritage of the Maroon people,
descendants of runaway slaves, in Jamaica, Surinam and
Guyana; it will also back two training programmes
covering all areas of radio and television broadcasting
as well as print media, multi-media, sales and marketing.
Three nationally-based programmes in the region include
the creation of a new community radio in Cuba and
bolstering Haiti's television production capacity.
In Latin America, two regional programmes will provide
training and co-ordination to the Latin American
Satellite Broadcasting Network, which will service 300
radio stations in 17 countries; and help set up a
computerised network of documentation centres on
communication for the Latin American Federation of
Associations of Communication Schools. Two local projects
in the region target Guyana and Honduras.
In the Arab World, the IPDC will help Jordan and Tunisia
launch a regional training programme targeting all areas
of newspaper production and management to promote the
development of specialised publications with an emphasis
on women and youth.
A further three local projects in the Middle East include
assisting the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation with
training, the acquisition of equipment and programmes;
and providing resources for the production of television
programmes targeting women in rural areas of the
Sultanate of Oman.
Through one local project in Europe, the IPDC will help
youth television broadcaster CICAK in Bosnia-Herzegovina
acquire modern equipment and professional training. In
operation since 1994, CICAK's programmes are made by
children for children.
Since its creation in 1980 to bridge the gap between the
developed and developing nations in the field of
communication, the IPDC has channelled US$74 million to
some 600 projects in over 100 countries. Since 1992, the
Council has been giving priority to private media
projects in a bid to enhance media pluralism and
independence.
The Council's session, chaired by Danish journalist
Torben Krogh who is also the President of the General
Conference of UNESCO, ended this afternoon with a vote on
the IPDC's $2,780,000 budget for the year. Financing is,
for the most part, provided through voluntary
contributions.
The IPDC Council moreover decided to speed up the project
selection process by empowering its eight-member bureau
to approve projects which clearly meet the Council's
criteria. To this end, Bureau meetings on new projects
will be open to representatives of the bodies applying
for support.
The meeting, the Council's 17th session, also featured a
debate with guest speakers from Yemen, Haiti, South
Africa and Russia, on Societies in Transition: Challenges
for the Media. During the debate, participants expressed
their countries' different concerns in the face of the
global information revolution underway.
****
Andrew Radolf
UNESCO New York
Tel: +1 (212) 963 5974
Fax: +1 (212) 963 8014
-------------
Bruce Girard Agencia Informativa Pulsar
Email: bgirard@pulsar.org.ec
http://www.web.net/amarc/pulsar.html
Fono/Fax: +593-2-501-180
Fax en Montreal, Canada: +1-514-221-2009
Casilla 17-08-8489, Quito, Ecuador
In-Reply-To: 199703271709.JAA02285@abraham.xc.org