[WSIS CS-Plenary] Fw: DIGITALDIVIDE Digest - ANNAN STRESSES VALUE OF ENSURING FREE AND OPEN CONTENT IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES

[Alan G. Alegre]

>
> ANNAN STRESSES VALUE OF ENSURING FREE AND OPEN CONTENT IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES
> New York, Apr 21 2004  3:00PM
>
> If the communications revolution is to open doors rather than close them,
> policy-makers must support the providers of content so that they are
> guaranteed freedom of expression, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi
> Annan told an Asian media summit in Kuala Lumpur today.
>
> In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=883"> message delivered
on
> his behalf by Shashi Tharoor, the Under-Secretary-General for
Communications
> and Public Information, Mr. Annan said the development of new technologies
> is making information more widely available than ever, and introducing new
> voices into debates.
>
> But he said the new information and communication technologies should
never
> be considered as ends in themselves.
>
> "Ultimately, 'what' is communicated is far more important than 'how'
> something is communicated," he said. The three-day summit in Kuala Lumpur
> concluded today.
>
> Stressing the dramatic impact being wrought by new technologies, including
> the Internet, Mr. Annan's message emphasized the importance of ensuring
that
> those technologies are used to promote tolerance instead of division.
>
> "None of this will come about by accident...freedom is not only a human
> right; it is also an indispensable condition for economic and social
> progress."
>
> Mr. Annan urged policy-makers attending the Asian media summit to play an
> active role in the debate ahead of the second phase of the World Summit on
> the Information Society, which is scheduled to take place in Tunisia next
> year.
> ________________
> This press release may be freely distributed.
>
> For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news
>  2004-04-21 00:00:00.000
>