Opening Statement by Peter P. Canisius
Chairperson of INFOethics’98
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
Welcome to INFOethics ’98, the second international congress here in Monaco to discuss ethical, legal and societal challenges of the cyberspace.
I am honoured to be your chairperson and
I am privileged to be at your service.
The Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Henrikas Yushkiavitshus, has come for the opening of this important world – wide gathering to represent the Director-General of UNESCO at this forum for deliberations to find answers to burning questions in the multimedia world. And I want to thank him for that.
The Permanent Secretary for International Affairs of the Principality of Monaco Mr Jean Pastorelli has not only come to welcome us here in this beautiful part of the world but the Principality is indeed supporting our efforts in many ways.
I want to thank him for that.
The Sector for Communication, Information and Informatics of the UNESCO Secretariat altogether has prepared this second congress and thus paved the way for the participants from UNESCO’s Member States to act in the field of INFOethics for the benefit of everyone around the globe. I want to thank them for that.
And all of you ladies and gentlemen – almost 200 experts -, you have come from more than 65 UNESCO Member Countries and those to rejoin UNESCO to form a common basis for co-operation based on human rights, solidarity and justice in the cyberspace. I want to thank you for that.
For the first time in UNESCO’s existence this international conference is taking place in parallel in the cyberspace. Before during and after this conference a virtual form is open for all of you and you will hear more about that after the opening. And I would like to encourage you to participate.
What are we and what is thus UNESCO looking for within its field of competence now?
We are looking for a human information society based on solidarity and democracy with the basic rights of free access to information and the freedom of communication across all boarders.
We need to reach an understanding which legal and ethical set of principles should define and protect rights of producers and users alike.
We need to respect, accept and protect the diversity of information cultures including languages at the same time.
We need to foster media competence enabling everyone to read, write and work in the Cyberspace.
We need to talk about possible counteraction against misuse of the freedom of communication through illegal actions or threats like terrorism, racism, discrimination or actions against parts of our society like children as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In a nutshell:
We need to facilitate the development and operation of a "World-wide Web of Trust" – as my colleague Rainer Kuhlen likes to call it – supported by all those participating in the information market. Thus implementing a human culture in cyberspace and adding a cultural dimension to cyberspace commerce. Indeed it becomes UNESCO to work for a "culture of peace" also in the INTERNET.
All this calls for feasible results from this conference which lead the way into future action with keywords like soft law, fair use and fair customs – and if needed – possibly to frameworks of principles, maybe on the way to declarations or even conventions and finally perhaps international legislation. I say again : if needed – by those entitled to launch such activities.
Consequently as your Chairperson I feel a personal obligation not to leave this Congress in Monaco before a pragmatic and still outreaching "Monaco INFOethics Declaration" has been elaborated and adopted along such lines in consensus.
You can count on me for a draft and I count on you for its finalisation.
Federico Mayor said in his speech "Towards the Ethics of the Future":
"The ethics of the 21st century,……will enable us to lay the foundations of genuine development" and added "What is needed is the courage to act in time."
Ladies and gentlemen, it is high time to act now.
Let’s do so thus.
I thank you very much !