Table of contents
Introduction
A. Opening of the Meeting
(Item 1 of the Agenda)
B. Adoption of the Agenda
(Item 2 of the Agenda)
C. Adoption of the Final Report of the twenty-third meeting of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Council for PGI
(10-11 June 1996) (Item 3 of the Agenda)
D. Report of the President of the Intergovernmental Council for PGI on his activities
(Item 4 of the Agenda)
E. Report of the Director of the Information and Informatics Division on PGI activities
(Item 5 of the Agenda)
F. Application of the expanded mandate of PGI including UNESCO and public domain information
(Item 6 of the Agenda)
G. Review of the results of the 151st Session of the Executive Board and the Draft Programme and Budget for 1998/99 (29 C/5) and preparation of the 152nd session of the Executive Board and the 29th General Conference
(Item 7 of the Agenda)
H. Other business (Item 8 of the
Agenda)
I. Date, place and agenda of the 25th Meeting of the Bureau and of the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Council for PGI
(Item 9 of the Agenda)
J. Report of the meeting (Item
10 of the Agenda)
K. Closure of the meeting (Item 11 of
the Agenda)
Annex 1 : Recommendations
Annex 2 : Opening Remarks of Mr Henrikas Yushkiavitshus
Annex 3 : Agenda
1. The twenty-fourth meeting of the Bureau of the
Intergovernmental Council for the General Information Programme
(PGI) was held in UNESCO House, Paris, from 26 to 27 June 1997.
The following members of the Bureau participated in the meeting
:
Mr Mohsen Tawfik (Egypt), Chairperson
Ms Nathalie Dusoulier (France), Vice-Chairperson
Ms Tamiko Matsumura (Japan), Vice-Chairperson
Mr Phenny Birungi (Uganda), Vice-Chairperson
Mr José Rincon-Ferreira (Brazil), Member
Mr Adam Wysocki (Poland), Member
Mr Michel Pache (Switzerland), Member (replacing Mr Ch. Graf who
was unable to attend)
Mr Dietrich Schüller (Austria), Rapporteur
2. In addition to the Members of the Bureau, the
meeting was attended by Mr Momar Ali Ndiaye, President, Intergovernmental Informatics Programme,
and by observers representing the International Council on Archives
(ICA), and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).
3. UNESCO was represented by Mr Henrikas Yushkiavitshus,
Assistant Director-General for Communication, Information and
Informatics (CII), and Mr Philippe Quéau, Director, Division
of Information and Informatics, who acts as ex officio
Secretary of the Intergovernmental Council for the General Information
Programme. Staff members of the Division of Information and Informatics
also attended the meeting.
A. Opening of the Meeting (Item 1 of the Agenda)
4. Mr Mohsen Tawfik, Chairperson of the Intergovernmental
Council for PGI, welcomed the participants and asked the Assistant
Director-General to address the participants. Mr Yuskiavitshus
officially opened the Bureau meeting by highlighting the important
role of the General Information Programme in UNESCO contributing
to the information society (the full text of his "Opening
Remarks " is in Annex 2). The Chairperson
commended the Assistant Director-General for his speech which
reflects the effort undertaken by the CII Sector towards the promotion
of PGI.
B. Adoption of the Agenda (Item 2 of the Agenda)
5. The Agenda (Annex 3) was
adopted with the following amendments :
Use of permanent paper (upon request of the representative
of IFLA);
Draft Guidelines for Fund-raising (upon request of the Chairperson);
Reading for All (upon request of the Chairperson).
6. The Final Report of the twenty-third Meeting of the Bureau
(10-11 June 1996), which was circulated after the meeting, was
formally adopted.
D. Report of the President of the Intergovernmental Council for PGI on his activities (Item 4 of the Agenda)
7. Mr Tawfik reported on his activities to promote
the General Information Programme since the last PGI Council meeting
and his participation in different PGI activities. Moreover, as
a representative of his country, he reported that, in his intervention
at the 151st session of the Executive Board, he expressed
dissatisfaction with the budget proposed for the next biennium
for CII, in general, and PGI, in particular. In his capacity as
the Chairperson of the "Drafting Group on the Programme and
Budget for 1998-1999", he and his group were able to underline
the importance of CII, in general, and PGI, in particular, through
draft resolutions which have been approved by the 151st
session of the Executive Board and will be submitted to the General
Conference. In this context, he urged Member States represented
in the PGI Council to support PGI in their interventions at the
General Conference and to support resolutions concerning the strengthening
of CII and PGI.
8. He also reported that the recent presentation
at UNESCO Headquarters of the Egyptian Programme "Reading
for All" by H. Ex. Ms Susan Mubarak had provided an occasion
to promote the General Information Programme. The programme which
by extending its range to other national initiatives is about
to become international in scope, is intended to enhance access
to reading for all classes of society, particularly in developing
countries (c.f. paragraph 45).
9. In his reply, the Assistant Director-General emphazised
to the Bureau members the sovereign role of Member States in UNESCO.
In support of the Chairperson's appeal, he strongly encouraged
them to convince their highest representatives at the General
Conference to intervene in favour of communication and information
as well as for increased budgetary provision to this area bearing
in mind that the budgetary ceiling for CII remains unchanged despite
its considerably expanded mandate and its importance for all UNESCO
programmes.
E. Report of the Director of the Information and Informatics Division on PGI activities (Item 5 of the Agenda)
10. Mr Quéau presented the document "Review of Current Activities of the General Information Programme"
(PGI-97/COUNCIL/BUREAU.XXIV/2) which staff members completed by
summaries on their recent activities related to PGI.
11. Ms Dusoulier, who temporarily replaced Mr Tawfik
as Chairperson during the discussion of libraries and archives
issues as referred to in Mr Quéau's report, commended him
for his presentation and its clear structure. She particularly
welcomed the fact that the report adequately reflects the links
between PGI and the Intergovernmental Informatics Programme.
(a) Libraries
12. In her capacity as Delegate of France, Ms Dusoulier
informed the Bureau about the recent signature of an agreement
between France and Egypt on the preparation of a feasibility study
for the automation of the Library of Alexandria.
The cost of this study, which amounts to FF 4,4 million, will
be covered by the French Government.
13. The Delegate of Switzerland expressed concern
about a predominance of library issues over matters related to
archives; he also asked why the G7 Bibliotheca Universalis project
was not mentioned. Mr Quéau assured the Delegate of Switzerland
that due consideration is being given to this project and that
official contacts with G7 on that issue have been initiated and
will be carried further on the occasion of the forthcoming IFLA Conference (Copenhagen,
Denmark, August 1997). The Delegates of France and Austria observed
that the border between libraries and archives become blurred
with the advancement of technology and that the term 'library'
increasingly includes aspects originally related to the world
of archives. Likewise, it was observed that the dichotomy between
traditional and new technologies is becoming increasingly irrelevant
and that both aspects have to be dealt with simultaneously. However,
in order to avoid misunderstandings, UNESCO should always refer
to "libraries, archives and documentation centres" when
the entire scope of information repositories is concerned.
14. Upon request of the Chairman of IIP, Mr Quéau
explained that the Secretariat is presently establishing a virtual
library in making literature available on-line as text files.
These projects are within the framework of the strategy of the
"public domain on-line".
(b) Archives
15. As to the observer of ICA, archives world-wide
are facing a mass of problems which have recently been referred
to in the World Information Report.
ICA is ready to co-operate with the Secretariat in the development
of new strategies for solving problems in the future.
16. The Delegate of Austria welcomed the activities
in the field of audio-visual archives and highlighted the importance
of the Audiovisual Reader
which UNESCO has made available in a paper and a web version.
17. The observer of IFLA indicated that the Programme
should emphasize matters related to the field of electronic documentation.
Mr Quéau assured the observer of IFLA that UNESCO intends
to establish a technological observatory and that UNESCO is ready
to co-operate with IFLA.
(c) Memory of the World Programme
18. In a lively debate, the Memory of the World Programme
generally received very positive comments. Mr Tawfik, in his capacity
as the Delegate of Egypt, characterised it as the "Project
of the Century" which, as a long-term project, needs more
concerted efforts. He emphazised the importance of setting-up
national committees for the Memory of the World Programme and
strengthening those which already exist.
19. The Delegates of France and Brazil expressed
concern as to the precise direction and future action of the Memory
of the World Programme. The Delegate of Poland requested that
the Secretariat make the results of the pilot projects available.
The Delegate of Austria stressed that the objective of the programme,
in addition to promoting access, is to create awareness to the
fragility and vulnerability of information carriers of all kinds.
While decision-makers and the public at large have accepted that
monuments, sites and art objects need special protection with
all the organization and financing this implies, only a small
number of experts is aware of the manifold risks facing our documentary
heritage. The Memory of the World Programme is a perfect tool
to convey to decision makers and the public at large the message
that efforts must be multiplied to preserve intellectual and cultural
achievements which are reflected in documents of all kinds. In
the mid-term, the programme should achieve organisational effectiveness
and a reputation similar to that of the World Heritage Centre.
The World Register to be started at the forthcoming third meeting
of the International Advisory Committee (Tashkent, 29 September
- 1 October 1997) is not an aim in itself, but is expected to
be an efficient instrument to publicize the programme.
20. The observer of ICA underlined the importance
of the programme which is dramatically reflected in the UNESCO/ICA
publication " Lost Memory- Libraries and Archives Destroyed in the Twentieth Century"
21. Mr Quéau observed that although nominations
have been received from a number of countries, and several others
have allocated financial support, some Member States with a strong
tradition in the safeguarding of the documentary heritage have
yet not responded. The establishment of national committees for
the Memory of the World Programme, which is strongly encouraged,
will have a strong catalysing effect. The website of CII
is rapidly being developed to make information on and contents
of the Memory of the World Programme available, and it is expected
that this will further promote the programme and participation
in it. In his view, the Memory of the World Programme is closely
linked to the efforts of the Secretariat to promote the on-line
access to information in the public domain and could be its Cérise
sur le gateau (Icing on the cake).
22. The Assistant Director-General voiced the wish
of the Director-General to accelerate the implementation of the
Programme. An important step, however, to be taken by the Member
States was the establishment of national committees for the programme.
23. The Delegate of France pointed out that the period
of five years, during which the Programme existed, is acceptable
for the launching of an entirely new approach. Other Delegates
suggested that a stronger infrastructure would be needed to achieve
its ambitious aims.
24. Mr Abdelaziz Abid, the programme specialist responsible
for the implementation of the Memory of the World Programme, explained
the legal and organizational differences between the World Heritage
Programme and the Memory of the World Programme, and pointed out
that the funds allocated for the World Heritage Centre are incomparably
higher than those for the Memory of the World Programme. The Assistant
Director-General stressed that despite many apparent similarities
between the two programmes, a different and less costly approach
had to be chosen for the Memory of the World Programme.
25. The Chairperson suggested that a long-term plan
and strategy for the project should be drafted and adopted by
the Intergovernmental Council for PGI taking into consideration
lessons learned and experience acquired from the activities of
the World Heritage Centre .
(d) World Information Report
26. In general, Bureau Members appreciated the overall
quality of the World Information Report
which at previous Council and Bureau meetings had been met with
some scepticism. The Delegates of Poland, France and Brazil observed
several imbalances in the quality of the three parts, and regretted
the absence of important elements, e.g. industrial information
services in South America. They advised the Secretariat to correct
these inconsistencies in the next edition expected to be published
in 1999 at the latest.
27. The Chairperson emphazised the necessity of using
statistical data, which are available in various other world reports
on information infrastructures and their use, and underlined the
importance of setting-up a data-base to be used in the next edition
of the Report in order to adequately and precisely reflect the
situation of information in the world.
(e) Second meeting of the Advisory Group on Information
and Communication Technologies
28. The Delegates of Switzerland, Poland and France
questioned the relevance of the outcome of the second meeting of the Advisory Group on Information and Communication Technologies,
as reflected in the report. The Assistant Director-General assured
Delegates of the high level of the debate during the meeting admitting
that this was not fully reflected in the report. The Chairperson
called for a more clear definition of the mandate of the Group
and of the expected outcomes of its meetings.
(f) First International Congress on Ethical, Legal
and Societal Aspects of Digital Information
29. Infoethics,
the first International Congress on Ethical, Legal and Societal
Aspects of Digital Information, received favourable comments.
The Delegate of Switzerland, however, remarked that similar issues
have already been debated in other international fora.
The important role which UNESCO has to play in this field was
unanimously underlined and the Secretariat was encouraged to continue
its activities.
(g) Telematics
30. The Delegate of Uganda observed that in many
projects listed in the report on activities in the field of new
technologies, there is no sufficient reference to libraries. In
co-operative projects with other intergovernmental organizations
such as ITU, UNESCO's specific
mandate to serve libraries, archives and documentation services
must be made clearly visible. Modern technology is a means to
an end and not an end in itself.
(h) Webculture
31. The Delegate of Poland requested more details
on the Virtual Memory of the World project. Mr Quéau stated
that, because of the enormous quantity of information, it would
not be possible to make all of it available on UNESCO's website,
which has to be limited to pilot projects which could serve as
stimulators for projects to be taken up by Member States. The
Delegate of Poland added that the display of information in the
public domain should be under the responsibility of the concerned
Programme Sectors of UNESCO.
(i) Regional Offices
32. The Delegate of Japan highly appreciated the
wide range of activities of PGI/Bangkok,
which has made it easier for Member Sates in the region to communicate,
and welcomed the complementary action (Austria) between
Headquarters and the regional offices. Closer contacts to possible
regional donor agencies are a positive effect of the decentralisation,
particularly in the Asian and Pacific Region.
33. The Delegate of Brazil referred to the successfully
organised 6th INFOLAC Advisory Meeting (Brasilia, Brazil,
26 to 28 May 1997) which underlined the importance of INFOLAC
as a multiplier for PGI in the Latinamerican/Carribbean region
particularly as to the creation and accessibility of databases.
He reported that, under the responsibility of INFOLAC,
UNESCO, in co-operation with Mercosur, is establishing structures
for the organization of industrial and scientific information
in the region.
34. In view of these favourable evaluations of the
work done by the PGI regional advisers, the Delegates recommended
that regional offices should be further supported and reinforced.
35. In closing the debate on Item 5 of the Agenda ("Report of the Director of the Information and Informatics Division on PGI activities"), Delegates insisted that activities not specially mentioned in the debate had been taken note of and accepted. In general, the report of the Secretariat was well received by the Bureau.
36. In evaluating the Draft Programme and Budget for 1998-1999
(29 C/5), there was consensus amongst Delegates that it duly reflects
the recommendations made to the Secretariat by the Intergovernmental Council at its 11th session.
More particularly, the Delegate of Poland stated that the Draft
29 C/5 is a good contribution to the development of the information
society and that the priority given to education, particularly
the training of trainers, is welcome. He appreciated the role
given to the Memory of the World Programme in the Draft 29C/5
and reminded that equal emphazise should be put on the two core
aspects of the programme, namely preservation and access. He also
raised the problem of economic barriers to the access to information,
especially for individuals in developing countries, which is not
included in the Draft 29 C/5. In this context, the Assistant Director-General
drew the attention of the Bureau to the publication "The
right to communicate: at what price?" (CII-95/WS/2),
which was published in 1995 jointly by UNESCO and ITU. Mr Quéau
underlined that UNESCO's strategy in overcoming economic barriers
consists in the promotion of free access to information in the
public domain which can be made available at very low cost. The
Chairperson stressed that, since UNESCO is not a funding agency,
one of its roles is to act as a catalyst in proposing strategies
to overcome economic barriers.
37. The Delegates of Poland and Switzerland felt
that UNESCO should not be involved in technical assistance for
the establishment of on-line governance services (paragraph 04022
of the Draft 29 C/5). The observer of ICA pointed out that a prerequisite
for assistance to Member States in this field is the adequate
and efficient organization of records and archives management
systems which is indispensable for the use of telematics as an
aid for decision making and the dialogue between citizens and
the public authorities. Mr Quéau agreed that it is not
UNESCO's role to interfere in the concrete establishment of governance
on-line services, but to promote such strategies because of their
moral and democratic values, and to send signals to this end.
The Chairperson stressed the ethical role of UNESCO in this respect.
38. The Delegate of Austria informed the Bureau that
Memory of the World is one of the main foci in Austria's co-operation
with UNESCO. In addition, Austria is offering co-operation in
the fields of terminology, multilingualism and information design.
39. The observers of IFLA and ICA informed the Bureau
and the Secretariat that the National Archives and the National
Library of Canada would be ready to examine the possibilities
of organizing an expert consultation on norms and standards in
the field of electronic information in which IFLA and ICA expressed
the wish for a firm commitment from UNESCO.
40 . In the debate on document 151 EX/16 "The
implementation of 150 EX/Decision 3.5.1 concerning the challenges
of the information highways : the role of UNESCO" the
Delegates of Brazil, France, Japan and Poland took the floor.
They expressed their satisfaction with the fact that the
document gives a clear perspective of the strategic views of the
Secretariat, duly reflecting ideas earlier expressed by the Bureau.
In particular, it was recommended that regional activities should
be strengthend. The Delegates of Poland and Japan underlined the
need for training projects to be considered as a priority. In
addition, the Delegate of Japan expressed the readiness of her
country to continue allocating funds-in-trust for the training
of users and information specialists.
41. The Delegate of Switzerland referred to Decision
3.4.3 of the 151st session of the Executive Board ("Implementation
of 150 EX/Decision 3.2.1 concerning the challenges of the information
highways : the role of UNESCO") in which the Director-General
is invited to collect existing cyberspace codes of practice, and
underlined the many and important activities which intergovernmental
organizations like the OECD, the Council of Europe and the European
Union are undertaking in this field. In this context, he underlined
the importance of the Ministerial Conference on "Global Information
Network" held in Bonn, Germany, from 6 - 8 July 1997. UNESCO
should concentrate on the world-wide dissemination of these developments.
The Assistant Director-General confirmed that UNESCO is fully
aware of its role which has also been reflected in the first Infoethics
Conference in Monte Carlo. He also confirmed that the Organization
will collect existing cyberspace codes of practice through other
international organizations, so that due account may be taken
of them in UNESCO's work. Referring to the position of
the United States of America, he drew attention to the fact that
there is no unanimous agreement on the introduction of regulations
related to communications in the cyberspace.
42. In summarising the debate on Items 6 and 7,
H. Other business (Item 8 of the Agenda)
(a) Use of permanent paper
43. The observer of IFLA requested Delegates to take
appropriate action to support the Resolution on the use of permanent
paper within UNESCO and its Members States which Canada intends
to submit for approval at the 29th General Conference.
The Secretariat confirmed that such resolution would have no financial
implications for the Organization. The observer of ICA stressed
that the requirements of archives as to the use of permanent paper
in public administrations should be given due attention.
(b) Draft Guidelines for Fund-raising
44. Mr Pal Vasarhely, the programme specialist responsible
for the identification of extra-budgetary resources, reported
on past experiences in contacts with potential public and private
donors. The variety of approaches in this field does not allow
for the preparation of general guidelines for the attention of
Member States. However, Mr Quéau confirmed that a succinct
document describing the situation will be prepared for the 25th
meeting of the Bureau.
(c) Reading for All
45. The Delegates of Brazil and Uganda welcomed the
Reading for All project and looked forward to practical proposals
on how to benefit from the Egyptian experience. Mr Tawfik, in
his capacity as Delegate of Egypt, stressed the significance of
the project for raising awareness about the importance of reading
and increased book production at low cost. He confirmed that it
is planned to organize the first meeting of the International
Panel on the Reading for All Programme which will be hosted by
the Egyptian authorities in Cairo, possibly in Autumn 1997.
I. Date, place and agenda of the 25th Meeting of the Bureau and of the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Council for PGI (Item 9 of the Agenda)
46. It was proposed to organize the 25th
meeting of the Bureau from 25 to 26 June 1998 at UNESCO Headquarters
in Paris. The 12th session of the Intergovernmental
Council for PGI is planned to be organized from 8 to 9 December
1998, also in Paris. The Chairperson suggested that an informal
meeting of those members of the Bureau participating in the 29th
General Conference (21 October to 12 November 1997) be organized.
This suggestion was welcomed by the Delegates.
J. Report of the meeting (Item 10 of the Agenda)
47. As decided under item 2 "Adoption of the
Agenda", the report was circulated after the meeting and
was adopted by correspondence.
K. Closure of the meeting (Item 11 of the Agenda)
48. The Chairperson thanked the Delegates and the Secretariat for their contribution to the success of the meeting and declared the session closed at 1 p.m. on 27 June 1997.
The Bureau of the Intergovernmental Council for the
General Information Programme at its twenty-fourth meeting,
The Bureau, in view of the central role of PGI in
the ongoing information revolution and its importance for other
UNESCO programmes
Monsieur le Président,
Mesdames et Messieurs,
C'est avec plaisir que je vous souhaite la bienvenue
ce matin pour l'ouverture de la 24ème réunion du
Bureau du Conseil intergouvernemental du PGI. Je tiens particulièrement
à saluer S. Exc. Monsieur Mohsen Tawfik qui, en tant que
nouveau Président du Conseil du PGI, guidera nos travaux
les deux prochains jours. Je salue également tous ceux
d'entre vous qui représentent les Etats membres nouvellement
élus au Conseil du PGI et participent pour la première
fois à la réunion de son Bureau. Vous constaterez
très rapidement que les réunions de votre groupe
sont beaucoup moins formelles que celles du Conseil et leur atmosphère
cordiale nous a permis, à maintes reprises, de trouver
des solutions à des questions quelquefois épineuses.
Je voudrais également rendre hommage aux représentants
des organisations internationales non-gouvernementales et à
leur fidélité au Programme général
d'information. Dans cette dynamique révolutionnaire qui
nous propulse dans la société de l'information,
votre concours est indispensable pour que le Programme général
d'information puisse non seulement s'adapter aux nouvelles données,
mais également jouer un rôle dans leur façonnage.
Nous sommes heureux de pouvoir compter sur vous.
Mesdames et messieurs,
Pour le Programme général d'information,
la période qui s'est écoulée depuis décembre
dernier a été ponctuée par des événements
importants qui ont mis en évidence la nécessité
du renouveau du mandat du PGI :
Mr Chairperson,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
During the next two days, you will certainly have the opportunity to discuss the results of the Advisory Group meetings and those of the Monte Carlo and Tunis conferences. Let me report to you briefly on the deliberations of the last session of the Executive Board which closed only two weeks ago. Despite the fact that there were only a few explicit references to PGI as a distinct programme, the debate on the challenges of the information highways and UNESCO's role in this area are of utmost interest, underlining the relevance of the renewed mandate of our Programme. The breadth and depth of debate showed that UNESCO had advanced considerably in this area since the debate at the last General Conference.
Many representatives stressed the essential and unique
role of UNESCO in providing a forum for discussion of ethical,
legal and societal aspects of information highways. It was again
underlined that UNESCO should establish an observatory of the
trends in new technologies and become a centre of excellence in
this field. Several Member States wished UNESCO to pay particular
attention to questions of access to information especially in
the public domain. This part is indeed highlighted in the Draft
Programme and Budget for 1998/99 (29 C/5) which will promote the
establishment of a general repository for all information of a
public nature which is relevant to UNESCO's fields of competence.
The Executive Board strongly emphasized the role
of information technologies in improving educational opportunities.
Training activities, particularly training of trainers and extending
computer literacy in developing countries, must be given particular
attention. In this context, the importance of support to libraries
in using information technology to serve development was considered
a key issue.
Looking at appropriate technology from the viewpoint
of the needs of developing countries, including appropriate network
equipment and connectivity to take advantage of information highways,
must be a priority for UNESCO. In this context we must carefully
consider the role of regional telematics networks in ensuring
appropriate multicultural content for development.
I fully agree with the frequent warnings against
the excessive influence of commercial forces in developing content
on the information highways as a result of global privatization
and deregulation of communication. UNESCO is aware of the danger
of the growing gap in the use of information technologies between
countries and inside the societies.
There is also a danger that the development of new
technologies, if left only to the market forces, can bypass intellectual
areas which fall within UNESCO's field of competence.
A large number of representatives felt that UNESCO's
programme should reinforce coordination and cooperation with other
UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and Member States.
In this context, I would like to point to the very intensive and
fruitful collaboration between UNESCO and the International Telecommunication
Union concerning information highways, which is serving as a model
in strengthening links with other UN agencies. The close cooperation
of key NGOs in the field of information in the work of the PGI
Council and its Bureau is yet another example for the increased
involvement of civil society in our programmes.
In general, the Executive Board underlined UNESCO's
ethical role and in particular universal access to information
and cultural pluralism on the information highways as major issues
for UNESCO.
The areas of activities of the General Information
Programme for 1998/99, as submitted to the General Conference
for approval at its twenty-ninth session, largely reflect the
observations of the Executive Board. I am looking forward to your
observations on the Draft 29 C/5 which you will discuss under
items 6 and 7 of your agenda.
The programme and budget for 1998/99 also aims at
implementing the recommendations of the last PGI Council. I would
like to refer to one specific recommendation requesting the Secretariat
to ensure an appropriate balance between traditional and new areas
of information and communication. The development of libraries,
archives and information services is given particular attention
in the Programme, not only in relation to their key role as depositories
of public domain information which must be made accessible, but
also in their function as keepers of the cultural and institutional
memories of nations.
The Memory of the World Programme is presently being
reviewed by a group of external evaluators and, without anticipating
the results, we are pursuing our reflections on how to streamline
the programme and accelerate the momentum gained during the first
five years of its existence. The guidance of the Bureau will be
precious, particularly as to the orientation of the programme
to make it more widely known and the benefits to be drawn from
the latest technologies for the preservation of our documentary
heritage.
Mr Chairperson,
Ladies and Gentleman,
The challenging task of the PGI Council and its Bureau
is to guide the Secretariat in implementing the renewed mandate
of our Programme. The Director-General, who greatly appreciates
the continuous interest of Member States in the General Information
Programme, is looking forward to your proposals. Our Programme
needs to cope with the risks and challenges of the information
society which, as MIT's Laboratory for the Computer Science Director,
Michael Dertouzos says "will ensure the global reach of
information that will improve economies and strengthen democracies
but also aggravate tensions and problems arising out of cultural
friction". If UNESCO manages to play fully the role assigned
to it perhaps the last half of that scenario can be avoided.
I wish you fruitful deliberations.