UNESCO contributes to preparing the World Summit on the Information Society

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Item 7Role and Focus of the Information for
All Programme

Intergovernmental Council for the Information for
All ProgrammeThird SessionParis, 4-6 May
2004 Elizabeth Longworth Director, Information
Society DivisionCommunication and Information
SectorUNESCOe.longworth_at_unesco.org
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I. Introduction

• Necessity to define IFAPs specificities
  highlighted by close alignment between IFAP
  objectives and 32 C/5
• Clarification of role requested by Executive
  Board at its 167th session
• Council to determine IFAPs role and focus
• over the next four years
• corresponding to the second phase of UNESCOs
  medium-term Strategy (2002-2007)
• Not intended to revisit the six objectives

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II. Present Role of IFAP and its Council

• IFAP established in order to grasp the
  opportunities offered by ICT to fulfil UNESCOs
  mandate to
• Promote the free flow of ideas by word and
  image
• Maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge
• Encourage co-operation among nations in the
  exchange of publications and other information
  material
• Initiate methods of international co-operation
  to give the people of all countries access to
  printed and published material
• IFAP as a platform for international policy
  discussions and programme development
• IFAP to provide framework for international
  cooperation and partnerships
• IFAP to guide UNESCOs Regular Programme

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III. Options

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1. Aims of the discussion

• Increase awareness of IFAPs purpose to capture
  imagination and resources
• Encourage participation by Member States and
  other major players
• By
• Articulating the key messages on what IFAP stands
  for and how it adds value, i.e. considering
• What is IFAP?
• Who else does what?
• How can IFAP have impact or make a difference?
• Making an Outstanding value proposition

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2. Subjects of the discussion

• Based on the six objectives, what are the options
  for focus? What are the opportunities to leverage
  IFAPs intergovernmental role?
• Means of articulating these priorities to
  external audiences in simple language conveying
• Values
• Aspirations
• Who benefits
• IFAPs value

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3. Methods for focusing IFAPs activities

• Identify IFAPs unique strength reflected in a
  mission statement and/or
• Develop a workplan, such as by identifying one
  action under each of the six objectives and/or
• Select key priorities that will satisfy many of
  the six objectives
• Formulate a unifying theme, for example
  Information Literacy, as a means of
  prioritizing resources within the six objectives
  and/or

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Information Literacy Definitions

• Information is available from many sources and
  many formats, such as printed text, television,
  videos, library databases, web sites, and more.
• To be information literate you need to know
  why, when, and how to use all of these tools and
  think critically about the information they
  provide.
• Information literacy is concerned with teaching
  and learning about the whole range of information
  sources and formats.

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Information Literacy Definitions (contin)

• Information literacy aims to develop both
  critical understanding and active participation.
• It enables people to interpret and make informed
  judgments it also enables them to become
  producers of knowledge and to become more
  powerful participants in the information society.

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Information Literacy General Objectives

• The UNESCOs information literacy programme is
  placed within the framework of the United Nations
  Literacy Decade (2003 2012) to
• Foster development of citizens with technical and
  critical thinking skills and abilities needed to
  identify, acquire, manage and use information to
  enrich all aspects of their work and personal
  lives
• Identify and encourage effective practices in
  information literacy around the world
• Promote information literacy through regional
  approaches and facilitate exchange
• Propose innovative curricula about information
  literacy
• Improve co-operation between government
  officials, researches, educators, librarians and
  media practitioners.

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Information Literacy Proposed Strategy

• Need for
• Clear, coherent and authoritative policies that
  explain information literacy and its importance
• Curriculum development and practice
• Trained staff to implement policies - teachers
  ongoing professional development and distance
  learning
• Quality teaching materials
• Information literacy to cater for all levels of
  acces it does not have to be high tech
• Strategy to include peoples relationships with
  media
• International dialogue and exchange of good
  practice
• Note All these elements are interdependent

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Information Literacy Proposed Activities

• Launching of an international awareness-raising
  campaign and an international alliance for
  information literacy
• High-level international colloquium of experts in
  the field
• A publication aimed at teachers and policy makers
• Preparing modular curricula
• Regional workshops
• Empowering communities through pilot projects in
  selected MS
• Establishment of a website
• Accessible international collection of teaching
  and learning resources.

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4. Options for the work of the IFAP Council

• Leverage IFAPs intergovernmental status to
  provide analysis and expert guidance on UNESCOs
  strategy and programme planning, notably 33 C/5
  (2006/07)
• Enhance the relevance of IFAP at national levels
  by strengthening the role of IFAP National
  Committees, in order to
• translate IFAPs global objectives into national
  activities
• foster efficient and effective national
  practices, through international exchange
• Identify methodologies of work

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4. Options for the work of the IFAP Council
(contin)

• Collate and publish information on progress using
  measures to monitor
• Foster partnerships with the private sector
  including regular dialogue, consultation and
  interaction
• Take an active role in seeking major funding
• Enhance the intersectoral character of IFAP

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5. Parameters of the decisions

• Uniqueness and influence of the intergovernmental
  nature of IFAP
• IFAPs ability to influence at the national level
  and to use its local network
• Funding and other resource implications of
  managing fund-raising mechanisms
• IFAPs lack of implementation capacities
• IFAPs potential to contribute to the achievement
  of the Millennium Development Goals
• IFAPs potential to contribute to the
  implementation of the WSIS Action Plan
• Decisions on other items of the 3rd Session of
  the Council