[A12n-forum] WSIS "civil society" mentions of languages & linguistic diversity

["Don Osborn" <dzo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Dec. 21 I posted extracts of the Declaration and Action Plan of the World
Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) that mention issues of language and
linguistic diversity in the context of ICT at
http://lists.kabissa.org/lists/archives/public/a12n-forum/msg00065.html.
Here are extracts on the same subjects from the Civil Society Declaration to
the WSIS.  The entire declaration is available at:
http://www.worldsummit2003.de/download_en/WSIS-CS-Decl-08Dec2003-en.pdf. (In
effect, the WSIS was intergovernmental and the civil society meeting was of
non-governmental organizations.)

Don Osborn
Bisharat.net

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"Shaping Information Societies for Human Needs"
Civil Society Declaration to the World Summit on the Information Society
WSIS Civil Society Plenary, Geneva, 8 December 2003

1. A VISIONARY SOCIETY
... This means creating an enabling environment for the engagement and
commitment of all generations, both women and men, and ensuring the
involvement of diverse social and linguistic groups, cultures and peoples,
rural and urban populations without exclusion. ...
We envision societies where human knowledge, creativity, cooperation and
solidarity are considered core elements; where not only individual
creativity, but also collective innovation, based on cooperative work are
promoted. Societies where knowledge, information and communication resources
are recognised and protected as the common heritage of humankind; societies
that guarantee and foster cultural and linguistic diversity and
intercultural dialogue, in environments that are free from discrimination,
violence and hatred.

2. CORE PRINCIPLES AND CHALLENGES
2.1 Social Justice and People-Centred Sustainable Development
...
2.1.7 Basic Literacy
Literacy and free universal access to education is a key principle. ...
... Urgent attention should be paid to the potential positive and negative
impacts of ICTs on the issues of illiteracy in regional, national and
international languages of the great majority of the world's peoples. ...

2.2 Centrality of Human Rights
An information and communication society should be based on human rights and
human dignity. With the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights as its foundation, it must embody the
universality, indivisibility, interrelation and interdependence of all human
rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural - including the
right to development and linguistic rights. This implies the full
integration, concrete application and enforcement of all rights and the
recognition of their centrality to democracy and sustainable development.
Information and communication societies must be inclusive, so that all
people, without distinction of any kind, can achieve their full potential.
The principles of non-discrimination and diversity must be mainstreamed in
all ICT regulation, policies, and programmes.

2.2.4 Workers' Rights
... Les droits de l'homme, tels que le droit à la vie privée, la liberté
d'expression, les droits linguistiques, le droit pour les travailleurs en
ligne de constituer des syndicats et d'y adhérer et le droit des syndicats
de fonctionner librement, notamment en communiquant avec les employés,
doivent être respectés sur le lieu de travail.

2.2.5 Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The evolution of information and communication societies must be founded on
the respect and promotion of the recognition of the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples and their distinctiveness as outlined in international conventions.
Indigenous Peoples have fundamental rights to protect, preserve and
strengthen their own language, culture and identity. ICT's should be used to
support and promote diversity and the rights and means of Indigenous Peoples
to benefit fully and with priority from their cultural, intellectual and
so-called natural resources.
...

2.3 Culture, Knowledge and the Public Domain
Information and communication societies are enriched by their diversity of
cultures and languages, retained and passed on through oral tradition or
recorded and transmitted through a variety of media, and together
contributing to the sum of human knowledge. Human knowledge is the heritage
of all humankind and the reservoir from which all new knowledge is created.
The preservation of cultural and linguistic diversity, the freedom of the
media and the defence and extension of the public domain of global knowledge
are as essential, for information and communication societies, as the
diversity of our natural environment.
2.3.1 Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
Cultural and linguistic diversity is an essential dimension of
people-centred information and communication societies. Every culture has
dignity and value that must be respected and preserved. Cultural and
linguistic diversity is based, among other things, on the freedom of
information and expression and the right of everyone to freely participate
in the cultural life of the community, at local, national and international
levels. This participation includes activities both as users and producers
of cultural content. ICTs including traditional communications media have a
particularly important role to play in sustaining and developing the world's
cultures and languages.
2.3.1.1 Capacity Building and Education
Cultural and linguistic diversity should not only be preserved; it needs to
be fostered. This implies capacity to express oneself, in one's own
language, at any time, by any means, including traditional media and new
ICTs. In order to become a contributor and a creator in the information and
communication societies, not only technical skills are needed, but critical
and creative competence. Media education in the sense of the UNESCO Grunwald
Declaration must be given specific attention in education and training
programs. Cultural and linguistic diversity also implies equal access to the
means of expression and of dissemination of cultural goods and services.
Priority should be given to community-driven initiatives.
2.3.1.2 Language
Plurality of languages is at the core of vibrant information and
communication societies. ICTs can be applied to bridge cultural and
linguistic divides, given the right priorities. In the past, ICT development
has too often reinforced inequalities, such as dominance of roman letter
based languages (especially English) and marginalization of local, regional
and minority languages. Priority should be given in ICT research and
development to overcoming barriers and addressing inequalities between
languages and cultures.
2.3.1.3 International Law and Regulation
International law and regulation should strengthen cultural, linguistic and
media diversity, in accordance with existing international declarations and
covenants, in particular Article 19 and Article 27 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights; Articles 19 and 27 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Articles 13 and 15 of the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and Articles
5 and 6 of the Universal Declaration of Cultural Diversity adopted by UNESCO
in 2001. International trade agreements should treat culture, including
audio-visual content and services, not simply as a commodity, but should
take account of the need for cultural, linguistic and media diversity. The
establishment of an International Convention on Cultural Diversity should be
accelerated, with a view to achieving an effective and binding international
agreement. Existing international copyright regulation instruments including
TRIPS and WIPO should be reviewed to ensure that they promote cultural,
linguistic and media diversity and contribute to the development of human
knowledge.

2.3.2.2 Community Media
... A Community Media Fund should be established through a donor civil
society partnership to invest in and support community-driven media,
information and communication initiatives using traditional media and new
ICTs including projects that make provision for the poorest communities, for
cultural and linguistic diversity and for the equal participation of women
and girls. ...

2.3.3.3 Software
... Its [free software's] special advantages for developing countries, such
as low cost, empowerment and the stimulation of sustainable local and
regional economies, easier adaptation to local cultures and creation of
local language versions, greater security, capacity building, etc, need to
be recognised, publicised and taken advantage of. ...

2.4 Enabling Environment
...
2.4.3 Infrastructure and Access
... Governments should guarantee policies for the development of
telecentres, among others, to provide equitable and affordable access to
infrastructure and ICTs; to encourage digital inclusion policies for the
population, independently of gender, ethnic aspects, language, culture and
geographical situation. This would promote the discussion and active
participation of communities in public policy processes related to the
implementation and role of telecentres for local development.

2.4.5 Human Development - Education and Training
... To utilise the full potential of e-learning and long-distance education,
they must be complemented by traditional educational resources and methods,
in a local context of media pluralism and linguistic diversity. ...

2.4.7 Global Governance of ICT and Communications
... new diverse international arrangements are needed to promote: financial
support for sustainable e-development, especially but not only in less
affluent nations; linguistic, cultural, and informational diversity; and the
curtailment of concentrated market power in ICT and mass media industries.
...
... only a truly open, multistakeholder, and flexible approach [to global
coordination of the Internet's underlying resources] can ensure the
Internet's continued growth and transition into a multilingual medium.
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