Link: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=16539&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
"Language constitutes the foundation of communication and is fundamental to cultural and historical heritage. Today various forces threaten linguistic diversity, particularly on the information networks. UNESCO has responded with several projects to promote multilingualism. Initiative [EMAIL PROTECTED] <http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=16540&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html>, along with other UNESCO activities, seeks to use new ICT to promote wider more equitable access to information networks by supporting the creation of linguistically and culturally diverse content in cyberspace and offering possibilities for the preservation of endangered languages."
"Increasingly, knowledge and information are key determinants of wealth creation, social transformation and human development. Language is the primary vector for communicating knowledge and traditions, thus the opportunity to use one's language on global information networks such as the Internet will determine the extent to which one can participate in the emerging knowledge society. Thousands of languages worldwide are absent from Internet content and there are no tools for creating or translating information into these excluded tongues. Huge sections of the world's population are thus prevented from enjoying the benefits of technological advances and obtaining information essential to their wellbeing and development. Unchecked, this will contribute to a loss of cultural diversity on information networks and a widening of existing socio-economic inequalities."
-- M. Nazrul Islam Director, Information and Communication Technology for Development Relief International-Schools Online, Bangladesh Country Office House # 210, Road # 2(East), Baridhara DOHS, Dhaka-1206 Tel. (8802)8816615, 8812056, Ext- 110 www.connect-bangladesh.org, www.ri.org, www.schoolsonline.org email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cell: (88)0175537544, (88)0192053996 _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
