“THE POTENTIAL OF MEDIA: DIALOGUE, MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND RECONCILIATION”

World Press Freedom Day - UNESCO Qatar, 2-3 May 2009

It is a tragic reality that our history is replete with examples of the media being misused to incite to violence, disseminating messages of disinformation, intolerance, and hate. Less documented is the great potential of media to foster the health of society when it respects and represents diversity of voices. Moreover, the media has a demonstrated ability in fostering mutual understanding by communicating across divides, thus bringing competing narratives together into a shared story.

This ambivalence presents an opportunity to build media that increases interaction and highlights interdependences; media that is critical of inherited assumptions yet tolerant of oppositional perspectives; media that bodies forth reliable information to enable a participatory society where people are free to make well-informed decisions about their future. At the core of this challenge is nurturing a media culture that responds to diversity not with denigration, but with dialogue.

To realize this potential, what is needed at the most basic level is an open space where ideas can flourish and be debated democratically. As a source of inspiration as well as a fundamental right, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

The potential of media in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation will be the topic of UNESCO World Press Freedom Day 2009. As the only UN agency with a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom, UNESCO has placed mutual understanding, and dialogue through media at the core of its mission. Indeed, UNESCO’s Constitution, adopted in November 1945, states that the Organization will “collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of all peoples, through all means of mass communication” and “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”.

At this year’s conference and celebrations, UNESCO invites participants to explore the enormous potential of media to serve as a platform for dialogue and a vehicle for understanding. The Role of Media in Intercultural Dialogue

Cultural references determine our identity and the ways in which we construct reality; they affect the perception of ourselves, the way we encounter others, and the way we interact with the world. The media greatly influences not only what we think, but also how we act.

Globalization is not only an economic and technological process. Increased interaction among people, the free flow of information, and cultural interdependence are also consequences of our globalizing world. Communicating across cultural differences is a central challenge of the contemporary world. The media, then, has a true “mediating” role to play in encouraging global awareness.

The emergence of a new paradigm in international relations – in part through the launching of the Dialogue Among Civilizations in 2001 – introduced a global agenda in which the concept of dialogue became a priority principle in the relations between civilizations, cultures and peoples. The global agenda sought to elaborate common ethical standards as a means for addressing threats to peace and security.1 This commitment underlined that intercultural dialogue and respect for diversity are necessary for the advancement of human rights.2

The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity was adopted in 2001, recognizing cultural diversity as a common heritage of humanity as well as the potential of intercultural dialogue. The Convention states in its preamble that: “culture should be regarded as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group, and that it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs”.

This was complemented in 2005 by the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Article 2 stresses the interdependence of diversity and the respect for fundamental freedoms: “Cultural diversity can be protected and promoted only if human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression, information and communication, as well as the ability of individuals to choose cultural expressions, are guaranteed.”

With these frameworks in mind, it is important to emphasize that the use of information and communication to ensure that different cultures have the space to freely express themselves – on their own terms – is vital to advancing mutual understanding among peoples and between cultures. The media has the

1 See UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/56/6 2 See UN General Assembly Resolution on Cultural diversity and Human Rights 62/155 and UNESCO action in http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001597/159780e.pdf page 43.

2 ability to facilitate this intercultural dialogue. By challenging prevailing attitudes and assumptions concerning the many “others” in our world, the media can move beyond scripted stereotypes, stripping away the ignorance that breeds mistrust and suspicion, thus promoting a tolerance and acceptance of difference that values diversity as an opportunity for understanding.

One of the main challenges when advocating for freedom of expression – and a frequent road block in the way of tolerance and understanding – arises from the tension when expression offends or confronts another’s culture or identity. A well-debated recent example of this tension is what has been referred to as the “Danish Cartoons Affair” (2005).

UNESCO gave place for a debate during the 174 Executive Board in which the interrelation and inseparable connection between freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs and symbols was underscored. UNESCO’s Executive Board on that occasion adopted a unanimous decision, “upholding the exercise of freedom of expression in a spirit of mutual respect and mutual understanding” and urged “mutual respect for cultural diversity religious beliefs and religious symbols.” The debate highlighted the role media can play to deepen differences or to create knowledge about others and their history in order to enhance better inter-cultural understanding.

Respecting cultural difference while preserving freedom of expression will always appear as a tension to be debated and negotiated in any democratic society. Frank, even harsh speech is our right unless given with the intention of inciting discrimination, hostility or violence. Any attempt to restrict the right to freedom of expression must be balanced against this criterion. And yet, our rights concerning religion and culture must also be respected. There is no hierarchy between the various human rights. They exist in a nexus relationship and it is exactly this mutual respect for all rights that ensure the single human individual her dignity.

It is crucial to recognize that cultural diversity is enriched by the experience and contributions of all nations, cultures and peoples.3 Cultural diversity promotes universal values and establishes a common ground where no single culture can claim a monopoly. While it is true that diversity can cause division, intolerance and even violence, a media that is free, pluralistic and professional provides a forum for the non-violent negotiation of differences.

Free Media Fosters Dialogue

Perhaps the best way a media can work towards building mutual understanding is by strengthening the media culture itself. A media that is vibrant, independent, pluralistic, inclusive and fair, editorial free and beyond 3 See UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.phpURL_ID=33232&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201. html

3 censor and influence from interests, political, commercial, or otherwise – only a free media will innately contribute to the dialogue and understanding across divides. Moreover, a media that is free is essential for the provision of information and knowledge upon which informed democratic participation and good governance depend.

Journalists must be able to practice their profession without fear. They must move freely to collect facts and views, to disseminate news, to demand accountability from those in office, and to protect their sources. In turn, journalists must exercise the highest ethical and professional standards and conduct themselves in accord with general ethical principles.

It is vital that media outlets and professional associations encourage accurate, professional and ethical reporting. This can be done by establishing voluntary codes of conduct, providing training for journalists and setting up mechanisms of self-regulation. Such media accountability should be organized through self-regulation systems that facilitate the direct dialogue between readers, listeners, viewers or internet surfers and the media professionals. Only the application of high professional standards will give media the credibility with their public.

A political climate of openness and transparency is needed for citizens to contribute in the monitoring of the economic, social and political issues in their community and wider society. Pledges to increase transparency and accountability in public administration must be backed up with laws granting full access to areas of information in the public interest. National information laws must provide for full and open access to publicly held information. Actualizing this right to information will ensure that the media can find the information that is needed to hold those we elect accountable for what we have elected them to do.

The media not only acts as a watchdog against abuses by authorities or large corporate bodies – they also empower citizens with the information they require to exercise their democratic rights. In this way the media can cultivate good governance by enabling a dialogue between the public and their elected officials. Additionally, the existence of a genuine, editorially independent Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) reinforces the open dialogue and provides the society with diverse programming of educational, cultural and scientific character, in addition to news, entertainment and sports. Being at the service of the public also entails the responsibility to mirror society as a whole, to give voice to minorities and marginalized groups and to stimulate dialogue among all the different groups in the society.

4 Empowering Citizenship: Media, Dialogue and Education

Media functions as a vehicle for the flow of a plurality of viewpoints and multiplicity of voices, thus permitting exercises of citizenship such as participation, criticism and voting. Informed citizens can better and more actively participate in their societies’ decision making processes.

An independent and pluralistic media builds lifelong empowerment by keeping citizens informed and facilitating the flow of educational content. Educating through media is an important way to develop valuable skills that will aid in ending violence and eradicating forms of discrimination such as sexism and racism. More fundamentally, the media encourages the acquisition of civic knowledge and facilitates discussion concerning current issues.

It is important to work together with school teachers and media education practitioners in developing information and media literacy. Media literacy empowers the critical understanding of the media as well as the ability to decode, understand, communicate and create media products. Media literacy activates people’s engagement and serves as a catalyst for open and well informed dialogue. Local initiatives - community radios for instance – empower groups that are often marginalized and encourage the participation of the majority of citizens in public life. In this context, radio still plays an important role as informer and educator. In the cheapest possible way it encourages the diversification of media content, access and representation of different societal groups and interests, as well as strengthens the possibilities for open dialogue at the local level.

New media and information and communication technologies (ICTs) play an unprecedented role today concerning issues of education and citizenship. ICTs have a huge potential to train and educate communities that have limited or no access to formal education. Community-based multimedia centres are one such example of how the media can serve as a hub for knowledge and learning. While the Internet offers an opportunity for empowerment as well as digital integration, the dissemination of information and knowledge will only be fruitful if the vast majority of people have access to these technologies. The digital divide and the knowledge gap contribute to increased inequality and we must find ways to bridge these gaps to secure that social and human development leads to poverty eradication.

At the core media’s role in empowerment and citizenship is the understanding that freedom of the press is not solely the freedom of journalists to report and comment; it is, also, deeply connected with the public’s right to freely access information and knowledge and to take an active part in political life.

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