In the last few decades we have witnessed two related processes: the increasingly visible inclusion of electronic devices in our everyday lives, and the rush to digital formats. As a consequence Institutions, organisations and private companies begun to convert their own archives into digital formats. Moreover the general public has also started to convert personal data into digital formats: documents, music, movies, drawings and photos have been converted from their original formats into bit-streams in digital media. People used to believe (and many still do) that digital formats were the ultimate formats for storing information indefinitely. The idea that texts, images and more in general data can be perpetuated by converting them into digital form is popular and widely supported. The World Summit on Information Society represents a significant opportunity to meet experts and stakeholders from almost all-over the world in order to debate about relevant issues in the field of ICT. Since the first edition of the Summit a specific round table entitled “Opportunities and Challenges - Diversity in Cyberspace“ was organised on 11 December 2003. The final report summarizes the main topics as “Participants addressed, in an interactive exchange, the challenge of reconciling the flow of information and the need to preserve cultural and linguistic diversity in a digital world. The session focused, in particular, on the following issues: “cultural and linguistic diversity; freedom of expression and media ownership; and law and ethics on the Internet.” Two years later on the occasion of the WSIS second phase held in Tunis the “Tunis Commitment” stressed many times the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity preservation in the cyber space. The action line “C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content” was activated under the UNESCO umbrella and first achievements included in the “Tunis Declaration”. I participate and contribute to the meetings and initiatives since the early beginning in 2003 and I am still involved in WSIS activities in preparation to the WSIS +10 outcomes. The effects of ICT on society and culture are more than evident in recent times. As the society of a twenty first century metropolis becomes more complex and connected than that of a twentieth century nation; we share the sense that Cyber is an integral foundation of the global society. In Cyber, we, humans, are part of the most complex and sophisticated system in history. A new view of the Digital Age and Digital World is forming. Huge improvements in connectivity and access to knowledge and the considerable benefits associated with the digitization of human activities are compounded with major challenges to privacy, digital literacy and employment. ICT is stimulating changes in the way most people earn their incomes; altering the balance between our roles as consumer and producers; changing the way we educate succeeding generation and train ourselves; changing the fruition of world’s cultural heritage; transforming the delivery of health care; altering the way we govern ourselves; changing the way we form communities; altering the way we obtain and communicate information; contributing to bridge some cultural or physical gaps; and modifying pattern of activity among the elderly, last but not least potentially contributing to a green world.

Cooperation with UNESCO IFAP Intergovernmental Council Working Groups

RONCHI, ALFREDO
2014-01-01

Abstract

In the last few decades we have witnessed two related processes: the increasingly visible inclusion of electronic devices in our everyday lives, and the rush to digital formats. As a consequence Institutions, organisations and private companies begun to convert their own archives into digital formats. Moreover the general public has also started to convert personal data into digital formats: documents, music, movies, drawings and photos have been converted from their original formats into bit-streams in digital media. People used to believe (and many still do) that digital formats were the ultimate formats for storing information indefinitely. The idea that texts, images and more in general data can be perpetuated by converting them into digital form is popular and widely supported. The World Summit on Information Society represents a significant opportunity to meet experts and stakeholders from almost all-over the world in order to debate about relevant issues in the field of ICT. Since the first edition of the Summit a specific round table entitled “Opportunities and Challenges - Diversity in Cyberspace“ was organised on 11 December 2003. The final report summarizes the main topics as “Participants addressed, in an interactive exchange, the challenge of reconciling the flow of information and the need to preserve cultural and linguistic diversity in a digital world. The session focused, in particular, on the following issues: “cultural and linguistic diversity; freedom of expression and media ownership; and law and ethics on the Internet.” Two years later on the occasion of the WSIS second phase held in Tunis the “Tunis Commitment” stressed many times the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity preservation in the cyber space. The action line “C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content” was activated under the UNESCO umbrella and first achievements included in the “Tunis Declaration”. I participate and contribute to the meetings and initiatives since the early beginning in 2003 and I am still involved in WSIS activities in preparation to the WSIS +10 outcomes. The effects of ICT on society and culture are more than evident in recent times. As the society of a twenty first century metropolis becomes more complex and connected than that of a twentieth century nation; we share the sense that Cyber is an integral foundation of the global society. In Cyber, we, humans, are part of the most complex and sophisticated system in history. A new view of the Digital Age and Digital World is forming. Huge improvements in connectivity and access to knowledge and the considerable benefits associated with the digitization of human activities are compounded with major challenges to privacy, digital literacy and employment. ICT is stimulating changes in the way most people earn their incomes; altering the balance between our roles as consumer and producers; changing the way we educate succeeding generation and train ourselves; changing the fruition of world’s cultural heritage; transforming the delivery of health care; altering the way we govern ourselves; changing the way we form communities; altering the way we obtain and communicate information; contributing to bridge some cultural or physical gaps; and modifying pattern of activity among the elderly, last but not least potentially contributing to a green world.
2014
IFAP Report (2008-2013)
0000000000
digital preservation; eSociety; Cultural diversity
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/820125
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