UNESCO helps Afghanistan in its search for peace, security and development. In the area of communication and information, UNESCO assists in re-launching an independent press, rebuilding the foundations for professional journalism, developing public service broadcasting, creating community multimedia centres and rehabilitating Afghanistan's information institutions and infrastructures.
UNESCO played a key role in re-launching Kabul Weekly, the first independent press to appear in the country since the fall of the Taliban.
It is also providing training to journalists and technical media staff, including those of national television. UNESCO projects aim to strengthen other independent media, as well as helping to strengthen the Afghan News Agency, particularly through the training of journalists.
Other projects in the area of public service broadcasting include the establishment of a regulatory framework and support for TV productions and co-productions. To favour the development of independent print media, UNESCO will help establish an independent printing plant and distribution network.
There is also a project to create community multimedia centres to provide access to information needed for development projects and provide distance learning facilities.
Safeguarding Audiovisual Heritage
In the framework of the Information for All Programme and in cooperation with the French Institut national de l’audiovisuel (INA), UNESCO's Communication and Information Sector, set up a cooperation programme aiming to safeguard Afghan audiovisual archives. The following activities are foreseen:
30-day training sessions in Parisian laboratories for 4 Afghan technicians to transfer competences related to safeguarding audiovisual equipment and techniques;
six 10-day missions of trainers to the Radio and Television of Afghanistan (RTA), Afghan Films and Ariana Films, Kabul, in order to deliver training courses on maintenance and documentation, in particular: maintenance of viewing equipment (RTA); maintenance of tele-cinema (Afghan films); film expertise (Afghan films) and documentary techniques (Afghan films/RTA/Ariana Films). The programme will also deliver spare parts, DVC PRO cassettes and software for heritage maintenance and preservation.
Panel Debate on Public Service Broadcasting
20-05-2005 (Paris)
- Musa Marufi, President of the Afghanistan’s newly created radio and television regulating authority, and Italy’s Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Margherita Boniver, will be among the participants in a panel debate on public service broadcasting in countries in transition. The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, will open the panel, which will take place at UNESCO's Paris Headquarters on May 24.
Afghan Journalists Celebrate World Press Freedom Day in Kabul
10-05-2005 (Paris)
- On May 3rd, about one hundred Afghan journalists from both print and electronic media gathered in Sitara Hotel in Kabul to celebrate the World Press Freedom Day with a seminar on media and good governance funded and organized by UNESCO in cooperation with Afghan Journalists’ Union, Tolo TV, Sayara NGO, and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
Afghan Women Get TV Frequency
26-04-2005
- Afghan broadcasting authorities have just reserved a TV frequency for the Voice of Afghan Women association to open what is expected to be the first women’s community television channel in Kabul.
Afghan Female Journalism Students Broadcast Live On 8 March
11-03-2005 (Paris)
- Female journalism students from Kabul, Herat and Mazar universities achieved the first students’ outside radio broadcasting in Afghanistan covering the Women’s Day Celebration this week with a portable mixer desk operated at the ceremony’s venue in Kabul.
UNESCO contributes to expand women media network in Afghanistan
24-02-2005
- Voice of Afghan Women association moves ahead with the extension of its network and its radio coverage thanks to an IPDC project, and it is working to start the first community television channel in Afghanistan managed and operated by a women’s association.
