Role and Place of Media in the Information Society in Africa and the Arab States, Marrakech, Morocco, 22-24 November 2004

International Conference as a follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society under the High Patronage of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI

Morocco will host an international conference on media issues as a follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). It will be held in Marrakech from November 22 – 24, 2004. A hundred representatives of international and regional media professional organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) concerned with freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and media specialists and experts from the academic world and the media industry will debate the place and role of the media in the information society, more particularly in Africa and the Arab States. This conference is organized jointly by the Ministry of Communication and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Telecommunications of Morocco, and by ORBICOM, the International Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communication. The Marrakech Conference is intended as a follow-up meeting to the 1st phase of the WSIS (Geneva 2003) and as a preparatory meeting for the 2nd phase (Tunis 2005). Some 12,000 representatives of states, the private sector and civil society participated in the first phase of the WSIS held in Geneva from December 10 - 12, 2003. Its main outcome was the adoption by the heads of states of a Declaration of Principles and a Plan of Action. The Marrakech Conference will focus on the provisions of the Declaration of Principles and the recommendations of the Plan of Action that relate specifically to the media and those liable to affect the free exercise of journalism (see full texts on Web site). For purposes of the Conference, the issues are grouped into the following 7 themes: 1. The media’s place in the information society 2. Media freedom in cyberspace, including cybersecurity 3. Reducing the digital divide that affects the media 4. Culture and the media 5. Women in the media 6. Media ownership issues 7. Internet governance: the media position

 

Morocco will host an international conference on media issues as a follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). It will be held in Marrakech from November 22 – 24, 2004. A hundred representatives of international and regional media professional organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) concerned with freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and media specialists and experts from the academic world and the media industry will debate the place and role of the media in the information society, more particularly in Africa and the Arab States. This conference is organized jointly by the Ministry of Communication and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Telecommunications of Morocco, and by ORBICOM, the International Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communication. The Marrakech Conference is intended as a follow-up meeting to the 1st phase of the WSIS (Geneva 2003) and as a preparatory meeting for the 2nd phase (Tunis 2005).
Some 12,000 representatives of states, the private sector and civil society participated in the first phase of the WSIS held in Geneva from December 10 - 12, 2003. Its main outcome was the adoption by the heads of states of a Declaration of Principles and a Plan of Action.

The Marrakech Conference will focus on the provisions of the Declaration of Principles and the recommendations of the Plan of Action that relate specifically to the media and those liable to affect the free exercise of journalism (see full texts on Web site). For purposes of the Conference, the issues are grouped into the following 7 themes:

1. The media’s place in the information society

2. Media freedom in cyberspace, including cybersecurity

3. Reducing the digital divide that affects the media

4. Culture and the media

5. Women in the media

6. Media ownership issues

7. Internet governance: the media position