[Media Caucus] FW: Roundtable Response on telecommunications sector changes

[Tracey Naughton]

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> AMARC welcomes UN Round Table support for community media
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> For immediate release
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> Rome, 10 September 2004. The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
> 
> (AMARC) has welcomed a United Nations Round Table Declaration calling for
> legal reforms to recognize community media and its contribution to the
> realization of the right to freedom of expression.
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> The Ninth United Nations Round table on Communication for Development was held
> in Rome from the 6 - 9 September 2004. In its final Declaration, it was said
> that "national governments should implement a legal and supportive framework
> favoring the right to free expression and the emergence of free and
> pluralistic information systems including recognition of the specific and
> crucial role of community media in providing access to communication for
> isolated and marginalized groups."
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> Steve Buckley, President of AMARC, said: "This is an important statement from
> the United Nations agencies in support of community media and one which we
> applaud. It builds on growing recognition within the United Nations system of
> the role which community media can play in achieving international development
> goals and providing access to information in addition to giving them a voice."
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> Hosted by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the Round Table
> brought together United Nations agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors,
> foundations, development agencies, non-governmental organizations, scholars,
> and practitioners. The Round Table, which takes place every two years, asses
> the current trends in communication for development and helps to set
> priorities for future direction in the field of communications for
> development. The Round Table reports to the United Nations General Assembly
> through the offices of UNESCO.
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> The AMARC delegation was composed by its President, Steve Buckley, by its
> Secretary General, Marcelo Solervicens, by Michèlle Ntab, Regional Director
> for Africa, and from AMARC Latin America and the Caribbean, Gustavo Gomez,
> Director of the Legislation Program and José Luis Aguirre representative of
> AMARC Bolivia. The Ninth Round table also allowed to reinforce the partnership
> in Communications for Development between FAO and AMARC at the international
> and African level. A multipartner platform for rural and indigenous radio was
> announced for Latin America, « Onda Rural », bringing together FAO, AMARC and
> ALER. In Asia, AMARC will contribute to a Regional Round table on rural radio,
> in partnership with FAO and hosted by Universidad de los Baños from the
> Philippines. 
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> The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters, AMARC is an
> international non-governmental organization with members in more than 110
> countries. AMARC supports, defends and promotes community broadcasting through
> solidarity and international cooperation.
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