It is UNESCO’s mission to promote free flow of information, knowledge and data, to encourage the creation of diversified contents and to facilitate equitable access to information and to the means of sharing knowledge with the same time giving attention to institutional capacity- building.

The UNESCO’s programme of information for all is to narrow the gap between the information rich and information poor, and to build an information society for all.

The Kotmale Community Radio

The Kotmale Community Radio that was set up with the assistance of UNESCO is considered to be one of UNESCO’s pilot projects in bridging the digital divide. UNESCO devised the concept of extending Internet Radio to rural regions in developing countries in 1996. The idea is the radio and internet could be integrated to lower user connectivity costs and make the internet accessible to a wider audience. The UNESCO provided equipment to the Kotmale community radio internet project. Uva Community Radio Project

Uva Community Radio will mobilize resources at grassroots levels in an effort to stimulate area based growth and equity. The UNESCO is assisting this project by way of technical expertise and other means to sustain the community radio.Enhancing the editorial independence
of News Broadcasting at Sri Lanka Broadcasting corporation.

UNESCO Provides assistance by way of guidelines and programme standards to ensure editorial independence of its news broadcasts, and basic equipment for the computerization of the newsroom.

Main Activities done by UNESCO

• The World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2006, was celebrated in Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Ministry of Mass Media and Information, where the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize was awarded to Ms. May Chidiac, a Lebanese Newscaster who lost an arm and a foot to a bomb blast in the defense of freedom of expression.This award is made annually, to promote Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression world wide.
  
  UNESCO funded the travel and lodging costs for over 60 foreign journalists at this conference and organized an international forum of discussion on the theme “ Poverty Education through Media and Information.” 
   
• Capacity building of the Jaffna Library destroyed during conflict. Ford Foundation Grant ($US 200,000).This included the training in the use of IT; Library staff; Procurement of books, publications, reading material, CD’s and DVD’s; Computers (32), Laptops (3), cabling for LAN and Wifi for connectivity.
  
  Today, over 200 visitors use the Library each day, barring the recent times, when the library closes early, due to the prevailing security situation. The library provides wider access to knowledge to the communities in and around Jaffna. 
  
• Setting up of a Media Training center in Jaffna, funded by DANIDA in collaboration with the University of Jaffna. ($US 170,000) This involved training of journalists to access wider media networks and exposure to freedom of expression. Training was also provided in the use of ICT and English Language. A computer center has also been installed.
  
• Setting up of a pilot project in Kothmale on Community Radio
  another means of access to knowledge and capacity building of communities.

Recent UNESCO Communication and Media Initiatives in Sri Lanka

• Capacity building of Jaffna Library
• Setting up of a media training center in Jaffna
• Promotion of CLC’s and Community Radio Programmes
• Celebration of “World Press Freedom Day” 3 May 2006.
• Award of Chinese Fellowship in the field of “Communication and Information Systems”