By Niba Mirza *
BUENOS AIRES (IDN) – The Asociación Latinoamericana de Comunicación Audiovisual Parlamentaria, ALCAP or the Latin American Parliamentary Association of Audio-Visual Communication has ventured into Asia and Africa with the appointment of Mr. Manish Uprety F.R.A.S. as its Special Advisor for the region.
ALCAP is a project of promotion, strengthening, integration, dissemination, research, and cooperation in favour of the right to free access of public information of the parliamentary and political audio-visual communication in all deliberative fields, and in defence of the local communities, multiculturalism, social economies and unique characteristics of the Latin American countries.
The idea took form when IDCI, International Institute of Digital Creative Industries, was established in 2013 as a unique academic project by cooperation between the United Nations and FIAM (International Federation of Multimedia Associations). The latter was established in 1997 in Montréal, Canada with the support of the Canadian federal government, Québec government and Montréal municipal government.
The Global South-South Institute of Digital Creative Industries IDCI is under the aegis of renowned French-Canadian Philosopher and Sociologist Hervé Fischer of FIAM and Francisco Simplicio, Assistant Director, Funds Management, United Nations Office of South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).
The First Seminar of the Digital Creative Industries was held in the City of Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic in 2014. In December 2020, Dr Leonel Fernández Reyna, former president of the Dominican Republic and Honorary President of the IDCI, presented his vision about “The global and regional challenges of the 4.0 world,” and highlighted the need to facilitate access to technology for all citizens.
Digital technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) are rapidly changing the way in which creative content is produced, marketed, and distributed. With the roll-out of the 5G networks, the global policymakers are to have empathized to the political, economic, cultural, technical, social and strategic considerations of the evolving global communications landscape caused by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
George Lwanda, the Regional Program Adviser of UNDP Africa Regional Service Centre clearly mentions that one area where 5G will play a decisive role is in progress toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
He suggests that African governments must come together not only to invest in building 5G networks but also to seize all of the opportunities those networks make possible – including quality education for all.
ALCAP along with UNOSSC, UNESCO, UNITAR, European Parliament, and other renowned stakeholders is involved in training on creative economy and digital creative industries because of the close relationship and growing inter-reliance of two sectors: digital technology and creative content.
It also acts as the bridge between the South American political fraternity and the global policymakers on issues like digital policy and development, digital innovation and applications, digital creative contents, digital media education and management, digital cities and mobile lifestyle etc.
Mr Manish Uprety F.R.A.S. received his credentials from Ms Luciana Moser, President and Dr Marcelo E. Decoud, Director-coordination of ALCAP. His responsibilities will include forming partnerships, initiate programs and spreading the mandate of ALCAP in Asia and Africa, the world’s most populous region and with the leading and some of the fastest emerging global economies.
Mr. Uprety is an alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics, the University of Delhi and the University of London, United Kingdom. The co-evolution of strategy and environment has been his research area, and as a diplomat, he was instrumental to initiate nutritional programs in South America and Africa.
Congratulating Mr Uprety on his appointment with ALCAP, Lord Rami Ranger CBE, member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom underlined the important role next generation of communications is playing in the context of sustainable development and welfare.
Mr. Bimalendra Nidhi, ex-Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal looked this as a great opportunity to strengthen relations with South America and wished ALCAP all the best for its initiatives in Nepal.
Mr K. G. Kenye, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) of India, expressed hope that ALCAP will help engender an interesting dialogue about the role communications play in the Fourth Industrial Revolution with the parliamentary fraternity of South America and other stakeholders across the globe.
Whereas, Dr Rajni Sarin, President of Uttar Pradesh BJP-NRI and ex-Convener of the Bharatiya Janta Party’s Foreign Policy Cell who is presently visiting Stanford, California hoped that Indian Diaspora which is leading the global digital revolution from the Silicon Valley will play a proactive role in digital transformation and empowerment of the world through ALCAP.
Leading diplomat and a United Nations veteran, Dr Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka’s current ambassador to China, expressed a desire to develop closer collaboration between Sri Lanka and ALCAP.
Dr Kohona specifically mentioned that the parliamentary fraternity of South America and the world can learn from the Sri Lankan experience and translate the same in effective policymaking.
* Niba Mirza is a BA-Philosophy (Honours) graduate from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. She is pursuing her post-graduate studies in Development Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi and is interested in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. [IDN-InDepthNews – 01 February 2021]
Photo: Collage of Manish Uprety with ALCAP in the backdrop.
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