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GV exterior UNESCO
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LV interior Conference leaders seated at head of table
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SV UNESCO Director General Amadou Mahtar M'Bow of Senegal seated
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SV Congolese and Ghana delegates seated (TWO SHOTS)
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SV ZOOM IN TO CU M'Bow being interviewed in French
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Mr M'Bow was awarded the first "Man and His World Prize" in Paris on 21 November. It is named after the Montreal Exhibition "Expo 67", which aimed at developing international understanding through cultural exchanges. The prize was established by Canada this year to reward the work of a person or group responsible for a major achievement advancing peace and international understanding.




Initials KM/2310



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Paris, delegates from every part of the world stood and applauded at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) General Conference to signify their acceptance of a compromise declaration on the mass media. It had been bogged down for some time and the eventual consensus was the product of many hours of negotiation between Western and developing countries.

SYNOPSIS: It was also triumph for UNESCO Director General, Amadou Mahtar M'Bow of Senegal, who intervened at the last moment to bring about agreement. Mr M'Bow's final text was far removed from the original Soviet-supported draft calling for national legislation and government controls over the media, which was shelved in Nairobi two years ago. After a plenary meeting at the UNESCO building in Paris on Saturday (25 November), Mr M'Bow spoke to newsmen about the declaration.

The Director General said he hoped that the adoption of the declaration would mark a historic moment in the history of UNESCO. He went on to say that it didn't have as its objective the idea of dictating to people -- and especially not the media -- and that he had made this point clear from the outset.

Mr M'Bow added that the declaration pulled together certain principles and within its framework he hoped that these would be considered morally acceptable to those who are involved in the workings of the mass media. He said that in this way the document could become effective.