Need to reduce disparities in free flow of info: India to UN

India has called on the United Nations' information department to increase interaction with media in developing countries in order to reduce disparities that exist in free flow of information.
Minister in India's UN mission, S Srinivas Prasad, said that Department of Public Information (DPI) could also look at giving specific coverage to the UN designated days like the International Days of Yoga and Non-Violence through its media platforms as this would highlight the importance of the designated days as well as project the UN's efforts in "celebrating important values and activities."
"We would also like to urge DPI to increase interaction with media in developing countries to reduce existing disparities in information flow and ensure a free flow of information at all levels," Prasad said at a session of the Committee on Information here on April 26.

Prasad welcomed UN Radio's continued weekly delivery of topical adaptation of main broadcast in Hindi, Urdu and Bengali which he said enables the message of the UN to reach a large population in the South Asian sub-continent.
He added that while Hindi, Urdu and Bengali are the major languages of the South Asian landmass, there are still millions of speakers of other major languages within the sub-continent.
In this context he suggested that DPI could look at setting up a language development centre based in India to reframe content in other major South Asian languages in order to reach a more wider and diverse audience in the sub-continent.

Acknowledging DPI's close co-operation with UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, he said India is appreciative of the DPI's efforts to highlight the work of UN Blue Berets in some of the most difficult situations in the world.

"We urge the DPI to fast track its plans of highlighting this contribution on media platforms, both in the troop donor countries as well as worldwide," he said.
He also noted that UN TV featured in its long running series-United nations in Action- the inauguration of a solar park in Gujrat State by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during his visit to India last year in April.

He pointed out that as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the UN last year, India had participated in the 'Turn the World UN Blue' global campaign by lighting up the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Rail Terminus in Mumbai on United Nation's Day.
He said the iconic landmark had been subjected to terrorist attack in November 2008, leading to the loss of life of many innocent citizens.
"Keeping in view the UN's message of international peace and co-existence, the choice of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Rail Terminus for the campaign was therefore apt," he said.