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UNESCO and the Communication University of China (CUC) co-organized a Seminar on 25 September 2024 in celebration of CUC¡¯s 70th Anniversary. This Seminar, titled ¡°AI-Powered Accessibility: Redefining Digital Inclusion,¡± sought to explore how digital technology can enhance information accessibility and offer innovative solutions and service models for global information accessibility and digital inclusion. At the seminar, experts and scholars from around the world discussed their research and practices on AI-powered accessibility and the creation of a digitally inclusive society.

In his opening speech, Prof. Lin Haibo, Vice President of CUC, said in his opening speech that as a university included in the ¡°double world-class project,¡± CUC has been very active in the construction of universal accessibility in the era of artificial intelligence, and has built a ¡°five-in-one¡± communication matrix which includes information accessibility. He said the university has contributed its part of Chinese wisdom and strength to the development of smoother barrier-free communication and the construction of a more inclusive environment. 

Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative of UNESCO's Regional Office for East Asia, commended CUC's "Guangming Cinema" and "Guangming Museum" project in a video message, noting its alignment with UNESCO's mission to promote equal access to information and knowledge. Prof. Khan underscored the importance of UNESCO's role in advocating for the ethical development and responsible application of AI technologies. He stated, ¡°In the age of Artificial Intelligence, UNESCO is at the forefront of ensuring that technologies are developed ethically and used responsibly. We are committed to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that everyone has equal access to the benefits of technologies¡±. His remarks also highlighted the significance of global cooperation and the shared responsibility to harness AI for the betterment of society, particularly in the context of bridging the gap between those with access to technology and those without.

The seminar showcased barrier-free movie clips in Chinese and English by CUC's "Guangming Cinema" team, presenting a Chinese proposal for a disability-inclusive society to the international community.

Keynote speakers from the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (ISTIC), UNESCO IFAP Working Group, iFLYTEK, the Palace Museum, and CUC, shared insights from academia, the information technology industry, and cultural services. Discussions ranged from media use by the accessibility community, IFAP, intelligent voice technology development, to cultural information services for the visually impaired in China, the "Guangming Cinema" public welfare project, and the digitalization of accessible museums, highlighting the potential of "AI empowering accessible communication."

Cordel Green, the Vice-Chairman of UNESCO-IFAP and Chairman of the IFAP Working Group on Information Accessibility, encouraged the use of AI in a video message, stating, ¡°The more we all know about AI, the more we can actively shape its development, and use it for the good of society¡±. 

HU Xianhong, Programme Specialist at the UNESCO IFAP Secretariat, shared her work on AI, accessibility, and digital inclusion, outlining IFAP's establishment and its efforts to promote digital inclusion. She emphasized IFAP's goal of ensuring equal access and content creation for all users, including women, girls, people in least developed countries, rural areas, and those with disabilities, in the digital and AI era.

ZENG Qingyi, National Professional Officer for Communication and Information Sector at UNESCO's Regional Office for East Asia, concluded the seminar, encouraging collaboration to innovate and explore AI technology's potential, leverage its value, and strengthen AI governance to promote an upward and good technological direction. She called for a collective effort to empower accessible information dissemination with AI and build a more inclusive, equal, and open society.

Read more: 

• IFAP: /en/ifap