Ref: Initiating the Development of the UNL Encyclopedia

· A discreet announcement

You may have already noticed in our web page www.undl.org the announcement that we will start building the “UNL Universal Encyclopedia”. The UNL ENCYCLOPEDIA initiative is a collective endeavor aiming at bringing together the diverse contributions to knowledge and culture from multiple civilizations, with the use of the UNL. Of course, it is an ambitious initiative, of large proportions, an endless endeavor; we will start with a first step.

We are starting discreetly as we need a period for fine-tuning the development methodology and for testing the tools and building mechanisms. After an experimental period, we will launch the UNL ENCYCLOPEDIA as world wide multicultural and multilingual venture.

· The Idea of the UNL Universal Encyclopedia

“The UNL Universal Encyclopedia” means the collection of the empirical and scientific knowledge, wisdom and culture of all peoples expressed in UNL. With the UNL-enabled convergence of language, information and digital technologies, it is possible to assemble all forms of knowledge and culture in a common asset of humankind, still preserving “local” diversities. The merit of the UNL is that it enables each people to use its native language to share its world of knowledge and culture with other peoples in their respective languages. In this sense, the UNL Encyclopedia is truly “universal”.

· Why the UNL Encyclopedia?

In present History, interdependence among nations – enhanced by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)– pull economies, cultures, knowledge systems and political regimes closer to each other. But language barriers prevents fair information flow, access to knowledge, transcultural exchanges and mutual understanding among diverse peoples. As a result, conflicts and clashes increase as globalization threatens the identity and survival of local cultures. The UNL ENCYCLOPEDIA takes advantage of the ICT media to break down the barriers, and provides all peoples with a platform for sharing with others their world of art, knowledge, wisdom, values, ways of life, feelings and believes. In this sense, the UNL ENCYCLOPEDIA emerges as one of the “natural historical responses” to the need for fairness in the promoting reciprocal knowledge, while preserving cultural diversity.

· Under UNESCO’s umbrella

The UNL ENCYCLOPEDIA is very fitting to the UNESCO’s mandate, mission and past achievements in education, science, culture and communication. It is also well fitting with UNESCO’s vision on the future, particularly in regard to multilinguism and cultural diversity. With its global network into all nations and in different segments of societies, UNESCO plays a leading role in harmonizing the multi diverse manifestations of knowledge and culture of the past and in the future.

· How to create the UNL Encyclopedia

Existing encyclopedias, such as Britannica, Larousse and others, are written in English, Chinese, French, Japanese, Russian, and many other languages. The UNL ENCYCLOPEDIA will be written in UNL, the language of computers. Our task consists of enconverting in UNL the multi-diverse forms of knowledge that exists in texts or in the minds of the authors. Authors will use their own native language to write UNL documents. This task is accomplished with the support of the UNL System and the help of UNL tools. These are made available to everybody interested in taking part in this endeavor. The method and process for creating the UNL ENCYCLOPEDIA will explained in detail in the UNDL Foundation web site. The UNL Center will provide training, guidance and assistance.

· An open initiative for many people

The UNL Encyclopedia is an open initiative and calls for a collaborative work of a large number of people, initially on voluntary basis. UNL Society members are especially welcomed.

The work will start formally in January 2004. It will be carried out through the web.

Preparations for such a large collaborative work will be made during the coming months. Meanwhile, we invite volunteers interested in becoming “Monitors” of the UNL Encyclopedia development to join the “first team” of UNL Encyclopedia developers. You can apply through the following address: info@undl.org. Selected candidates will be informed by November 15. For those who can afford to attend the International Conference at the Bibliotheca Alexandria, in Alexandria (see www.converbgences03.net ), a first training course for monitors will be provided.

· Invitation to join the UNLD Encyclopedia Endeavor

All UNL Society members are invited to join this endeavor at its ground zero stage. It will be a new, innovative and exciting endeavor. It will also be a learning experience, which requires “sportive spirit”. But, when success is achieved, we will be all very proud of having been part of making it a success.

T. Della Senta Hiroshi Uchida

President of the UNDL Foundation Director of the UNL Center