———~

Tren; united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization
| { | organisation des nations unies pour I’éducation, la science et la culture

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—————_ Organizacion de las naciones unidas para la educacion, la ciencia y la cultura

7, place de Fontenoy,
75700 PARIS

telephone: national (1) 45.68. 10,00

telegrams: Unesco Paris

telex: 204461 Paris

A 270602 Paris

fe telefax: 45.67.1690 seen

The Director-General pe 1993

reference: DG/2.3/1834 me -4 OCT 1993

 

Dear Dr Lederberg,

Like many others, | am very much preoccupied by the growing isolation
of scientists who come from developing countries, Eastern Europe and the
former Soviet Union, and whose intellectual contacts with the world scientific
community have been severed.

Modern communication technology could allow us to alleviate this
problem. | am thinking about the feasibility of establishing a UNESCO scientific
channel. Using satellites, it would deliver the lectures and other communications
prepared by world-renowned scientists to universities all over the world, but
particularly to those in developing countries, Eastern Europe and the former
Soviet Union. | believe that such a delivery system, if mounted quickly, could be
of great importance to the future of world science.

i would be most grateful to receive your comments and advice about
pursuing this idea. What kind of structure, what body might determine the
channel's programming? What are the possible sources of funding (this is not
that cheap an exercise)? And whatever else would be useful to discuss.

With thanks in advance for your consideration, | am

Yours sincerely,

Federico Mayor

Dr Joshua Lederberg
President-Emeritus
Rockefeller University
1230 York Avenue
Box 400

NEW YORK, NY 10021
USA

international + (33.1) 45.68.1000