To preserve the cultures around the world, three major organisations have joined hands to make traditional stories narrated in native languages available online.
NEW YORK: To preserve the cultures around the world, three major organisations have joined hands to make traditional stories narrated in native languages available online.
The project called 'Our Stories' (www.ourstories.org) would be a joint initiative of UNICEF, One Laptop per Child (OLPC) and Google.
Using laptops, mobile phones and other recording devices, children will record, in their native languages, the stories of elders, family members and friends, UNICEF and its partners said.
The stories will be shared globally through the "Our Stories" web site, where they can be found on a Google Map, they said.
By making the stories accessible around the world, the project hopes to contribute to a better understanding of a "shared humanity" across countries and cultures, they said.
"Information technologies can help young people around the world learn more about each other," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M Veneman.
"Our Stories will promote dialogue across borders and cultures and give young people a voice on a wide range of issues", Veneman added.
Low-cost XO laptops by One Laptop per Child will serve as a foundation to help build this digital archive of personal stories by providing children in developing countries with easy-to-use technology to record their stories and interviews, the partners said.
"One Laptop per Child is very excited about partnering with Google and UNICEF to capture the thoughts and feelings of children and their communities around the world," said Walter Bender of One Laptop per Child.
The "Our Stories" website will initially include stories collected by Brazil's Museum of the Person and stories recorded for UNICEF by young people in Ghana, Pakistan, Tanzania and Uganda, he said.
Elliot Schrage of Google said, "Google as both a company and as a culture loves a good story.
"We're proud to support the Our Stories global initiative and we hope that this collaboration will not just encourage better story-telling but better listening to stories."
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