International Council for Film Television and Audiovisual Communication
The International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT) is the UNESCO advisory body on all matters concerned with film, television and new media. Located at UNESCO HQ's in Paris, France, was founded in UNESCO's 10th session of General Conference in 1958. History. Under the chairmanship of Professor Paul Rivet, in 1955, UNESCO organized a series of consultations to further the work of the International Institute of Educational Cinema, which was previously affiliated to the League of Nations. On the occasion of the General Conference of UNESCO, held in  New Delhi in 1958, the project of establishing an International Institute of Cinema and Television was presented by Professor Mario Verdone, Head of the Italian Delegation, and approved. The study was entrusted to Jean Benoit-Levy, filmmaker, honorary director of the United Nations Cinema, assisted by a group of twelve international experts. The Constitutional Charter of ICFT was signed on 23 October 1958. The most important federations and associations working in the field of audiovisuals and media became the founding members of the ICFT. In 1980, with the emergence of new technologies, Professor Enrico Fulchignoni, Director of Artistic and Literary  Creation at UNESCO and President of the ICFT, decided to add audiovisual communication to the missions of the counsel. Since the creation of the ICFT, the presidency has been succeeded by: John Maddison (ISFA), Jean d'Arcy (RTF-UN), Raymond Ravar (CILECT), Mario Verdone (CIDALC), Fred Orain (Production), Enrico Fulchignoni (UNESCO), Gérard Bolla (UNESCO) Christopher Roads (British Library), Jean Rouch (CIFES), Daniel Van Espen (Signis), Pierpaolo Saporito (OCCAM), Jean-Michel Arnold (Camera), Hisanori Isomura (NHK) and Inoussa Ousseini (UNESCO). Mission. The aim of the ICFT is to: The ICFT celebrated its 50th birthday at UNESCO on 23 October 2008. Officers and  Executive Committee. President. Pierpaolo Saporito was chosen as ad interim president after the death of the former President of CICT-ICFT Inoussa Ousseini, Niger's ambassador to UNESCO and former Head of Niger's permanent delegation at UNESCO. Pierpaolo Saporito is also President of the Observatory on Digital Communication Executive committee. The executive committee is elected from member organisations and currently includes representatives of : Manouj Kadaamh. Activities. The principal role of the IFTC is to be the channel to and from UNESCO for all matters relating to film television audiovisual communication and the new media. This includes i) advising UNESCO  on its "Creative Cities of Cinema" program, ii) participating in the planning of UNESCO programmes, iii) being closely associated with UNESCO's Division on "Freedom of Information" within the Culture and Communications sector, iv) carrying out surveys at UNESCO's request, etc. It also organizes festivals (with the award "Prix du CICT"), workshops (e.g. for training the handicapped in audiovisual techniques) and adult education programs, as well as convening debates and meetings for specialists in education, science or culture.