From a philosophical point of view, free software defends freedom and equal access to new technologies. Free software provides users with the ability to translate, improve, and adapt software for their own needs. In fact, “free software contributes to ensuring the protection of local cultures, multilingualism, the development and conservation of information” ( UNESCO, 2002 ).

To this end, UNESCO’s position should certainly be emphasized:

“UNESCO has always encouraged the extension and dissemination of knowledge and recognizes that in the field of software, free software disseminates this knowledge in ways that proprietary software does not allow. UNESCO also recognizes that the development of free software encourages solidarity, cooperation and community work between developers and users of new technologies. ”( UNESCO, 2002 ).

UNESCO has set up a specialized portal on free software: UNESCO Free Software Portal and is involved in the FSD (Free Software Directory) project, the aim of which is to offer a catalog of free software that runs on operating systems. free.

Thus, the free software community contributes to the fight against inequalities and to the development, throughout the world, of the independence of users of new technologies.