World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD) is celebrated every year on May 17 to raise awareness about the importance of the internet and other means of information and communication in bringing the world closer.
Theme for the year 2020: “Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
The theme highlights the ICT (information and communication technologies) advances for transition to smart and sustainable development. It will focus on specific ICT-enabled solutions and emerging trends for fostering economic, environmental and social sustainability.
Key Points:
i.The Connect 2030 Agenda is a shared global vision for the development of the telecommunication/ICT sector, under its five strategic goals – Growth, Inclusiveness, Sustainability, Innovation and Partnership.
ii.The SDGs recognize that the spread of information and communications technology and global interconnectedness has great potential to accelerate human progress and to bridge the digital divide.
iii.WTD: World Telecommunication Day (WTD) has been celebrated annually on May 17 since 1969, marking the founding of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. It was instituted by the Plenipotentiary Conference in Malaga-Torremolinos in 1973 as Resolution 46.
iv.WISD: In November 2005, the World Summit on the Information Society called upon the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare May 17 as World Information Society Day (WISD) to focus on the importance of ICT and the wide range of issues related to the Information Society raised by WSIS.
v.The General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/60/252) in March 2006 stipulating that World Information Society Day shall be celebrated every year on May 17.
vi.WTISD: In November 2006, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya, Turkey, decided to celebrate both events on May 17, as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD).
About ITU:
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), originally the International Telegraph Union, is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that is responsible for issues that concern information and communication technologies. It is the oldest global international organization.
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland.
Secretary-General– Houlin Zhao.
