World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

  Every time you turn on the radio or television, board a plane, call home, go online, use GPS, check the weather, or view satellite images, you use a vital service coordinated by ITU. Tune in to #ITU160 years of tech for humanity and how you are #ConnectedByITU via land, sea, and space! On  May 17th ,  World Telecommunication and Information Society Day , join us for a first-ever light show projected onto the iconic ITU Tower, opposite the United Nations Office at Geneva, as part of Geneva Museum Night . Sixteen slides projected on the 15-storey ITU Tower will show highlights of 160 years of technology for humanity , embodying innovation, countries, organizations and people working together, shared achievements and resilience. You will hear from inspiring speakers as to how they are #ConnectedByITU , from the sea to the sky. How to participate? If you’re in Geneva, come to the Esplanade adjacent to the ITU headquarters buildings , near the Place des Nations. If y...

First established as World Telecommunication Day, the international observance has been held annually on 17 May since 1969. It was formally instituted by the 1973 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Malaga-Torremolinos through Resolution 46. In 2006, it was merged with World Information Society Day to become World Telecommunication and Information Society Day ( WTISD ), reflecting the growing significance of the Internet and digital technologies.  The observance aims to raise awareness of the power of the Internet and other technologies to improve lives and bridge the digital divide . Learn more

  The Partner2Connect Digital Coalition (P2C) is a global alliance launched by ITU in 2021 in cooperation with the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and the UN-OHRLLS . The Coalition provides an open platform for resources, commitments and partnerships to be mobilized with the objective of fostering meaningful connectivity and digital transformation globally, in the hardest-to-connect communities, including those LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS. To date, the coalition has mobilized some 600 pledges coming from over 280 entities around the world, totalling nearly USD 30 billion in value for extending meaningful connectivity, with financial or in-kind commitments addressing key issues like infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital skills, inclusion, and socio-economic transformation. Giga is an ITU - UNICEF  initiative   connecting every school in the world to the Internet , and Connecting every young person to information, opportunity, and choice .  Giga's ...