World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

Digital technologies have the power to accelerate progress across every sector of society, yet that potential remains out of reach for many. Of the 2.6 billion people still unconnected, the majority are women and girls . The  Gaps in access and affordability of the internet and digital devices , as well as limited digital skills , continue to hinder the participation of women and girls in today’s economy and in shaping tomorrow’s digital solutions . Bridging this divide is essential to unlocking new pathways for economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development . The  World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2025 highlights the pressing need to advance digital gender equality , so that women and girls everywhere can also benefit from and contribute to digital transformation. As the world marks 30 years since the Beijing Platform for Action , WTISD-25 is a critical moment to accelerate collective action that ensures digital transformation delive...

The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) marks the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – the United Nations agency for digital technologies. In 2025, ITU commemorates its 160th anniversary, highlighting ITU's long-standing role in advancing global connectivity and fostering international cooperation . ITU 160: Technology for all and for good From the phone in your hand to the satellites in the sky, ITU – the UN agency for digital technologies – is at the heart of international cooperation that brings the benefits of technology to people everywhere. As ITU observes its 160th anniversary in 2025, we are seizing this moment to shape a better digital future for all. During this anniversary year, we’ll be engaging with all stakeholders on how to connect the unconnected, fast-track sustainable digital development, and empower people to use digital technologies to drive meaningful change . Join us in observing 160 years of advancing global ...

Despite progress, inequality remains a barrier to digital inclusion . According to Facts and Figures 2024 : 70% of men use the Internet globally , compared to 65% of women, a gap that leaves 189 million more men online than women worldwide. While the digital gender gap has narrowed in many developed countries, it has widened in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), where only 29% of women are using the internet compared to 41% of men. Gaps persist not only in access, but also in affordability, digital skills , participation in STEM , and leadership in the tech sector . These gaps not only disadvantage women and girls, they also hinder economic growth, innovation in countries around the world, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .  

The 160 years are not only a milestone for ITU, but a commemoration of the shared progress we’ve made in creating a connected, inclusive world. Watch the message from Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, for ITU's 160th anniversary.

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

  Artificial Intelligence ( AI ), as a strategic technology leading the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, is profoundly reshaping people's work and life. AI can serve as a global public good that benefits humanity. It is important to widely carry out international cooperation in AI , help Global South countries strengthen their technological capacity-building, and to make contributions to bridging the global AI divide. In July 2024, the General Assembly adopted by consensus the UNGA Resolution A/RES/78/311 titled “ Enhancing International Cooperation on Capacity-Building of Artificial Intelligence ” , tabled by China together with the core group. After that, China launched the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All, and initiated, together with Zambia, the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building. These efforts are made to foster broad partnerships, implement the UNGA resolution and t...

  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 ...