World Telecommunication and Information Society Day marks the establishment of the International Telecommunication Union on 17 May, 1865.
Since the conclusion of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in November 2005, the World Day has been marked by a high-profile ceremony that includes the presentation of the ITU World Telecommunication and Information Society Award to distinguished laureates for their contribution towards building an inclusive and more equitable Information Society. This year, the awards will focus on eminent personalities for their work in providing ICT opportunities for persons with disabilities, the theme of the celebrations for 2008. Past laureates have included Professor Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank and President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal.
Exceptionally this year, the global ceremony of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day will be held in Cairo, Egypt at the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Centre (CICC) in conjunction with ITU TELECOM AFRICA, the regional ICT showcase and Forum. The ceremony will be webcast live directly from the venue; more information click here.
Following the post-WSIS tradition of the past two years, an extensive programme of events centred on the implementation of WSIS objectives will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, 13−23 May 2008.
The full programme of the celebrations and WSIS cluster of events is available here.
While the global ceremony will be held in Cairo, several countries, ITU Members and Associates will be holding celebrations around the world.
Kaynak : 