World Telecommunication & Information Society Day: 17 May 2024
- Every year on 17th May, ‘World Telecommunication & Information Society Day’ (WTISD) is organized all over the world.
- The day aims to raise awareness about the significant changes brought about in societies and economies by the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ITC).
- Theme of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2024: “Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development”
History of World Telecommunication Day
- This day is organized as an amalgamation of ‘World Information Society Day’ and ‘World Telecommunication Society Day’.
- ‘World Telecommunication Society Day’ is celebrated every year on 17 May since 1969 to commemorate the establishment of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in the year 1865. It was established by the Plenipotentiary Conference in Málaga-Torremolinas in 1973 as Resolution 46.
- ‘World Information Society Day’ focuses on the importance of ITC and broader issues related to the information society as highlighted by the ‘World Summit on the Information Society’ (WSIS).
- In the year 2006, the United Nations had decided to jointly organize both the days together every year.
About International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- It is an international organization which was established in Paris on May 17, 1865 to regularize and standardize international radio and telecommunication.
- The International Telecommunication Union is the peak United Nations agency for information and communications technology.
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Membership: It has approximately 193 countries as members, as well as various private companies and organizations.
- The main objective of ITU is to promote the global development and use of telecommunications services.
- It deals with standards setting and regulation in areas such as telecommunications, radio frequency spectrum and satellite communications.
- ITU has three main parts – the Radiocommunication Bureau, the Standards Bureau and the Development Bureau.
- ITU regularly organizes the Global Radiocommunication Conference and the Global Telecommunications Standards Conference.
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