World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: What is it all about?

Many might not be knowing but it is the ‘World Telecommunication and Information Society Day’ today. This was celebrated as the ‘World Telecommunication Day’ annually ever since May 17, 1969, however, in November 2005 this was renamed to World Information Society Day to focus on the importance of ICT and the wide range of issues related to the Information Society raised by WSIS. But in November 2006, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya, Turkey, decided to celebrate 17 May as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is celebrated to appreciate the technological advancements made in the field of communication, as a result of which millions of us today can stay connected to others from any corner of the world and get information within a span of seconds. And in the current scenario when more than half the world is sitting in homes, the dependency on it and the ease of connecting with others will probably make you realise how much the tech has evolved.

Also read: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: Tips to keep your smartphone safe from hackers, malware

As explained by the United Nations “The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.”

This day is celebrated with a special theme by UNESCO every year. This year’s theme is Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The theme “highlights the ICT 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,” states the United Nations website.