Today marks the 50th anniversary of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. This day also marks the 154th anniversary of the ITU, which has since served as the specialized agency of the UN for information and communication technologies.
As stated on the ITU website, the 2019 celebration will call upon stakeholders to focus on:
- The participation of developing countries in ITU’s standards making process
- Empowering local experts in the standardization process
- Promoting the implementation of international standards, especially in developing countries
The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the internet and other prevalent forms of technologies in our societies and economies, and methods to bridge the digital divide. In the past, the day has been centered around the positive use of AI, the impact of big data, ICT entrepreneurship for social impact, telecommunications as a driver for innovation, broadband technology, women and girls in ICT, and the usage of ICTs to promote better lives in rural communities. This year is unique in that it examines the standards that can be coupled with our existing technologies and applications to ensure sustainable progress. As the Secretary General of the ITU noted, the new 5G standards, which will be coupled with AI, can support various applications such as smart cities and self-driving cars. These standards can stimulate innovation and growth, open global markets, and ensure interoperability, all of which are beneficial to all stakeholders. Of course, these standards are especially favorable as they can help accelerate the ICTs to achieve the SDGs.
What are your thoughts on the theme for this year’s World Telecommunication and Information Society Day? What types of standards do you think should be implemented? What do effective standards look like? In which areas should these standards be in, and why? How do you think standards can help achieve the SDGs? Let us know in the comments below.
To learn more about the ITU and the day, please visit https://youtu.be/hgP4IyY33iI
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