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President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, President Park
Geun-hye of Republic
of Korea and entrepreneur Carlos Slim
receive World Telecommunication and Information Society Award
Broadband and ICTs for post-2015 Sustainable Development agenda
Geneva, 16 May 2014 – ITU presented the World
Telecommunication and Information Society Award to three eminent personalities:
Mr Paul
Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda; Ms Park Geun-hye,
President of the Republic of Korea; and Mr
Carlos Slim,
Chairman, Grupo Carso and President of the Carlos Slim Foundation. The three
laureates were honoured in recognition of their leadership and dedication
towards promoting ICTs and broadband connectivity as a means of achieving
sustainable development.
Welcoming the laureates to the World Telecommunication and Information
Society Day ceremony, ITU
Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré said, “Our distinguished
laureates this year are among the greatest champions of ICT in the world. They
have supported our work with tremendous zeal, and together we have accomplished
a lot – particularly in highlighting the key role ICTs play in the global
economy as well as in leveraging sustainable development.”
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2014 marks the 149th
anniversary of the establishment of ITU, which was founded in Paris on 17 May
1865. The theme for this year, ‘Broadband for Sustainable Development’ brings
attention to the catalytic role of ICTs in securing smart solutions to achieve
economic growth, social inclusion and environmental balance – the three pillars
of sustainable development in the post-2015 era.
“ICTs are powerhouses of the global economy, offering solutions for
sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity,” said
United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message to mark World
Telecommunication and Information Society Day. “Broadband networks provide smart
eco-friendly solutions to manage booming cities and transport systems; enhance
efficiency for manufacturing industries and power generation; conduct
long-distance diagnosis and treatment for patients in remote locations; and
promote innovative educational applications for students around the world.”
“Broadband connectivity is a critical element today in ensuring that ICTs are
used as effective delivery vehicles for health, education, governance, trade and
commerce in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic growth,” said ITU
Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré. “We must commit ourselves in the service of
humanity to make broadband the central element of the post-2015 sustainable
development agenda.”
Dr Touré added: “The right to communication is central to the information
society; it is a key principle for equitable, affordable and universal access to
information and knowledge that in turn empowers people to meet their aspirations
and achieve their development goals.”
The Award ceremony was followed by a high-level round-table discussion on how
broadband connectivity and ICTs can be harnessed to meet the post-2015
sustainable development agenda.
ITU celebrates 150 years in 2015
The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day ceremony ended with a
call to celebrate
ITU’s 150th anniversary in 2015.
“As ITU approaches its 150th anniversary next year, let us work together to
bridge the digital divide and harness the power of technology to create a better
and more sustainable future for all,” United Nation Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon
said.
WTISD
photos
For more information, please see
www.itu.int/en/wtisd/Pages/default.aspx or contact:
Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information,ITU
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