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Register now for Special UN event on ICTs and Sustainable
Development
Geneva, 8 July 2016 - A special side event featuring private
and public sector experts will be held during the
High Level Policy
Forum (HLPF) in New York on 15 July 2016. This special side event
will focus on how the spread of information and communication technology (ICT)
and global interconnectedness has the potential to accelerate human progress, to
bridge the digital divide and to develop knowledge societies, especially when
working in tandem with scientific and technological innovations across areas as
diverse as medicine and energy.
“ICTs are vital in driving progress towards achieving each and every one of
the 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” said Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General.
“ICTs can empower billions of individuals around the world – by providing access
to education resources and healthcare, and services such as mobile banking,
e-government and social media, amongst others. We need to be better aware of the
role ICTs can play from inspiration to action to multi-stakeholder engagement
and implementation.”
The high-powered session will focus on three main aspects of ICT-based
empowering solutions for SDGs achievement:
Experts will explore the essential need for multi-stakeholder engagement and
cooperation in light of the still existing barriers to ICT adoption worldwide.
Joint action by policymakers, multilateral organizations, and the ICT sector
will be required to connect the billions of currently unconnected individuals
and to deliver a range of life-enhancing and life-changing services at the
required speed, scale, and complexity needed to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
HOW to register for the side event: please contact Ms Sharon
London@un.org by 13 July
2016 COB.
Passes will be distributed on 15 July at 46St and 1St Avenue (Visitor
Security Entrance) from 12h00 – 12h45.
WHO:
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Chief of Strategic Planning at
International Telecommunication Union
Christopher Lloyd, Vice Chair GeSI Board, Verizon
Jessica Long, Managing Director - Strategy & Sustainability,
Accenture
Julia Burchell, Senior Manager, Insights at GSMA
Isabelle Mauro, Head of Telecommunications, World Economic
Forum
Moderator:
Gary Fowlie, Head, ITU Liaison Office to the United Nations
WHAT: Follow-up and review of ICTs for the Sustainable
Development Goals.
WHEN: 15 July, 1:15-2:30
WHERE:
United Nations Headquarters, 46St and 1St Avenue (for security
clearance) Conference Room #4 – UNHQ
For more information, please contact:
Paul Conneally
Head, Corporate Communications
Division, ITU
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