On the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2011, ITU calls upon all stakeholders (policy makers, regulators, operators and industry) to promote the adoption of policies and strategies that will promote ICTs in rural areas to contribute towards a better life.

We invite you to consider organizing programmes in your country to mark WTISD 2011 with a focus on the theme: “Better life in rural communities with ICTs”. It would be useful to involve all sections of society to formulate awareness and consensus on the issues underlying the theme (see the circular letter from ITU Secretary-General  | pdf format - 510kB)

Worldwide

• International Child Helpline Day (Theme: Reaching more children with ICTs)
  May 17, 2011 marks the fourth annual International Child Helpline Day. Child helplines across the globe will celebrate the crucial role of child helplines in child protection. International Child Helpline Day is held in conjunction with World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD), an annual event coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This year’s theme is “Better life in rural communities with ICT’s”, and the CHI network will link to it by celebrating “Reaching more children with Information Communication Technologies (ICTs)”. We live in a rapidly changing world, and ICTs are increasingly becoming children’s primary means of communication. Child helplines are constantly adapting their methods and incorporating new means of communication, to ensure that all children everywhere can get help when they need it. In addition to the more traditional phone lines, many child helplines now also provide online chat services, SMS and text message counselling and even radio to reach all children, and especially those in remote or marginalised areas. Child helplines are often a young person’s first contact with any kind of child protection services, the gateways to a world of help and support. Child helplines allow children to reach out when they need it, in real time and directly, to speak with someone in a safe, trustworthy environment. Toll-free phone lines, online chat rooms, SMS text messages and letter boxes in remote areas provide children with accessible, confidential means to reach out for help. In countries where the child protection system is porous, child helplines often also step up and provide direct interventions, shelter, mediation and rehabilitation services to children and young people reaching out for help. “There is a pressing need for safe, confidential and accessible channels for children to seek help and advice.” ~ Marta Santos Pais, United Nations Special Representatives on Violence Against Children.
  
  Organizer: Child Helpline International
  
  Resources: Flyer [pdf format - 523KB]   |   Press release [pdf format - 63KB]
  
  

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• Net2 Think Tank brainstorming on WTISD theme
  NetSquared celebrates WTISD by busing this year's theme "Better life in rural communities with ICTs" to guide their Net2 Think Tank question for the month of May. Netsquared brainstorms ideas for closing the digital divide for people living in rural areas all around the world. The submission is open until 21 May and the results of the brainstorming will be published online on 23 May. 
  

  Organizer: Netsquared

Africa

• Better Life and Security with ICTs for Children in rural communities
  Forum of the African Children Cyber Safety Initiative (ACCSI) to highlight the importance of ICTs to children in the rural areas of Africa. Are girls and boys in the rural communities really living their dreams? How can children in the rural areas tap into the benefits of ICTs? The forum will create awareness on how a better future for children in the rural areas must include ICTs, online protection and safe access to computers and other resources. Jidaw Systems in conjunction with the African Information Security Association (AISA) will also hold a special session on “Better life and Security in rural communities in Africa with ICTs” during the FREE IT Career Seminar on May 14, 2011. The special session will examine how to harness the power of ICTs for rural growth. It will also look at the security dimensions of the rural-urban divide, identify challenges widening the divide, share ICT knowledge and experiences and recommend practical solutions for closing the gap. The forums are open to the public and all key stakeholders are invited. Interested participants need to register before the events through the Jidaw office.
  

  Organizer: Jidaw Systems in conjunction with the African Information Security Association (AISA)

• Text to Change
  Text to Change (TTC) is an award winning, non-profit organization, which was founded in 2007 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. TTC has led the way in using mobile telephony to promote awareness of humanitarian and health-related issues in Africa; it operates in collaboration with NGOs, mobile network operators and other partners in the public and private sector - in countries across the developing world. TTC is specialized in interactive and incentive based SMS programs in rural areas targeting health issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, reproductive health and other emerging development issues. 
  
  Organizer: Text to Change
  
  Resources: How does it work? [jpg format - 108 KB]  |  Presentation [PowerPoint format - 574 KB]

Americas

• Social Media and Public Health Festival
  Festival de Redes Sociales y Salud Pública
  The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) held the first Global Internet Day. Some 400 people connected through different Internet platforms discussed the use of social media to promote health in the Americas. The objective of the Social Media and Public Health Festival, transmitted live via Internet and followed through Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Elluminate, was to stress the importance of the Internet and social media in improving aspects of public health. It also sought to bring PAHO closer to social media users to inform them about issues such as chronic noncommunicable diseases and strengthen the Organization’s position in the information society.
  
  La Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud (OPS/OMS) celebró por primera vez el Día Mundial de Internet, con unas 400 personas conectadas a través de distintas plataformas de Internet que debatieron sobre la utilización de las redes sociales en la promoción de temas de salud en las Américas. El objetivo del Festival de Redes Sociales y Salud Pública, transmitido en vivo por Internet y seguido a través de Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin y Elluminate, fue promover la importancia de Internet y las redes sociales para mejorar los aspectos de salud pública. También buscó acercar a la OPS a los usuarios de redes sociales para informarles sobre temas como las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles y promover la posición de la organización en la sociedad de información.
  

  Organizer: Pan American Health Organization
  
  Resources: Press release [English  |  Español]

Caribbean

• 5th Annual WTISD Essay Competition
  

  World Telecommunication and Information and Society Day (WTISD) spearheaded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will be observed on Tuesday the 17th of May 2011. To commemorate this occasion the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organization (CANTO) based in Trinidad & Tobago will stage its 5th- Annual World Telecommunications Information Society Day- Essay Competition under the theme: “Better life in rural communities with ICTs”. Students from the ages of 15 to 17 are invited to write a 600 word essay expressing the pros and cons and or general awareness of children in cyberspace. The competition will be staged throughout the Caribbean region among active member countries of CANTO. Entries received on or before May 2nd of 2011 will be forwarded to a panel of experts in the field of telecommunications and education to be judged on creativity, organization, mechanics and educational & technical merit.

  Organizer: Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication Organization (CANTO)
  
  Resources: Press release [word format - 337 KB]  |  Poster [jpg format - 95 KB]

Europe

• Rural Inclusion in Spain, Greece, France, Ireland and Latvia
  Rural Inclusion aims at adopting a state-of-art infrastructure (i.e. modeling approach and software environment) that will facilitate the offering of innovative services by public administration in rural areas. More specifically, the objective is to address a longstanding challenge by public administrations: reducing the administrative burden of enterprises in rural areas, by reducing the information elicitation process of businesses when they want to use a particular instance of some public service, or making more effective use of the resources. To achieve this, Rural Inclusion adopts, adapts, and deploys a Web infrastructure combining semantic services with a collaborative training and networking approach, in the rural setting of five European regions. It focuses on selected case studies of e-Government services that regional public authorities already offer, supports them by a rigorous and reusable service process analysis and modeling, and then deploys a semantic service that facilitates the disambiguation of the small businesses needs and requirements when trying to use the particular services. At the same time, the semantic service is complemented by a number of other Web-based services that support the creation of communities of learning and practice in rural settings, thus facilitating the communication between the rural businesses with the regional public authorities.

  
  Organizer: led by ATOS Origin S.A.
  
  Resources: Poster [jpg format - 315 KB]  |  Brochure 1 [jpg format - 238 KB]  |   Brochure 2 [jpg format - 289 KB]

Algeria

• Conférence pour le thème "Mieux vivre dans les communautés rurales grâce aux technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC)"
  Cette conférence a eu lieu le mardi 17 mai 2011 à 9h00 au Grand Cyber El-Fouara située sur l’avenue 8 mai 1945 au centre ville de Sétif.
  

  Organizer: Algérie Télécom de Sétif
  

Antigua and Barbuda

• National activities aimed at implementing this year's theme: "Better life in rural communities with ICTs"
  Antigua and Barbuda national activities include:

  1. Launch Community Computer Access Centres (CACs) at two local high schools (the Antigua Girl's High School and the Clare Hall Secondary School).

  2. Roll-out the newest component of the Connect Antigua and Barbuda Initiative: Technology for Education 20/20/li>

  3. Launch a free Internet service in the rural community of Yorks, in partnership with the private sector concern, Digicel, and as part of its own "Technology for Communication, Education and Empowerment" initiative.
     
     

Organizer: Government of Antigua and Barbuda

Bangladesh

• Online Essay Competition
  BSCCL is hosting an Online Essay Competition to commemorate the WTISD 2011. Essays on the same topic as the theme of WTISD 2011 ("Better Life in Rural Communities with ICTs") have been called from the students of the schools, colleges and universities in English and Bangla (the native language). The participants will be awarded with Laptops for the best three from each of the two groups.
  
  Organizer: Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd. (BSCCL)
  
  

• Robi Krishok: An Online Agri Solution for Rural farmers
  
  Access to information is still a big challenge for the rural communities, specially for the rural farmers. BIID in collaboration with Robi Axiata Ltd., (a leading telecom service provider in Bangladesh) developed an online solution to serve the farmers and link them directly to the agri-expert(s) to avail immediate response on various queries. Farmers living in the rural areas can avail this service by visiting telecentres or any internet points available at their nearest locations.
  
  Organizer: Bangladesh Institute of ICT in Development (BIID)
  
  Resources: Flyer [jpg format - 204KB]
  
  
  

• Seminar on Better life in rural communities with ICTs: Role of Community Radio
  The main objective of the seminar is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of 'Community Radio' can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide in Bangladesh in line with the theme "Better life in rural communities with ICTs". The workshop will stimulate reflection and exchange of ideas and will produce a report reflecting national discussions on the issues related to the theme. The report will serve as a feedback to Community Radio Initiators and Policy Makers
  
  Organizer: Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)
  
  Resources: Seminar outline [pdf format - 114KB]
  

Benin

• Celebration of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day by IRGIB’s ICT engineering students
  Célébration de la journée Mondiale des Télécommunications et de la Société de l’Information par les élèves ingénieurs en TIC de l’IRGIB
  
  The purpose of the celebration is to create a framework for exchange and guidance in the sphere of ICT in general and the information society in particular. This will be done through the communication of information, presentations and hands-on learning experiences. Proposed content: message from the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), messages from authorities, communications relating to telecommunications, the information society and open-source applications, hands-on learning with open-source tools, cocktails and lunch.
  L'objectif de la célébration est de créer un cadre d’échange et d’orientation dans le domaine des T.I.C en général et de la société de l’information en particulier. A travers des communications, des présentations et des apprentissages pratiques. Proposition de contenu : Message du Secrétaire Général de l’Union International des Télécommunications (U.I.T), messages des autorités, communications dans le domaine des télécommunications, communications dans le domaine de la société de l’information, communications sur les applications Open Source, apprentissage pratique des outils du libre, cocktail et déjeuner. 
  
  
  Organizer: Collectif des élèves ingénieurs en T.I.C de l’IRGIB-AFRICA
  
  Resources: Proposition de contenu [MSWord format - 144 MB]   |  Poster [jpg format 103KB]
  

Bolivia

• Semana de las Telecomunicaciones
  Segunda edición que celebramos en la Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno en Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, del Día mundial de las Telecomunicaciones y de la Sociedad de la Información. En esta ocasión la expandimos a una semana con conferencias, vídeos, charlas, etc.
  
  Organizer: UAGRM - Carrera de Ingeniería Informática, Ingeniería de Sistemas e Ingeniería en Redes y Telecomunicaciones

Brunei Darussalam

• ICT Rural Outreach Programme (iROP) and other activities (Source: Brunei Times)
  Brunei will join other International Telecommunication Union member countries in marking the event on May 17, to celebrate the achievements and progress ICT had made to improve lives. The launching of WTISD 2011 will be held at Dewan Belalong in Bangar, Temburong, which is the pilot site for the ICT Rural Outreach Programme (iROP) implemented earlier this year, according to a press release from The Authority for Information Technology Industry (AITI). There will be an exhibition showcasing the activities of the iROP project which was introduced to narrow the digital divide in rural areas. Four companies under Infocomm Federation of Brunei, namely Infomars Training & Technology Solutions, ZimacSilicon Technologies, Tech One Global Ltd and Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru), will take part in the display. Residents in Temburong will also showcase their local products which would be available online for trade upon completion of the ICT Rural Outreach Programme.
  
  Organizer: Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry of Brunei-Darussalam (AITI)

Cameroon

• Empowering of rural deaf school with ict tools
  The initiatve involves the provision of computers and mobile telehopnes as well as voice calculators to the school of the deaf and visually impared in the rural school in Bamenda. The school is managed by the Cameroon Baptist Convention.
  
  Organizer: Charmers media and communication consults (AITI)

China

• World Telecommunication and Information Society Day – Hong Kong 2011
  The Communications Association of Hong Kong (CAHK) will launch a series of programs to celebrate the 5th anniversary of WTISD-HK in 2011. The working partners this year are the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) and Pui Ching Academy (PCA). The series of activities for 2011 will include Creating Mobile Applications for Smart Phones Competition (Proposal), Mobile Phone Software Application Competition (Finished Product), Geo-caching Hunting Competition, 2011 CAHK Trophy - ICT Quiz Competition, Writing Competition and ICT Open Day. All activities and prize presentation to winners will be scheduled on the ceremony launch day 14 May, 2011.
  
  Organizer: Communications Association of Hong Kong
  
  Resources: Poster [jpg format - 800KB]

Colombia

• Harnessing the benefits of the free virtual media offered by the Internet in order to create ecological awareness to help enhance our quality of life
  Aprovechamiento de los medios virtuales gratis que nos presenta internet creando una conciencia ecológica para fortalecer el paradigma de la calidad de vida
  
  On the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, La Presentación College in Duitama (Boyacá, Colombia) is organizing a series of events from 16 to 21 May around the theme: “Harnessing the benefits of the free virtual media offered by the Internet in order to create ecological awareness to help enhance our quality of life”. The events will include: a physical exhibition, reading of and participation in students’ blogs, participation in the national short stories competition, participation in EDUCARED’s live book, a virtual exhibition, participation in the HUBOO video competition, teleconferences, etc.
  
  Con ocasión del Día Mundial de las Telecomunicaciones y de la Sociedad de la Información, el Colegio La Presentación de Duitama (Boyaca, Colombia) organiza una serie de eventos del 16 al 21 de mayo en torno al tema: "Aprovechamiento de los medios virtuales gratis que nos presenta internet creando una conciencia ecológica para fortalecer el paradigma de la calidad de vida". La celebración incluye: exposición física, lectura y participación en los blogs de los estudiantes, participación en el concurso nacional de cuentos, participación en el libro vivo de EDUCARED, exposición virtual, participación en el concurso de vídeos de HUBOO, teleconferencias, etc.
  
  Organizer: Colegio La Presentación - Duitama
  
  Resources: Programa [MSWord format - 1094KB]

Croatia

• The Beginning of Telecommunications
  An event will be held on 17 May at the Technical museum in Zagreb to inform about WTISD's goals and history and the first telecommunication devices such as the Morse electrical telegraph. There will be demonstrations on the use of LM Ericsson's first electric telegraph TA 100 (still in working condition).
  
  Organizer: Technical museum Zagreb
  
  
  The first electrical telegraph still in working condition
  

El Salvador

• Día de Internet 2011
  One complete week (16-21 May) of conferences, contests, free Internet access, video game contests, workshops, LAN Party, and much more, in more than 15 different sites (Universities, hotels, cibercafes, etc.)
  
  Organizer: Asociación Conexión and Asociación SVNet
  
  Resources:
  Programme [jpg format - 823KB]
  Flyer [jpg format - 219KB]
  Poster LAN Party [jpg format - 544KB]
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Haiti

• Haiti Telecom 2011
  Conferences and debates on 17 and 18 May 2011 around the theme "Better life in rural communities with ICTs":
  - The role of GESTE-HAITI in the promotion of ICTs in Haiti
  - Haiti: a Wireless Country on 2015
  - ICTs Telecommunications 'quid'? Expansion / ICTs and users in Haiti
  - E-Learning for rural communities
  - E-commerce, a new economic growth for Haiti
  - ICTs in Haiti's reconstruction
  
  Conférences et débats le 17 et 18 mai 2011 autour du thème "Mieux vivre dans les communautés rurales grâce aux TIC" :
  - Le rôle de GESTE-HAITI dans la promotion des TIC en Haiti
  - Haïti: un pays sans fil en 2015
  - TIC, Telecommunications quid? Expansion / les TIC et leurs utilisateurs haitiens
  - E-Learning pour les communautés rurales
  - E-commerce, Une nouvelle croissance économique pour Haïti
  - Les TIC dans la reconstruction d’Haiti
  
  Organizer: GESTE-HAITI
  
  Resources: Flyer [jpg format - 1526KB]
  

Ghana

• Flag hoisting ceremony in commemoration of WTISD
  Celebration with the participation of all stakeholders, policy makers, regulators, telecommunication operators, private investors and industry, to come together to promote the adoption of policies and strategies that will promote better life in rural communities with ICTs.  Mr. Ernest Attuquaye Armah, Deputy Minister for Communications, stressed the need to employ enabling capacities of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of life in rural communities. He said declaration of the World Summit on Information Society should be a common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development oriented information society, where everyone can create, access, utilise and share information and knowledge. In addition, individuals, communities and people can achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving quality of life.
  
  Organizer: Government of Ghana
  

India

• Better life in rural communities with ICTs, Amravati Local Centre
  Prof. Ram Meghe Institute of Technology & Research will celebrate World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on 17 May 2011 at Badnera Amravati, India. The keynote speaker will be Principal Dr. Bodhe (Pune) and participants will include engineering students from faculties of the engineering college.
  
  Organizer: The Institution of Engineers (India) Amravati Local Centre
  
  

• Celebration of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, Gujarat State Centre
  The Celebration of this program is organized jointly by the Institution of Engineers (India), Gujarat State Centre, with IEEE, Computer Society of India, and The Institution of Electronnics and Telecommunicaiton Engineers, Gujarat. The program will be held at IEI venue: Bhaikaka Bhavan, Law College Road, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The dignitaries shall be Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Technological University, The Director DECU (ISRO) and others from SBI and GCMMF (AMUL), who have played a massive role in improving the lives in the rural masses.
  
  Organizer: The Institution of Engineers (India) Gujarat State Centre
  
  

• Celebration of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day in Pune
  Enduring the tradition, MITSOT hosts its third World Telecom Day Celebration on 17th May, 2011 at MIT Campus, Pune. The focus will be: “To ensure that ICTs will contribute to a better future for our rural populations”. World Telecom Day Celebration on 17th May, 2011 is an opportunity through a forum for industry and academia to shed light on key issues and exchange thoughts and ideas on emerging businesses. It is structured as a half day conference featuring speakers on ICT in education, agriculture and healthcare. Eminent Personalities from the world of telecommunications will address and share their views about the scope of ICT in the Indian context. The concluding session will take stock of what could be the action plan and the opportunity for industry and academia to work together and set an agenda.
  
  Organizer: MIT School of Telecom Management
  
  Resources: Invitation [MSWord format - 32KB]
  
  

• 43rd World Telecommunication and Information Society Day Celebration in Pune
  Conference and discussion around the theme "Better life in rural communities with ICTs" on 17 May at 18:30 hours at Firodia Hall, Institution of Engineers (India), Shivajinagar, Pune-05.
  
  Organizer: IEEE Pune Section and IE(I) Pune Local Chapter
  
  Resources: Invitation [Pdf format - 97KB]




• First Rajasthan State IT Convention on Better Life in Rural Communities with ICTs and World Telecommunication and Information Society Day Celebration
  This convention will be helpful in bridging the gap between the rural community and research in the developing countries, and provide a forum to researchers from different parts of the world to:

  • Propose new technologies, share their experiences and discuss future solutions for design and delivery of information and communication technology services for rural community

  • Provide common platform for eminent experts, faculty members, students, working professionals, farmers, and fishermen and research scholars to share their views and achievements.

  • Enrich technocrats, academicians and managers for presenting their innovative and constructive ideas.

  • Focus on innovative issues at international level by bringing together the experts from different countries.

   
  Organizer: Computer Society of India, Udaipur Chapter - SIG-WNs - SIG-e-Agriculture, CSI - The Institution of Engineers (India), ULC -  Sunrise Group of Institutions, Udaipur - Department of CSE, CTAE, Udaipur
  
  Resorces: Brochure [pdf format - 370KB]

• 5th National Telecom Awards
  
  Over the last five years, theCMAI National Telecom Awards are the most sought after and prestigious industry awards meant to identify, acknowledge, and recognize outstanding contributions in the field of telecommunications and ICT. They are known to provide greater encouragement and impetus to the players for their contribution in building a robust National Telecom Network and providing an effective means of communication. The awards will be presented on 17th May 2011 at Siri Fort, New Delhi along with celebration of World Telecommunications & Information Society Day, which marks the anniversary of the signature of the first international Telegraph Convention in 1865 and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union. CMAI is a National Apex Association of India with over 8,500 members and 50 International MoU partners.
  
  Organizer: CMAI Association Of India (Communication Multimedia and Infrastructure)
  
  
  

• Roundtable: "The Role of Information Technology in Rural and Agriculture Development"
  On the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, the United Nations Club in Lucknow, India, will organize a roundtable along with an exhibition depicting the wide gamut of UN activities in the field of telecommunications. The topic of the roundtable discussion will be “The Role of Information Technology in Rural & Agriculture Development” with a special focus on the State of Uttar Pradesh, where per capita income and agriculture output is low in comparison to other States of India. Participants will  include eminent personalities of Lucknow in their respective fields, media representatives, and some educational institutions.
  
  Organizer: United Nations Club of Lucknow
  
  

• Theme lecture on "Better life in rural communities with ICTs" in Gujarat
  
  Organizer: Institution of Engineer (India) Gujarat, IEEE Communications Society, Gujarat, Computer Society of India, Gujarat and Institution of Telecommunications and Electronics Engineers, Gujarat
  
  Resources: Program [jpg format - 53KB] |  Invitation [jpg format - 77KB]
  
  
  

• Youth Quiz and Debate on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
   
  The event will be in line with WTISD's goal of raising 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. The event will be organized along with CMAI who is organizing a 5th National Telecom Award on the same evening. Young professionals and students will participate in the event by giving their short 30 second taughts on the theme ‘Better life in rural communities with ICTs’. A quiz program will also be organized on topical questions so that participants can give their answers on the spot through SMS. The winner will be given a surprise gift. All young participants will get a certificate of participation and a badge and they will be able to interact with ministers, government officials and industry leaders. Participation is free of cost.
  
  Organizer: ITU-APT Foundation's Young Professionals and Students Forum and CMAI
  
  Resources: Flyer [jpg format - 525 KB]
  

Iraq

• Beyond Internet Freedoms: E-governance in Iraq
  On May 16, 2011, marking the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD 2011), the Kurdistan Regional Government Department of Information Technology (KRG-IT) and the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) hosted a conference at the KRG-Information Technology Academy (ITA), in Erbil, on the Government Responses to the Global Transparency Imperative. A hands-on training followed on May 17, 2011. Bringing together policy makers and implementers, local government, civil society, and the media, the conference aimed at considering how to best use information technology (IT) to promote transparent and efficient governance. Discussion and debate highlights included: 1) the ongoing international debate occurring at all societal levels regarding the relationship between technology and transparency; 2) the belief that democracies function better and national economies are stronger when government policy supports Internet freedoms; and 3) how Internet freedom is unattainable and e-Governance impossible unless officials understand the principles and tools of digital communication technology.  
  
  Organizer: Department of Information Technology, Kurdistan Regional Government, Iraq and the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX)
  
  Resources: Agenda  [pdf format - 133KB]
  

Japan

• 43rd Celebration for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
  World Telecommunication and Information Society Day was established to commemorate both the foundation on 17 May 1865 of the International Telegraph Union, which was the predecessor of the ITU, and the World Summit on the Information Society held in 2003 and 2005. Every year, ITU-AJ holds a ceremony to celebrate this anniversary.
  
  Organizer: The ITU Association of Japan, Inc
  
  
  42nd celebration for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day in 2010 in Japan