Media accreditation is now open for the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2017 (WSIS Forum, 12 - 16 June 2017).

Welcoming an expected 2,500+ international participants, the WSIS Forum 2017 represents the world's largest annual multi-stakeholder gathering of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for development community.

This year's forum will focus on sustainable development trends and inclusive ICT initiatives in key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) priority areas such as health, education, gender empowerment, the environment, infrastructure and innovation.

What:    The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum – WSIS 2017 will focus on ICTs advancing the SDGs. It offers an opportunity for media to meet one-on-one with experts at the forefront of ICT for Development, and to see first-hand the latest advances in this field. WSIS 2017 will include more than 200 specialized workshops and some live events including:

•             WSIS Prizes 2017, which highlight outstanding success in implementing development-oriented strategies around the globe that leverage the power of ICTs in support of the SDGs.

•             Hack for Health, an ICTs for SDGs 'hackathon' focusing on e-health, with all attending coders invited to participate.

•             Virtual Reality for advancing development sessions -- bringing together high-level personalities, world class VR experience and a focus on education.

•             TEDxGeneva at WSIS Forum 2017.

When: 12 – 16 June 2017

Where: ITU headquarters & Geneva International Conference Centre, Switzerland

Who: More than 2,500 participants, including an expected 500 high-level policy-makers from 150+ countries, including government ministers and experts, civil society leaders, academics, business leaders and international organizations

The event is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP.

Media information: UN press accreditation is valid, but UN-accredited media should communicate their intention to attend in order to obtain an event badge. Contact: pressreg@itu.int.

All other media are invited to apply for accreditation online at: bit.ly/WSIS2017-Register

For more information, please see bit.ly/WSIS2017 or contact:

Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell
Senior Media and Communications Officer, ITU
Tel.: +41 22 730 5469
Mobile +41 79 3374615
E-mail: jennifer.ferguson-mitchell@itu.int

For media accreditation questions, please contact:

Rita-Soraya Abino
Corporate Communications, ITU
Tel: +41 22 730 5424
E-mail: Rita-Soraya.Abino@itu.int