Excellency
Distinguished colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening.
I am pleased to add my welcome to the Second Virtual Meeting of the WSIS Forum 2021 Open Consultation Process on the Thematic Aspects, Innovations and Format and thank our co-organisers, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP and our other sister UN Agencies who are facilitating the WSIS Action Lines for their continuous support and collaboration.
It is my great pleasure to welcome H.E. Mr Maxim Parshin, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation the Secretary General, Mr Houlin Zhao has announced as the chairman designate of this year’s Forum.
Thank you excellency for joining us today and we look forward to working closely with you towards a successful WSIS Forum 2021.
The COVID-19 crisis we are in today has illustrated the power and promise of ICTs and has strengthened collaboration and coordination which has been very evident in the WSIS process over the last 12 months which has shown an unprecedented level of active participation across all regions and all stakeholders.
The WSIS Forum is more than ever the global multistakeholder platform for bringing the power of ICTs to facilitating development.
This year, we have already begun the WSIS Forum with a series of virtual activities around this year’s theme of ICTs for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Societies and Economies. These activities will culminate in the final week on 17-21 May.
I am pleased to say we have already received several excellent suggestions in the open consultation on the topics and the format of the Forum so can be sure of a strong commitment and active participation again this year.
This year’s Forum will again feature special tracks such as ICTs and Older Persons, ICTs and Accessibility, ICTs and Youth, and Cybersecurity to name a few. We also have a Hackathon on ICTs and Older Persons in collaboration with the Global Coalition on Aging that focuses on how aging can be enhanced by ICTs, particularly looking at the experience of COVID-19. 18 Winners and 72 Champions of the WSIS Prizes 2021 will be acknowledged and awarded in a final week of the Forum. And this year we will have a special WSIS Prize on ICTs and Older Person.
As you are aware, the WSIS Forum is extra budgetary and it would not be possible without the support of our partners. I am pleased to say we have received some preliminary confirmations of Partnerships and I would like to take this opportunity to thank IEEE and IFIP already confirmed. We look forward to receiving all partnership confirmations soon and would like to thank them all for the trust and faith they have shown in us since the inception.
I wish you a very productive and successful meeting and look forward to your active participation in the WSIS Forum 2021.