Continued Investing in youth is investing in the future. The return on investment is measured in opportunities and improved lives of young people, their communities and the ICT sector itself. BDT promotes youth-focused ICT development activities as a major component of its mission to connect the world in line with the WSIS targets. In an increasingly networked world, where youth are not only the beneficiaries but often the driving force behind the latest ICT innovations and practices, ICTs can improve our way of life, how we work, and where we work and live. It is our goal to help open doors for young people to the ever-changing opportunities offered by ICTs -- especially to those who remain unconnected or on the peripheries of the ongoing digital revolution. *Speaker Mr. Sami AL Basheer Al Morshid, Director (ITU-BDT) The telecommunications industry is continuously developing innovative technologies and products that change the way we work and live. Humankind’s capacity to create and to innovate is limitless. And nowhere is this more apparent than in young people. From the classrooms of today will come chief executive officers and entrepreneurs of tomorrow’s telecommunication companies or government leaders. Innovation and creativity are the natural resources on which future prosperity will depend. So it is important for young people to understand the link between human creativity and intellectual property in daily life. What must WIPO do to encourage young people to recognize their own ability to create, to increase understanding of how protecting intellectual property rights helps to foster creativity and innovation, and to raise awareness of the importance in daily life of patents, copyright and trademarks? Speaker Mr Francis Gurry, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) The first Youth Forum was held nine years ago. Hundreds of youth have had their lives changed by the event. One Youth Forum Alumnus shares experiences on the impact of the event on her/his professional life. *Speaker Ms Lu ZHAO, Programme Manager, Microsoft (USA) and ITU Youth Forum Alumnus, ASIA TELECOM 2002 (China, People’s Rep. of) * Confirmed 98