ITU Telecom World 2009 In Review the information society,” said Dr Touré. Ms Lu Zhao, a Youth Forum alumnus from the ITU Telecom Asia 2002 event in Hong Kong, China, is an example of how young people are embracing the ICT world. Ms Zhao described how the Youth Forum had changed her life: from living in a city in southwestern China, she has become a programme manager for Microsoft in the United States. “The future is in my hands,” she said. The opening session of the Youth Forum — with the theme “young voices, new visions”, chaired by Reza Jafari, Chairman, ITU Telecom Board, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Eaton International (USA) — featured speeches by ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré, Geneva State Chancellor Robert Hensler, and Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau Sami Al Basheer Al Morshid, Lu Zhao, Programme Manager, Microsoft (USA) and ITU Youth Forum Alumni, Asia Telecom 2002 (China, People’s Rep. of). The colourful opening ceremony, with many young participants wearing their national costumes, was followed by an intense week of discussion and interaction with senior figures in the field of ICT. 163 Youth Forum Summary Report