7 The Digital Cities conference will provide a unique opportunity to engage in debate with leading urban stakeholders on the connected future of our cities. The technical symposium will offer first-hand insights from digital experts on the developments shaping the future of networks and services. And there will be many opportunities for delegates to join in, pitch their own ideas and innovations, network, ask leading questions, vote on and explore our competition entries. Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to Geneva for ITU Telecom World 2011- a landmark event for many reasons. 2011 marks 40 years of ITU Telecom events connecting leading industry and political stakeholders, providing a unique platform for debate on critical issues around ICTs and their global role. So how can we best mark this milestone? Naturally, by reflecting on all that the growth of ICTs has achieved and enabled since 1971. But let’s look forward too, at the potential impact of connected technologies throughout the world, and how they can be leveraged to deliver lasting social, economic and environmental benefits. This week we will actively participate in forum debates on the issues dominating the global industry agenda, via targeted workshops, interactive sessions and more. I also welcome heads of state, members of the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission for Digital Development and key industry players for the Broadband Leadership Summit. I look forward to an action- packed agenda this week. And to a week where we can take the high-quality debates, ideas and questions shared by our global community and build recommendations on how ICTs can bring about real global change for the benefit of all peoples, everywhere –a Manifesto for a connected world. Together, let’s make a difference. Message from ITU Secretary-General