Distinguished colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,


Greetings and welcome.


Bonjour et bienvenues.


Hola y bienvenidos.


Добро пожаловать.


It is a tremendous pleasure to welcome you this afternoon to the High Level Strategic Dialogue, which comes just ahead of the opening of the fifth World Telecommunication Policy Forum tomorrow morning.


This is a first-rate opportunity to engage in discussions and deliberations on a subject which is very close to my heart – ‘Building our Broadband Future’.


Because we all know, in the 21st century, that broadband will affect everything we do.


Broadband will affect all social and economic sectors, everywhere on the planet.


Broadband will change the world – and I am confident that it will change the world for the better.


Our two sessions this afternoon feature a very exciting line-up of top industry CEOs and policy pioneers. They are here today to share their rich insights into how we can bring the benefits of broadband to all the world’s people – wherever they live and whatever their circumstances – and to focus on how we address key issues of connectivity and affordability.


Let me therefore welcome you, our audience – and let me encourage your very active participation this afternoon.


Without you – and without you actively challenging our speakers – this will not be a real dialogue, or a genuine conversation.


So please speak up and please speak out – we value your important role in helping us to fulfil ITU’s mission to connect the world… with broadband!


Thank you.