World Telecommunication Day: Date, History, Significance, Theme

World Telecommunication Day – Also called as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day – It is celebrated on 17 May annually. The day marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the establishment of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

World Telecommunication Day: 17 May

Message signals may be required to transmit over a distance, and we know this process as Telecommunication. Earlier, smoke signals, drums, semaphore, flags or heliograph were used to communicate messages to distant placed people. With modernization and development of technology the use of electronic devices such as telephones, television, radio or computers became common for telecommunication.

World Telecommunication Day (WTD) is celebrated marking the founding anniversary of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) which was initiated in 1865. WTD is celebrated annually on 17 May. This day was first celebrated in 1969.

The WTD focuses to tone up national policies, fill up the technological differences, promote connectivity, foster global interoperability of systems and to curb on physical distances globally through internet, television, phone etc.

WTD is celebrated to increase awareness about the positives of communication technology among public. It also aims to make information and communication more accessible to people residing in remote and rural areas.

The day is celebrated with a different theme every year. The theme for WTD 1997 was “Telecommunications and Humanitarian Assistance”, for WTD 2005 it was “Time for Action”, for WTD 2006 it was “Promoting Global Cyber-security”, for World Telecommunication Day 2007 it was “Connecting the Youth, the Opportunities of ICT”, for WTD 2008 it was “Connecting persons with disabilities”.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day also focuses on how information travels across the world. Therefore, it is dedicated to the evolution of communication, possibilities of using internet and other information to bridge the digital divide.

Based on fundamental human rights they build people centered, inclusive and development oriented information society. It also highlights how crucial are communication in our lives and stimulate the development of technologies in the field.

Do you know what is Telecommunication?

A communication which is done over a distance by cable, telegraph or broadcasting is known as telecommunication. In other words we can say that it is the transmission of signals, messages, words, writings, images and sounds or any kind of information. Without technology the exchange of information between communication participants is not possible.

Do you know that Communication is derived from the Latin word communicatio which is considered as the social process of information exchange? As, various technologies are involved in communication so, telecommunication is used in the plural form.

What is the purpose of celebrating World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD)?

The main purpose of celebrating World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is to help in raising awareness in generating possibilities of using internet, other information and communication technologies (ICT), bring them to societies and economies and create a way to bridge the digital divide.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: History

World Telecommunication Day commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 17 May, 1865.

On 17 May, 1969 first time World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually, marking the founding of ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. It was instituted by the Plenipotentiary Conference in Malaga-Torremolinos in 1973.

In November 2005, The World Summit on the Information Society called upon the UN General Assembly to declare 17 May as World Information Society Day. In March 2006, the General Assembly adopted a resolution that World Information Society Day shall be celebrated every year on 17 May. Therefore, on 17 May, 2006 first World Information Society Day is celebrated.

In November 2006, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya, Turkey decided to celebrate together World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on 17 May. The theme was adopted by the Council annually and celebrates it by exchanging ideas and methods for making communication better.

We can’t ignore the fact that modernization through the use of telephones, radio and computers has brought people closer. For the development in any field, it is important that information should travel around the globe. Therefore, The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is dedicated to the evolution of communication and how information travels across the world.

Significance:

Every year, World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is observed to promote awareness of the benefits that the usage of the Internet and other ICT may have on society and economies as well as strategies for bridging the digital divide. Some of the key objectives of the event are:

We can’t ignore the fact that modernisation through the use of telephones, radio and computers has brought people closer. For the development in any field, it is important that information should travel around the globe. Therefore, World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is dedicated to the evolution of communication and how information travels across the world.

Theme: