ISLAMABAD: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Tuesday marked the world telecommunication day to focus on the theme “ICT entrepreneurship for social impact”.
World Telecommunications Day celebrates the constant evolution of one of the most important factors of our lives: communication. The main objective of the day was to highlight the importance of communication and how information travels across the world.
It also aims to increase awareness of how crucial communication is in our lives, and stimulate the development of technologies in the field. Each year on May 17 the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of this organisation. 2015 marked the 150th anniversary of the International Telecommunication Union.
ICT entrepreneurs and start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a particularly relevant role in ensuring economic growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner. They are involved in the development of innovative ICT-enabled solutions with a unique potential to make a long-lasting impact in global, regional and national economies and as an important source of new jobs, especially for youth, in the current knowledge economy.
The theme for WTISD-16 is in line with ITU’s work in unlocking the potential of ICTs for young innovators and entrepreneurs, innovative SMEs, start-ups and technology hubs as drivers of innovative and practical solutions for catalysing progress in achieving international sustainable development goals, with a focus on SMEs from developing countries.