Watch the video highlighting BDT's work on the Kigali Action Plan.

Join us for an inspiring ITU160 Talk on April 24, 2025, at ITU Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, celebrating Girls in ICT Day. Monika Gehner and Arianna Dilauro from ITU will kick off the event with an introduction.

Watch an engaging Auto Complete interview on Girls in ICT, featuring ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan-Martin and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN, Christian Guillermet Fernández. They will answer questions from students Manon Grivotet (Ferney-Voltaire high school) and Manon Wolniak (lycée in Saint-Genis-Pouilly).

#GirlsInICT #DigitalInclusion #ITU160 #EmpowerHer #digitaltransformation

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary-General, delivers a video message for World Telecommunication & Information Society Day (WTISD) 2025, observed on May 17.

This year's theme, "Closing the gender digital divide unlocks opportunity for all," highlights the critical need for digital gender equality. WTISD 2025 aims to ensure women and girls globally can benefit from and contribute to digital transformation.

For more information, visit: www.itu.int/wtisd

The Regional Preparatory Meeting for WTDC-25 for CIS was held from April 24-25, 2025, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

This meeting was preceded by the Regional Development Forum on April 23.

Tobias Kaufmann (WTPF-26 IEG Vice Chair) and Gretchen Bueermann (WTPF-26 secretariat) discuss preparations for the 2026 World Telecommunications ICT Policy Forum. WTPF-26 will address five priorities: bridging digital divides, green digital transformation, ICT resilience, space connectivity, and strengthening ICT innovation ecosystems.

Kaufmann highlights how these topics address global needs and challenges, emphasizing WTPF's role in fostering inclusive dialogue, sharing best practices, and shaping a shared vision for an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient digital future.

Read the draft report and participate in the open consultation: Draft Report | Open Consultation.

Stay informed about BDT's global initiatives. Access the latest highlights here: https://www.itu.int/itu-d/sites/bdt-highlights/

Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU Telecommunications Bureau, acknowledged a month of impactful, human-centric digital development achievements. He highlighted progress in bridging the digital gap and accelerating sustainable digital transformation.

This 90-minute dialogue connects young women in ICT with accomplished female leaders in the space industry. The session will explore career journeys, opportunities, and provide vital insights for the next generation.

Two moderators, potentially from the ITU Youth Advisory Council, SGAC, or SEDS, will conduct interviews with featured speakers. Patricia Cooper will emcee the event, which includes a Davos-style panel discussion and an audience Q&A.

The Regional Preparatory Meeting for WTDC-25 for Africa took place in Nairobi, Kenya, from April 8-9, 2025.

This event was preceded by a Regional Development Forum held on April 7.

The session "Bridging the digital skills divide" will take place on Tuesday, 17 September 2024, from 14:00 – 15:15. It addresses the critical lack of digital knowledge and skills, a primary barrier to Internet use and closing the digital divide.

The discussion will explore the needs of specific groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, farmers, and women in rural communities, who face significant usage gaps. Experts will highlight intergenerational skill disparities and present successful digital initiatives.

The session aims to identify concrete actions, solutions, and tools for inclusive digital capacity development, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The U4SSC Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a recognized UN standard guiding cities toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adopted by over 200 cities globally, this comprehensive framework helps communities assess and enhance their smartness and sustainability, prioritizing people-centred solutions for citizen well-being.

These KPIs empower cities to become more innovative and responsive to inhabitants' needs. Discover more: https://u4ssc.itu.int/

The 2nd SDG Digital GameChangers Award recognized organizations using digital solutions to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ceremony took place during SDG Digital on September 20, 2024.

Participants showcased innovative digital applications, demonstrating practical ways technology can help achieve the Global Goals.

Find out more: https://www.itu.int/initiatives/sdgdigital2024/award/about/

Mei Lin Fung, Chair and Co-Founder of the People Centered Internet, was interviewed at the Global Symposium for Regulators 2024 (GSR-24) in Kampala, Uganda (1-4 July). A Singaporean based in Silicon Valley, Fung previously worked at Intel and Oracle.

She also convenes the Informal Network for Digital Collaboration and Diplomacy, initially chaired by Vint Cerf and now by Dr. Nele Loesk, Estonia's Ambassador for Digital Affairs. For more information, visit www.itu.int/gsr. #ITUGSR

Timothy Grosser, Partner, International Development at EY, discussed Digital Public Goods (DPGs) at the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event 2024 in Geneva. DPGs are free cultural works—software, data, AI models, standards, or content—aimed at fostering sustainable digital development globally.

Held from May 27-31, 2024, the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event commemorated two decades since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) established a global framework for digital cooperation, aiming to build inclusive, people-centric information societies.

Dr. Thomas Coughlin, 2024 President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), was interviewed at the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event in Geneva, Switzerland. IEEE is a worldwide membership organization.

The WSIS+20 Forum, held May 27-31, 2024, commemorates two decades since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) established a global framework. This initiative promotes inclusive, people-centric information societies through digital cooperation.

The WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 27-31, 2024. This significant forum convened for crucial discussions.

This summary provides highlights from Day 1 of the event. For more information, follow #wsis.

Dr. Hyoung Jun Kim, Vice-Chair of the Network of Women (NoW) in ITU-T, also serves as Chair of ITU-T Study Group 20 and a Research Fellow at ETRI, South Korea.

He discusses the importance of NoW and outlines his vision for its future achievements.

The United Nations has seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The AI for Good YouTube channel features a series of 17 short videos, each dedicated to one SDG.

For a comprehensive overview, a video summarizing all seventeen goals is available on the United Nations YouTube channel.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary-General, delivered the Closing Remarks at SDG Digital.

The event took place in New York on September 17, 2023.

Watch our video to understand the significance of Universal and Meaningful Connectivity (UMC).

It explores how ICT data empowers countries to achieve digital transformation. Access the full video here: itu.int/projectumc

Alice Munyua, Senior Director of Innovation and Public Policy at Mozilla Corporation, underscores the benefits of the ITU-D community.

Members share their positive experiences, highlighting the advantages membership brings to their organizations.

For more details on ITU-D Membership, please visit: ITU-D Membership Information.