17 May - World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

May 17 is celebrated as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) around the world. The date of this holiday is connected with the creation of 17 May 1865 the International Telegraph Union, later renamed International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Until 2005, this date was celebrated as the International Day of Telecommunications.

UN General Assembly adopted an appeal declaring 17 May as International Day of the Information Society in the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society held in Tunis in 2005.  On March 27, 2006 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which proclaimed May 17 as the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day. As a result of this, in November 2006, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) adopted a decision to continue to celebrate May 17 as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

The main aim of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is to promote awareness on the opportunities of the Internet and information and communication technologies (ICTs) that could bring for societies and economies, as well as ways of eliminating the “digital divide”.

Traditionally, the UN Secretary-General and ITU Secretary-General issue annual appeals on this occasion.

“ICTs and improving road safety” has been chosen as the theme for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2013 by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

According to UN, every year, 1.3 million people die in traffic related accidents and another 20-50 million people are injured mainly in developing countries around the world.

As the United Nations’ leading agency in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs), ITU calls upon its member countries to use the catalytic role of ICT in enhancing road safety and improve the traffic management systems.

According to ITU, driver distraction and road-user behaviour, such as “text messaging” and interfacing with in-vehicle navigation or communication systems while driving, are among the leading contributors to road traffic fatalities and injuries.

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