World Telecommunication and Information Society Day Celebrated World Wide

17 May 2013: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day was celebrated on 17 May 2013. It is celebrated on this day every year to raise awareness about the positives of Information and Communication Technologies, ICTs, among people. The day aims to make information and communication more accessible to people living in remote areas. The theme of the day this year was - ICTs and improving road safety.

The day marks the founding of the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, and signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. It focuses on filling up the technological gaps, promoting connectivity and bridging physical distances through the Internet, television and phone. This year's theme is significant in the wake of a UN report attributing 1.3 million deaths each year and 20-50 million people getting injured in road accidents mainly in developing countries. Driver distraction and road-user behaviour while driving are among the leading contributors to road accidents. The ITU is behind developing standards for safe communication systems in vehicles to eliminate distraction while driving.