Since 1969, on 17^th May, the World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated in honor of the founding of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and signing the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865.

In recognition of the efforts for the development of telecommunications within the framework of the World Summit on the Information Society, which took place in two phases (Geneva, 2003 and Tunis, 2005), the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society and the Appeal to the UN General Assembly to declare the 17^th May as World Information Society day were adopted.

On 27^th May, 2006 the UN General Assembly adopted the Resolution, which proclaimed the 17^th of May as a World Information Society Day.

In November 2006, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya (Turkey) made a decision that two events (World telecommunication Day and World Information Society Day) would be celebrated on 17^th May as a World Telecommunication and Information Society day.

The updated Resolution invited ITU Member States and Sectors’ Members to celebrate this day annually by organizing appropriate national programs with the view to:

• stimulate the submission and the exchange of ideas on the theme adopted by the Council;
• discuss various aspects of the theme with all partners in society;
• formulate the report reflecting national discussions on the issues underlying the theme, to be fed back to ITU and the rest of the Union.

In 2016 the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD-2016) is devoted, in accordance with the Resolution 68, to the theme “ICT entrepreneurship for social impact” approved by the ITU Council 2015.

Entrepreneurs and start-up companies, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a particularly important role in the ICT sector ensuring sustainable and inclusive economic growth. They participate in the development of innovative ICT-based solutions, which have a unique potential for the long-term impact on the global, regional and national economies and in the modern knowledge-based economy it is the most important source of new jobs, especially for young people.

The Institute of the Information Society congratulates its colleagues, partners and friends upon the World Day of Telecommunication and Information Society and wishes success at our common stage!