RELEASE
Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has by Proclamation declared Friday, May 17, 2024, as “World Telecommunication and Information Society Day” and is to be observed throughout the Republic as a Working Holiday.
The Proclamation calls on all Government ministries, agencies, business houses, national and International ICT organizations concerned, as well as Telecommunication Companies and Internet Services providers to cooperate with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in executing appropriate programs befitting the occasion.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually since May 17, 1969, to mark the founding of International Communication Union (ITU) and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention on May 17, 1865.
The Proclamation further adds that the ITU is comprised of 192 Member States and over 700 sector members and is the specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible to facilitate development of telecommunications and ICT services globally.
The Proclamation stresses that the Government of Liberia being a founding member of the ITU shall support and uphold rules and procedures laid down by the world body.
The Proclamation stresses that the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, will join member states of ITU to celebrate World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on May 17, 2024, under the theme: “Digital Innovative for Sustainable Development.”
The celebration aims to support the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in their efforts to promote equitable access to ICT opportunities and develop ICT competencies, particularly among women, girls, and people with physical disabilities.
The Proclamation is in consonance with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/60/252), adopted in May 2006, requiring that World Information Society Day shall be celebrated on the 17th of May every year.
In November 2006, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya, Turkey, decided to celebrate both events on May 17 as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.
As stated in the Proclamation, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was established in 1934 to replace the International Telegraph Convention of 1865. The ITU’s goals are to support member states in unifying their policies, bridging technological gaps, promoting network interoperability, and utilizing information and communication technologies (ICTs) to their fullest potential for social and economic advancement.
