May 17 is World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The purpose of this celebration is to raise awareness of the opportunities that the use of the Internet and information and communication technologies can bring to countries, as well as ways to bridge the digital divide. This day marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union.
Since 1969, World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually on 17 May to commemorate the founding of ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. This day was established by the Plenipotentiary Conference held in Malaga-Torremolinos in 1973.
In November 2005, the World Summit on the Information Society called on the UN General Assembly to declare 17 May as World Information Society Day to highlight the importance of ICTs and focus on the wide range of information society-related issues raised at the summit. In March 2006, the General Assembly adopted resolution 60/252, which established that World Information Society Day should be celebrated annually on 17 May.
In November 2006, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Antalya, Turkey, decided to celebrate both events on 17 May as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The updated resolution 60/252 invites Member States and sector members to commemorate the day annually through national programmes.
In 2024, World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is celebrated under the theme “Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development”.