May 17 is celebrated as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) around the world. The date is connected with the establishment of the International Telegraph Union, later renamed the 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 adopted a decision to continue to celebrate May 17 as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.
Traditionally, the UN Secretary-General and ITU Secretary-General deliver annual messages on this occasion.
Every year, various events are held in many countries in connection with the 17th of May worldwide at the international level.
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”.
Every year this date is dedicated to various topics. The theme of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day for 2017 is “Big Data for Big Impact”.
The topic is designed to draw attention to the potential of big data for development and focus on finding ways to convert incomplete, complex and often unstructured data into information of practical value.
At the same time, the topic covers young innovators and entrepreneurs, innovative SMEs, start-ups and technology centers as a driving force to accelerate progress towards achieving international sustainable development goals with an emphasis on developing countries.
Azerbaijan’s relations with the International Telecommunication Union, which is the UN specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICT) are at a high level.
Azerbaijan has been a member of the ITU since 1992.
Today ICT has become an important part of social and economic relations in Azerbaijan by creating new values in the country’s public administration, education, healthcare, business, banking and other spheres. The development of Internet media, freedom of thought and speech on the Internet, wide dissemination of electronic newspapers and magazines, foreign and domestic social networks are new opportunities of ICT for the society.
With the view of implementing systematic work provided for in the ICT sphere, “National Strategy on Information and Communication Technologies for the Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan (2003-2012)” was approved by the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 17 February 2003.The state programs adopted in connection with the implementation of this strategy, the results achieved, creation of the foundations of the information society, widespread use of ICT by citizens, society, private sector and state bodies create favorable conditions for planning the directions of activity at the next stage.
As a result of the measures taken by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies for the development of ICT in Azerbaijan, important steps are being taken towards intensive integration of the country into the global electronic environment, the emergence of new forms of social and economic activity (e-government, e-commerce, online education, etc .), the formation of the information and knowledge market, increasing efficiency in various sectors of the economy, as well as improving the quality of products and services.