The purpose of Vanuatu National ICT Day is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to Vanuatu's communities and its economy, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.
17 May marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union.
World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated annually on 17 May since 1969, marking the founding of ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. It was instituted by the Plenipotentiary Conference in Malaga-Torremolinos in 1973.
In November 2005, the World Summit on the Information Society called upon the UN General Assembly to declare 17 May as World Information Society Day to focus on the importance of ICT and the wide range of issues related to the Information Society raised by WSIS. The General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/60/252) in March 2006 stipulating that World Information Society Day shall be celebrated every year 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 68 invites Member States and Sector Members to celebrate the day annually by organizing appropriate national programmes with a view to:
The ICT Day will span over two (2) days from Friday the 16th, to Saturday the 17th of May 2014 at the Seafront Stage
Date | Time | Event | |
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Select date to see program by date | 7:30 am – 8:30 am | Parade / Float (Moorings to Seafront) | |
8:30 am – 9:00 am |
Custom Dance leading Opening Ceremony Official Guest to Stage
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9:00 am – 9:30 am | Forum Open |
Keynote Address: Honorable Moana Carcasses Kalosil, Prime Minister and Minister Responsible for ICTs and Telecommunications
Launching of the National ICT, Cybersecurity and Universal Access Policies Handing over of Rensarie Telecenter Project Message from International Telecoms Union – Dr Hamadoun Toure Address by Miss Vanuatu – Miss Valerie Martinez |
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8:30 am – 9:00 am |
Booth Tour (PM & Delegates)
Refreshment |
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12:00 pm –12:50 pm | Panel Discussion |
Session 1: Status of Submarine Cable – User Experience
Vanuatu is now connected to the superhighway of fast internet and the rest of the world, thanks to the private sector led initiative with government backing which saw the establishment of the Interchange Cable Network. This session will give an update to consumers on the status of the submarine cable connection; who is signed up and what is available to customers, customer experience and issues, and pricing. Moderator: Mrs Louise Nasak, Internet Governance Manager, TRR Panelists: Mr. Simon Fletcher, CEO – Interchange Vanuatu Limited Mr. Prakash Bheeko, CEO – Telecom Vanuatu Limited Mr. Simon Frazer, CEO – Digicel Vanuatu Limited Mr. Rod Smith, CEO, Telsat Broadband Mr. Fred Samuel, CIO, Vanuatu Government Mr. Kisione Finau, Director ITS – University of the South Pacific |
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12:50 pm – 1:15 pm | BREAK – QUIZ | ||
12:00 pm –12:50 pm | Panel Discussion |
Session 2: E-Government and how the government benefits
E-Government can provide better service to citizens and businesses at less cost and can make Vanuatu a more attractive place to live and do business. It makes it easier for citizens to conduct their affairs with the government efficiently and increase the stature and relevance of the government in the eyes of the citizens. Moderator: Mr. Kierry Manasah, Senior Researcher, Pacific Institute of Public Policy Panelists: Mr. Lew Toulmin, Advisor to Office of the Government CIO Mr. Fred Samuel, CIO, Vanuatu Government Mr. Jotham Napat, Director – Vanuatu Meteorology & Geo-Hazard Department Mr. Simil Johnson, Director – National Statistics Office |
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12:50 pm – 1:15 pm | BREAK – QUIZ | ||
1:15 pm – 1:55 pm | Panel Discussion |
Session 3: Global Trends in ICT and how they affect Vanuatu
ITU’s analysis of key trends; obstacles to success and lessons learned; forecast of trends in Vanuatu, based on world experience. Moderator: Mr. Dan McGarry, Chief Technologist, Pacific Institute of Public Policy Panelists: Mr. Ron Box, Regulator, Telecommunication and Radio Regulator’s Office Mr. Fred Samuel, CIO, Vanuatu Government Mr. Christian Patouraux, CEO – Kacific Broadband Satellites Mr. Kisione Finau, Director ITS – University of the South Pacific |
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1:55 pm – 2:10 pm | BREAK – WAN SMOL BAG | ||
2:10 pm – 2:40 pm | Stage Presentation |
Session 4: Universal Access and School Connectivity
Programs to provide 15 computer labs to schools/communities, and to provide 1000 computer tablets to schools. Program to provide assistance to up to 10 rural Internet cafes. Presenters: Mr. Alma Wensi, Universal Access Program Manager, TRR Mr. Jeffrey Tila, UAP Project Officer, TRR |
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2:40 pm – 2:45 pm | BREAK | ||
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm | Stage Presentation |
Session 5: Mobile Banking in Developing Countries
Mobile banking as a possible “killer app” in economic and ICT development; keys to success; why MB hasn’t worked in every country; possibilities for Vanuatu. Presenters: Mr. Jordan Weinstock, Director, OpenRevolution (USA) Mr. Simon Tiwok, Financial Inclusion, Reserve Bank Vanuatu |
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3:15 pm – 3:30 pm | BREAK - WAN SMOL BAG | ||
3:30 pm – 4:25 pm | Panel Discussion |
Session 6: Cybersecurity in Vanuatu
Concerns about content, scams, and other issues; findings of the first cyber-sec survey in a public school; what the National Cyber-security Policy says; whether an Act is needed; possible CERT for Vanuatu; Child-On-Line Protection. Moderator: Mr. Kevin Valea, Media Officer, Transparency International Vanuatu Panelists: Mr. George Goutas, Security Advisor – Office of the Government CIO Mr. Lloyd Fikiasi, Chief Legal Officer, TRR Mr. Floyd Mera, Manager, Financial Intelligence Unit Vanuatu Police Force |
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COCKTAIL – HOSTED BY THE PRIME MINISTER | |||
Select date to see program by date |
9:00 am – 10:00 am | Panel Discussion |
Session 7: The Rise of Social Media in Vanuatu Political and Social Life
Current reach of social media; who is using it and who is not; current and future role in politics and social affairs of social media. Moderator: Mr. Moses Stevens, President – Pacific Islands News Association Panelists: Honorable Minister Ralph Regenvanu, President, Graon mo Jastis Pati Mr. Levi Tarosa, Director, De Roza Investments Mr. Joshua Kalsakau Mr. Dan McGarry, Chief Technology Officer, Pacific Institute of Public Policy Mr. Witnol Benko, Yumi Toktok Stret |
10:00 am – 10:30 am | BREAK - LIVE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT | ||
10:30am – 11:30am | Panel Discussion |
Session 8: What ICT Consumers Say
How ICTs have improved each speaker’s life; how ICTs are accessed; what should be done in outer islands in the future in terms of ICTs. Moderator: Margaret Terry, Consumer Affairs Officer – TRR Panelists: Chief Seni Mao Tirsupe, President - Malvaturmauri Pastor Shem Temar, Secretary – Vanuatu Christian Council Miss. Valerie Martinez, Miss Vanuatu Mrs. Evelyne Toa, President – Media Association of Vanuatu Mr. Adam Lopez, President, Youth Against Corruption Vanuatu |
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11:30 am – 12:30 pm | BREAK - LIVE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT | ||
12:30pm – 1:30pm | Panel Discussion |
Session 9: ICTs in Disaster Prevention, Warning and Response
New SMS-based warning system and how it works; its effectiveness; other existing and planned ICT projects in disaster management. Moderator: Mr Loic Teilemb, Senior Reporter, Radio Vanuatu Panelists: Mr. Shedrack Welegiat, Director, NDMO Mr. Sylvain Todman, Systems Engineer, Ministry of Climate Change Mr. Augustine Garae, Disaster Management Coordinator - Vanuatu Red Cross |
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1:30pm – 4:00pm | LIVE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT | ||
CLOSING REMARKS & VOTE OF THANKS |
ITU has been leading worldwide efforts in developing state-of-the-art ICT standards for Intelligent Transport Systems and driver safety that utilize a combination of computers, communications, positioning and automation technologies, including in-car radars for collision avoidance. ITU has also been developing standards for safe user interfaces and communication systems in vehicles as well as optimizing driving performance by eliminating unsafe technology-related distractions while driving.
The theme of this year’s WTISD, “Women and Girls in ICT”, aims to ensure that this vulnerable female half of the world’s population will march forward as equals.Women are the bedrock of our societies. They are the pillars of strength in every family and community. Yet gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched. Women and girls are denied access to basic health care and education and to equal opportunities at work. They face segregation in economic, political and social decision-making and often suffer violence and discrimination
ICTs are essential in helping us accelerate progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals. In the rural context, ICTs provide enhanced opportunities to generate income and combat poverty, hunger, ill health and illiteracy.Even as the migration of populations to teeming cities deplete rural communities of their youthful vigour, the world‟s villages and remote districts face further neglect and deprivation in terms of infrastructure development, applications and services.
The WTISD-10 theme is juxtaposed with that of the Shanghai World Expo, which is dedicated to promoting “Better Cities, Better Life” and which will showcase a number of initiatives aimed at achieving greener, safer, healthier, prosperous, inclusive and well-managed cities — where over half the world’s population resides. ICTs provide solutions to many of the problems facing cities even as they become magnets for migrating populations as well as contribute to making them more eco-friendly and economically viable. For many city dwellers, it is nearly impossible to imagine life without ICTs.
The theme for WTISD-14, "Broadband for Sustainable Development", will focus attention on multi-stakeholder commitment to achieve universal access to broadband connectivity and content and foster political will on achieving this objective; identify key gaps in broadband research and development, infrastructure, and packaged development of applications and services; define policy priorities for action in the areas of allocating radio frequency spectrum for broadband, universal access obligations and innovative financing mechanisms; and lead to technological solutions, particularly in the extension of broadband access into rural areas, least developed countries and small island developing states.
Given that estimates suggest that mobile broadband subscription may achieve 10 billion by the end of this decade and that over 90 per cent of international data traffic runs over fibre-optic cables ITU's thrust to push the broadband agenda for sustainable development focuses on the dual goals of supporting the deployment of mobile broadband based on ITU's International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) and the continued rollout of fixed-line technologies. International consensus achieved on ITU standards and radio spectrum related activities for mobile telephony, fibre optics and access standards such as DSL, is the key to achieving the goals of universal access.
The evolution of this work is complemented by key activities including earth monitoring through satellites and oceanographic radars, developing green standards and smart interventions to combat climate change, and m-Powering development.
Broadband infrastructure development is a critical element in ensuring that ICTs are used innovatively as delivery vehicles for health, education, governance, trade and commerce in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic growth. Education is a keystone for educating people with regard to the impact and consequences of their activities for sustainable development, thereby ensuring a better future for all.
As the leading specialized agency of the United Nations for information and communication technologies (ICT), ITU looks towards its Members to harness the catalytic role of ICTs in achieving sustainable development.