World Telecommunication Day 2021: Theme focuses on role of ICTs during COVID-19 pandemic

The World Telecommunication Day (WTD) is celebrated annually on 17 May to highlight the role of information and communication technology in the current scenario. On this day, a theme is chosen and events are organised across the world. However, this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, programmes will not go as planned. World Telecommunication Day 2021: Theme This year, the theme for World Telecommunication Day (WTD) is ‘Accelerating digital transformation in challenging times’. The theme focuses on the critical role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for societies during the difficult pandemic times that people are facing currently. World Telecommunication Day 2021: History and Significance World Telecommunication Day started being observed in 1969. Later, the day was celebrated in 2005 when the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia’s Tunis had come together with the UN General Assembly to announce 17 May as World Information Society Day (WISD). In 2006, the UN General Assembly fixed a date to observe  WISD on 17 May every year. During that same year, the ITU in a conference came up with an idea to combine both celebrations as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) as one. The day is observed to raise awareness about the use of the internet as it can bridge the gap between society and economies and the digital divide. This day also highlights the importance of communication in our lives through various means of technology. With this day, awareness about positive communication technology has risen among people. As the world is growing towards development, information and communication can easily be accessible to people living in remote areas.