Frequently asked questions

ITU Digital World 2021 is a global tech event organized by ITU Telecom, part of ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs). It aims to accelerate digital transformation for the good of all, harnessing the power of digital technologies to improve lives everywhere.

ITU Digital World 2021 brings together senior level decision-makers from public and private sectors and emerging and developed markets from across the entire ICT value chain to share knowledge, exhibit solutions and make meaningful connections.

ITU Digital World 2021 enables influential figures from government, industry and SMEs to connect and explore partnership solutions, investment opportunities, shared ideas and best practices. Co-hosted by the government of Viet Nam under the over-arching theme of “Building the digital world. Together”, the event will focus on partnership, collaboration and innovation to accelerate digital transformation and close the digital divide. Expert-led debates explore the strategies, policies and technologies driving our digital future.

The event will take place online at digital-world.itu.int with a series of high-level Forum debates between September and November 2021, including Ministerial Roundtables on 12 -14 October, on the theme of Building the digital world. Together. ITU Digital World SME Awards and Masterclasses, open to all SMEs making innovative use of ICTs for social good, will run from June to December. A Virtual Exhibition  organized by the government of Viet Nam will run from 12 October to 12 November, showcasing industry, SME and government products, services and technologies from around the world.

ITU Digital World 2021 was originally scheduled to be held in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, from 12 – 15 October 2021. Given the ongoing global COVID-19 crisis, with restrictions on international travel, large-scale gatherings and social contact, it is impossible to hold a fully physical event safely and fairly. ITU Digital World 2021 will therefore now take place as an online event.

It is a powerful international platform to access and connect with the global ICT community and meet your commercial objectives through showcasing, business networking, branding and thought-leadership opportunities. It offers:

• A global meeting place
• Expert international perspectives
• Government and industry leaders
• Technology, policy and strategy trends
• Collaboration for universal connectivity and ICTs for development

ITU Digital World events bring together a comprehensive audience of public and private sector players. Heads of State and Government from established and developing nations, ministers, policy makers and regulators meet industry CEOs from operators, vendors, service providers and content developers, SMEs, entrepreneurs, innovators, industry investors, academics and consultants.

ITU Digital World events are the only ICT event to bring together the right mix of global leaders from public and private sectors, emerging and developed markets to exhibit innovative solutions, network at the highest level and discuss and debate the key issues facing the ICT industry. As the leading UN agency for ICTs, only ITU has the power to convene this mix of leaders of government and industry. The World 2021 event will once again facilitate and encourage the right discussions, high-level engagements and strategic debate to generate real action and deliver tangible results.

You can take part in the event in a number of ways:

• Attend a Forum session
• Attend a Ministerial Roundtable
• Speakat a Forum session
• Sponsora session or event element
• Visit or exhibit in the Virtual Exhibition
• Take part in the SME Programmeor ITU Digital World Awards
• Network after each Forum session or in the Virtual Exhibition

The event is open to all and free of charge.

Forum sessions will be held on Zoom.

The Event Calendar is available here.

Sponsorship is an opportunity to engage with targeted and high-level audiences through thought-leadership, branding and online visibility opportunities. Find out more on the full range of sponsorship options at https://digital-world.itu.int//events/2021-event/sponsorship/  You can also download our Sponsorship brochure or contact us to discuss your specific event interests, objectives, and any favourite sponsorship you’ve done in the past.

The Virtual Exhibition is organized by our event co-host, the government of Viet Nam. Full details on how to take part are available here. You can register to attend as an exhibitor or visitor here.

Networking is a fundamental element of ITU Digital World 2021.  There are two networking options open to all participants in the event: Forum networking sessions and the virtual exhibition networking platform.

Networking sessions take place after every Forum session on the online Gather Town platform and are aimed at connecting Forum speakers and participants in informal discussions on the broad topics within each Forum session. You will find the link in the Forum session chat each time - you just have to input your full name as used for the event Forum registration and choose an avatar.

The exhibition networking platform is part of the Virtual Exhibition and connects exhibitors and visitors, addressing specific questions around the organizations, products and services exhibited, and building business leads. The Virtual Exhibition and networking platform will run from 12 October to 12 November 2021.

You can register for the online Forum sessions and the Virtual Exhibition here.

• Forum sessions, including the Ministerial Roundtables
  Once you have completed and submitted the registration form, you will receive a registration confirmation email with links to the online sessions. You will be registered for all Forum sessions by default. You can uncheck the box next to any sessions you do not want to attend. If you want to change your selection, contact us to repeat the registration process.

• Virtual Exhibition
  You can register for the Virtual Exhibition using the same registration form as for the Forum sessions. Check the box to show how you would like to participate in the exhibition. If you want to make any changes, contact us to repeat the registration process. The Virtual Exhibition and its networking platform open on 12 October 2021.

• Networking platforms
  You can join the Forum networking platform after each Forum session. The link will be published in the Forum session chat each time – more details are available here. The Virtual Exhibition networking platform will be available once the exhibition opens on 12 October.

If you have any difficulties in registering for the event, please contact us.

Every participant must be individually registered. You can register your colleague(s) using the standard registration form. You will need to provide the personal details and email address for the registration confirmation mail for each person you register.

Yes, you can register for the virtual exhibition via the registration form. Remember to deselect all Forum sessions.

Yes. Networking sessions take place after every Forum session. A link to each networking session will be provided within the chat function of the Forum session.

As ITU Digital World 2021 is an online event, there is no strict registration deadline. You can sign up to join any element of the event at any time before the final Forum session. See the Event Calendar for full details.

Our marketing toolkit for ITU Digital World 2021 is available here.

Our Call for Speakers for ITU Digital World 2021 has officially ended. However, if you have a concrete proposal for one of the Forum sessions  at this year’s event, are interested in finding out more on the process, or would like to nominate a speaker for the 2022 event, please contact us.

Make sure our emails have not landed in your spam folder. If not, then contact us directly.

You can unsubscribe from ITU Digital World communications at any time using the unsubscribe button in the footer of all ITU Telecom newsletters.