What a year it’s been for us here at ITU Telecom! 2018 saw us heading to the vibrant coastal city of Durban, in South Africa’s beautiful KwaZulu Natal. Here we welcomed 3 100 participants from 94 countries for ITU Telecom World 2018. Top government representatives and influential industry leaders including established players and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) -from emerging and developed markets alike- joined consultants, academics, representatives of global media and international organisations to explore innovation for smarter digital development, and experience the best of South African hospitality!
With 300 exhibitors, sponsors and partners, the Exhibition featured big names, countries and SMEs from across the world, showcasing innovative smart digital solutions, services and technologies to improve lives in fields such as e-health, e-agriculture, e-education, digital government services, digital finance and more. Meanwhile, 157 speakers from 47 countries covered areas such as technological developments and impacts in 5G, IoT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), smart cities, digital literacy, supporting tech SME growth, and the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. Top names including CSAIA, GTI, China Mobile, TDIA, GSMA, Huawei and SITA shared insights in partner and co-hosted sessions. A number of great networking events and activities took place, including a dedicated business matchmaking service. And key announcements were made, partnerships forged, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed and high profile reports launched.
In keeping with ITU Telecom World’s focus on SMEs and their critical role within the broader ICT ecosystem, this year’s ITU Telecom World Awards recognized excellence and innovation in ICT solutions with social impact from SMEs and corporations alike. From digital agriculture, mobile learning, education and healthcare, to virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), satellite, automotive repair and more, the Awards celebrated creativity and innovation in digital solutions meeting real-world social needs. Participants took part in an adrenaline-filled live pitching session during the award ceremony itself, during which they shared the innovative approach of their entry, and the social impact that it’s capable of creating. You can see a full line up of our winners and finalists here, or watch the Award winners talking about their experiences at the Event here.
Now, as the year comes to a close, we’re busy planning the next steps for ITU Telecom World 2019, whichwill take placeat the heart of Europe in Budapest, Hungary, from 9-12 September. We’re putting together an exciting programme of forum debates which will explorethe innovations in policy, strategy and technology shaping our digital future. We’ve just launched our call for speakers,so if you would like to share your expert insight, ideas and experiences, helping discover solutions to major societal challenges, then we’d love to hear from you!
Don’t forget, there are a number of different ways you can join us at ITU Telecom World 2019, be it showcasing your tech innovation in the exhibition or joining the SME programme, to engaging with our audiences through forum sessions, sponsorships, advertising, networking and visibility. Or entering our acclaimed ITU Telecom World Awards to win UN recognition, global visibility and enjoy incredible networking opportunities! We’ll keep you posted about all the great ways you can join us!
Looking beyond 2019, a call for bids has been issued to ITU member states, with regard to future ITU Telecom World events, launching the bidding process to host ITU Telecom in the years 2020, 2021 and/or 2022.Be sure to watch this space to find out more ….
And in the meantime, our warmest greetings for this festive season. We’re looking forward to building a great 2019 event, focusing on the power of technology to make lives better, sooner. We hope you’ll join us in Budapest so together we can make this happen!
