The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorated 160 years dedicated to connecting the world on Saturday, 17 May in Geneva, Switzerland, during the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. At a public event in Geneva, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said, “ITU is the United Nations agency for digital technologies. We collaborate across the UN system, here in Geneva and around the world. Every time you send an email, every time you get a text, make a phone call, use your social media, that’s ITU at work.” Since its founding on 17 May 1865, ITU has been at the forefront of technology to advance innovation, multilateralism, security and growth. ITU works for a world where everyone, everywhere can benefit from technology by managing international use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits, developing standards for advancing technology – such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing – and by working to connect the 2.6 billion people around the world that are still offline. “Today we celebrate the legacy of those who came before us, pioneers who saw communications not as a privilege but as a fundamental enabler for progress, for peace and for development. Let’s recommit to cooperation and to the mission that has guided us for 160 years – that mission to connect the world.” said Bogdan-Martin.
Source: ITU
Restrictions: NONE
Language: English/NATS
Dateline: 17 May 2025 Geneva, Switzerland
TRT: 03:42
- EXTERIOR. DRONE SHOT: International Telecommunication Union (ITU) headquarters; Geneva; 17 May 2025
- EXTERIOR. WIDE SHOT: International Telecommunication Union (ITU) headquarters; Geneva; 17 May 2025
- EXTERIOR. WIDE SHOT: Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union; ITU HQ; Geneva; 17 May. 2025
- SOUNDBITE (English): Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU): “ITU is the United Nations agency for digital technologies. We collaborate across the UN system, here in Geneva and around the world. Every time you send an email, every time you get a text, make a phone call, use your social media, that’s ITU at work. Our story is also about cooperation with 194 countries, industry, academia, the technical community, and civil society working to bring the world closer together. To set global standards and ensure that technology serves people, all people.”
- ZOOM: 1865 International Telegraph Convention
- ZOOM: 1865 International Telegraph Union Conference archive
- INTERIOR. CLOSE-UP SHOT: Robot dog at ITU AI for Good Global Summit; Switzerland; July 2023
- INTERIOR. CLOSE-UP SHOT: Robot at ITU AI for Good Global Summit; Switzerland; July 2023
- INTERIOR. WIDE SHOT: ITU World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly; India; October 2024
- EXTERIOR. AERIAL: Technology training for students; Burundi; January 2022
- INTERIOR. WIDE SHOT: Technology training for students; Burundi; January 2022
- INTERIORS. CLOSE-UP SHOTS x4: Technology training for students; Burundi; January 2022
- INTERIOR. PUSH-IN SHOT: Robotics for Good Youth Challenge; India October 2024
- INTERIOR. WIDE SHOT: ITU World Radiocommunication Conference; UAE, November 2023
- INTERIOR. WIDE SHOTS (x5): ITU AI for Good Global Summit 2023; Switzerland; July 2023
- EXTERIOR. WIDE SHOT: Project managers at connectivity site; Niger, 2022
- EXTERIOR. MEDIUM SHOT: Project managers at connectivity site; Niger, 2022
- EXTERIOR. CLOSE UP SHOT: ITU employee installs emergency communications equipment; Nicaragua, 2022
- SOUNDBITE (English): Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU): “Today we celebrate the legacy of those who came before us, pioneers who saw communications not as a privilege but as a fundamental enabler for progress, for peace and for development. Let’s recommit to cooperation and to the mission that has guided us for 160 years – that mission to connect the world.”
- SOUNDBITE (English): Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General, UN Office at Geneva: “The fact that ITU is celebrating 160 years – and today is more relevant than ever – is something which is important for all international organizations, for the whole multilateral system. If we really manage to adapt to the changing world, we will always be relevant and we will be able to work for humanity.”
- EXTERIOR. WIDE SHOT. ITU 160 lightshow projecting images on ITU Tower building at ITU headquarters; Switzerland; 17 May 2025
- EXTERIOR. WIDE SHOT. ITU 160 lightshow projecting images on ITU Tower building at ITU headquarters; Switzerland; 17 May 2025
- EXTERIOR. DRONE SHOT. ITU 160 lightshow projecting images on ITU Tower building at ITU headquarters; Switzerland; 17 May 2025
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