World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, which is commemorated every year on 17 May, focused this year on the theme ''Connecting Persons with Disabilities: ICT Opportunities for All''.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is calling upon all those involved, both governmental and non-governmental, raise awareness on the need to adopt policies and strategies which respond to the needs of people with special needs, especially with respect to universal access and equality of opportunity, issues which are at the heart of the information society.
In this context the ITU calls upon the States to take appropriate measures in this respect, including to: ensure ICT and emergency service access to persons with disabilities on an equal basis; promote access for persons with disabilities to new ICT, including the Internet; promote design, production and distribution of accessible ICT at an early stage; ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise the right to freedom of expression and opinion; encourage mass media to make their services accessible.
Nationally, the commemorations of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day were held at FPC - Fundação Portuguesa das Comunicações (Portuguese Communications Foundation) on 19 May, and were attended by Mário Lino, Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications and the Chairman of ANACOM. The institutional session included the presentation of the first volume of a research collection on ''Documental sources compiled by Godofredo Ferreira'', which follows the opening of the exhibition on ''Military Telecommunications''.
Further information:
- Message from Mr Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General http://www.itu.int/wtisd/2008/messages/kimoon.html
- Messages from Dr Hamadoun I. Touré, ITU Secretary-General http://www.itu.int/wtisd/2008/messages/toure.html
- World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) http://www.itu.int/wtisd/index.html
- World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2008: Call for Action http://www.itu.int/wtisd/2008/call-for-action.html
- Fundação Portuguesa das Comunicações https://www.fpc.pt/pt/
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- World Telecommunication and Information Society Day https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=483630
