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Telecommunications
Asia’s youth takes ‘responsibility for the future’ at ITU Telecom Asia 2008
(18 September 2008)
Asia has some of the most exciting ICT markets worldwide, with high levels of ICT penetration and fast-changing technologies reaching out to huge numbers of new users.
Asia’s telecom growth story
The numbers are indeed impressive with the total number of telephone subscribers having crossed the two billion mark by end 2007. China and India alone now have over 600 and 280 million mobile cellular subscribers, respectively, representing almost 25 per cent of the global total. The region has over 40 per cent of the world’s broadband market share.
At the same time, the ‘Digital Divide’ still prevails on Asia’s telecom landscape in the form of marked differences between the high-income Asian countries and the low and middle-income countries, particularly in terms of Internet speeds, mobile and broadband connectivity and penetration.
The New Generation – Bridging the digital divide
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) organized the ITU Telecom Asia 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand during the 2nd-5th September focusing on the theme “New Generations, New Values” which emphasized the region’s younger generation of users as setting the tone for future ICT development. The Asia-Pacific region is home to an increasing number of new users, many under the age of 18, and with demands that are driving technological innovations in ICTs.
Building on the ITU’s long-term commitment to support the efforts of low and middle income Asian countries to improve and expand their telecom infrastructure, a special Youth Forum at ITU Telecom Asia 2008 brought 75 participants from 40 countries together, to highlight the pivotal role that the youth of today – as the innovators and leaders of tomorrow – in ensuring a future with freedom of expression and connectivity for all.
The Youth Forum’s Action Plan for ICT development
The Youth Forum announced an Action Plan for the promotion and enhancement of ICTs through the rapid expansion of infrastructure and services, opening telecom markets to competition, capacity building, and transparency. "Capacity building starts with young people and is part of the larger vision of ITU," Chairman of the ITU TELECOM Board of Directors, Mr Reza Jafari said. "The Youth Forum is an opportunity for the new generation to take responsibility for the future."
The participants at the Youth Forum called for utilizing ICT for the greater good – in larger issues like financial empowerment, education, social services, conflict resolution and disaster management.
Youth Forum Alumni - Working for the ‘greater good’
Former participants at the Youth Forum have played an important role in advancing ICT knowledge and exchange in developing countries around the world. The Youth Forum Alumni at ITU Telecom Asia 2008 showcased a number of interesting projects such as:
- GreenITed is a small NGO formed by a group of Filipino engineers and aims to expand improve IT and scientific education among the less fortunate through volunteer-based computer literacy programs and IT adult livelihood training.
- 14D is a club aimed at establishing central ICT training for the youth in Mongolia.
- Knowledge Group is a youth initiative led by an ITU Youth Forum alumnus, which has established the first and only ICT club in King Saud University in Saudi Arabia enabling exchange and transfer of ICT knowledge among students and professors.
- RuralWare is a software based learning community focused on helping to teach agricultural knowledge and techniques to local farmers in Benin.
The ITU Telecom Asia 2008 Youth Forum was a great opportunity for the youth to interact with policy makers and business leaders, shaping ICT development towards their ultimate world vision of building a knowledge-based information society.
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