Note to Correspondents

PREPARATORY EVENT FOR GLOBAL FORUM ON YOUTH AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT TO BE HELD AT UNITED NATIONS

 

A preparatory event for the Global Forum on Youth and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Development will be held at the United Nations on Wednesday, 12 September, in Conference Room 2.

The event is hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training andResearch (UNITAR) in partnership with the Intel Corporation, the Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Development and Taking IT Global.

The objective of this one-day event is to provide both youth and international policymakers with a concrete framework for understanding the principal issues to be covered in the upcoming Global Forum, to be held in Geneva from 24 to 26 September.  The meeting will emphasize the value of youth input in developing ICT policies, especially as they relate to global youth priorities such as access to education, health, employment and governance.

Speakers include Jennifer Corriero, Executive Director, Taking IT Global; Ben Groom, Youth Representative to the United Nations, Permanent Mission of Australia; Audrey Codera, Youth Works, Philippines; Peter Broffman, Program Manager, Intel Education Group, Intel; Daniel Hatcher, Director of Outreach, Youth Service America; and Priscila Néri, Committee for Democracy in Information Technology.

Each session will provide an opportunity for participants to interact with innovative youth utilizing ICT strategies in the field, as well as experts from the public and private sector currently engaged with youth initiatives.  Outcomes from the day’s event will be distributed as preparatory materials for participants and observers of the Global Forum, and for the global youth community at large.

The Global Forum on Youth and ICT for Development, whose theme is “Youth and ICT as Agents of Change”, will engage young people in debates and discussions with their peers, policymakers, the private sector, technology and thought leaders in exploring ways to participate more fully in society through the appropriate and responsible use of ICT.

For information, please visit www.unitarny.org/en/ict_youth.html or contact Amy Weesner at UNITAR, tel.:  212 963 3021, e-mail:  weesner@un.org, or Cheryl Stafford at the Global Alliance, tel.:  917 367 3116, e-mail:  stafford@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record