Join global youth jam around ‘our digital future’ –
is technology empowering or enslaving?
MEDIA ACCREDITATION NOW OPEN
Geneva, 9 July, 2013 – Around the world, young people are the most ardent adopters of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Under 25s now use ICT devices as their main means of exchanging personal information, their primary channel to news and happenings, and their central repository of sensitive data like banking details, online passwords and health information. Is new technology empowering them – or is it enslaving them by setting them up as prey to cybercriminals, unprincipled data mining organizations, and worse?
Around 500 talented young people from around the world will gather this September in San José, Costa Rica to debate these and other crucial issues facing the first truly ‘digital generation’.
At the invitation of Costa Rican President and youth advocate, Laura Chinchilla, ITU’s Global Youth Summit: BYND 2015 (San José, Costa Rica, 9-11 September) features an action-packed three-day programme built around four key streams – youth employment, e-health, cybersecurity, and the environment. The summit aims to capture the global voice of youth and transmit their shared hopes, concerns and proposals to world leaders, through a crowd-sourced, multimedia statement to the United Nations General Assembly session in September 2013.
The event will be held at the San José Hotel Crowne Plaza, with special interactive outdoor sessions at venues close to the city. Key sponsors include UNICEF, the Kofi Annan Foundation, One Young World, Microsoft, América Móvil/Claro, Cisco Systems, Telecentre.org, Ooredoo, The Walt Disney Company, the government of Azerbaijan, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ICTQatar and Intel. See full details of the contribution of each partner here.
Media are invited to accredit now to attend this important UN summit. Formal accreditation prior to the event is essential to gain access to the venue. Please note that accreditation will close on Wednesday 4 September and that there will be no accreditation onsite.
| What: | Global Youth Summit – Beyond 2015 |
| When: | 9-11 September 2013 |
| Where: | Crowne Plaza Hotel, San José, Costa Rica |
| Why: | The chance to speak to young people from around the world on what technology means in their day-to-day lives and how it will shape their future, and the opportunity to meet with special guest speakers and prominent ICT- and youth-oriented partner organizations. |
| Who: | Around 500 young people aged 18-25 from around the world, plus a programme of special guest speakers. Full programme of sessions and speakers available soon. |
| Media Information | Accreditation is essential for media and industry analysts to participate onsite. Accreditation closes on Wednesday 4 September. Accredit here. |
Follow the debate on Twitter: #BYND2015 and join the #BYND2015 Community on Google+: http://bit.ly/BYND2015G
Twitter: www.itu.int/twitter hashtag: #BYND2015
For more information, please visit www.itu.int/en/bynd2015 or contact:
| Sarah Parkes Chief, Media Relations & Public Information, ITU
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Source: ITU Press Office