On behalf of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), I am pleased to invite your organization to participate in the Young ICT Leaders’ Forum and Global Busan Smart Cities Challenge 2017 that will take place from 27 – 28 September 2017 in Busan City, Republic of Korea.
Both events are jointly organized and hosted by Busan Metropolitan City in conjunction with ITU Telecom World 2017, the leading UN tech event for governments, corporates and SMEs focused this year on “Smart digital transformation.” The Forum aims to promote an active participation of youth in the digital economy, including (1) promoting the engagement of youth in the field of ICTs; (2) decreasing the digital divide; and (3) promoting research on emerging ICTs particularly Internet of Things (IoT).
The Young ICT Leaders’ Forum 2017 also incorporates “Busan Global Smart Cities Challenge” which is an open competition platform for young people to present their innovative ideas on harnessing the power of digital technologies in making a city smarter, safer, and friendlier to the environment, thereby improving the quality of life of the citizens. Annex 1 contains the tentative programme of this event.
Busan Metropolitan City will provide fellowships (including round-trip air ticket and hotel accommodation) to qualified applicants, subject to available budget. The last date for receiving applications is 31 August 2017. I shall appreciate your kind circulation of this invitation among local stakeholders, youth, entrepreneurs and startups in your country.
Detail of application criteria, agenda, and necessary information are available at: http://www.youngictleadersforum.com/. The Forum will be conducted in English. To participate, please complete the online application form available at the website mentioned above.
It is important to note that applicants for the Busan Global Smart Cities Challenge are required to submit the complete online application form with detailed 2 information about their ideas. Successful candidates will be selected based on their ideas presented in the application form. Mr Wisit Atiyapakoon (wisit.atipayakoon@itu.int) is at your full disposal should you require any further information. I look forward to your active participation in this Forum.
