This summary covers the Closing Ceremony, which took place on Thursday, 19 September 2024, from 14:00 to 15:30.

Mr. Philip Marnick, General Director of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Bahrain (Kingdom of), chaired the event.

Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU, participated as a panelist.

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, two key sessions will explore critical aspects of digital transformation. From 14:00 to 15:15, "Digital Innovators and Entrepreneurs" will showcase young entrepreneurs' groundbreaking digital products and services. This session highlights innovative solutions enhancing digital skills and bridging the digital divide in developing countries, offering insights into challenges and impact.

Following this, from 15:45 to 17:00, "Skills for a safe and secure use of digital technologies and online information" addresses the escalating concerns of cybersecurity threats, misinformation, and online violence. Experts will discuss strategies and best practices for digital education and skills development to mitigate these risks, ensuring safer online engagement. Both sessions feature expert moderators and panelists.

Join us for "National digital skills frameworks for policymaking" on Tuesday, 17 September 2024, from 15:45 – 17:00. This session addresses the critical need for data on digital skills demand, supply, and gaps to develop effective national policies and strategies.

It will explore existing frameworks, concepts, and measurement tools, providing practical guidelines and country examples. The goal is to help nations assess skills levels, identify needs, and design impactful digital skills interventions and strategies.

Moderated by Dr. Susan Teltscher, the session features expert panelists. Resources include: ITU Digital Skills Toolkit 2024, Enhancing metrics for measuring digital skills, and Azerbaijan: Digital Skills Assessment 2023-2024.

The session "Bridging the digital skills divide" will take place on Tuesday, 17 September 2024, from 14:00 – 15:15. It addresses the critical lack of digital knowledge and skills, a primary barrier to Internet use and closing the digital divide.

The discussion will explore the needs of specific groups, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, farmers, and women in rural communities, who face significant usage gaps. Experts will highlight intergenerational skill disparities and present successful digital initiatives.

The session aims to identify concrete actions, solutions, and tools for inclusive digital capacity development, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Opening Ceremony featured prominent figures from government and telecommunications. H.E. Mr. Mohamed bin Thamer AlKaabi, Bahrain's Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, delivered opening remarks. He was joined by Dr. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau, and Mr. Philip Marnick, General Director of Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

Ms. Sara Abu AlFateh, a News Reader from Bahrain International Television, expertly served as the Master of Ceremonies for the event.

Alberto Hernando de Castro, CEO and Founder of Kido Dynamics, was interviewed at the World Telecommunication Standards Symposium 2024 (WTSA-24). This event took place from 14-24 October 2024 in New Delhi, India.

For further information, please visit: http://wwww.gss.itu.int

Stay informed about the latest highlights from BDT's global work and initiatives.

Access these updates directly: BDT Highlights

Curious about the circular economy? We explore key questions like the difference between sustainability and the circular economy, and how circular practices address climate change adaptation and mitigation. We also delve into what "designing for durability" truly means.

This season of the Circular Economy Show aims to unravel common misconceptions. We'll discuss the circular economy from both an ideological perspective and in practical implementation terms, clarifying its core principles for the circular curious.

Spooky season's festive spirit isn't confined to land. Its playful reach extends far beyond our shores.

Even the vast ocean embraces the Halloween fun, with its mysterious depths and unique, sometimes eerie, creatures.

From coastal waters to the deep blue, it seems everyone, and everything, gets into the spirit. 🎃

Jen Hamilton, Net Zero Lead at RPS Group, is a student in the Master of Studies (MSt) in Sustainability Leadership at The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).

She shares her experience studying one of CISL's postgraduate sustainable business programs.

Find out more about our postgraduate courses: www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/postgrad

In response to industrial assaults on their lands and cultures, the First Peoples of the Amazon have formed unprecedented alliances to protect their territories. Four Indigenous leaders from Ecuador’s Ceibo Alliance have traveled to share their stories of resistance and solutions.

They offer wisdom from their elders, revealing what is at stake for their rainforests and the planet's future. Learn how we can all become allies to protect the Amazon, its First Peoples, and life on Earth.

Full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZLKrloN9OQ&t=3s&ab_channel=Bioneers

Led by ITU, ISO, and IEC, the International AI Standards Summit convenes global experts and standards bodies to develop responsible, safe, and inclusive AI standards. This annual event responds to calls from the global community, G20, and UN for comprehensive AI standards.

The inaugural summit takes place from 14-18 October in New Delhi, coinciding with the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24). The five-day event includes sessions at GSS-24, the Digital Wave Stage, Network of Women, and concludes at AI for Good Impact India on October 18.

Discover more: https://aiforgood.itu.int/ai-standards/

ITU focus groups are open to all interested experts.

Sign up to help lay the groundwork for new ITU standards for AI-native networks.

Indigenous representatives will gather at the "JUST TRANSITION: Indigenous Peoples’ Perspectives, Knowledge and Lived Experiences Summit" in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 8-10, 2024. Organized by The Indigenous Peoples Global Coordinating Committee, this event aims to redefine the "Just Transition" and "Green Economy."

The summit challenges mainstream interpretations that often fail to ensure a full transition from harmful impacts or deliver real justice for Indigenous Peoples. Over 100 representatives from seven socio-cultural regions worldwide will collectively develop Indigenous-led definitions for a truly just and equitable transition.

The ability to create and destroy friction defines organizational genius. Organizational friction occurs when obstacles slow or frustrate actions for customers, employees, or leaders. While often seen as negative, author Bob Sutton argues we can harness it for benefit.

In his book, "The Friction Project," Sutton emphasizes first determining if an action is "right" or "wrong." Right actions should be fast and relatively frictionless, possibly with constructive friction. Wrong actions, conversely, are often full of friction.

Learn two easy tricks to solve problems and make friction your secret weapon.

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Up next: Want to be a CEO? Become a master of paradox

Read the video transcript: Bob Sutton on Friction

Yuval Noah Harari argues our relationship with information is akin to our relationship with food: too much "junk" can be harmful. Is it time for an information diet?

Catch the full conversation with Yuval Noah Harari on October 18th.

The Center for Biological Diversity recently released stunning trail-camera footage of a rare wild ocelot in Southern Arizona, within ancestral Tohono O’odham Nation homelands. Protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1982, fewer than 100 ocelots remain in the U.S., with a crucial population in Arizona. Learn more about ocelots on our website.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a Tucson-based 501c3 nonprofit. We believe human welfare is deeply linked to nature's diversity. Through science, law, and creative media, we work to secure a future for all species by protecting the lands, waters, and climate they need to survive.

Connect with us online: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. For questions or media inquiries, email us at center@biologicaldiversity.org.

Fungi, a diverse and largely unseen kingdom, are essential for sustaining nearly all living systems through ancient mycorrhizal networks. Despite their critical role, conservation and climate strategies often overlook fungi, focusing instead on plants and animals. This oversight is detrimental, as the destruction of fungal networks accelerates climate change, biodiversity loss, and disrupts vital global nutrient cycles.

Biologist Merlin Sheldrake, author of "Entangled Life," highlights fungi's importance and the visionary work of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN). SPUN actively maps and protects the planet's crucial mycorrhizal fungal communities.

Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRFmCXBv5R4

This text describes an interview with Roser Almenar, a member of the ITU Secretary-General Youth Advisory Board and co-Lead of the AI and Space Law research group. She is also a predoctoral researcher at the University of Valencia, Spain.

The interview was hosted by the Space Law and Policy Project Group of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).

This interview features Joshua Ingersoll, a member of the ITU Secretary-General Youth Advisory Board. He is also recognized as a space policy analyst, science educator, and youth STEM advocate.

Ingersoll currently serves as Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager at Astranis Space Technologies Corp.