World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is observed annually on May 17th to raise public awareness of the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to build a human-centric, inclusive, development-oriented information society based on human rights. Also known as World Telecommunication Day, this holiday focuses on how information is transmitted worldwide.

The Internet and other communication technologies can bring benefits to societies that could only have been dreamed of even a few short years ago, and this event wants us all to realize how to bring people together.

The History of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union. In 2006, World Telecommunication Day and World Information Society Day were merged into World Information Society Day by the United Nations.

Fun Facts About World Communication

Below are some fun facts about world communication that we’d like to share with everyone on this day.

• The first text message was sent via SMS in 1992 by Neil Papworth. It read “Merry Christmas.”
• International calls were once sent by satellite. Most are now sent through VoIP or fiber optics.
• Telephone wires were once selected based on how unappealing they were to mice.

Observing World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

This holiday can be observed by learning about how technology can bring the world together. Yes, at this time in history, it seems that the Internet provides many things that are pulling us apart, but the Internet also offers the world many opportunities to come together. To spread the word about this holiday, be sure to use the hashtag #WorldInformationSocietyDay on your social media accounts.