The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has announced that over 300 projects have been nominated for the 2016 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes.
According to the UN specialised agency for ICTs, close to 400 ICT success stories (projects) were reviewed by an Expert Group of which a little above 300 were nominated for the second phase of online voting.
“The WSIS Prizes recognize excellence in the implementation of projects and initiatives that further the goals of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which took place in two phases: Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005,” ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao says.
“The 2016 WSIS Prizes also reflect linkages with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and focus on ICT success stories to leverage achievement of SDGs through the implementation of WSIS Action Lines”, the ITU chief says.
The number of projects submitted for the WSIS Prizes 2016 (now in its fifth edition) has been steadily increasing over the years. The contest comprises 18 categories directly linked to the WSIS Action Lines outlined in the Geneva Plan of Action. The contest is open to governments, the private sector, civil society, international organizations, and academia.
Stakeholders are invited to vote for their favourite success stories from around the world. Online Voting started on February 6, 2016 and will end March 10, 2016.
Based on the results, winning projects will be selected by the Expert Group from among the three projects that have received the most votes.
The winners will be presented with an award at the WSIS Prizes ceremony during the WSIS Forum 2016 May 3-6, 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland.
