The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was founded on May 17, 1865 after the first International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris. Every year since 1969, ITU's member countries celebrate the World Telecommunication and Society Day to commemorate the founding of this international organization.

This year's theme for the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day will be: "Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals", and it will be an appropriate occasion to acknowledge, from our homes, the value of such technologies. Its main goal is to raise awareness about the possibilities that the use of the Internet, and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can offer to societies and economies, as well as to make a call on the international community to contribute to the reduction of the digital gap.

ICTs have played an important role in the solution of problems and challenges generated by COVID-19 and in the insurance of essential services after the enactment of measures for controlling the disease's propagation, which every country has implemented.
Cuba, as a member of the ITU, joins in the celebration by highlighting the importance and necessity of strengthening collaboration and cooperation among countries in times where the COVID-19 global pandemic has set several challenges for humanity.
Our country musters its efforts in the use of ICT as a world answer to COVID-19, the continuity of the expansion process of telecommunication and digital TV services and the use of telecommuting systems and video-conferences are proof of that; as well as e-Government and e-Commerce services, which are essential to society.
As examples from the use of ICT in this new context, we could highlight radio, television, and governmental and institutional websites to provide information on the status of the pandemic in Cuba and the measures that are being implemented to counter it. The broadcast of educational TV programs is being carried out with the goal of guaranteeing the study and educational process of children and youngsters, as part of the measures enacted by the government.
In addition, the use of educational platforms that feature contents and services related to the educational process is being encouraged. Various universities and entities have facilitated the implementation of informational applications and systems to process information, statistics, and knowledge management and to favor communication with the general public. The utilization of mathematical models and IT platforms linked to the processes of COVID-19 diagnose, prevention and control are examples of that.
The theme of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) remarks the commitment of ITU to connecting the whole world, and showing, at the same time, how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can contribute to accelerate the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 goals.