Thuraya at the World Summit on the Information Society...
December 6, 2003
Thuraya’s chairman Mr Mohammad Omran will speak at the opening ceremony of ‘The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)’ on behalf of the Coordinating Committee of Business Interlocutors (CCBI ) in Geneva on the 10th of December 2003.
The summit, expected to be attended by more than fifty heads of countries will explore the role of information and communication and the dynamic changes occurring in the modern world.
The outcome of the Summit is to develop and foster a clear statement of political will and a concrete plan of action for achieving the goals of the Information Society, while fully reflecting all the different interests at stake.
Speaking on behalf of the CCBI, Thuraya’s Chairman, Mr. Omran said: "We have set ourselves plenty of ambitious targets for placing the whole world online. If they all can be met, the world will become a better place. The challenge will be to make it happen - and that is how history will judge WSIS.
"We aspire to a worldwide information society that will drive economic growth and social progress, reduce poverty, spread knowledge and education, and encourage freedom of expression. Our information society will give meaning and hope to millions whose lives today have neither".
The principals of the Summit host countries and executive secretariat invited the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to create the Coordinating Committee of Business Interlocutors (CCBI ) as a vehicle to mobilize and coordinate the involvement of the worldwide business community in the processes leading to and culminating in the Summit.
The WSIS Program
The Opening Ceremony will begin at 14:00h-15:00h GMT+1 ( 2:00 PM Swiss Time) with His Excellency Mr. Pascal Couchepin, President of the Swiss Confederation making the opening speech followed by His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Thuraya’s chairman, Mr Omran will make his speech after the Tunisian President Mr. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, ITU Secretary-General Mr. Yoshio Utsumi and the President of the World Blind Union, Ms. Kicki Nordström deliver their speeches.
The webcast of the program will be relayed in six UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) as well as the original language.)