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Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) Ref.: BDT/DKS/DIS/NUM/070 Geneva, 19 September 2024 His Excellency Mr. Tiit Riisalo Minister Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications Estonia Email: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Subject: Global ITU Innovation Forum 2024, 28–30 October 2024, Valletta, Malta Sir, Further to my Circular letter BDT/DNS/DGS/035 dated 1 July 2024, I am writing to extend to you a personal invitation to to participate in the 2024 Global Innovation Forum (GIF-24) to be held in Valletta, Malta from 28 to 30 October 2024, under the theme "Shaping our digital futures for prosperity and well-being for all." It is evident that besides urgency in bridging the digital divide, there is also increasing concern with existing and emerging digital innovation and skills divides that require policy intervention. This event is organized by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and will be hosted by the Ministry for Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects of the Government of Malta. The Global Innovation Forum is committed to reducing the digital innovation gap by empowering stakeholders with forward-thinking ideas, sharing insights on policy acceleration and collaborative initiative development, supporting startups and SMEs growth, nurturing innovative digital clusters and connecting them to global innovation networks. The Global Innovation Forum 2024 aims to support ITU Membership with new, more resilient, and forward- thinking approaches to guarantee they can safely navigate a digital world that is increasingly Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA). GIF-24 is packed with a dynamic programme spread across three stages – Forum, Experience and Collaboration. This event is an opportunity for global collaboration to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship for development. The event will include high-level panels discussing key topics related to future thinking, shaping digital ecosystems for prosperity, innovation and entrepreneurship as economic enablers, South-South and triangular cooperation as catalysts for digital innovation, pitches from innovative SMEs/startups, and the role of youth as the future drivers of prosperity and well-being. As part of GIF-24, we will also be hosting the 2nd meeting of the Digital Innovation Board (upon invitation) and the 2nd Meeting of the ITU Acceleration Centres (upon invitation), the two vehicles of the Innovation International Telecommunication Union • Place des Nations • CH-1211 Geneva 20 • Switzerland Tel: +41 22 730 5111 • Fax: +41 22 730 5484 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.itu.int/itu-d  2 Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development I established last year as part of my commitment to accelerate the achievement of the Kigali Action Plan. I invite you to bring relevant communities, including innovative startups and SMEs, innovation hubs, digital champions, academics, and strategic digital thinkers, driving your country's digital agenda on innovation and entrepreneurship for socio-economic development. More information is available at: https://www.itu.int/go/GIF2024. I hope that you will be able to participate and make a valuable contribution to a successful Global Innovation Forum 2024. Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava Director Annex 1 – Practical Information and Programme for GIF-24  3 Annex 1 – Practical Information and Programme for GIF-24 Speaking opportunity In line with the forum expectation, there will be no formal presentations apart from those made by keynote speakers, as appropriate. Active participation of executive level participants in panels is welcomed and encouraged. If you have been pre-selected for a speaking role, the BDT innovation team will contact you or your office. If you have not been contacted and are still interested in a speaking role, please reach out to [email protected] for more information. Registration Registration to participate in GIF-24 is mandatory. An ITU User Account is required to register. If you don’t already have one, please follow the instructions here by selecting “I am a new user”. For participants who already have created an ITU User Account when registering to another ITU meeting, login with your credentials. Please register to the event here. The deadline for registration is 21 October 2024. All registration requests for participation in these meetings must be validated by the Designated Focal Points (DFPs) of administrations and entities entitled to participate. The list of Designated Focal Points is available here. If your Entity does not have a Focal Point, or wishes to modify the contact details and/or change a focal point, you are kindly requested to provide details of his/her last name, first name and e-mail address and submit this information on your organization’s letterhead by e-mail to [email protected]. The participation of women and young people in delegations is encouraged. For assistance, please contact: [email protected]. Interpretation Interpretation for the GIF Forum stage sessions will be provided based on the requests from participants. At the time of registration, participants who require a language other than English must select their choice from the list on the registration form (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish). The deadline to request interpretation through the registration system is 14 September 2024 (23h59 Hours, Geneva Time).  4 Practical information Please note that participants shall cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. Practical information on accommodation, including logistical details, is available on the GIF-24 website. Due to visa requirements, and in order to ensure that your visa is processed in time for the meeting, I encourage you to follow the visa instructions available on the host country’s website. My team in the Digital Innovation Service (e-mail: [email protected]) is at the disposal of participants for any additional support. Programme See https://www.itu.int/itu-d/meetings/gif-24/programme for full programme. Day and Time (CET) Forum Stage Experience Stage Collaboration Stage 8:30-10:00 Registration 10:00 - 10:30 Opening 10:30 - 10:45 Coffee Break and Group Photo Day 1 - 28 October 2024 Leading towards prosperity in a VUCA 10:45 - 12:00 world - Ministerial 12:00 - 14:00 Lunch Digital Futures: from vision to impact - Digital Innovation Board - Sess 14:00 - 15:15 Young Women in Ai Power Session Fireside Chat invitation only 15:15 - 15:45 Coffee Break Developing bankable initiatives to shape Digital Innovation Board - Sess Masterclass on Storytelling for Impact 15:45 - 17:00 vibrant digital ecosystems - Fireside Chat invitation only Digital Innovation Board - Sess Networking Social 16:45 - 18:00 invitation only Unlocking the youth dividend through Remarkable pitches from Digital 9:00-10:15 entrepreneurship and innovation - ITU Acceleration Centers Meetin Changemakers Roundtable invitation only 10:15 - 10:45 Coffee Break South-South and triangular cooperation Day 2 - 28 October 2024 Young Women in Ai - Worksho 10:45 - 12:00 as catalyst for emerging technology Masterclass on Strategic foresight - by invitation only clusters - Roundtable 12:00 - 14:00 Lunch How can we zero in on holistic policies Remarkable pitches from Digital Young Women in Ai - Worksho 14:00 - 15:15 and strategies that drive innovation? - Changemakers - by invitation only Roundtable 15:15 - 15:45 Coffee Break Preparing for the Growth of Startups and Masterclass on Resilience and well- Young Women in Ai - Worksho 15:45 - 17:00 SMEs in Globally Connected Markets - being in a digital age - by invitation only Roundtable 16:45 - 18:00 Networking Social Ecosystem4Impact: ecosystembuilders in Global Collaboration to accele Remarkable pitches from Digital 9:00-10:15 the frontline - Fireside Chat innovation and entrepreneu Day 3 - 28 October 2024 Changemakers invitation only 10:15 - 10:45 Coffee Break Building Innovation Networks and Generation Connect Young Lead 10:45 - 12:00 Platforms to Achieve National Ambitions - Jury Pitch for GIF Innovation Award Programme [GCYLP] by invitatio Fireside Chat 12:00 - 14:00 Lunch 14:00-15:00 Closing and GIF Awards Ecosystem Development Youth Legend Entrepreneurship , Startup and SMEs Innovation Networks Capacity building Opening or closing Sessions Saatja: "BDTMAIL, ITU" <[email protected]> Saaja: [email protected] Teema: BDT/DKS/DIS/NUM/070 - Global ITU Innovation Forum 2024, 28–30 October 2024, Valletta, Malta Kuupäev: 2024-09-19 13:11 Dear Sir/Madam, Please find attached a letter from Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union. Thank you and best regards, BDTMAIL Telecommunication Development Bureau International Telecommunication Union Place des Nations CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland Tel : + 41 22 730 6300 Fax: + 41 22 730 5484 [email protected] www.itu.int/itu-d