The Summit: When and where

The Summit process is conducted under the high patronage of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, with the International Telecommunication Union taking the lead role in cooperation with other UN agencies. The first phase of WSIS took place in Geneva in December 2003, and the second phase will be held in Tunis in November 2005.

Geneva 2003: First Phase

The first phase of the World Summit convened in Geneva 10 to 12 December 2003. Hosted by the Government of Switzerland, it addressed the broad range of themes concerning the Information Society and adopted a Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action. International political commitment was evident with the presence of over 40 Heads of state and government along with Ministers and high-level representatives from over 150 countries.

Tunis 2005: Second Phase

The second phase of the World Summit will take place in Tunis hosted by the Government of Tunisia, from 16 to 18 November 2005. Development themes will be a key focus in this phase, and it will assess progress that has been made and adopt any further action that needs to be taken.