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UN agency to set up museum of information and communication technology

ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré

8 November 2009 – The United Nations telecommunications agency announced today that it has signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates to build a new museum that will focus on the impact of information communications technology (ICT) on people's lives.

The new museum will be known as the ICT Exploratorium and will be housed at the headquarters of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Geneva when it opens next year, the agency said in a press release.

Under the agreement, signed in Abu Dhabi by ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré and Mohamed Al Ghanim, Director-General of the UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the UAE and its authority will donate $2 million to the design and construction of the museum.

ITU will acquire the exhibits, equipments and other resources necessary to establish the museum, which will be free of charge to the general public.

The agency said the museum will feature permanent interactive exhibits highlighting cutting-edge ICT systems and their role in everyday lives, as well as rotating exhibitions on new inventions, emergency communications and the future of the Internet.

Dr. Touré thanked the UAE and its telecommunications regulator for their support of the museum.

“As we all know, ICTs are not just about technologies any more – they are closely linked with every aspect of our daily lives,” he said.

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