Twenty founding members and a telegraph convention signed in Paris: the union behind PP-26

International International organisations International Relations Science & Technology

Twenty founding members and a telegraph convention signed in Paris: the union behind PP-26

Background

The International Telecommunication Union, which holds its Plenipotentiary Conference PP-26 in Doha this November, is one of the oldest international organisations. It was founded in Paris on 17 May 1865, when the first International Telegraph Convention was signed. Its first form was the International Telegraph Union, set up by 20 founding members. The union's headquarters moved from Berne to Geneva in 1948. Today the ITU is the UN agency for digital technologies, with a General Secretariat and three sectors: Radiocommunication, Standardization and Development. World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is marked every year on 17 May, the anniversary of its founding.

Founded: 17 May 1865, Paris Original name: International Telegraph Union Founding members: 20 Moved to Geneva: 1948 (from Berne)

Why it matters for exams: The ITU's founding (Paris, 1865), its Geneva headquarters and World Telecommunication Day on 17 May are classic UN-agency questions.

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30 October 2026 Source: International Telecommunication Union

In plain words

ITU International Telecommunication Union — The UN specialised agency for information and communication technologies.

ITU-T ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector — The ITU sector that sets global technical standards for networks.