The first of the six Theme Forums of Expo Shanghai was held on May 15th and 16th in Ningbo of Zhejiang Province, China, to discuss the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the 21st century as an accelerator of economic globalization and their applications in urban development and management for a better life.

Co-organized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of PRC, Executive Committee of Expo 2010 Shanghai China, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and the Ningbo municipal government, the Theme Forum welcomed over 600 government officials from various different countries, international organization representatives, experts and scholars, as well as members of the business community and media, gathered around the theme of "ICT and Urban Development."

About 60 speakers from across sectors and industries spoke about the key role and potential of ICT in creating better, smarter cities, while at the same time emphasizing the need to minimize the risks and dangers associated with the misuse of ICT.

During the opening ceremony, Li Yizhong, the Chinese Minister of Industry and Information, said that the rapid urbanization that our world is currently undergoing both promotes and requires the development of ICT. He stressed the importance of cooperation among nations for a healthy development of ICT, adding that Expo Shanghai is a "grand gathering of civilizations" that serves as a platform for understanding and friendship among countries.

Hamadoun Toure, the ITU Secretary-General, said that ICT will improve the living standards of citizens and make cities more human by allowing people across the globe to be connected and communicate with one another. There was "nothing more fundamental than the need to communicate," he said.

The Secretary of CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, Zhao Hongzhu, outlined the general trend of "informatization" that we are currently witnessing, calling it a driving force of transformation for the socio-economic base of our cities and for the development of human society.

The Filipino Vice President, Nori de Castro, then took the floor to discuss the power of ICT, taking the example of the recent computerized elections that were successfully carried out in the Philippines. ICT, in allowing for speed and accuracy as never possible before, has in effect revolutionized the election process and the spread of democratic values. ICT represents one of the most dynamic and promising sectors of the Philippines, he said, concluding that he believed that this Theme Forum would point to strategic directions for the future of ICT.

To close the opening ceremony, Shanghai Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng spoke about the importance of the Expo Theme Forums to leverage the impact of the messages of Expo Shanghai and to share the opportunities presented by the Expo with Shanghai's neighboring cities in the Yangtze River Delta. He also said that the holding of these Theme Forums demonstrated the support of these cities for the Expo. The insights shared at this forum will contribute to the global discussion on the sustainable development of cities, he added.

A plenary session then followed, with keynote speeches delivered by Jiang Mianheng, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Robert E. Kahn, Chairman, CEO, and President of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI); and by Wang Jianzhou, President of China Mobile Communications Corporation and Chairman and CEO of China Mobile Co. Ltd.

The presentation of Jiang Mianheng discussed what urbanization and informatization mean for the development of China. He called it a "historical opportunity," while adding that China has its own challenges to overcome in order to seize the opportunity. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of "starting from little" and that better job opportunities led to better life.

Robert Kahn, widely regarded as one of the founders of the Internet, said that the world community has "spoken in rare consensus" on the importance of ITC for modern cities in areas spanning education, healthcare, government services, economic development, new business opportunities, and information access. At the same time, while the Internet presents opportunities for development for both developed and developing countries, he also acknowledged the difficulty of fulfilling its potential.

The final keynote speech, delivered by Wang Jianzhou, introduced as Business Newsweek's 2006 choice as the "Best CEO," discussed the Internet of Things (IOT) and his vision of a wireless city.

During the panel discussion that followed, leaders from both the public and private sector engaged in a dialogue on the "Internet and Information Industry": Ma Huateng, CEO of Tencent Holdings Limited; Francelino Grando, Brazil's Secretary of Innovation; Charles Chao, President, CEO and Director of SINA Corporation; Mohandas Pai, Director of Human Resources, Education, and Research and Administration of Infosys Technologies Limited; and Mao Guanglie, Mayor of Ningbo.

Following the panel discussion, seven parallel sessions were organized: "ICT and Urban Management," "ICT and Urban Life," "ICT and Global Cooperation," "Modern Logistics and ICT Management System," "ICT and Industries," "ICT and Education," and "ICT and Social Responsibilities."

Among the speakers invited to explore "ICT and Urban Management" was Wu Hequan, Vice President of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Vice-Director of the Advisory Committee for State Informatization of China, who outlined the evolution of the Internet, the fundamentals of IOT, and the application of the "smart city."

Mohammed Al-Suwayiel, Minister and President of KACST of Saudi Arabia, warned against the negative trends of ICT, namely the waste of resources such as food, water, and energy. In the context of a rapidly growing ICT community – as in Saudi Arabia— and the fast-paced expansion of a global IT market in which we are heavily dependent on ICT for our services, the money value of waste is alarming: US$ 15 trillion, or about 28% of worldwide GDP, according to him.

The CEO of Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, Ronnie Tay, spoke about the importance of developing a globally competitive infocomm industry and leveraging its key sectors (logistics, transportation, healthcare, education, business and consumer services, and e-government services) as an engine for growth of Singaporean economy.

The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the National Communication Commission of Nigeria (NCC), Ernest Ndukwe, said that the global uptake of ICT has been increasing and that the demand is strongest in developing countries, according to an ITU report in 2009. He discussed at length the role of ICT in economic development, education, transportation, governance and government services, the environment, the socio-cultural domain, and in the development of city infrastructure. He concluded that the application of ICT in all sectors of society is a dominant feature of the 21st century human development.

Jung-hee Song, Assistant Mayor of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said that the advancement of ICT represented a paradigm shift in urban planning and introduced Seoul's e-government efforts.

The Vice President of IBM and Director of China Laboratories, Matt Wang, explained that the city is a microcosm of the challenges and opportunities facing the planet today. He urged the audience to act now and said that the city is the most pertinent unit for action.

During the parallel session on "ICT and Social Responsibilities," Microsoft Online's CEO spoke at lengths about "cloud computing" and the new responsibilities that it brings, while Ferdinant Songuelema, Assistant Secretary of Bangui City, South African Republic discussed his vision of a harmonious city and a livable life.

Meanwhile, Chi-Foon Chan, President and CEO of Synopsys, Inc., argued that a sustainable world was "everyone's business" and said that smart design opened doors to a world of opportunities.

For his part, Shinji Tarutoko, Chairman of the House of Representatives, Committee on the Environment of Japan, stressed the importance of a balance between economic development and environmental preservation as well as the fundamental role of IT in the battle against climate change. He also urged cooperation between Japan and China in the economy and environment.

At the closing ceremony, the keynote speech was delivered by the former US Secretary of Labor (2001 – 2009), Elaine Chao, the first Chinese-American woman in US history to have held a cabinet-level position. Chao, who headed the US delegation at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, said that the "Shanghai Expo will continue the stunning legacy of Beijing Olympics." She also stressed the importance of a highly skilled workforce in order to effectively manage and benefit from modern technology.

Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Yang Xiong, then closed the forum with the summary of ideas exchanged during the forum, emphasizing the relevance of ICT in today's world for better life and the need for measures to be taken to ensure the positive use of ICT.

Vice Mayor Yang said that this forum had explored ICT and its applications as well as its importance for the progress of society. He raised the different facets of ICT's impact on society: for example, in accelerating development and innovation; encouraging strong entrepreneurialism in areas such as finance, trade, logistics, and other services; providing a roadmap for sustainable development; promoting the urbanization process; or in promoting people-oriented societies since ICT aims to meet the real needs of people. Vice Mayor Yang then called on the international community to work together to reduce the negative impacts of ICT.

The conclusions from each Theme Forum will be integrated into the Shanghai Declaration, to be presented by Expo Shanghai at the end of its six-months run. The Shanghai Declaration will represent an important intellectual legacy of the Expo.

Each of the six Theme Forums will address in-depth one component of the overall Expo theme of "Better City, Better Life."