 Every year, on 17th of May, the IT membership around the world celebrates World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, a day to mark the founding of our union over 150 years ago. The theme for 2017 is Big Data for Big Impact, which will explore the power of Big Data for development and examine the opportunities to convert unprecedented quantities of data into information that can drive development. The insight brought about by this analysis of data will enable evidence-based decision-making at national, regional and international levels. And help the implementation of all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. It will also be an occasion to take a closer look at the importance of governance and regulation and the implications for personal privacy and security, given the future exponential growth in data and connectivity. Countless opportunities will also be identified as we learn to better perfect and harness Big Data and understand the impact Big Data can have as a global goal. Activities undertaken by the IT membership will contribute towards building momentum to embrace Big Data on a global scale and to seize new opportunities to address development challenges.