(22nd April 2023 – APIA, SAMOA): The first ever Digital Week to be held in Samoa is an achievement worth
celebrating to promote the responsible use of technology and close the gender digital divide.
As part of the Government of Samoa’s vision for Samoa to improve its services across sectors, the digital
transformation initiative is a step forward.
Through the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MICT), a weeklong programme is being
hosted from April 24th until April 27th, 2023 at the Samoa Convention Centre at the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi
Conference Room. The official opening ceremony will be held on Monday, 24th April 2023 at 9am.
Celebrating alongside the global ICT for Girls this year, the Digital Week, themed Digital Skills for life, aims to
promote the responsible use of technology in education and foster the development of digital skills for students,
teachers and parents. It also aims at developing and disseminating innovative approaches to ensure that digital
skills for life are safe and protected.
As much as Samoa embraces newly established initiatives through digital means, it is not clouded by the
increasing challenges facing the influx of technology in this day and age. One of those challenges is the impact
of technology on young girls hence the need to address it by exploring those digital skills. Selected schools are
invited to attend the week long programme. MCIT is privileged to be working in partnership with Girl Geek
Academy from Australia where students will have the opportunity to learn and develop coding skills and code.
In its recently approved ICT Sector Plan 2022-2027, this initiative is one of the Sector’s vision to implement its
Digital Transformation initiative. With the Digital Week activities focusing on enhancing digital skills, education
and competencies for the digital transformation, this goes to show the need of empowering all citizens with the
digital tools and skills to instill interest in women and girls to pursue studies and careers in the most critical study
disciplines in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
All the more reason, Afioga Leota Sarai Faleupolu Tevita, President for the Samoa Information Technology
Association (SITA) and Chair for the Pacific Islands Chapter of the Internet Society (PICISOC) 2023 is delivering
the keynote address for the inaugural Digital Week opening while delivering remarks on behalf of the Government
is the Chief Executive Officer of MCIT, Afioga Lefaoali’i Unutoa Auelua-Fonoti.
To ensure success of working in synergy, the Office of the Regulator will co-host the fourth day of the weeklong
program concluding the Digital Week and Girls in ICT initiative.
For further information, please contact Tagiilima Neemia on 26117 or email tagiilima.neemia@mcit.gov.ws. The
programme is attached for your reference.
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