Global Digital Development Leaders to Convene in Geneva for WSIS+20 High-Level Event
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. Photo: ITU
Global Digital Development Leaders to Convene in Geneva for WSIS+20 High-Level Event
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin noted that for two decades, WSIS has united the world around a vision of an information society that works for everyone, everywhere.
RMN Digital Report
Representatives from across the digital-for-development global community are set to meet in Geneva, Switzerland, from 7 to 11 July 2025 for the WSIS+20 High-Level Event. This significant gathering aims to assess progress made over the past two decades and establish a joint vision for effectively using technology for the benefit of all.
Building on twenty years of action to shape the digital world, the event will address global technological challenges, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). Participants will review progress on UN technology-for-development priorities and explore emerging tech trends. A key focus will also be on invigorating global action to achieve universal and meaningful connectivity, particularly as 2.6 billion people around the world still remain offline.
The event is an integral part of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process, which established its framework and goals in 2003 and 2005. The WSIS Forum, coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – the United Nations agency for digital technologies – is the only international mechanism mandated by the UN General Assembly for coordinating global work on the role of digital transformation in development.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin noted that for two decades, WSIS has united the world around a vision of an information society that works for everyone, everywhere. She stated that the WSIS+20 High-Level Event sets the stage for strengthening this proven multistakeholder framework for digital development so that humanity can benefit for decades to come.
The meeting in Geneva will bring together representatives from governments, industry, the research community, civil society, academia, and international organizations. These diverse stakeholders will assess global efforts concerning tech and society since the formation of the WSIS Forum. They will also consider the future of WSIS and digital cooperation, and reflect on how societies are embracing new technologies.
The WSIS+20 event will take place at Geneva’s Palexpo exhibition and convention centre. It is being held alongside ITU’s AI for Good Global Summit 2025, bringing together extensive global communities. Additionally, the annual WSIS Prizes Contest will recognise projects that harness the power of information and communication technologies to advance sustainable development.
The WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 is co-hosted by ITU and the Swiss Confederation. It is also co-organized with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UN Trade (UNCTAD), with the engagement of more than 40 UN partners.
This high-level event comes in advance of a formal review by the UN General Assembly in September 2025, which will adopt the vision of WSIS beyond 2025.
