Agenda

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2023 Open Consultation process (OCP) aims at ensuring a participatory and inclusive spirit of the Forum. This process actively engages multistakeholders in the preparatory process to ensure broad ownership and further improvements of the Forum. The Open Consultation Process will include a collection of inputs from regional and national WSIS related events and therefore work towards shaping the themes and format of the WSIS Forum 2023. 

The WSIS Forum represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community. The WSIS Forum, co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line Facilitators/Co-Facilitators, has proven to be an efficient mechanism for coordination of multistakeholder implementation activities, information exchange, creation of knowledge, sharing of best practices and continues to provide assistance in developing multi-stakeholder and public/private partnerships to advance development goals. This Forum will provide structured opportunities to network, learn, and participate in multistakeholder discussions and consultations on WSIS implementation. The Agenda and Programme of the Forum will be built on the basis of the submissions received during the Open Consultation Process and following the outcomes of the WSIS Forum 2022. 

Furthermore, the WSIS Forum 2023 will provide an opportunity to serve as a platform to highlight the achievements of WSIS Action Lines in collaboration with the UN Agencies involved and provide information and analyses of the implementation of WSIS Action Lines since 2005.  

The WSIS Forum 2023 is scheduled to be held from 13 to 17 March 2023 at the ITU Headquarters premises in Geneva, with the support of remote participation. The theme of the WSIS Forum 2023 is WSIS Action Lines for building back better and accelerating the achievement of the SDGs.

This session is part of the Open Consultation Process phases (phase V) that aims to provide results of the WSIS Forum 2023 Open Consultation Process as well as updates on the preparations for the WSIS Forum 2023.

Draft Agenda

Opening Remarks (WSIS Forum co-organisers):
ITU: Mr. Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General
UNESCO: Dr. Marielza Oliveira, Director for Partnerships and Operational Programme Monitoring Communications and Information 

2.       WSIS Forum 2023 Briefing and Updates:

Ms. Gitanjali Sah, Strategy and Policy Coordinator, ITU

• WSIS Forum 2023 Open Consultation Process
• Thematic focus and format of event:
• High-Level Track (High-Level Policy Sessions, High-Level Track Facilitators, High-Level Dialogues, Ministerial Round Table)
• Forum Track (Thematic and Country Workshops, WSIS Action Line Facilitation Meetings, UNGIS, Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development, Exhibitions)
• WSIS Prizes 2023 and WSIS Stocktaking 2023
• Other activities:

-          Hackathon – Digital GovHack: Advancing the Digital Economy by Leveraging Emerging Technologies

-          WSIS Forum 2023 Special Tracks and Special Initiatives

-          WSIS Forum 2023 Special Prizes

3. Discussion with WSIS stakeholders