WSIS Forum 2022 is scheduled to be held starting on 15 March with the final week that will be held on 30th May – 3rd June 2022. The Agenda and Programme of the Forum will be built on the basis of the submissions received during the Open Consultation Process (OCP). The Open Consultation process 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.

The WSIS Forum co-organizers (ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP) invite you to contribute to the Open Consultation Process on the Thematic Aspects and Innovations on the Format of the WSIS Forum 2022.

WSIS stakeholders who would like to support WSIS Forum 2022 are invited to partner with us.

To learn more about our Partnership Opportunities:
English | العربية | Español | Français | Русский | 中文

On behalf of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, UNESCO invites you to a regional webinar that marks the official launch of the Arabic translation of the ITU/UNESCO Broadband Commission report “Balancing Act: Countering Digital Disinformation while respecting Freedom of Expression”, on Thursday, 9 December 2021, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm, Beirut time (12:00-13:30 CET).

This research of the Broadband Commission, commissioned by UNESCO and co-chaired with Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber (Qatar), addresses a question of vital consequence across all borders.

The report reveals how disinformation can be addressed in ways that will not undermine the right to freedom of expression, and how independent media and freedom of expression play a necessary role in combatting online disinformation. The report was endorsed by the Broadband Commission membership in Fall 2019 and received peer review from leading academic experts from each region of the world. It includes a novel 23-step checklist and recommendations relevant to each stakeholder group within the digital information ecosystem.

To register ahead of the webinar and participate, please use the below Zoom link (simultaneous Arabic – English interpretation is provided)

This regional webinar and the translation of this report was made possible through the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.

We are pleased to invite you to join the High-Level Inaugural Launch of the first Arab International Digital Cooperation and Development Forum (DCDF) 2021 organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) , in partnership with the League of Arab States and key actors in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and Internet Governance Forum (IGF), including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

In addition, check out and register for the Arab WSIS Track, as part of the DCDF 2021, where many sessions are showcased, to advance the WSIS Action Lines in the Arab Region, for achieving the sustainable development goals.

This session, that will take place at the Arab International Digital Cooperation and Development Forum (DCDF 2021), will bring together various stakeholders and experts from difference sectors to discuss how ICTs and the WSIS Action Lines can help accelerate the SDGs and focus on strengthening partnerships and digital cooperation towards achieving goals and targets across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It will also highlight the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs in the Arab region.

Moderator: Ms. Gitanjali Sah, Strategy and Policy Coordinator, ITU

Speakers

• Mr. Adel Darwish, Regional Director, ITU Arab Regional Office
• Mr. Ayman El-Sherbiny, Chief of ICT Policies, ESCWA
• Mr. Karim Abdelghani, Programme Coordinator, ITU - Arab Office
• Mr. Joe Hironaka, Programme Specialist Digital Innovation and Transformation Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO
• Ms. Scarlett Fondeur Gil, Economic Affairs Officer, E-commerce and Digital Economy Branch, UNCTAD
• Ms. Minerva Novero-Belec, Policy Specialist, UNDP
• Mr. Michael Hodin, CEO, Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA)
• Ms. Mei Lin Fung, Chair and Co-founder, People Centered Internet
• Ms. Lara Rudar, WSIS Youth Campaigner

The Global AgriInno Challenge 2021, co-organized by FAO and Zhejiang University, aims to encourage youth and women to harness innovation, entrepreneurship and technologies to address challenges related to the transformation of rural villages into ‘Digital Villages’ that contribute to the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, while leaving no one behind.

Ten youth-led innovation solutions were selected out of 157 applications from 37 countries for their standout entrepreneurship and promising potential for a positive impact on agri-food systems.

The final teams will pitch their solutions online in front of judges from FAO, ITU, UNWTO, Zhejiang University, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, and Pinduoduo, and audience from all over the world.