Forum on Connected by Design: Building Inclusive Digital Infrastructure for Future-Ready Cities
Introduction
The Forum on Connected by Design: Building Inclusive Digital Infrastructure for Future-Ready Cities will bring together global leaders, city innovators, and digital visionaries for a high-level forum exploring how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can transform cities and communities into more inclusive, resilient, and citizen-centric spaces. The Forum will take place on 15 September 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
This event will spotlight scalable approaches to interoperable digital ID, payments, data sharing, and smart urban governance, bridging policy, technology, and social impact.
The Forum will be held in English.
Participation
Participation is open to policymakers, business leaders and industry experts, representatives, other UN agencies, academia, civil society, other regional organizations, NGOs, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders. Participation is free of charge and open to all interested stakeholders including ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academic Institutions and to any individual from a country that is a member of ITU and who wishes to contribute to the work.
The Forum will be collocated with the meeting of ITU-T Study Group 20 (Internet of Things, digital twins and smart sustainable cities and communities) taking place on 15 to 25 September 2025 and meeting of the Joint Coordination Activity on Internet of Things, digital twins and smart sustainable cities and communities (JCA-IoT, DT and SSC&C), taking place on 26 September 2025.
Co-organizers
General Information:
ITU-T Smart Sustainable Cities
ITU activities on metaverse and virtual worlds
Contact:
Cristina Bueti (ITU)
Draft Programme
CEST
Description
8:30 – 9:30
Registration
9:30 – 9:40
Opening Remarks
- Seizo Onoe, Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
- Soumaya Ben Dhaou, Research Specialist, UNU-EGOV
9:40 – 11:00
Session 1: Laying the Foundations – Digital Public Infrastructure for Inclusive Cities
This session explores how foundational DPI elements such as digital ID, interoperable payments, and secure data-sharing frameworks are enabling access to city services, improving governance, and reducing the digital divide. It will highlight best practices from global cities and discuss standards and regulatory enablers.
Moderator: Cristina Bueti, Counsellor, ITU
- Ramy Ahmed Fathy, Leader, U4SSC Thematic Group on Digital Public Infrastructure in Cities
- Soumaya Ben Dhaou, Research Specialist, UNU-EGOV
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 12:25
Session 2: From Connectivity to Impact – Scaling People-centred Smart City Solutions
As cities digitize, smart governance and people-centred design become essential. This session highlights successful deployments of DPI-powered city services that improve quality of life, build trust, and support climate resilience and economic inclusion. It will include city-level use cases and explore tools for tech deployment.
Moderator: Kamelia Kemileva, Global Cities Hub
Speakers:
- Anumita Raj, Associate Director, Government and Multilateral Partnerships,eGov Foundation, India
12:25 – 12:30
Closing remarks
- Hyoung Jun Kim, Chair, ITU-T Study Group 20