UN Virtual Worlds Day
The first-ever UN Virtual Worlds Day took place on 14 June 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland, marking a significant milestone in showcasing how virtual worlds, including the metaverse and spatial computing, can accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Unlocking the Potential of Virtual Worlds
By harnessing the power of virtual worlds, UN Virtual Worlds Day set the stage for future collaborative efforts, showcasing how these digital ecosystems can support a more sustainable and inclusive global future.
350+ Participants
The first UN Virtual Worlds Day brought more than 350 participants from around the world, both in person and online, to explore innovations in virtual reality and digital technologies.
UN Virtual Worlds Day
UN metaverse Think-a-Thon 2024
One of the key features of the event was the UN metaverse Think-a-Thon 2024, where participants designed innovative virtual simulations aimed at revolutionizing urban planning, education, and disaster preparedness. The Think-a-Thon invited students, academics, and industry leaders to develop cutting-edge solutions for smarter, more sustainable cities.
The 1st UN Executive Briefing on Unlocking the Potential of Virtual Worlds and the metaverse for the Sustainable Development Goals
This executive briefing provides an in-depth look at the enabling power of these digital spaces in advancing the SDGs, particularly focusing on the transformative impact of the metaverse, which has been defined by ITU Focus Group on metaverse as “an integrative ecosystem of virtual worlds offering immersive experiences to users, that modify pre-existing and create new value from economic, environmental, social and cultural perspectives”.
Partners
Co-organized by ITU alongside 17 UN entities, this pioneering event emphasized the transformative potential of digital spaces to foster collaboration and tackle global challenges.
Steering Committee
The steering committee comprises the representatives of the UN entities that contributed to help shape the programme and draft the report of the UN Virtual Worlds Day conclusions.
Steering Committee Members
Alana Poole
UN Futures Lab Network
Nicole Pallares Ferrer
International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO)
Davide Storti
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Hlekiwe Kachali
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Nakul Prasad
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Salma Arafa
UN Tourism
Maria Annunziata Pignataro
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Cristina Bueti
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Joolokeni Vesikko
UN Futures Lab Network
Ali Feizzadeh
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
Anish Sethi
United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC)
Mike Walton
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Serge Stinckwich
United Nations University (UNU)
Helene Molinier
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
Alica Daly
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Nevena Alexandrova
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Igor Litvinyuk
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Franca Vinci
United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC)
Hwirin Kim
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Jaimee Stuart
United Nations University (UNU)
Dalila Hamou
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Martin Waehlisch
United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UNDPPA)