Objective
The objective of the UN Virtual Worlds Day is to highlight the transformative power of virtual worlds, including the metaverse and spatial computing, to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This will be achieved by bringing together policymakers to discuss how to regulate and safeguard the virtual worlds and metaverse, and by showcasing the latest technological advances such as VR, AR, metaverse and spatial computing, and their real-world applications relevant to the SDGs.
Key Outcomes
Event report
Event report summarising key recommendations, examples of best practices, and case studies of harnessing virtual worlds and metaverse to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.
Community of practice
UN virtual worlds community of practice on LinkedIn, which will connect key stakeholders and participants to continue their collaboration after the event concludes.
First UN Executive Briefing on virtual worlds and metaverse
Launch of the first UN Executive Briefing on unlocking the potential of virtual worlds and the metaverse for the SDGs.
Examples of best practices
Examples of best practices in using virtual worlds and the metaverse to advance the SDGs that will be included in the website of UN Virtual Worlds Day, UN Virtual Worlds virtual space.
Programme
9:00 – 9:20 Opening Ceremony
The opening remarks will feature senior representatives of the UN and will set the context for the day’s discussions.
- Doreen Bodgan-Martin, Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- Seizo Onoe, Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
- Sameer Chauhan, Director, United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC)
- Paul Ladd, Director, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
- Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
- Mounir Tabet, Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA)
- Radia Funna, Futurist and creator of the xHuman theory and Chair of the 1st UN Virtual Worlds Day
9:20 – 10:30 High-Level Segment: Regulating Virtual Worlds
This high-level segment will feature senior government and corporate leaders who are actively working on policy and regulatory challenges posed by the metaverse and virtual worlds.
Moderator: Rebecca Mukite, Head Public and International Relations, Uganda
- H.E. Mr Nape Nnauye, Minister, Ministry of Information, Communication and Information Technology, Tanzania (United Republic of)
- H.E. Mr Eliud Owalo, Minister, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Kenya
- H.E. Mr Hamad Al Mansoori, Director General, Digital Dubai
- Luis Bernardo Nava Guerrero, Mayor, Municipality of Queretaro, Mexico
- Karl-Filip Coenegrachts, Chair of the Board of Directors and Executive Director, Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC), Belgium
- Jung Sook Park, Secretary-General, World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO), Korea (Rep. of)
- Paula Llobet Vilarrasa, Councillor for Tourism, Digital Agenda, Innovation, and Investment, Valencia, Spain
- Bertrand Levy, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships, The Sandbox
- Christina Yan Zhang, CEO, The Metaverse Institute
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 11:25 Award Ceremony of the UN metaverse Think-a-thon
This event brings together youth to leverage their ideas and virtual world technologies in particular spatial computing and metaverse to create innovative solutions for the SDGs. It provides an exclusive opportunity for young innovators to harness the potential of virtual technologies and innovative approaches to generate actionable insights, propose practical solutions, and foster a collective vision for creating smarter, more sustainable cities and communities.
Moderator: Nevena Alexandrova, Agricultural Extension Officer, Policies and capacities for Innovation Unit leader, Office of Innovation, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- Sameer Chauhan, Director, UNICC
- Seizo Onoe, Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
- Radia Funna, Chair of the 1st UN Virtual Worlds Day
- Shin-Gak Kang, Chair, ITU Focus Group on metaverse
- Luis Bernardo Nava Guerrero, Mayor, Municipality of Queretaro, Mexico
- Yazeed I. Alabdulkarim, Advisor, Research & Innovation, Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE)
11:25 – 11:30 Launch of the Minecraft Education Challenge
11:30 – 12:30 Digital Solutions – Real Impact: Leveraging Virtual Worlds for Global Change
This session will highlight a series of transformative case studies where virtual worlds, the metaverse and spatial computing have been harnessed to address global challenges. The experts will delve into lessons learned, emerging challenges, the vast opportunities for sustainable development brought by virtual worlds and metaverse and their impact on society from a multidisciplinary view and the policy challenges they will bring. Participants will engage in a dynamic discussion on how our day-to-day lives will be impacted by virtual worlds and the metaverse, catalysing positive change and steering us toward a more sustainable and socially connected future.
Moderator: Nevine Tewfik, Senior International Relations Expert, Egypt
- Isabelle Hupont, Scientific Officer, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
- Michele Zilli, Principal of Immersive Technologies, TUI Group
- Manuel Barreiro, CEO & Founder, Aston Group
- Stela Mocan, Manager, Technology & Innovation Lab, World Bank
- Neil Trevett, Vice President Developer Ecosystems, NVIDIA & President of the Metaverse Standards Forum
- Jonathan Birdwell, Global Head of Economist Impact’s Policy and Insights team
Questions & Answers
12:30 – 12:45 Launch of the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds – Discovering the CitiVerse
Moderator: Franca Vinci, Head of Learning Services, UNICC
- Seizo Onoe, Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
- Sameer Chauhan, Director, UNICC
- H.E. Mr Hamad Al Mansoori, Director General, Digital Dubai
12:45 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:00 Safeguarding the Virtual Experience: Safety, Privacy, and Accountability in Virtual Worlds
The session will focus on identifying challenges and opportunities related to privacy, accountability, safety and security in these virtual spaces. This panel discussion will delve into the unique aspects of virtual worlds such as online communities and spatial computing, and will address the measures and safeguards that need to be in place.
Moderator: Anamaria Meshkurti, Tech Investor and Strategic Board Member, AMVS Capital
Speakers:
- Madan M. Oberoi, Executive Director of Technology and Innovation, INTERPOL
- Muhammad Khurram Khan, Professor, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Fabio Maggiore, Head, Cyber Security Governance, UNICC
- Yazeed I. Alabdulkarim, Advisor, Research & Innovation, Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE)
- Brent Milliken, CEO, IMVERSE
- Dylan Reim, Lead for Metaverse Governance, World Economic Forum
Questions & Answers
15:00 – 16:00 Virtual Horizons: Unlocking the Potential of the Virtual Worlds for the Sustainable Development Goals
Dive into the cutting-edge realm of virtual worlds as we unveil the transformative power they hold in advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This session, “Virtual Horizons,” will showcase a selection of pioneering UN projects harnessing the potential of virtual environments to drive positive change. Through immersive presentations and interactive demonstrations, participants will gain insights into the innovative ways the UN is utilising virtual technologies to foster global collaboration, raise awareness, and enact real-world impact.
Moderator: Bilel Jamoussi, Deputy Director, Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
Speakers:
- Vincent Martin, Director Office of Innovation, FAO
- Tom Wambeke, Chief Learning Innovation, International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO)
- Cristina Bueti, Counsellor, ITU and Okan Geray, Strategic planning Advisor, Digital Dubai
- Mounir Tabet, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNESCWA
- Igor Litvinyuk, Secretary, UNECE Group of Experts on Energy Efficiency
- Jaimee Stuart, Senior Researcher, United Nations University (UNU) and Auxane Boch, cyberpsychologist and research associate, Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Questions & Answers
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee Break
16:30 – 18:00 Imagining Tomorrow: Exploring the Potential of Virtual Worlds to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals and Discover Opportunities in the Future Landscape
This session will gather diverse perspectives on the future of virtual worlds and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will explore how virtual worlds can be used to envision and plan, emphasising the intersection of emerging digital technologies, diplomacy, and global challenges. The session will explore potential ways for future approaches to leveraging the virtual worlds, including spatial computing and metaverse, and aims to push the boundaries of imagination and innovation, fostering a world better prepared to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. Join us as we explore the UN and World Bank’s strategic foresight initiatives, offering a unique perspective on shaping the future landscape and contributing as a vital input to the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024.
Facilitated by:
- UN Futures Lab/Global Hub
- World Bank ITS Technology & Innovation Lab
- UN Development Coordination Office (UNDCO)
- International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO)
18:00 – 18:30 Launch of the Working Group on Digital Transformation for Hydrology and Water Resources
18:30 – 18:40 Closing Ceremony
The Conference Chair will present the closing remarks, summarising the day’s discussions and outlining the next steps.
- Radia Funna, Chair of the 1st UN Virtual Worlds Day
