Page 27 - UN Executive Briefing on Unlocking the potential of virtual worlds and the metaverse for the Sustainable Development Goals

UN Executive Briefing on Unlocking the potential of virtual worlds and
the metaverse for the Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable
Development

Envisaged as an open and collaborative platform, virtual worlds can play
a key role in the pursuit of Goal 17 by providing unrestricted spaces
for global collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity-building
initiatives to achieve the SDGs [b-Time]. Achieving this will require the
development of effective governance mechanisms.
As a complex and rapidly evolving ecosystem, effective governance
mechanisms are needed to ensure that virtual worlds serve as a force
for positive change. As virtual worlds expand, robust governance structures are essential to
address ethical considerations, privacy concerns, security risks, and regulatory challenges.
Multistakeholder governance models, involving all relevant actors, can foster dialogue, establish
standards, and facilitate decision-making processes that promote responsible and equitable
virtual world development [b-GSMA].

Virtual spaces can facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration, enabling experts, policymakers and
communities worldwide to exchange ideas and share best practices [b-Nokia]. Virtual worlds
such as the metaverse can also serve as a powerful tool to bridge geographical distances,
promote cultural understanding, and mobilize collective action for sustainable development.
By connecting countries, communities and individuals to resources and services in an immersive
way, virtual worlds can make international collaboration much easier, and allow for new alliances,
collaborations and services [b-Brookings2].

Case study: UN Virtual Worlds Day

The “UN Virtual Worlds Day” is a pioneering event organized by ITU, World Bank, UNECE,
ITCILO, UN Futures Lab Network, WMO, UNICC, WIPO, UNICEF, UN Tourism, UNU, UNDPPA,
UNIN, United Nations Guatemala, FAO, UNESCWA, UNFCCC and its interagency initiative
Resilience Frontiers and UNRISD. The objective of the UN Virtual Worlds Day is to highlight the
transformative power of virtual worlds, including the metaverse to accelerate the achievement
of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UN Virtual Worlds Day brings policy makers together to discuss how to regulate and safeguard
the virtual worlds and metaverse, while also showcasing the latest technological advances such
as VR, AR, metaverse and spatial computing, and their real-world applications relevant to the
SDGs. This event exemplifies how virtual worlds can unite diverse stakeholders, strengthen
global partnerships, and drive collective action towards achieving the SDGs. As we look
ahead, events like the UN Virtual Worlds Day will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping
the agenda for the UN Summit of the Future. By showcasing the potential of virtual worlds
to foster collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, we are laying the groundwork for a more
cohesive and interconnected international community.

Note: Case studies used in this document are referred to only as examples of relevant real-world
initiatives.

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