The WSIS Forum is the only event of its kind where the programme is completely crowdsourced. Therefore, as organizers, ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP, are pleased to announce the Open Consultation Process on thematic aspects and innovations on the format of the WSIS Forum 2017.

The process aims at ensuring a participatory and inclusive spirit of the Forum, scheduled to be held from 12-16 June 2017 at ITU in Geneva. This process actively engages governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, the technical community and intergovernmental organizations 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 physical meetings of the Open Consultation Process will benefit from remote participation.

We will strengthen the WSIS Forum as a key platform for discussing the role of ICTs as a means of implementation of the SDGs and targets.

Beyond 2015, following the multi-stakeholder approach, the WSIS Forum, will build upon the outcomes of the WSIS+10 Review and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this regard the WSIS-SDG Matrix developed by UN WSIS Action line Facilitators will serve as the mechanism to map, analyse and coordinate the implementation of ICTs as enablers and accelerators of the SDGs.