Agenda

ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD would like to thank all WSIS Stakeholders for your patience, commitment and support with regard to the WSIS Forum 2020.

After careful consideration and in light of the global health crisis and pervasive travel restrictions, the co-organisers have decided to hold the WSIS Forum 2020 in a virtual format. By holding this virtual Forum, we are dedicated to continue providing a platform to realise the WSIS goals and to keep the momentum of this year that marks the 15-year of cooperation between all WSIS Stakeholders to make ICTs a critical driver of global development.

The WSIS Forum 2020 will be held entirely online starting on 22 June onwards, featuring a weekly programme, including a series of thematic/country workshops, high-level policy sessions, special tracks on various thematic areas, knowledge café, a Hackathon, and exhibition addressing issues that are critical to WSIS implementation and follow-up in a multistakeholder setting. The final week of the Virtual WSIS Forum 2020 will take place on 7-10 September 2020, consisting of policy statements, interactive high-level dialogues, a WSIS Prize ceremony, a ministerial round table as well as a series of WSIS Action Line facilitation meetings.

This is an opportunity to scale WSIS Forum 2020 to a wider community and reach even more people, which reflects the pillar of the WSIS to provide an open and inclusive space for all to advance the SDGs through ICTs. The virtual format presents us with a great occasion to create a meaningful collaboration and connect with people around the world.

COVID-19 has highlighted the fundamental importance of ICTs to economies and societies everywhere. From teleworking and e-commerce to telemedicine and remote learning, digital technologies are supporting continued access to education, healthcare, essential goods and services and family and friends.

We would also like to thank you for your commitment towards making the WSIS Process impactful by organizing the successful virtual WSIS TalkX and contributing to the WSIS Stocktaking Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response – ICT Case Repository.