Agenda | WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025

Agenda and Programme

The WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 will take place from 7 to 11 July 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, hosted by ITU and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD. The Agenda and Programme for the Event are built based on official submissions received during the Open Consultation Process (OCP).

Webcast

High-Level Track Sessions

Monday 7 July

541

Happening live at the Inaugural Session: Swiss Alpine Horn instrument experience!

Swiss Confederation

08:40 – 08:55 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

Happening live at the Inaugural Session: Experience Swiss cultural heritage with the traditional sounds of the Alpine Horn! Countdown to the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 begins! Take your seat as we mark two decades of digital progress and shape the…

High-Level Plenary

542

...Countdown to the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 begins | Inaugural Video

WSIS

08:55 – 09:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

High-Level Plenary

128

WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 Inaugural Session: Celebrating Two Decades and Achieving Future Milestones Together

WSIS

09:00 – 09:30 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

It has been two decades since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was first launched, and in that time we have forged a path towards making digital advances equitable and sustainable. WSIS has redefined the way we think about building…

High-Level Plenary

531

Special Remarks - WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 WSIS Long-Standing Partner

United Arab Emirates

09:30 – 09:34 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

Strategic Partner: WSIS Long-Standing Partner High-Level Plenary

133

WSIS+20 High-Level Dialogue: WSIS Legacy in Motion: Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future

WSIS

09:34 – 10:30 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

Meet the ones who were there at the beginning of it all. As the WSIS process marks 20 years, we reflect on a journey that has shaped global digital development through collaboration and shared vision. A key part of this journey is the WSIS Forum,…

High-Level Dialogue

141

Multilateral Intergenerational High-Level Dialogue: Youth Special Track

WSIS

14:00 – 15:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This intergenerational high-level dialogue will bring together multilateral leaders and young changemakers to discuss the role of youth digital leadership and innovation in the next phase of digital transformation. The discussion will center around…

Youth High-Level Dialogue

162

Partner2Connect High-Level Dialogue

ITU Partner2Connect

15:00 – 16:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

As the world gathers to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20), this is the perfect moment to highlight the shared values and complementary roles of WSIS and Partner2Connect (P2C). Both initiatives…

High-Level Dialogue

Tuesday 8 July

441

High-Level Lunch

United Arab Emirates

12:00 – 14:00 (UTC+02:00)

On invitation only

Strategic Partner: WSIS Long-Standing Partner High-Level Lunch

282

Safe Smart Cities and Climate Frustration

Global Cities Hub / WeGO / ITU

14:00 – 15:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

The Smart City Leaders’ Talk at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event week discusses the paradox of smart cities facing climate emergency. This high-level debate will enlighten opportunities Smart Cities bring to development and ways to overcome the…

High-Level Dialogue

495

Regulators Roundtable

WSIS/ITU

15:15 – 17:15 (UTC+02:00) Room K

Regulators only

Regulators Round Table

265

Celebrating 20 Years of Multistakeholder Engagement: WSIS Forum, IGF, and the Road Ahead

WSIS/IGF

15:15 – 16:15 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

Multistakeholder dialogue is one of WSIS’s most enduring contributions. This session explores how it shaped global platforms like the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the annual WSIS Forum, inspired regional and national processes, and fostered…

High-Level Dialogue

Wednesday 9 July

378

High-Level Track Inaugural Leaders TalkX: Forging partnerships for purpose: advancing the digital for development landscape

WSIS

09:00 – 09:30 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX session underscores the pivotal role of governments and stakeholders in driving ICTs for development. Emphasizing the vital need for cooperation, it champions the effective participation of all entities. Encouraging the development…

Leaders TalkX

232

The Digital Imperative: The Critical Role of School Connectivity

ITU/Giga

09:00 – 10:00 (UTC+02:00) Giga Connectivity Centre

Connectivity has become pivotal and therefore critical for the socio-economic development of every country and across all aspects of life. Its transformative impact on the education sector, in particular, cannot be overstated. Connectivity opens new…

High-Level Dialogue

448

Bridging the Digital Skills Gap: Strategies for Reskilling and Upskilling in a Changing World

ILO/ITU

09:00 – 10:00 (UTC+02:00) Room K

The session will bring together representatives from government, the private sector, international organisations and academic institutions, to discuss strategies to develop digital skills policies and frameworks that can effectively respond to the…

Digital Skills High-Level Dialogue

379

Leaders TalkX: Information and communication infrastructure: a foundation for universal, sustainable and affordable access

WSIS

09:30 – 10:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX emphasizes the crucial role of infrastructure in achieving digital inclusion. It advocates for governments to support an enabling environment for investment in ICT infrastructure and the development of new services. The discussion…

Leaders TalkX

417

Leaders TalkX: Accelerating global access to information and knowledge in the digital era

WSIS

10:15 – 10:45 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX explores the transformative power of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in democratizing access to information worldwide. It emphasizes the importance of policy guidelines for promoting public domain information,…

Leaders TalkX

419

Leaders TalkX: Future-ready: enhancing skills for a digital tomorrow

WSIS

10:45 – 11:15 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX discussion focuses on the imperative of ensuring universal access to ICT skills and literacy for all individuals. It emphasizes the need for domestic policies integrating ICTs into education and lifelong learning, eradicating…

Leaders TalkX

421

Leaders TalkX: Towards a safer connected world: collaborative strategies to strengthen digital trust and cyber resilience

WSIS

11:30 – 12:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX investigates strengthening confidence and security in the Information Society. It advocates for governmental cooperation, both within the United Nations and across other platforms, to enhance user trust and safeguard data…

Leaders TalkX

454

High-Level Lunch

Malaysia

12:00 – 14:00 (UTC+02:00)

On invitation only

Strategic Partner: Platinum High-Level Lunch

430

Leaders TalkX: Building inclusive and knowledge-driven digital societies

WSIS

14:00 – 14:30 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX explores the transformative power of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and media in democratizing access to information worldwide. It emphasizes the importance of policy guidelines for promoting public domain…

Leaders TalkX

427

Leaders TalkX: ICT application to unlock the full potential of digital - Part I

WSIS

14:30 – 15:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leader TalkX explores the intersection of technology and socio-economic progress. Stakeholders from governments, international organizations, and the private sector converge to explore avenues for promoting international trade, improving…

Leaders TalkX

183

Ministerial Roundtable

WSIS

14:30 – 16:30 (UTC+02:00) Room K

Ministers only

Ministerial Round Table

428

Leaders TalkX: Local to global: preserving culture and language in a digital era

WSIS

15:15 – 15:45 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

The "Leaders TalkX: Local to global: preserving culture and language in a digital era" aims to highlight cultural and linguistic diversity as cornerstones of a dialogue-driven Information Society. This session gathers a multistakeholder panel to…

Leaders TalkX

426

Leaders TalkX: When policy meets progress: paving the way for a fit for future digital world

WSIS

15:45 – 16:15 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX delves into the crucial intersection of policy-making and progress in the digital space. It emphasizes the significance of confidence and security as foundational elements of the Information Society. Governments are urged to…

Leaders TalkX

431

Leaders TalkX: Moral pixels: painting an ethical landscape in the information society

WSIS

16:45 – 17:15 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leaders TalkX session will delve into the necessity of infusing universally held values and ethical dimensions into the digital. The discussion will focus on the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to foster an Information Society that…

Leaders TalkX

478

High Level Dialogue: Strengthening the Resilience of Telecommunication Submarine Cables

ITU/Portugal/Nigeria

16:45 – 17:45 (UTC+02:00) Room L

Over 99% of global Internet traffic is carried by submarine telecommunications cables—forming the critical backbone of international digital communications. As our global dependency on digital services accelerates, these infrastructures face mounting…

Emerging Technologies High-Level Dialogue

433

Leaders TalkX: Partnership pivot: rethinking cooperation in the digital era

WSIS

17:15 – 17:45 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

The digital revolution has the potential to propel societies forward, yet a significant divide, 2.6 billion people remain without access to information and communication technologies (ICTs). This Leaders TalkX underscores the critical need for…

Leaders TalkX

Thursday 10 July

131

United Nations High-Level Leaders' Dialogue

ITU

11:00 – 12:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

For over two decades, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process is the United Nations' multistakeholder platform for digital cooperation, bringing together governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, and the technical…

High-Level Dialogue

469

AI Governance Dialogue Roundtable Lunch

ITU

12:15 – 14:15 (UTC+02:00)

On invitation only

More information available here: https://aiforgood.itu.int/event/ai-governance-dialogue-roundtable-lunch/

AI Governance Dialogue

Friday 11 July

474

Ambassadors Roundtable

ITU

08:00 – 09:00 (UTC+02:00) Room X

On invitation only

Ambassadors Round Table

436

Leaders TalkX: Click to govern: inclusive and efficient e-services

WSIS

09:00 – 09:30 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leader TalkX explores the transformative potential of ICT applications in fostering sustainable development across various sectors. Emphasizing e-government strategies, the discussion focuses on innovating public administrations, enhancing…

Leaders TalkX

475

How a growing space ecosystem can be better leveraged to achieve the SDGs?

International Telecommunication Union

09:00 – 10:00 (UTC+02:00) Room K

Satellite technology is now very often quoted as having a crucial role to play in providing connectivity and bridging the digital divide. The Plan of Action adopted at the end of the first session of the World Summit on the Information Society…

Emerging Technologies High-Level Dialogue

438

Leaders TalkX: ICT application to unlock the full potential of digital - Part II

WSIS

09:30 – 10:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

This Leader TalkX explores the intersection of technology and socio-economic progress. Stakeholders from governments, international organizations, and the private sector converge to explore avenues for promoting international trade, improving…

Leaders TalkX

476

High-Level Dialogue: The role of parliaments in shaping our digital future

ITU and IPU

10:15 – 11:15 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

The digital transformation has fundamentally reshaped societies worldwide, creating unprecedented opportunities while exposing persistent inequalities. As technology companies achieve unprecedented global influence and artificial intelligence emerges…

High-Level Dialogue

486

High-Level Track Facilitators Certificates

ITU

15:30 – 16:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

Leaders TalkX

488

WSIS+20: Vision of WSIS beyond 2025 | Chair’s Summary | Closing Ceremony

WSIS

16:00 – 17:00 (UTC+02:00) Plenary Room C

Closing Ceremony

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