WSIS Forum 2026

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026

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The WSIS Forum serves as the central multistakeholder convening platform mandated to advance the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines and support global digital cooperation. Anchored in the renewed UNGA mandate, the Forum brings together governments, the private sector, civil society, technical communities, academia, youth, and international organizations in a uniquely inclusive environment for dialogue, collaboration, and action.

As part of the WSIS+20 review process, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the central role of the WSIS Forum as a global platform for advancing the WSIS vision. Through resolution A/RES/80/173, the General Assembly acknowledged the work of ITU, in collaboration with UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP, in establishing the annual WSIS Forum.

The Forum remains the principal mechanism for reviewing, gathering multistakeholder input and advancing the WSIS Action Lines, including their annual roadmaps. International Telecommunication Union leads the coordination of the Event and it is co organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, in partnership with more than fifty United Nations entities, ensuring a coherent system wide approach to the follow up of the WSIS outcomes.

WSIS Forum is co-hosted by ITU and Switzerland.

A defining component of the Forum is its High Level Track, which convenes ministers, regulators, chief executives, civil society heads, mayors, ambassadors and heads of UN agencies. The ministerial roundtables provide an opportunity for Member States to articulate national digital priorities, exchange policy experiences, and identify areas for collective action, reinforcing the Forum’s role as the interface between policy level commitments and operational implementation.

The WSIS Forum has established itself as a global hub for innovation, emerging trends, and forward looking discussions. Each year, it showcases new developments in artificial intelligence, frontier connectivity, digital public infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, and multilingual digital ecosystems. At the same time, it provides a structured space to examine emerging risks, such as online safety challenges, misinformation, data governance concerns, and widening digital divides — enabling multistakeholder responses to evolving digital realities.

WSIS Forum 2026 was held from 6 to 10 July in Geneva, hosted at ITU Headquarters from 6–7 July and at Palexpo from 8–10 July. As the first Forum convened after the WSIS+20 UNGA review, it played a vital role in supporting Member States as they begin implementing commitments set out in the December resolution. The 2026 edition featured an expanded High Level Track, strengthened ministerial participation, the WSIS Prizes 2026, thematic exhibitions, and a programme shaped through the Open Consultation Process.