This workshop, hosted by the AI Sub-Group of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, and part of the AI for Good Global Summit 2025, served as a platform to highlight AI driven innovations that enhance early warning systems for disasters and extreme weather events. The workshop featured presentations from the top finalists of the AI for Early Warnings for All Innovation Challenge: Bridging gaps with AI solutions, a showcase of country pilots, and discussion sessions focused on the role of AI in advancing the EW4All initiative.
Registration
Registration for this event is now closed.
Date and time
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9 July 2025, 09:00 AM - 12:15 PM CEST
Location
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Room Q, Palexpo, Rte François-Peyrot 30, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland (in-person)
Agenda and speakers
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Moderator: Newton Campbell Jr., Computer Scientist, AI Subject-Matter Expert for EW4All, ITU
- Access the full list of speakers and biographies
here.
Welcome remarks (09:00 – 09:10)
| Dr Archana G. Gulati, Deputy to the Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), ITU,
on behalf of Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), ITU (Read the BDT Director's biography at the
Director's Corner)
Ms Ko Barrett, Deputy Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
|
Bridging Gaps and Unlocking Opportunities: AI for EW4All (09:10 – 09:20)
| Ms Erica Allis, Senior Programme Manager, WMO
Ms Loretta Hieber-Girardet, Chief, Risk Knowledge, Monitoring and Capacity-Development Branch, UNDRR
Ms Vanessa Gray, Head, Climate and Emergency Telecommunication Division, BDT, ITU
Mr Justin Ginnetti, Senior Officer, Information Management and Risk Analysis, IFRC
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Enabling AI-Based Early Warning Systems: The Role of Development Finance and Infrastructure (09:20 – 09:30)
| Ms Sara Ballan, Senior Digital Development Specialist, Co-lead Green Digital Business Line, World Bank
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Earth Intelligence for All (09:30 – 09:40)
| Dr Sara Venturini, Chief of Member Services, Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Secretariat
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Harnessing data and AI for better disaster preparedness and response (09:40 – 09:50)
| Mr Andro Kortis, Product Lead, Data Insights for Social and Humanitarian Action (DISHA), UN Global Pulse
Ms Gabriella Crimi, Senior Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Company
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Generative AI for Early Warning: Risk and Impact Foresight (09:50 – 10:10)
| Dr David Pastor-Escuredo, CNRS and UCSD
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Grouped Audience Q&A and reflections (10:00 – 10:10:)
| All speakers
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Team Bibliotechies (10:10 – 10:20)
| Ms Erika Gutierrez, Artificial Intelligence and Mapping Specialist, UNOSAT
Ms Margherita Philipp, Data Scientist, EconAI research group, Fundació d'Economia Analítica (FEA)
Mr Matteo Peduto, MIT Earth Intelligence Lab
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Team DARAJA (10:20 – 10:30)
| Ms Esraa Elgadi, Project Manager, Resurgence
Ms Omnia Shawkat, Founder, Andariya
Ms Dilupa Nanayakkara, Communications and Marketing Lead, Resurgence
Mr Scott Williams, Disaster Risk Management Expert & Resurgence Board Member
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Team Ignitia (10:30 – 10:40:)
| Dr Andreas Vallgren, Co-founder and Chief Science Officer, Ignitia
Ms Theresa Fehle, Strategic Partnership Manager, Ignitia
Mr Francesco Carnielli, Technical Director, Ignitia
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Team DESTSAJ (10:40 – 10:50:)
| Dr Shamima Ferdousi Sifa, Assistance Professor and Climate Resilience Expert, University of Dhaka
Md Asif Rafsan, DRR and EWS Expert
Mr Tonoy Mahmud, Geospatial Expert, University of Dhaka
Mr M Maruf Alam James, Large Language Model Specialist, University of Dhaka
Ms Saiyeba Zaman, Community Coordinator, University of Dhaka
Ms Sadia Afrin Sayfa Negaban, Meteorologist, University of Dhaka
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Coffee break & photo taking with Innovation Challenge finalists (11:05 – 11:15)
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Mapping the Unconnected: Early Warning Connectivity Tool (11:15 – 11:45)
| Mr Kevin White, Senior Director of Data Science, AI for Good Lab, Microsoft
Mr Andrew Zolli, Chief Impact Officer, Planet Labs
Dr Christopher J.L. Murray, Professor; IHME Director; Chair, Department of Health Metrics Sciences, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
Mr Chris Emberson, GIS Expert, ITU
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AI in Action: Google’s Role in Flood Forecasting and Early Warning for Climate Resilience (11:45 – 12:15)
| Dr Grey Nearing, Research Scientist, Google
Ms Nina Bekele, Strategic Partnerships Development Manager, Google
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Closing (12:15)
| Ms Vanessa Gray, Head, Climate and Emergency Telecommunication Division, BDT, ITU
|
Expected outcomes
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Increased awareness of AI-driven early warning solutions and their impact
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Stronger collaboration between AI innovators, governments, UN and humanitarian organisations
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Identification of key enablers and challenges for scaling AI solutions in early warning systems
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Next steps for integrating AI solutions into EW4All country pilots and ensuring AI innovations contribute effectively to the global goal of protecting every person with an early warning system
Related resource
For more information on the workshop, visit the workshop's page on the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 website. Click
here.
