WSIS+20

12:53 pm on September 15, 2026 · 2026 (252), digital cooperation (11), GDC (10), un (40), ungis (1), wsis (34), WSIS+20 (8)

HYBRID 18 SEP 14:15 UTC – UNGIS: Stronger Together – Advancing Digital Cooperation Across the UN System

by
Darkened photographic title card for the UN Group on the Information Society (UNGIS), showing telecommunications workers in hard hats and high-visibility vests pulling a submarine cable ashore on a rocky beach, with a cable-laying ship offshore. The UNGIS logo and name span the top. Large white text at left reads “Stronger Together — Advancing Digital Cooperation Across the UN System,” with the date 18 September 2026 below.

Darkened photographic title card for the UN Group on the Information Society (UNGIS), showing telecommunications workers in hard hats and high-visibility vests pulling a submarine cable ashore on a rocky beach, with a cable-laying ship offshore. The UNGIS logo and name span the top. Large white text at left reads “Stronger Together — Advancing Digital Cooperation Across the UN System,” with the date 18 September 2026 below.
REGISTER IN-PERSON / ONLINE | ADD TO CALENDAR | PERMALINK

On Friday, 18 September 2026 at 10:15–11:15 EDT (14:15–15:15 UTC), the United Nations Group on the Information Society (UNGIS) hosts ‘UNGIS: Stronger Together — Advancing Digital Cooperation Across the UN System‘, a hybrid thematic session of the WSIS Forum 2026, in NYC.

As digital transformation reshapes societies and economies, and the UN system reflects on becoming more efficient, agile and responsive, stronger coordination across UN institutions matters more. UNGIS is the inter-agency mechanism advancing coherent and inclusive digital cooperation, and the WSIS+20 review reaffirmed its relevance. Since the WSIS+20 Resolution (A/RES/80/173), UNGIS has set up the Task Force on Strengthening Financial Mechanisms for Digital Development, launched the Multistakeholder Consultation Group, submitted the Joint Implementation Road Map for WSIS–GDC Coherence to the 29th session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), and welcomed UNICRI, UNODA, UNSSC and UN-OHRLLS as new members.

The session will present examples of inter-agency collaboration in connectivity, digital inclusion, digital public infrastructure, capacity development, data cooperation and emerging technologies, and discuss how UNGIS can support implementation of the WSIS+20 Outcome Document and the Global Digital Compact (GDC), with contributions from UN entities, Member States, the private sector, civil society, academia and technical communities on multistakeholder partnerships and coordinated support to countries.

PANELLISTS
Suela Janina – Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Albania to the United Nations
Nur Sulyna Abdullah – Chief, Strategic Planning and Membership, and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Cynthia Lesufi – Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of South Africa (remote)
Robert Opp – Chief Digital Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Juan José Martinez Badillo – Chief of the UNCTAD New York Office, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Jayathma Wickramanayake – Senior Advisor, UN Women
Li Zhou – Human Rights Officer, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Stela Mocan – Practice Manager, Digital Government, World Bank
Felix Guimard – Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

MODERATOR
Gitanjali Sah – Head, WSIS and Stakeholder Engagement Division, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

#WSIS #WSIS20 #GlobalDigitalCompact #DigitalCooperation

4:45 am on September 9, 2026 · 2026 (252), Africa IGF (3), GDC (10), igf (239), WSIS+20 (8)

VIDEO 9 SEP 2026 – AfIGF – ROAD TO GHANA: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SERIES #1

by
Black event title card for the 15th Annual Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), featuring an orange silhouette of Africa and a stylized “2026” incorporating Ghana’s flag colors. Large white text reads “Road to Ghana – Community Engagement Series #1,” with the topic “Leveraging the NRI Ecosystem for the Implementation of the WSIS+20 Outcomes and the Global Digital Compact in Africa.” Date: 9 September 2026.

Black event title card for the 15th Annual Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), featuring an orange silhouette of Africa and a stylized “2026” incorporating Ghana’s flag colors. Large white text reads “Road to Ghana – Community Engagement Series #1,” with the topic “Leveraging the NRI Ecosystem for the Implementation of the WSIS+20 Outcomes and the Global Digital Compact in Africa.” Date: 9 September 2026.
VIDEO | PERMALINK

On  9 September 2026, the Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF) Secretariat hosted ‘Road to Ghana: Community Engagement Series #1‘, on ‘Leveraging the NRI Ecosystem for the Implementation of the WSIS+20 Outcomes and the Global Digital Compact in Africa‘.

This was the first session in a series launched in preparation for the 15th Africa Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF 2026), hosted by the Government of Ghana in Accra from 2-5 November 2026 under the theme ‘Advancing Africa’s Digital Future Through Innovation, Inclusion, and Trust‘. It focused on the role of National, Regional, and Youth Internet Governance Forum Initiatives (NRIs) in advancing implementation of the WSIS+20 Outcomes and the Global Digital Compact (GDC) across Africa, exploring how the African NRI ecosystem can translate them into concrete actions, partnerships and policy processes, and identifying the capacities, resources and collaborative mechanisms needed to strengthen NRI effectiveness, sustainability and impact.

SCENE SETTING: WSIS+20, GDC AND THE FUTURE OF NRIs
Mactar Seck – UNECA
Mihret Woodmatas – AUC (TBC)
Hon. Alhagie Mbow – Chair, Africa IGF MAG
Isabelle Lois – Vice-Chair, CSTD
Deniz Susar – UN DESA
Vladimir Stankovic – ITU
Anja Gengo – IGF Secretariat

WSIS+20 OUTCOME REFLECTIONS
Davide Storti – UNESCO

ON THE 2026 WSIS FORUM SESSION ‘FROM DIALOGUE TO PRACTICE: NRI-DRIVEN MULTISTAKEHOLDER LABS’
Eng. Concettina Cassa – Head of International Affairs, Agency for Digital Italy (AgID)

BREAKOUT GROUPS
Group 1 – Sustainability and Capacity Development
Facilitator: Mary Uduma; Rapporteur: Fatou Sarr
Group 2 – WSIS+20 and GDC Implementation
Facilitator: Lillian Nalwoga; Rapporteur: Winnie Kamau
Group 3 – Inclusion and Multistakeholder Participation
Facilitators: Dr Jimson Olufuye, Mohamed Farahat; Rapporteur: Yao Amevi A. Sossou, Policy Chair, NPOC, ICANN
Group 4 – Future Architecture of the African NRI Ecosystem
Facilitator: Anriette Esterhuysen; Rapporteur: Michel Tchonang Linze

MODERATOR
Sorene Assefa – Coordinator, Africa IGF Secretariat

#AfIGF2026 #RoadToGhana #WSIS20 #NRIs

9:50 am on August 26, 2026 · 2026 (252), apac (37), APrIGF (12), WSIS+20 (8)

WEBINAR 26 AUG 05:00 UTC – AP-WGIGP – Reflections from Global Events for Asia Pacific Relevance

by
A pale green and cream webinar graphic with faint geometric lines and translucent shapes in the background. The APrIGF.Asia logo is centered at the top, followed by “APrIGF Working Group Webinar” in green. The title “Reflections from Global Events for Asia-Pacific Relevance” appears below in widely spaced black uppercase lettering. The date “26 Aug 2026” is centered at the bottom in bold blue type.

A pale green and cream webinar graphic with faint geometric lines and translucent shapes in the background. The APrIGF.Asia logo is centered at the top, followed by “APrIGF Working Group Webinar” in green. The title “Reflections from Global Events for Asia-Pacific Relevance” appears below in widely spaced black uppercase lettering. The date “26 Aug 2026” is centered at the bottom in bold blue type.
REGISTER | ADD TO CALENDAR | PERMALINK

On Wednesday, 26 August 2026, at 05:00–06:15 UTC, the APrIGF Working Group on Global Internet Governance Processes (AP-WGIGP) hosts its first webinar, ‘Reflections from Global Events for Asia Pacific Relevance‘.

Global digital and internet governance efforts witnessed three major events during June – July 2026:

  1. The First IGF 2026 Open Consultation and MAG Meet
  2. The First Global Dialogue on AI Governance
  3. The WSIS Forum 2026 meet

These events deliberated on key strategies, priorities and approaches in building and strengthening efforts in global and regional Digital Development and Cooperation involving multi-stakeholders. The discussions and outcomes from these priority events hold immense value and significance for the Asia-Pacific Region and relevant forums including APrIGF. This webinar invites participants to discuss how APrIGF and the Asia Pacific community can contribute meaningfully to the IGF Strategic Plan / WSIS / other processes.

#InternetGovernance #APAC #APrIGF

8:59 pm on April 1, 2026 · 2026 (252), igf (239), MAG (2), WSIS+20 (8)

Apr 2 2026 – IGF MAG – The post-WSIS+20 context: challenges and opportunities for the IGF

by
Banner for an IGF (Internet Governance Forum) MAG Webinar titled “The Post-WSIS+20 Context: Challenges and Opportunities for the IGF,” set against a blue abstract background with flowing lines. The date “2 April 2026” appears prominently below the title, with IGF branding at the top and “Archived by ISOC.LIVE” in the bottom right.

Banner for an IGF (Internet Governance Forum) MAG Webinar titled “The Post-WSIS+20 Context: Challenges and Opportunities for the IGF,” set against a blue abstract background with flowing lines. The date “2 April 2026” appears prominently below the title, with IGF branding at the top and “Archived by ISOC.LIVE” in the bottom right.
VIDEO | AUDIO | RECAP | ARCHIVE | PERMALINK

On 2nd April 2026, the Internet Governance Forum Multistakeholder Advisory Group (IGF MAG) hosted a webinar ‘The post-WSIS+20 context: challenges and opportunities for the IGF‘. This webinar featured reflections from Dr. David Souter, followed by inputs from stakeholders who participated in last year’s WG-Strategy online discussions in the lead-up to the WSIS+20 review.

INTRODUCTION
Dr. David Souter – ict Development Associates

SPEAKERS
William Lee – Australia gov
Jordan Carter – AUDA
Theresa Swinehart – ICANN
Chafic Chaya – Lebanon IGF
Anita Gurumurthy – GDJF / IT for Change
Elonnai Hickok – GNI
Isabelle Lois – Government of Switzerland
Desiree Evans – RIPE NCC
Juan Fernandez – Government of Cuba
Vinayak Bharadwaz – NetMission.Asia
Lea Kaspar – GPD/GDRC
Craig Stanley Adamson – DSIT/UK government
Mona Gaballa – (Internet Society
Bruna Martins dos Santos – WZB

CLOSING REMARKS
Wolfgang Kleinwaechter – University of Aarhus
Carol Roach – MAG chair

MODERATOR
Anriette Esterhyuysen – APC Senior Advisor Internet Governance

HOST
Concettina Cassa – Agenzia per l’Italia digitale (AgID)

3:19 am on February 3, 2026 · 2025 (4), dynamic coalitions (6), wsis (34), WSIS+20 (8)

Dec 15 2025 – WSIS+20 Side Event | IGF Dynamic Coalitions at the Forefront of WSIS+20 and Beyond WSIS+20

by

VIDEO | AUDIO | RECAP | ARCHIVE | PERMALINK

On 15 December 2025 the IGF Secretariat and the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) organized a WSIS+20 side event ‘IGF Dynamic Coalitions at the Forefront of WSIS+20 and Beyond‘ at the United Nations in NYC.

SPEAKERS
Dino Dell’Accio – DC Emerging Technologies (DC-ET)
Rajendra Pratap Gupta – DC-Health
Dr Amado Espinosa – DC Data Driven Health Technologies (DDHT)
Judith Hellerstein – DC on Accessibility and Disability (DCAD)
Avri Doria – DC on Schools and Internet Governance (DC SIG)
Mark Carvell – DC Internet Standards, Security & Safety (IS3C)
Jutta Croll – DC-Children
Vinicius W. O. Santos – CGI.br
Steven Webb – DC on Public Access in Libraries (DC-PAL)
Moderator: Markus Kummer, Co-Facilitator, IGF Dynamic Coalitions Coordination Group (DCCG)

#WSIS #WSIS20 #IGF #UNJSPF @IntGovForum

2:54 am on December 17, 2025 · WSIS+20 (8), youth igf (9)

RECORDING – YOUTH IGF LEGACY WSIS+20 Online Side Event

by
ISOC LIVE

ISOC LIVE
VIDEO | AUDIO | RECAP |  ARCHIVE | PERMALINK

On 15 December 2025. the Youth IGF convened an online side event to the WSIS+20 High-Level Meeting at the United Nations General Assembly, with the theme ‘YOUTH IGF LEGACY – Shaping the Next Era of Internet Governance‘. The session reflected on more than a decade of Youth IGF evolution, highlighting how youth engagement has moved from participation to tangible policy influence at national, regional, and global levels. Speakers from youth leadership and parliaments emphasized the need to institutionalize youth voices as active co-authors of Internet governance, not merely participants or observers.

SPEAKERS
Julie Ward – Former Member of the European Parliament
Daniel Molokele – Member of Parliament, Zimbabwe
Amira Saber Qandil – Member of the Egyptian Senate
Razoana Moslam – Youth IGF Leader, Australia
Dunsin Fatuase – Youth IGF Leader, Nigeria
Levy Syanseke – Youth IGF Leader, Zambia
Sofija Stevanovic – Swiss Youth IGF
Brando Benifei – Member of the European Parliament
Host / Moderator: Yuliya Morenets – Founder, Youth IGF

12:39 am on October 21, 2025 · fragmentation (14), PNIF (2), wsis (34), WSIS+20 (8)

RECORDING – IGF PNIF: Roles and responsibilities of the WSIS stakeholders in relation to Internet fragmentation IGF Policy Network on Internet Fragmentation

by
isoc live

isoc liveYOUTUBE | PATREON | TRANSCRIPT | ARCHIVE | PERMALINK

On September 30, 2025, the Internet Governance Forum Policy Network on Internet Fragmentation (PNIF) met to consider ‘Roles and Responsibilities of the WSIS Stakeholders in Relation to Internet Fragmentation‘.” The session explored how governments, the private sector, civil society, and the technical community can each act to preserve an open, interoperable, and human-rights-based Internet while avoiding new forms of digital fragmentation. Speakers drew connections to the Global Digital Compact and WSIS+20 processes, emphasizing coordination, technical engagement, and adherence to the Tunis Agenda’s multi-stakeholder principles.

Moderators / PNIF Co-Facilitators
Bruna Martins dos Santos – Policy and Advocacy Manager, WITNESS
Sheetal Kumar – Co-Facilitator, PNIF

Speakers / Panelists
Constance Bommelaer de Leusse – Executive Director, AI and Society Institute; part of the Tech and Global Affairs Innovation Hub, Sciences Po; IGF MAG Member
Theresa Swinehart – Senior Vice President, Global Domains & Strategy, ICANN; IGF MAG Member
Renata Mielli – Special Advisor to the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Brazil; Coordinator, CGI.br
Peter Koch – Senior Policy Advisor, DENIC eG
Chris Buckridge – Member, IGF MAG; former Senior Policy Advisor, RIPE NCC

2:49 am on June 1, 2025 · un (40), un desa (2), wsis (34), WSIS+20 (8)

VIDEO + SUMMARY – UNGA First WSIS+20 Review Preparatory Meeting and Stocktaking session

by
ISOC LIVE

ISOC LIVEUN Web TV | SUMMARY AR / EN / ES / FR / RU / ZH
ARCHIVE | PERMALINK

On 30 May 2025, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) convened the 1st Preparatory Meeting and Stocktaking session of the WSIS+20 General Assembly Overall Review at the UN HQ in New York City. In Resolution 79/2775, adopted in March 2025, the General Assembly decided to conclude the overall review of the implementation of WSIS outcomes, known as WSIS+20, with a two-day high-level meeting to be held on 16–17 December 2025. The preparatory meetings, with inputs from all relevant WSIS stakeholders, are to discuss expectations and inform the intergovernmental process.

Co-facilitators
H.E. Ms. Suela Janina, Permanent Representative of Albania
H.E. Mr. Ekitela Lokaale, Permanent Representative of Kenya