Het "WSIS Forum 2020" gaat digitaal

What is the WSIS Forum 2020?

The World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2020 represents the world's largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community. The WSIS Forum, co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line Facilitators/Co-Facilitators, has proven to be an efficient mechanism for coordination of multi- stakeholder implementation activities, information exchange, creation of knowledge, sharing of best practices and continues to provide assistance in developing multi-stakeholder and public/private partnerships to advance development goals. This Forum provides structured opportunities to network, learn and participate in multi-stakeholder discussions and consultations on WSIS implementation.  Find more information here.

What is different this year?

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.  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.

The WSIS Forum programme is completely crowdsourced, the engagement of governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, the technical community and intergovernmental organizations in the preparatory process ensures broad ownership and continual improvements of the Forum. The Agenda and Programme for the Forum is built on the basis of official submissions received during the Open Consultation Process on Shaping the Themes and Format of WSIS Forum 2020.

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.

Please check out the agenda here

Graag attendeert KNVI je onder meer op het webinar van 15 juli, van IFIP IP3, geleid door Liestbeth Ruoff (Interessegroep International Liasons KNVI en director IP3. Dit webinar kan je terugkijken via deze link.