In 2025, the annual WSIS Forum is branded as the WSIS+20 High-Level Event, to marks the 20th anniversary of the original World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which was held in two phases: Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005). The forum will take place from 7 to 11 July 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD.
The event will serve as a platform for multistakeholder discussions on the implementation of WSIS Action Lines and on related progress, challenges, and opportunities since the adoption of the Geneva Plan of Action in 2003.
The Agenda and Programme for the WSIS+20 High-Level Event are being developed based on official submissions received during the Open Consultation Process (OCP). OCP is an open and inclusive consultation involving WSIS stakeholders, designed to help prepare the event by shaping its programme, identifying gaps in implementing the WSIS Action Lines and the Geneva Plan of Action, and contributing to the overall WSIS+20 review process. The final agenda and programme will be published shortly after the conclusion of the OCP.
The forum will be held ahead of the UN General Assembly High-Level meeting on the overall review of the implementation of the WSIS outcomes (the WSIS+20 review), to be held on 16-17 December 2025.
The Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) will hold its eleventh substantive session on 7-11 July 2025 in New York, the USA. This will be the final session of the group’s work.
The OEWG was established in 2021 by UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/75/240. The group is tasked to continue to develop the rules, norms, and principles of responsible behaviour of states; discuss ways for their implementation, and to study the possibility of establishing a regular institutional dialogue with broad participation under the auspices of the UN. Also included in the group’s mandate is a study of existing and potential threats to information security and possible confidence-building measures and capacity development. Its composition is declared as open, allowing all UN member states that express a desire to participate.
For more information about the OEWG, please visit our dedicated page.
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 the following key themes:
- Intergenerational Leadership for a Trusted and Inclusive Digital Future
- AI, Skills, and the Future of Work: Preparing Youth to Lead in a Rapidly Changing Digital Landscape
- Digital Changemakers: Youth-Driven Innovation for Community Impact
