…Digital@UNGA 2025 marks UN 80th anniversary with focus on inclusion, innovation and investment
The global digital leaders from government, the private sector, civil society, and youth movements converged in New York for Digital@UNGA 2025, a week-long series of activities spotlighting how technology can serve as a force for good in advancing people, prosperity, and sustainability, reports ITREALMS.
As the UN marks its 80th anniversary, the event showcased the role of cutting-edge innovations, including artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, in tackling urgent global challenges and building inclusive prosperity.
Highlighting the week’s activities, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin said she was “deeply inspired by the innovations we saw, the voices we heard from across the world, and the commitments made, all converging towards a digital future that truly works for everyone.”
UNDP Acting Administrator Haoliang Xu stressed that technology must remain people-centred, remarking that digital innovation “is not about devices, platforms or algorithms, but about connecting people, supporting livelihoods, and leaving no one behind.”
According to the SDG Digital Acceleration Agenda (ITU–UNDP, 2023), over two-thirds of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals can benefit directly from digital technologies.
At Digital@UNGA, Microsoft pledged to empower 20 million people globally with AI skills and credentials within two years, backed by a USD 4 billion investment under its new Elevate initiative.
The pledge, made through ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, brings total commitments under the platform to over USD 80 billion towards a 2026 goal of USD 100 billion.
In another highlight, ITU announced a new partnership with Google and musician–tech founder will.i.am to provide AI and robotics training to underserved schools across Africa. This will be delivered in coordination with the ITU–UNICEF Giga initiative, which connects schools to the Internet worldwide.
Digital@UNGA 2025 also featured affiliate sessions hosted by civil society, academia, industry, and international organisations, reflecting diverse perspectives and practical innovations for advancing global digital cooperation.
The global public participated through the Digit’all Voices campaign, which invited questions across generations and regions on the role of technology in inclusion, sustainability, and prosperity. Questions were addressed during the anchor event in a session moderated by Indian actor Prajakta Koli, UNDP’s Youth Climate Champion.
The initiative was made possible by support from GSMA, Novartis Foundation, and Vodafone as Lead Supporters, Lenovo as Supporter, and Amazon, Google, IDB, Microsoft, and ZTE as Partner2Connect Champions.
By keeping digital cooperation at the heart of the international agenda, ITU and UNDP reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that digital transformation delivers for everyone, everywhere.
The pledge, made through ITU’s Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, brings total commitments under the platform to over USD 80 billion towards a 2026 goal of USD 100 billion.
In another highlight, ITU announced a new partnership with Google and musician–tech founder will.i.am to provide AI and robotics training to underserved schools across Africa. This will be delivered in coordination with the ITU–UNICEF Giga initiative, which connects schools to the Internet worldwide.
Digital@UNGA 2025 also featured affiliate sessions hosted by civil society, academia, industry, and international organisations, reflecting diverse perspectives and practical innovations for advancing global digital cooperation.
The global public participated through the Digit’all Voices campaign, which invited questions across generations and regions on the role of technology in inclusion, sustainability, and prosperity. Questions were addressed during the anchor event in a session moderated by Indian actor Prajakta Koli, UNDP’s Youth Climate Champion.
The initiative was made possible by support from GSMA, Novartis Foundation, and Vodafone as Lead Supporters, Lenovo as Supporter, and Amazon, Google, IDB, Microsoft, and ZTE as Partner2Connect Champions.
By keeping digital cooperation at the heart of the international agenda, ITU and UNDP reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that digital transformation delivers for everyone, everywhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment