I have long believed in the value of the WSIS Annual Forum, and have been actively involved in most of the events since the original summit in June 2023. It is always a great opportunity to meet up with old friends and make new ones. It’s also a good chance to catch a glimpse of new things and ideas, and watch the theatre of how people present themselves at such gatherings. I have even been known to be a little bit provocative (see picture at foot of this post), as in 2019 when I changed the polystyrene letters of WSIS around to make MISS on the main stage in front of the then SG! I will one again be taking an active role in various sessions along with colleagues from the ICT4D Collective, and would love to see you at some of the sessions listed below (even if only online!). I am particularly seeking to promote my new book Digital Inclusion in a Unequal World: An Emancipatory Manifesto at every opportunity I can in the event! If you are in Geneva then, do please join the sessions in which we will be involved, visit our stand in the Exhibition, or meet us for a drink in one of our favourite hostelries!
WSIS 2026 Exhibition, 8th-9th July
The ICT4D Collective has a stand in the small exhibition area on 8th and 9th July (although sadly our specially prepared banners have been banned!). This is only the second time that we have participated in the exhibition, and along with Prof G. ‘Hari’ Harindrath I will be present at the stand for much of the time when we are not involved in sessions. Find out more about our research and practice at the stand, take away some of our resources (especially those prepared on safe wise and secure use of digital tech jointly developed with our colleagues in the LBT community in Rio de Janeiro), read some of our working papers (and take them away on the evening of 9th), buy a copy of Digital Inclusion in an Unequal World: An Emancipatory Manifesto at a 30% discount (first come first served) or get a 20% discount voucher.
Celebrating the publication of Digital Inclusion in an Unequal World: An Emancipatory Manifesto
Following successful pre-launch and launch events for mt’s latest book at the ITCILO in Turin (Italy), at UNU-GOV’s headquarters in Guimarães (Portugal), and during eLearning Africa in Accra (Ghana) several of the authors are going to be present during WSIS including Benita Rowe, G. ‘Hari’ Harindranath, Mei Lin Fung, and Revi Sterling, and will be talking about during and after our session on 6th July. A small number of signed copies of the book will also be available at the >30% discounted price (of £25, CHF 28, €30, US$35) during the session and at our Exhibition stand. We may well also celebrate together at a local hostelry (probably Les Brasseurs) on the evening of 6th July.
Session: Digital Inclusion in an Unequal World, 6th July
Please join our session on Monday 6th July from 16.00-16.45 in Room L1 Montbrillant for a lively discussion about what we all need to do if the poorest and most marginalised are indeed to benefit from, rather than being enslaved through, the use of digital tech. See the great speakers lined up below!
Session: The future of education and research in the AI era: equipping young people for tomorrow, 7th July
I’m going to be a panellist in Session 541 being convened by the ITU from 10.00-10.45 on Tuesday 7th July in Room G3, ITU Varembé, and have been asked to address the question “Given your background in digital inclusion, how should universities in the developing world prepare students for the age of AI? How can AI be used to expand educational opportunities and drive economic and social development?” – in only three minutes. Guess I will be saying something along the lines of most universities across the world should be closed down, and we should focus much more on technical and vocational training instead. The key thing will be to retain our humanity and avoid digital dementia!
Session: AI Empowerment for Older People from a Gender Mainstreaming Perspective, 7th July
I’m also a panellist in Session 188 being convened by the Aging & Technology Policy Lab, KAIST Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy (South Korea), from 13.00-13.45 on Tuesday 7th July in Room A, ITU Tower Building. We will be speaking about how elderly women can benefit from the use of AI (if at all!). Clearly personalised care plans will be important, but again retaining our dignity and humanity are for me even more important.
Session: Connecting the Unconnected in the field of Education Excellence, Cyber Security & Rural Solutions and Women Empowerment in ICT, 7th July
Prof. N.K. Goyal from the CMAI Association of India, along with CSAI and TEMA has once again invited me to moderate this showcase of Indian ingenuty in Room A on Tuesday 7th July from 15.00-15.45. As in previous years, I will have the enjoyable but challenging task of moderating a very full session of Indian speakers! My red and yellow cards will definitely be necessary!
Session: Foresight for FAIR Cities – Exploring AI Risks and Mitigation Strategies, 9th July
This important session in Room B Palexpo from 16.00-16.45 on Thursday 9th July is being convened by UNU-EGOV to address some of the risks of AI and strategies that can be put in place to mitigate them in the context of their project on “FAIR Cities: Foster AI for Inclusive and Responsible Cities“. I’m excited to have been invited as a speaker, and guess I may focus on the implications for rural areas and oceans! All too often urban societies exploit the non-urban and I fear that these processes will be accelerated by the design and use of AI!
Partner2Connect session at AI for Good, 9th July
The ITU’s Partner2Connect initiative is convening a session on Building the future we want: scaling inclusive AI solutions through collaboration on 9th July from 14.00-15.00 during the AI for Good Summit and I have been asked to moderate the session on “Children, Youth, and Online Protection”. This should be an exciting and highly interactive “engagement”. I’m honoured to have been given this role, not least because what I have to say can at times be thought of by some as being somewhat unpalatable. It is great to know that my friends in the ITU understand that I am indeed a good friend, and a sign of this is indeed to be challenging and at times critical.
