WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 opens in Geneva
The Participation of the Vatican Delegation
Today, at the Palaexpo in Geneva, the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 Conference, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), officially began. The event will run for five days, concluding on Friday, July 11.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is a working platform consisting of a series of global conferences organized by the ITU in collaboration with other UN agencies, aimed at building an inclusive and democratic information society, where everyone can benefit from fair and sustainable access to ICTs. The initiative began with two foundational WSIS Conferences: Geneva 2003 (focused on universal access to information) and Tunis 2005 (addressing Internet governance and tools to bridge the digital divide). This journey has played a defining role in shaping the digital era.
The current WSIS+20 High-Level Event serves as a comprehensive review of all the actions carried out over the past 20 years as part of the WSIS platform. This summary will be presented by ITU leadership at the United Nations General Assembly on December 16–17, 2025. The event in New York will provide a backdrop for both reflecting on past achievements and outlining future strategies that will further strengthen WSIS efforts in the coming years.
Within the broader context of the World Summit on the Information Society, the AI for Good initiative also takes place. This strategic program highlights how achieving WSIS objectives is inseparable from the development of the artificial intelligence ecosystem. Thanks to a thriving global community and the support of international organizations, AI for Good develops AI standards to create greater opportunities for global innovation and digital transformation. It facilitates exchange among key stakeholders on effective approaches, serving as a bridge between WSIS ambitions and the potential of AI for the common good.
Participating in the WSIS+20 High-Level Event is the Vatican Delegation led by Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate. She will speak at the Conference’s most important session—the Ministerial Roundtable on July 9. This event provides a forum for dialogue among representatives from various countries, each bringing different perspectives but sharing a common goal: harnessing technology for the development of all humanity.
Also part of the Vatican Delegation, which will closely follow all aspects of the Conference, are Antonino Intersimone, Director of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems, and Davide Giordano, also from the same Directorate and a member of the Governorate’s Commission on Artificial Intelligence.
