Meeting reaffirms secure, human rights-centred digital governance
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
The 20th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) opened today in Lillestrøm, Norway. Convened by the United Nations Secretary-General and organised by the UN DESA in collaboration with the Government of Norway, the multi-stakeholder meeting takes place from 23 to 27 June.
The milestone event comes at a pivotal time for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global digital governance, as countries seek to implement the Global Digital Compact (GDC) adopted last September, and assess the 20 years since the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20).
The opening in Lillestrøm marks two decades of progress in global digital governance and provides a chance to reaffirm shared commitments to an Internet that is open, secure, inclusive and centred on human dignity and rights.
In a video message, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres marked ‘the 20th anniversary of the Forum and its work advancing inclusive collaboration on Internet public policy’.
‘Through the years,’ he said, the Forum has ‘shown how dialogue – across sectors, regions and generations – can help shape an Internet that is rooted in dignity, opportunity and human rights’
Held under the overarching theme, ‘Building Digital Governance Together’, IGF 2025 brings together more than 8 000 participants from governments, civil society, the private sector, the technical community and international organisations – both in person and online.
The Forum is recognised as the world’s most inclusive platform for digital policy dialogue.
Highlighting both the pivotal moment and sustained momentum of the Forum, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Li Junhua, remarked: ‘Let the IGF 2025 in Lillestrøm be the moment we go further – toward a digital future rooted in trust, equity, and human dignity.’
Throughout the five-day event, participants will examine approaches to building secure, transparent and rights-respecting digital spaces – essential for the long-term stability of democratic societies and open economies – and emphasise the importance of ethical standards, regulatory foresight and sustainable digital development.
Centering around four thematic areas – digital trust and resilience, sustainable and responsible innovation, universal access and digital rights, and digital cooperation – discussions will explore how to restore trust in digital systems as well as how to adapt to an era shaped by artificial intelligence, evolving social platforms and the widespread threat of mis- and disinformation.
The Forum will address policies aimed at closing the digital divide and upholding human rights online – including privacy, freedom of expression and access to information – to promote inclusive digital participation.
It provides a platform for participatory digital governance, engaging stakeholders from all regions and backgrounds, including representatives from the Global South, youth and marginalised communities.
- Join online and via livestream, with plenary sessions broadcast live on UN Web TV
- For more information, including session recordings and outcome documents, see here
