Director-General's message for the 2025 Geneva Digital Atlas

2025 Geneva Digital Atlas
Message for the 2025 Edition (to be published in April)

Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends:

Greetings from the Palais des Nations, a center of multilateral diplomacy where history meets the present and inspires innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable world.

This year we celebrate an important milestone — the 20th anniversary of the World Summit on the Information Society. Twenty years ago, this Summit ignited a transformative vision, laying the groundwork for a future where the vast potential of information and communication technologies could be harnessed for global progress.

The adoption of the Pact for the Future last year marked the watershed moment for multilateral cooperation. The Pact is our collective promise to build a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world for generations to come. As we look ahead, we face the dual challenge of bridging inequalities and leveraging the opportunities presented by technology and innovation. Geneva’s contribution in this endeavour is crucial.

As evidenced in this Digital Atlas, many innovative solutions are being developed in International Geneva, which represents a unique ecosystem of international organizations, Member States, NGOs, well-renowned academia and diverse private sector. They play a central role in fostering multilateral collaboration, spearheading innovative governance approaches, and testing forward-thinking frameworks to address complex global challenges.

Whether it is championing ethical Artificial Intelligence or developing innovative practices for the future of work, Geneva has been at the forefront of driving equitable progress and ensuring that no one is left behind.

Notably, the Beyond Lab in my Office facilitates inclusive engagements to support the realization of the Pact’s commitments and long-term sustainability. One of the Lab’s practical tools that is being developed - called the “Futures Balance” - is an open-source solution to assess the long-term impacts of political measures and investments on sustainable development. This initiative is designed to help governments adjust their programming to reflect on long-term impacts, in line with the Pact for the Future.

Another example of innovative collaboration is the Lab’s What’s Next series on Rethinking Economic and Financing Systems, and the closely linked Youth Moving Beyond GDP initiative. Nowadays, the societies need new metrics to measure success, and data is increasingly acknowledged as a key component for assessing people’s well-being. This initiative invites for multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder and inter-generational dialogue that can help shape the future of sustainable development and create clear pathways for measuring progress beyond GDP, in conformity with Action 53 of the Pact.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

The digital divide remains a significant barrier, separating those who can access and benefit from technology from those who cannot. Bridging this divide is a collective endeavor that demands action across sectors. By harnessing the transformative potential of technology, we can empower individuals, strengthen communities, and build a future that is just, inclusive and sustainable for every person on this planet.

Thank you.