The 19th annual IGF meeting will be hosted in a hybrid format. The meeting will aim at accommodating the participation of stakeholders present onsite in Riyadh or participating online in an equitable manner. This hybrid approach also extends to the session organizing teams (organizers, speakers, moderators and rapporteurs) who will participate online or onsite. This further means that all session-engaged parties can participate onsite or online. The overall objective is to make participation in IGF 2024 meaningful and inclusive for all participants.
The meeting will be hosted under the overarching theme: Building our Multistakeholder Digital Future. The programme will be developed around the following themes:
- Harnessing innovation and balancing risks in the digital space
The Internet and digital technologies are an intrinsic part of every country’s development, spurring innovation in many areas such as healthcare, distance learning, and socio-economic growth. However, this centrality of the digital space also creates global vulnerabilities that call for collective action, as individual actions alone cannot effectively address them. This theme aims to foster dialogue and knowledge exchange on success stories and best practices in reaping the benefits of digital innovation for all, as well as efforts of all stakeholders to tackle the risks arising from this rapid transformation.
- Enhancing the digital contribution to peace, development, and sustainability
Some of the biggest challenges facing the world are the need of improving sustainability and working together for peace, and at the same time working for social and economic development in our countries and regions. Harnessing the transformative potential of digital technologies and the Internet can be an important ally to achieve global progress that promotes peace, drives sustainable development and addresses pressing environmental challenges. This theme will explore the multifaceted ways in which digitalisation can drive socioeconomic change and development for present and future generations.
- Advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age
The digital environment is an increasingly important facet of daily life all around the world. Therefore, discussions about how to empower all people and drive genuine inclusion of all communities in shaping its development is vital. This includes efforts to connect and empower all populations, in particular marginalised communities and vulnerable groups to reap the benefits that the Internet has to offer, and ensure that the same rights they enjoy offline also apply online. This theme will delve into the innovative solutions, frameworks and initiatives that foster universal meaningful connectivity and ensure the protection of human rights in the digital realm.
- Improving digital governance for the Internet We Want
The very nature of the global Internet requires effective models of multistakeholder governance to be at its core, garnering continued efforts by all stakeholders to address digital issues and the promotion of greater cooperation. This theme is about identifying ways to strengthen and support the open, transparent, inclusive and bottom-up governance process related to the use and evolution of the Internet, working towards the vision of achieving the Internet We Want.