The structure of this session itself offers the answer. GYDA is an international organisation registered in Paris, with activities across Europe, Asia, and Africa. WAYS, as a co-organiser, is committed to promoting cross-border scientific cooperation and connecting young researchers around the world. 

The speaker lineup includes Francis Gurry, former Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); the Chair of Portugal’s National Communications Authority; regulators from Gabon and South Africa; experts from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; and representatives from academia. They come from different countries, institutions, and fields of expertise, yet they are brought together under the same multilateral framework for dialogue.

This diverse structure is at the heart of WSIS. It is not a conference dominated by one single organisation, but a multilateral platform supported by multiple United Nations agencies and widely participated in by governments, international organisations, the private sector, academia, and civil society. The guest list of this session is one of the clearest examples of that multilateral character.

Global digital governance rules are taking shape. How should AI standards be developed? How can digital public goods benefit developing countries? How can research outcomes from laboratories be translated into international regulatory frameworks?

These questions cannot be answered by any single country or organisation alone. They require multilateral consultation, voices from the Global South, and the participation of young scientists.

This is exactly where the significance of this session lies. It seeks to address a gap in the existing WSIS mechanism: enabling scientists and entrepreneurs from developing economies to move from passive participants in multilateral digital governance to active contributors.

This is not just a slogan. It is reflected in every detail of the session design, from the selection of speakers, to the agenda setting, and to the planning of expected outcomes.