UN Open Source Week 2025
An Open Community for the Global Digital Compact
UN Web TV Livestream Links for 18 & 19 June
About UN Open Source Week
UN Open Source Week 2025 facilitates global dialogue and collaboration on open source, digital public infrastructure (DPI), and the development of innovative solutions to global challenges. Since its inception in 2023, the event has captured significant international attention, reflecting strong demand for a UN-led forum on open source and digital cooperation.
The event features a full week of networking, insightful panels, hackathons, and breakout sessions exploring topics related to open source, digital public infrastructure, problem solving, and digital cooperation. This evolved program will offer increased opportunities for ideation, co-creation, and meaningful networking in response to the ecosystem's growing demand for deeper engagement. This is an opportunity to learn from and connect with fellow industry professionals while deepening understanding of open source and its global potential.
Agenda Overview
Interested in a specific topic, theme, or event? Explore the week-long program schedule below:
The UN Tech Over is a series of hackathons and tech-related challenges that aim to celebrate the great potential of technology and its pivotal role in advancing progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event fosters collaboration, awareness, and engagement with the open source community, demonstrating the transformative power of technology and multi-stakeholder cooperation in solving real-world problems.
*Please note that the UN Tech Over events will only be taking place in person.
Express your interest in participating in one of our three UN Tech Over Events below!
Dates: 16 June (10:00 每 18:00) & 17 June (10:00 每 17:00)
Location: ECOSOC Chamber on 16 June, Trusteeship Council Chamber on 17 June
Co-Hosts
Partners
Bringing together global technologists, innovators, and climate change enthusiasts, the Ahead of the Storm: Open Geospatial Analytics for Children-Centric Climate Emergency Response hackathon aims to accelerate progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through open source innovation. Participants will co-create scalable solutions to urgent, United Nations-identified challenges, showcasing the power of technology and collaboration to drive meaningful change.
Teams of up to five will tackle high-impact challenges developed by the United Nations Children＊s Fund (UNICEF), each focused on critical global issues aligned with the Global Digital Compact. Solutions will build on and enhance existing methods, data and tools, delivering lasting impact for vulnerable communities and marginalized groups around the world.
Note: This information is provisional and will be updated as details are confirmed.
Date: 16 June (10:00 每 18:00)
Location: ECOSOC Chamber
The Edit-A-Thon aims to leverage the research and critical thinking capacities of participants worldwide, fostering collaboration to update Wikipedia pages and descriptions on relevant themes and key moments in the history of the United Nations. This event celebrates the 70th anniversary of the admission of the Italian Republic and of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the United Nations.???
The event will host participants interested in employing their research, analytical, and communication skills, as well as participants interested in education and in the creation and subsequent evolution of the United Nations as an organization. Throughout the day, experts and mentors will assist participants in updating these pages so as to publish in-depth, accurate reports.?
Attendees will need to have a Wikipedia account to edit pages. Please create your account prior to the event. Wikipedia usernames are public, so you do not have to use your real name; it is recommended to use a pseudonym or nickname as your username.?
Stay tuned for additional information about the Edit-A-Thon event during UN Tech Over.
Note: This information is provisional and will be updated as details are confirmed.
Date: 16 June (10:00 每 18:00)
Location: ECOSOC Chamber
The Maintain-A-Thon invites participants to explore the vital but often invisible work of maintaining critical open source infrastructure. As part of the 2025 UN Open Source Week and ※UN Tech Over§ event, this Maintain-A-Thon convenes key maintainers from all over the world and highlights the importance of sustainability and long-term stewardship in open source digital infrastructure.
Experienced open source maintainers and interested participants will take part in hands-on activities that tackle the working realities of open source maintenance, from practices of issue triage, documentation, and software upkeep. For aspiring maintainers and current contributors alike, this is an opportunity to learn from each other on the challenges and rewards of maintaining open source projects. Senior maintainers will offer mentorship for anyone interested in contributing to the critical and open components that form the foundations of our digital lives and power the projects achieving the UN＊s Sustainable Development Goals.
Stay tuned for additional information about the Maintain-A-Thon event during UN Tech Over.
Note: This information is provisional and will be updated as details are confirmed.
OSPOs for Good will highlight the role of Open Source Programme Offices (OSPOs) in connecting open source ecosystems across UN Member States, advancing AI policy, digital governance, and innovation. It will showcase global collaboration and multistakeholder engagement, highlighting real-world open source impact to drive action.
?
Keynote:
?
MCs:
?
Moderator:
?
?
Panelists:
- Open Source and Humanitarian
- Scaling Open Source Principles Internally: The InnerSource Journey
- Open Source & Public Interest
- From Policy to Practice: Establishing Effective Government OSPOs
?
Moderator:
?
Videos:
?
Panelists:
?
Keynote:
?
Moderator:
?
Panelists:
?
Moderator:
?
Video:
?
Panelists:
?
Moderator:
?
Panelists:
?
Note: This information is provisional and will be updated as details are confirmed.
DPI Day brings together the UN system and its partners to drive collaborative action on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for sustainable development. It fosters coordination among UN entities, Member States, and stakeholders, aligning efforts with the Global Digital Compact (GDC). Through open-source collaboration, shared learning, and resource optimization, the event promotes inclusive, effective DPI strategies.
?
Keynotes:
?
MC:
?
Keynote:
?
Moderator:
?
Video:
?
Panelists:
-
Breakout Session 1 每 DPI Safeguards: Pathways to Adoption and Inclusion
CR. 7 | Organized by: DPI Safeguards
The session presents key outputs from the DPI Safeguards Working Groups, showcases country experiences in implementing safeguards, and gathers stakeholder input to strengthen the DPI Safeguards Framework. It aims to advance adoption by sharing practical resources, surfacing implementation challenges, and generating actionable, inclusive, and context-specific recommendations. -
Breakout Session 2 每 Operationalising Data Protection in Digital Public Infrastructure
CR. 9 | Organized by: World Bank and UNU-EGOV
As DPI becomes central to public service delivery, this session explores how data protection can be effectively enforced, even in settings lacking strong Data Protection Authorities (DPAs). It focuses on practical strategies to embed accountability, institutional oversight, and privacy-by-design approaches in DPI governance. -
Breakout Session 3 每
Digital Sovereignty in Practice: Co-Creating Trustworthy and Inclusive DPI
CR. E | Organized by: GovStack, Mastodon
This session explores how open-source Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can advance digital sovereignty through shared standards, transparent governance, and community-driven approaches. Participants will engage in a dynamic panel and fishbowl discussion to co-create a Call to Action for trusted, inclusive, and sovereignty-enabling DPI development. -
Breakout Session 4 每 Evidence for Safety: Identifying and Addressing Emerging Risks in Digital Public Infrastructure
CR. D | Organized by: Accion
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) underpins the design and delivery of financial services and many other essential functions. As investments in DPI have increased, so has the complexity of the systems built on these foundational rails. This complexity has given rise to new solutions, and also emerging risks〞many of which are not fully addressed by current regulations or safeguards. In this interactive workshop focused on financial services delivered using DPI, we will explore the positive impact of solutions on end users, identify emerging risks, identify critical evidence gaps to address these risks, and discuss how existing safeguards can be strengthened and expanded to ensure safety and resilience. -
Breakout Session 5 每 Breaking Barriers: Open Source, Digital ID, and Payments for Inclusion
CR. D | Organized by: Co-Develop, DPGA (50-in-5)
As part of the 50-in-5 initiative, the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) and CoDevelop are excited to host a hands-on breakout session workshop at UN Open Source Week. This breakout session is designed to provide a dedicated platform for open dialogue, idea exchange, and the co-creation of concrete proposals aimed at embedding inclusion at every level of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) deployment, focusing on the role of digital public goods and open source. -
Breakout Session 6 每 Learning from Open Source: Global Digital Cooperation on DPI for Smaller States
CR. E | Organized by: UNDP (Dominican Republic)
Smaller states often struggle with the complex and often-expensive implementation of the software architectures that make DPI possible. Can Open Source teach us how to collaborate with our neighbors to share resources and combine effort? Join this interactive discussion with other attendees from small states and those with stories to share about strategies & lessons from DPI deployments, and how they might become more collaborative.
?
Keynote:
?
Moderator:
?
Panelists:
?
Keynotes:
Note: This information is provisional and will be updated as details are confirmed.
Two community-led off-site side events will complement the main conference programme, offering additional opportunities for focused dialogue and stakeholder engagement.
- Tuesday, 17 June at the LinkedIn offices in New York City, and
- Friday, 20 June at the PricewaterhouseCoopers offices in New York City.
As space for both events is limited, kindly confirm your attendance for either Community-Led Side Event day by responding .
Location: LinkedIn Corporation, Empire State Building, 350 5th Avenue, New York, New York, 10018
Building on our previous study and joint report between the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) on the impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce, we have expanded our study to develop a framework for assessing this impact. In this session, we will present the milestones achieved so far in shaping this approach, along with preliminary findings focused on the ICT sector and the implications of AI integration. ? The panel will feature high-level experts from human resources, the ICT industry, and senior government leadership, offering a multidisciplinary perspective on the evolving dynamics of work in the age of AI.
Speakers:
- Mehdi Snene, Head of Programme, AI and Digital Transformation, ODET
- Sarah Steinberg, Head of Global Public Policy Partnerships, LinkedIn
- Craig Ramlal, Head of the Control Systems Group, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
- Armando Jos谷 Manzueta Pe?a, Vice Minister for Public Innovation and Digital at the Ministry of Public Administration of the Dominican Republic
?
Moderator:
- Lucia Velasco, Senior Advisor, ODET
In addition to the main session, several relevant panels featuring partner organisations will take place throughout the day.
The schedule for the day will be as follows:
Breakout Session 1: Open Source Skills in the AI Era 〞 Perspectives from the European Open Source Academy
Open source is undergoing a generational shift〞especially as AI transforms the future of work. This session explores how the open source ecosystem, industry, education, and government must collaborate to rapidly upskill a global workforce and sustain innovation.
?
Moderator:
?
Panelists:
?
Breakout Session 2: Advancing Open Source AI for the Public Good
This session explores how open source AI can serve the public good, focusing on requirements for qualifying as a digital public good (DPG) and aligning with the Open Source AI Definition (OSAID). Presentations and group discussion will examine definitions, principles, and their implications.
Speakers:
Location: PwC Building, 300 Madison Avenue, New York (registration in the lobby)
The Friday side event, organised by Research Institutes of Sweden?(RISE), will feature a full day of curated, community-driven sessions focused on the role of open source in advancing the UN＊s goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Digital Compact.?
Selected from an open call for proposals, sessions will cover a range of topics such as digital public infrastructure, open source for the public sector, AI and open collaboration, and building inclusive, sustainable digital ecosystems.
The programme will be organized into five thematic tracks, with an emphasis on showcasing diverse perspectives 每 including voices from civil society, academia, the private sector, and public institutions.?
In an era marked by rapid digital transformation, open source solutions have become a powerful catalyst for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). FIWARE, as a leading open-source platform and a global community of over 700 members, some 1000s of deployments and partners, is committed to driving data-driven innovation, interoperability, and ethical digital ecosystems. The session will showcase how open-source-based digital infrastructures can address global challenges across sectors -- smart cities, agriculture, energy, and beyond -- as well as showcases the advantages of FIWARE for the DPI model in particular. It will align with FIWARE＊s mission to foster inclusive, standards-based solutions that empower local ecosystems and ensure equitable digital development.
Aligned with FIWARE＊s mission, this discussion will emphasize the role of open source in ensuring equitable digital development, strengthening local capacity, and advancing data sovereignty and interoperability globally.
Speakers:
- Chandra Challagonda, CEO at FIWARE Foundation
- Suna Akbayir, CEO at Artech International BVBA
- Michael Epley, Chief Architect and Security Strategist at Red Hat
- Roland Fadrany, Chief Operating Officer at Gaia-X
As digital infrastructure becomes increasingly central to public service delivery and civic engagement, Digital Public Goods (DPGs) offer a promising path toward inclusive, transparent, and collaborative digital ecosystems, including Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). DPGs are open source software, data, standards, and content that help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while respecting privacy, fostering equity, and enabling interoperability. This session offers an introduction to the DPG framework and its core values, through the lens of real-world implementations. Participants will hear from organizations behind recognized DPGs, who will share perspectives on how those DPGs are being adopted by the public sector as infrastructure. This track will provide a space for discussion on the practical benefits, challenges, and future of DPGs for DPI, highlighting how open collaboration and governance can support digital sovereignty, public accountability, and sustainable innovation, without prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach.
Speakers:
- Paula Hunter, Executive Director at Mojaloop Foundation
- Gunjan Jain, Senior Manager, Strategy at eGov Foundation
- Arnau Monterde Mateo, Director of Democratic Innovation at Barcelona City Council
- Nil Homedes Busquets, Managing Director at Decidim Association
- Jon Lloyd, Advocacy Lead at Digital Public Goods Alliance
The Global South faces both significant challenges and immense opportunities when it comes to building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). While DPI has emerged as a key potential enabler for inclusive development 每 offering scalable, open, and interoperable solutions tailored to local contexts 每 the localisation of DPI to the needs and challenges of specific countries across the Global South remains critical. This session seeks to explore how the Global South can localize open digital infrastructure to drive inclusive socio-economic growth, regional integration, and sustainable development. Africa stands at a critical juncture in its digital transformation journey. This track explores how DPI is being reimagined and implemented across the Global South, with a special focus on Africa and community-led approaches. Through deep dives and an integrated panel discussion, participants will journey from global-local adaptation strategies to community-driven models, open-source development, and AI-powered public sector transformation.
Speakers:
- Evelyn Kwarteng, Director of Programs at Africa Center for Digital Transformation
- Khairil Zhafri, Project Lead (Open & Secure Technology and Research) at EngageMedia
- Ronald Ajiboye, Founder & Chief Executive Officer at STEM Garage Africa
- Jan Morrison, Strategic Advisor & Implementation Partner, STEM Garage Africa and Founder & CEO at TIES 每 Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM USA
- Kemisola Bolarinwa, Co-Initiator & Women-in-Tech Program Lead at STEM Garage Africa and CEO at Nextwear Technologies
- Victor Oshodi, Country Director at Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Nigeria
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is emerging as a cornerstone of inclusive digital transformation, enabling countries to modernize service delivery, promote financial inclusion, and strengthen governance. Yet, building trusted DPI requires more than just technical innovation -- it demands robust safeguards that balance openness with protection in a world shaped by nationalism, xenophobia, and geopolitical tension. This session will explore how countries are leveraging open source and open protocols to develop citizen-centric DPI, drawing on examples from India, Brazil, Estonia, and Ukraine. It will also examine the complex governance challenges of maintaining sovereignty and diversity while fostering global collaboration in the digital commons. Through real-world cases and critical discussion, participants will gain practical insights into strengthening DPI ecosystems with transparency, trust, and resilience.
Speakers:
- Aparana Singh, Co-Founder at Suno Sunao
- Li Xing, Policy Manager, Global Government Advisory at Access Partnership
- Sarah Lee, Senior Manager, Global Government Advisory, Fair Tech Policy at Access Partnership
- Jorge Tudd車n, Founder & Editor-in-Chief at The Wireless Cable and Strategic Advisor on U.S. International Relations and Geopolitical Analysis
- Alice Bibaud, Security Engineer at Margin Research
- Bastien Guerry, French Interministerial Digital Directorate (DINUM)
- Matthew Hodgson, Element
- Tima Soni, UNICC
- Anais Concepcio, Grist Labs
- Kitio Fofack, IREX - Institut du Retour d'EXperience
- Johan Lin?ker, RISE
- Dadisi Sanyika, Continuous Delivery Foundation (Linux)
- Adrianne Marcum, OpenSSF
- Arun Gupta, Intel
- David A. Wheeler, George Mason University
- Scott Clinton, OWASP
- Ijeoma Onwuka, Scandium Systems
- Bastien Guerry, French Interministerial Digital Directorate (DINUM)
- Paul Sharratt, Sovereign Tech Agency
- Adriana Groh, Sovereign Tech Agency
- Powen Shiah, Sovereign Tech Agency
- Michael Winser, Alpha Omega
- Ruth Ikegah, CHAOSS SDG WG
- Peter Giese, NeoNephos Foundation
- Ronald Ajiboye, STEM GARAGE AFRICA
- Angela Newell, University of Texas
- Daniel Izquierdo Cort芍zar, Bitergia
- Cassie Seo, WHO
- Cesar Martinez Espinosa, University of Texas
- Tim Bonnemann, AI Alliance
- Andrea Greco, IBM
- Greg Lindahl, Common Crawl Foundation
- Subha Ramkumar, OpenMined
- Sayeed Choudhury, Open Forum for AI (OFAI)
- Mala Kumar, Humane Intelligence
- Diego Gosmar, Open Voice Interoperability initiative
- Deborah Dahl, Open Voice Interoperability initiative
- Tiffany Farriss, Drupal Association
- David Cuartielles, Malm? University
- Elizabeth Adams, Minnesota Responsible AI Institute
- Anni Lai, LF AI & Data
- Ofer Hermoni, iForAI
- Oita Coleman, Open Voice TrustMark Initiative
- Susan Malaika, IBM
- Scott Clinton, OWASP
- Armstrong Foundjem, Institut d＊Intelligence sur la durabilit谷 des SECO
- Ying Liu & Snahil Singh, NYU
- Pradip Khatiwada, Youth Innovation Lab, Nepal
- Clare Dillon, CURIOSS
- Josh Barron, Apereo Foundation
- Will Gearty, Syracuse University
- Fang Liu, Georgia Tech University
- Laura Langdon, University of California Davis
- Jan Morrison, STEM Garage Africa
- Richard Littauer, CURIOSS
- Karla Padilla, University of California San Diego
- Arielle Bennett, The Turing Way
- Jonathan Starr, NumFOCUS
- Morane Gruenpeter, Software Heritage
- Bill Brannan, Johns Hopkins University
- Bastien Guerry, DINUM
- Tom Sadler, BBC
- Omar Moshine, UN-ODET
- Sachiko Muto, OpenForum Europe
- Serge Stinckwich, United Nations University
- Johan Lin?ker, RiSE
- Frederik Blachetta, PwC Germany
- Dominik Lawetzky, PwC Germany
- Kemisola Bolarinwa, STEM Garage Africa
- David Lippert, George Washington University
- Ruth Ikegah, CHAOSS
- Kendall Fortney, University of Vermont
- Divya Mohan, SUSE
- Abigail Mesranyame Dogbe, Everything Open Source Africa and Cincinnati University
- Ruth Ikegah, Community Program Manager, CHAOSS
- Joon Baek, Technology Focal Point, SPI MGCY
- Winnie Kennedy, UNMGCY
- Sujasna Tamang, UNMGCY
- Diana Lopez Caramazana, Advisor on Cities and Local Governments, UNDP
- Petr Suska, Chief Innovation Officer, City of Prague
- Dmytro Pokhylko, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Columbia University
- Joseph Bullock, Data Scientist/Researcher, UN Department of Peace Operations
- Juliet Shen, Head of Product, ROOST
- Tarunima Prabhakar, Research Lead/Co-Founder, Tattle
- Andrew Lamb, Internet of Production
- Julian Stirling, Chief Executive, Humanitarian Technology Trust
- Avinash Baskaran, NASA Grant Fellow
- Omar Moshine, UN-ODET
- Om Narayan, Application Security Engineer, AWS
- Aline Weng, Head of Product, Intaigent
Co-Hosts
