Internet Governance > World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

An open door to possibility that breaks down barriers and brings us together.

The Internet Society participated in the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event to be held from 27 to 31 May 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.

It will mark a significant milestone of 20 years of progress made in the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which began with the goal of achieving a shared commitment to building a people-centric, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society where everyone can create and share information.

The first phase of the WSIS took place in Geneva in 2003 and the second phase took place in Tunis in 2005. The WSIS is a critical event in the history of the Internet. It recognized that it is not only governments who need a say in the development of the Internet, but everyone who can play a role in its future. It also defined a set of targets, recommendations, and commitments to build an inclusive, people-centric and development-oriented Information Society.

In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly reviewed if the WSIS goals progressed over the past ten years and considered the future of the WSIS process beyond 2015. This was often called the “WSIS+10 Review” and culminated in a High-Level Event at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD and co-hosted by ITU and the Swiss Confederation, with the support of remote participation.

Learn about our contributions at WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event.

WSIS+20 Matrix

What are the positions of world governments on the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20)?

As a part of preparation for the May 2024 high-level meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, the Internet Society is developing and making available a matrix with our understanding of the positions of world governments. Check back soon when the matrix is developed.

In the meantime, review the matrix and position paper from the WSIS+10 review.

Internet Society Contributions to WSIS

WSIS: The Summit

Since 2003, the Internet Society has been committed to helping achieve the goals outlined in WSIS.

WSIS: The Forums

WSIS Forums were started to track progress. These are smaller meetings, and anyone can take part—even you. The Internet Society has been involved in each of these forums since they began in 2009. Review our matrix and position paper from the WSIS+10 review.

The summary of Internet Society’s contributions to the WSIS process can be found on the Contributions to WSIS page archived at Wayback Archive.

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© UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré