The 20th anniversary Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2025) has opened in Lillestrom, Norway. Over the course of five days, representatives from governments, academia, the technical community, and civil society will discuss key topics related to the digital agenda. This year’s central theme is Building Digital Governance Together. Participants will focus on digital trust, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, internet access, freedom of expression, and human rights protection.
IGF 2025 has brought together more than 8,000 participants from over 170 countries. During the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed attendees in a video message, emphasizing the significance of the IGF in the era of digital transformation: “Through the years, you have shown how dialogue – across sectors, regions and generations – can help shape an Internet that is rooted in dignity, opportunity and human rights… Today, it [digital cooperation] is an absolute necessity — and a shared responsibility.” Guterres called for collective efforts to build a digital future that is secure, equitable, and accessible to all, everywhere.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua also delivered a message of greetings, underscoring that international digital cooperation is no longer optional, but an urgent necessity and shared responsibility. He said that the anniversary forum reaffirms the IGF as a key global platform uniting thousands worldwide. Ahead of WSIS+20, we have a unique opportunity to reimagine the existing principles, strengthen IGF’s role, and lay the groundwork for a fairer, safer, and more sustainable digital future, he stated.
For the sixth consecutive year, the forum features a parliamentary track, bringing together lawmakers from various countries to participate in global discussions on digital development. In 2025, parliament members from Nepal, Lithuania, Spain, Zimbabwe, Uruguay, and other countries joined the event. IGF Secretariat Head Chengetai Masango highlighted the unique position of legislators in balancing security concerns with the protection of fundamental human rights. He noted that the IGF serves as a platform to enhance regional cooperation – from Latin America to the Asia-Pacific – and fosters local initiatives that translate the Forum’s principles into practice.
On Day Zero, the Global Youth Summit convened young participants from across the globe. A key moment was the address by UN Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, who opened the discussion with important statistics: over 77% of young people aged 15–24 use the internet, with more than 80% active on social media. Yet, over a third of young people in 30 countries reported being victims of cyberbullying. Li posed a philosophical question: “How do we protect young people online without compromising their rights or limiting their freedom to participate fully in the digital world?” He emphasized that the Youth Summit was part of the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) implementation and highlighted the growing focus on digital governance within regional IGFs.
The Russian delegation, including experts from the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, is taking part in the Forum. Throughout the week, panel discussions will address topics such as gender equality, children’s rights, digital heritage, online platform regulation, and multilingual, inclusive access to digital technologies.
