Giga Connectivity Forum

About Giga Connectivity Forum

Taking place from 8-10 July at the new Giga Connectivity Centre (located at Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland) the second edition of the Giga Connectivity Forum convenes decision-makers responsible for school connectivity from Ministries of Education, ICT, Communications Regulatory Authorities, and independent Universal Service Agencies from countries engaged with Giga to take stock of the progress in school connectivity, discuss the challenges faced and to share practical lessons learnt.
Download the 2024 report

Objectives

Assess progress in Giga-supported countries and identify opportunities for stronger regional collaboration on school connectivity.
Convene government ministries and stakeholders to share best practices, address barriers, and co-develop solutions.
Spotlight the new Giga Connectivity Centre in Geneva and innovations from the Barcelona Tech Centre to enable knowledge exchange.

Agenda

Monday, 7 July 2025
17:00 – 19:00
Welcome Reception

Venue: Giga Connectivity Centre 
Campus. Biotech, 3rd Floor (B2-03)

(Chem. des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)

Informal gathering for country delegations, international experts and ITU and UNICEF teams, During the reception, we will project the winning pictures from the first edition of the Giga Photo Contest.

Welcome Addresses by:
Alex Wong, Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, Executive Office, and Giga Co-Lead, ITU
Christopher Fabian, Giga Co-Lead, Office of Innovation, UNICEF
Location: Biotech Campus
(Chem. des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)
08:00 – 18:00
Campus Biotech Auditorium
08:00 – 18:30
Badging at Campus Biotech Building Main Entrance
Masters of Ceremonies 
Nobuntu Ndlovu, Communications Manager, Giga, UNICEF 
Yannick Heiniger, Partnerships Lead, Giga, ITU 
08:45 – 09:05

Welcome and Opening

Welcome Remarks by:
Alex Wong, Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, Executive Office, and Giga Co-Lead, ITU
Special Remarks by:
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, ITU
Thomas Davin, Director, Office of Innovation, UNICEF represented by Christopher Fabian, Giga Co-Lead, Office of Innovation, UNICEF
His Excellency Ambassador Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and other Organizations in Geneva
09:05 – 09:30

Destination 2030: Giga Stocktaking Session
An update session on emerging issues  from the first edition of the Giga Connectivity Forum in 2024 and the journey ahead.
Alex Wong, Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, Executive Office, and Giga Co-Lead, ITU
Christopher Fabian, Giga Co-Lead, Office of Innovation, UNICEF
Joined by the Giga Team Leads
09:30 – 09:45

Spotlight Talk with one of the most influential technologists, speaking at the AI4Good Summit
Kate Kallot, Founder & CEO at Amini, an AI-based data infrastructure company based in Nairobi.
09:45 – 11:15
Country Approaches and Sharing of Experiences: Breakout Session

During the breakout sessions, countries engaged with Giga  will share highlights and key strategic learnings  from their respective school connectivity journeys.

Each country delegation will nominate a representative to present the summary of the country’s school connectivity journey, which will be followed by a brief Q&A and group discussion.

These sessions and discussions will be moderated by the ITU Regional Representative and the UNICEF Country Engagement team member.
Segment I – Giga Country Connectivity Stories: Visioning the Future of Connecivity
Breakout Session I
Benin / Guinea / Mozambique / Niger / Rwanda / Sao Tome and Principe
Breakout Session II
Botswana / Eswatini / Kenya / Lesotho / Malawi / Namibia / South Africa / Tanzania / Zimbabwe
Breakout Session III
Antigua and Barbuda / Dominica / Grenada / Saint Kitts and Nevis / Saint Vincent and the Grenadines / Trinidad and Tobago / OECS Secretariat
Breakout Session IV
Belize / Brazil / Dominican Republic / Honduras / Panama
Breakout Session V
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Cambodia / Kyrgyzstan / Moldova / Mongolia / Sri Lanka / Uzbekistan
9:45 – 11:15 

Breakout Session I: The Experiences From Africa (I) 
French and Portuguese Speaking Session 

With the participation of:
Benin 
Guinea
Mozambique
Niger
Sao Tome and Principe
Co-Chaired by:
Rouda AlAmir Ali, Programme Officer, ITU  
Albert Ewodo Ekani, UNICEF Senegal Deputy Representative
9:45 – 11:15


Breakout Session II: The Experiences From Africa (II) 
English Speaking Session 

With the participation of:
Botswana
Eswatini
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Namibia 
South Africa
Tanzania
Co-Chaired by:
Mavis Maunganidze, Programme Officer, Regional Representative ITU  
Christine, Muhigana, UNICEF South Africa Representative
9:45 – 11:15 

Breakout Session III: The Experiences From the Caribbean Countries Engaged With Giga 

With the participation of: 
Antigua and Barbuda 
Dominica
Grenada
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
OECS Secretariat 
Co-Chaired by:
Cleveland Thomas, Representative for the Caribbean, ITU
Maurice Beckles, Senior ICT Associate, UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Area 
9:45 – 11:15 

Breakout Session IV: The Experiences From the Rest of America’s Countries Engaged With Giga 

With the participation of: 
Belize
Brazil
Dominican Republic 
Honduras 
Panama  
Co-Chaired by:
Miguel Alcaine, Area Representative, Central America, ITU
Natasha Mantock, Education Officer, UNICEF Belize
9:45 – 11:15 

Breakout Session V: The Experiences From the Asian & European Countries Engaged With Giga 

With the participation of: 
Bosnia & Herzegovina 
Cambodia 
Kyrgyzstan
Moldova 
Mongolia
Sri Lanka
Uzbekistan 
Co-Chaired by:
Isabella Rinaldi, Area Representative, Europe, ITU 
Shannon Lindsey, Education Officer, UNICEF Cambodia
11:15 – 11:45
Coffee Break in the Foyer of the Auditorium
11:45 – 12:00
Spotlight Talk “Connecting Young People Worldwide with Project Earth”
Professor Becky Parker, Director, Project Earth
12:00 – 12:30
Country Approaches and Sharing Experiences: Plenary consideration of key insights and learnings from each region

Summary reporting by the rapporteurs of each morning breakout group.
13:00 – 14:00
Networking Lunch in the Foyer of the Campus Biotech Auditorium
14:15 – 14:30
Spotlight Talk on “What Connectivity Means to Youth?”
Doris Mwikali, Youth Leader from Kenya and UNESCO SDG4Youth Network Representative to the HLSC Sherpa Group (online)
Efe Elmas, Master of Science’ Student in Responsible Management, University of Geneva
14:30 – 16:00

Country challenges in school connectivity: Breakout Session on Challenges experienced by countries and Priorities.

These sessions will allow countries engaged with Giga to discuss their challenges in the school connectivity journey, approaches to addressing these and priorities in school connectivity based on the Giga 4+1 pillars.

Each country will nominate a rapporteur who will present a summary of key outcomes, which is followed by a brief Q&A and discussion.
Breakout Session I
Challenges related to school Mapping
Breakout Session II
Challenges  related to infrastructure Modelling
Breakout Session III
Challenges related to Financing
Breakout Session IV
Challenges  related to Contracting
Breakout Session V
Challenges  related to Capacity Development
14:30 – 16:00
Breakout Session I: Challenges related to School Mapping

With the participation of:
Belize
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brazil
Cambodia
Dominican Republic
Kenya
São Tomé and Príncipe
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Facilitators:
Naroa Zurutuza, Co-Lead, Barcelona Giga Tech Center, UNICEF
Michael Larson, Giga Mapping and Tech Program Coordinator, Barcelona Giga Tech Center, UNICEF
14:30 – 16:00
Breakout Session II: Challenges related to Infrastructure Modelling

With the participation of:
Belize
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brazil
Lesotho
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Facilitators:
Sebastien Peytrignet,Project Officer, ITU
14:30 – 16:00
Breakout Session III: Challenges related to Financing

With the participation of:
Belize
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brazil
Cambodia
Dominica
Namibia
Sri Lanka
Facilitators:
Elena Ogram, Finance Lead, Giga, UNICEF
Lauren Bieniek, Giga Program Officer, Development Finance, ITU
14:30 – 16:00
Breakout Session IV: Challenges related to Contracting

With the participation of:
Bostwana
Kyrgyzstan
Moldova
Mongolia
OECS Commission
St. Kitts and Nevis
Facilitators:
Jaime Archundia, Procurement and Market Development Lead for Giga, UNICEF
Genaro Cruz, Market Development, Giga, UNICEF
14:30 – 16:00
Breakout Session V: Challenges related to Capacity Development

With the participation of:
Bostwana
Fiji
São Tomé and Príncipe  
St. Kitts and Nevis
Uzbekistan
Zimbabwe
Facilitators:
Alex Högback, Senior Project Officer, ITU Academy, ITU
Carolina Anselmino, Programme Officer, Giga, ITU
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee Break in the Foyer of Biotech Campus Auditorium
16:30 – 16:45
Spotlight Talk “Giga’s Impact on Learning Outcomes:  What Do the Data Say?“ 
Christopher S. Yoo, Imasogie Professor in Law and Technology; Professor of Communication, Computer and Information Science and Founding Director, Center for Technology, Innovation & Competition at the University of Pennsylvania
16:45 – 17:15
Country Approaches and Sharing Experiences: Plenary consideration of Emerging Challenges from country experiences and Priorities

Rapporteurs of each breakout groups report back on the key takeaways in each group, including potential areas in which Giga support might be leveraged.
With the participation of:
17:15 – 17:30
Tech Talk on facilitating School Connectivity through Standards 
Bilel Jamoussi, Deputy to the Director and Chief of Telecommunication Standardization Policy Department, TSB, ITU
17:45
Participants are invited to walk from the Biotech Campus Auditorium to the Atrium of the Biotech Campus (on the building’s ground floor) to join the Official Reception and to take the official picture of the GCF 2025.
18:00 – 20:00
OFFICIAL GIGA RECEPTION
In the Atrium of the Campus Biotech
Venue: Chemin des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva

Networking event connecting global leaders and Geneva’s local technology ecosystem.

Masters of Ceremonies
Alex Wong, Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, Executive Office, and Giga Co-Lead, ITU
Christopher Fabian, Giga Co-Lead, Office of Innovation, UNICEF
Welcome addresses by:
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, ITU
Bettina Junker, Executive Director of the National Committee for UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein
His Excellency Ambassador Marcos Gómez Martínez, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU represented by Dr. Eun-Ju Kim, Chief of Projects, Partnerships and Digital Skills Department (PPS), ITU.
20:00
End of the Reception
Location: Biotech Campus
(Chem. des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)

Segment II: Giga at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
07:30 – 12:30
Campus Biotech Auditorium
07:30 – 18:00
Badging at Campus Biotech Building Main Entrance
09:00 – 10:00
WSIS High-Level Ministerial Session: “The Digital Imperative: The Critical Role of School Connectivity”

Connectivity has become pivotal and therefore critical for the socio-economic development of every country and across all aspects of life. Its transformative impact on the education sector, in particular, cannot be overstated. Connectivity opens new pathways for students and teachers to access a world of information, fosters inclusive lifelong learning, drives socio-economic growth, and supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process identified the connection of universities, colleges, secondary, and primary schools to ICTs as a key priority in the 2003 Geneva Plan of Action. WSIS Action Line C2, focused on information and communication infrastructure, highlights the vital importance of connecting schools to achieve digital inclusion.

Despite this, the cost of connecting every school remains a major challenge, especially for governments in developing countries. High investment risks further complicate the issue, making school connectivity a less attractive undertaking for market players compared to other ventures.
This session will explore the future of school connectivity in the digital age, examining the challenges to achieving universal school connectivity from the perspectives of various stakeholders in national ecosystems—and identifying what is needed to catalyse and accelerate national efforts.

Introduced by
Christopher Fabian, Giga Co-Lead, Office of Innovation, UNICEF
Opening Remarks by
Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General, ITU
Panel Session with
Kátia Helena Serafina Cruz Schweickardt, National Secretary for Basic Education, Ministry of Education of Brazil
Ervin C. Williams, CEO, National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC), St. Kitts and Nevis
Pilar Orero PhD (UMIST, UK), Professor at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain) in the TransMedia Catalonia Lab.
Basma Tawfik, National Telecommunications Regulatory Autoprity (Egypt)
Chaired by
Irene Kaggwa, Giga Programme Manager, ITU
This session is part of the official programme of The World Summit on The Information Society (WSIS).
10:15 – 11:15
World Cafe with Help Desks on Mapping, Modelling, Financing, Contracting, and Capacity Development at the Giga Connectivity Centre

Country delegations will have the opportunity to ask more specific questions about Giga’s main areas of work in one-on-one sessions at the World Cafe.
Segment III: Challenges on Financing and Fostering the Sustainability of School Connectivity
11:30 – 18:00
Campus Biotech Auditorium
11:30 – 11:45
Spotlight Talk on “unconnected.org: A Proven, Scalable Model for Sustainable School Connectivity” 
Mea Thompson, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Unconnected.org

Financing School Connectivity

Achieving universal school connectivity by 2030 will require bold public investment, catalytic private capital, and fit-for-purpose financial instruments. While many governments have outlined ambitious digital strategies, financing these at scale remains a systemic challenge—especially in frontier and underserved markets.This session convenes key public and financial actors to unpack how these challenges are being addressed in real time, through national efforts and global partnerships.

This two-part session explores the practical realities of financing school connectivity.
11:45 – 12:45
Mobilizing Capital for Connectivity I: Countries Financing Journeys

In Part I of this two-part session, government representatives from some of the countries engaged with Giga will share their journey to mobilize capital, including challenges and lessons learned.

Panel Session with
Francis Karanja, Deputy Director of Education, Head of National ICT Innovation and Integration of Kenya,
Cecilio Quaresma Sacramento, Technical Director of Water, Energy, Telecommunications, and Postal Services of São Tomé and Príncipe
Ilich Valladares, Deputy Minister for Technical and Pedagogical Affairs, Ministry of Education of Honduras,
Suada Hadzovic, Head of International Regulation Division, Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Chaired by
Elena Ogram, Finance Lead, Giga, UNICEF
13:00 – 14:00
Networking Lunch in the Campus Biotech Cafeteria
Vouchers to be distributed as people leave the Auditorium.
14:15 – 15:15

Mobilizing Capital for Connectivity II: The Role of Multilateral Development Banks and Financial Partners 

Part II of this two-part session will feature speakers from the international finance and investment community for a conversation on financing school connectivity and the requisite infrastructure for connecting last mile communities, sharing how they evaluate digital infrastructure projects and collaborate with governments.

Panel Session with
Frank Belitz, Manager, Sectors, Themes and Finance Solutions Department, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Syed Mohammad Shaharyar Jawaid, Senior ICT Specialist, Islamic Development Bank
Chaired by
Lauren Bieniek, Giga Program Officer, Development Finance, ITU
Introduced by 
Alex Wong, Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, Executive Office, and Giga Co-Lead, ITU
15:15 – 15:30
Coffee Break in the Foyer of Campus Biotech Auditorium
15:30 – 16:30
Next Steps:  Giga Action Plan

Five breakout groups on each of Giga’s main pillars of activity.
Breakout Session I
Next Steps in Mapping
Breakout Session II
Next Steps in Modelling
Breakout Session III
Next Steps in Finance
Breakout Session IV
Next Steps in Contracting
Breakout Session V
Next Steps in Capacity Development
15:30 – 16:30 
Breakout Session 1: Next Steps in Mapping 

Facilitators 
Naroa Zurutuza, Co-Lead, Barcelona Giga Tech Center, UNICEF 
Michael Larson, Giga Mapping and Tech Program Coordinator, Barcelona Giga Tech Center, UNICEF
15:30 – 16:30 
Breakout Session 2: Next Steps in Modelling 

Facilitators 
Ihar Shchetko, Project Officer, ITU 
15:30 – 16:30 
Breakout Session 3: Next Steps in Finance 

Facilitators 
Elena Ogram, Finance Lead, Giga, UNICEF  
Lauren Bieniek, Giga Program Officer, Development Finance, ITU 
15:30 – 16:30 
Breakout Session 4: Next Steps in Contracting 

Facilitators 
Jaime Archundia, Procurement and Market Development Lead for Giga, UNICEF 
Genaro Cruz, Market Development, Giga, UNICEF
15:30 – 16:30 
Breakout Session 5: Next Steps in Capacity Development 

Facilitators 
Alex Högback, Senior Project Officer, ITU Academy, ITU  
Carolina Anselmino, Programme Officer, Giga, ITU
16:30 –16:45
Tech Talk on Satellite Connectivity in the World Today and the Future Outlook of the Industry
 Alexandre Vallet, Chief of the Space Services Department, Radiocommunication Bureau, ITU
16:45 – 17:20
Giga Action Plan Plenary Summary of takeaways from breakout sessions followed by open plenary discussion towards developing a collective action plan.

Chaired by
Nobuntu Ndlovu, Communications Manager, Giga, UNICEF
Yannick Heiniger, Partnerships Lead, Giga, ITU
17:20 – 17:30
Giga Connectivity Forum Closing:

Destination 2030 – Actionable Commitments for Universal Connectivity

Identify priority outcomes and outline concrete next steps for stakeholders.
Alex Wong, Senior Advisor, Strategic Engagement and Initiatives, Executive Office, and Giga Co-Lead, ITU
Christopher Fabian, Giga Co-Lead, Office of Innovation, UNICEF 
17:30 
Final Group Official Picture of the GCF 2025
Location: Campus Biotech
(Chemin des Mines 9, 1202, Geneva, Switzerland)

Segment IV – Optional Sessions on Special Topics
08:00 – 13:00
Campus Biotech Auditorium
08:00 – 13:00
Badging at Campus Biotech Building Main Entrance
09:00 – 12:00 
“The Clubhouse” at Giga Connectivity Centre

If you need a place to meet and work, consider the Centre your home
09:o0 – 10:o0
Workshop on Connectivity Planning Platform (CPP) coordinated by ITU BDT and Ericsson

This session will provide an overview of the Connectivity Planning Platform, a toolkit planned for launch for ICT infrastructure infrastructure analysis and planning. The session will walk you through the platform’s architectural concepts and the entire workflow, from data submission, project creation, and project management to the calculation and visualization of results. It will also cover future plans.
Ihar Shchetko, Project Officer, ITU
Gonzalo Suardiaz, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Program Manager, Ericsson 
10:00 – 10:30
Coffee Break in the Connectivity Centre
11:00 – 12:00
Interactive Workshop on Mapping Tools coordinated by ITU BDT

This hands-on session will guide participants through practical exercises using open-source geospatial tools to support connectivity mapping and infrastructure planning. Based on real-world workflows from GIGA’s applied geospatial tools, the workshop is ideal for anyone working in digital development, education connectivity, or spatial data analysis.  Don’t miss this opportunity to build your skills and engage with experts driving data-driven decision-making for universal connectivity! 
 Idir Benferhat, Data Scientist, ITU,
Aleksandra Jastrzebska, Junior Mapping Expert, ITU

Help desks for Giga Products Showcase

Tuesday, 8 July – Wednesday, 9 July 2025
During July 8 and 9, Help Desks will be located at the Giga Connectivity Centre and open to country delegations for a deeper dive on the support available from Giga’s products and services (Map, Model, Contract, Finance, Capacity Development), designed to assist governments in their national connectivity journeys.

Country delegations interested in these one-on-one sessions can sign-up to book a time slot to explore their school connectivity support needs in greater detail with a Giga expert.

Venue:
Giga Connectivity Centre
Campus Biotech 3rd Floor (B2.03)
(Chem. des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)
One-to-One Schedules times:
Tuesday, 
8 July
16.30 -18.00
Wednesday,
9 July
10:15 – 11:15 — World Cafe with Help Desks on Mapping, Modelling, Financing, Contracting, and Capacity Development at the Giga Connectivity Centre

Country delegations will have the opportunity to ask more specific questions about Giga’s main areas of work in one-on-one sessions at the World Cafe. 

11.30 – 15.40
Thursday,
10 July
8.30-12.00 optional slots (if necessary) 

Other Events

Thursday, 10 July 2025
All the participants of the Giga Connectivity Forum are free to visit the ITU 160 Anniversary Exhibition, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and AI4Good Global Summit at Palexpo (Pickup of the badges at the Palexpo Registration Area is required through this link)
One-to-One Schedules times:
13:00 – 18:00 
Visit at ITU 160 Anniversary Exhibition, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and AI4Good Gloval Summit at Palexpo.

Venue: Palexpo – (Route François-Peyrot 30, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland)  

Information
for delegates

What is the Giga Connectivity Forum?
Organized by ITU and UNICEF, the Giga Connectivity Forum will gather key government representatives in digital education and infrastructure from the countries engaged with Giga to achieve its goal of connecting every school in the world to the internet by 2030. This year, our event is being organized alongside the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the AI for Good Global Summit, and the ITU 160th Anniversary celebration.
 
The Connectivity Forum will deepen understanding of Giga’s activities, from mapping school locations to developing sustainable business models, and provide practical lessons from various countries as they pursue their journey to school connectivity. An essential outcome of the event is to increase regional collaboration and accelerate the impact of Giga at the global level through knowledge exchange and community building. Along with decision makers  from the Ministries of Education; Ministries of Information and Communication Technologies, and Communications Regulatory Authorities, the event will include the participation of high-level experts and organizations for achieving universal school connectivity.
The event will take place from Tuesday 8 to Thursday 10 July at Campus Biotech (Chem. des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland) where the Giga Connectivity Center is located.
Participants are welcome to join a networking reception on Monday 7 July at the Giga Connectivity Centre.
The Giga Connectivity Forum is an invitation-only event. If you are interested in attending, please send a request to: [email protected].  

Invited participants include:  
Representatives of the Ministries of Education, Ministries of Information and Communication Technologies, and of the Communications Regulatory Authorities from the countries engaged with Giga. 
Executives from Development Partners, International Organizations and other key stakeholders focused on achieving universal school connectivity.
Giga partners from both public and private sector, financial and tech partners and academia.
UN Missions based in Geneva.  

The meeting will be in-person only, but some sessions may be recorded. 

All in-person participants must register in advance and will have to collect their badge at the reception desk of Campus Biotech.  

Please note that there will be no onsite registration. 

Location and
point of contact

Location
Giga Connectivity Centre, Campus Biotech 
(Chem. des Mines 9, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)
Contact Us
For more information, please contact: [email protected]