About Giga Connectivity Forum
Taking place from 8-10 July at ITU headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland, the first ever Giga Connectivity Forum convenes high-level representatives from Ministries of Education, ICT and Communications Regulatory Authorities from countries engaged with Giga (by invitation only) to meet, network, take stock of where we are today and chart a course to achieving universal school connectivity by 2030.
Objectives
- Evaluate progress made towards school connectivity in countries where Giga is actively engaged and explore opportunities for enhanced regional collaboration.
- Create a networking platform for government ministries and the broader multistakeholder community dedicated to school connectivity to share best practices, address challenges and identify opportunities for enhancing school connectivity.
- Outline Giga Centres, the Barcelona Tech Centre and upcoming Geneva Global Connectivity Centre and Learning Hub and explore their role in supporting country advancements.
Programme
Our three-day programme spotlights Giga’s core activities and two centres, with knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities throughout:
18:00 – 20:00 | Welcome Reception Venue : Restaurant Cercle du Rhône Informal gathering for country delegations, international experts and ITU and UNICEF teams. Welcome Addresses by:
|
Location: ITU Headquarters
(Entrance through the Montbrillant Building: 2 rue de Varembé, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)
Segment I – Giga Overview and Country Presentations
Venue: Popov Room
07:30 – 09:00 | Badging at ITU Montbrillant Building Entrance |
09:00 – 09:15 | Welcome and Opening Masters of Ceremony:
Welcome Remarks by:
Opening Remarks by:
Video Message by:
|
09:15 – 09:45 | Destination 2030: Giga Vision and Outlook
|
09:45 – 10:20 | Key Learnings, Challenges and Priorities From the Countries Engaged With Giga Part I: The Experiences of Giga’s Earliest Country Partners This session will allow Giga’s earliest country partners to share Key Learnings, Challenges and Priorities on their journey towards school connectivity. With the participation of:
Co-Chaired by:
|
10:25 – 10:30 | Special Remarks by His Excellency Ambassador Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and other Organizations in Geneva |
10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee Break in the Foyer of the Popov Room |
11:00 – 12:30 | Key Learnings, Challenges and Priorities from the Countries Engaged With Giga (Part II) Organized by region, this session will allow countries to share Key Learnings, Challenges and Priorities on their journey towards school connectivity. Masters of Ceremony:
|
11:00 – 11:45 | A: Key Learnings, Challenges and Priorities From Africa
Co-Chaired by:
|
11:45 – 12:30 | B: Key Learnings, Challenges and Priorities From Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean
Co-Chaired by:
|
12:30 – 13:30 | Networking Lunch in the Foyer of the Popov Room |
13:30 -13:40 | Participants are invited to walk from Popov Foyer to the 2nd Floor of Montbrilliant Building for the afternoon working sessions |
Segment II – Working Sessions on Core Giga Program Areas: Map, Model, Finance, Contract, Capacity Development
Venue: 2nd floor of Montbrillant building
13:50 – 14:00 | Spotlight Talk on “The Web: Weaved From the Internet and Open Science” by Dr. Tim Smith, Head of International Relations for IT, CERN Tim will focus his inspiring 10-minute talk on two different building blocks:
|
14:00 – 14:10 | Introduction to the Giga Model: Map, Model, Finance, Contract, Capacity Development Brief introduction that explains the format and topics of the next session
|
14:15 – 17:15 | Coffee & Tea Available During the Breakout Sessions at Montbrillant 2nd Floor |
14:15 – 17:15
| Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity Through three rounds of 50-minute breakout sessions, attendees will get a deeper look at the Giga Products ready for deployment and an opportunity to discuss their own challenges and priorities in each case. Breakout Session 1: Map The session will introduce new features on Giga Maps, demonstrate how to leverage the map as an advocacy tool, and discuss the use of school geolocation and connectivity data as a foundational data layer to generate value across the school connectivity lifecycle, including the introduction of products that utilize this data. Facilitators:
Breakout Session 2: Model The session will cover how to scope a school connectivity project, define the baseline for a good school connectivity project, address policy and regulations, and explain how Giga can support scoping connectivity for the unconnected. Facilitators:
Breakout Session 3: Finance This session will provide insights on how to estimate school connectivity costs, identify potential funding sources, and co-create proposals for Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and International Financial Institutions (IFIs). Facilitators:
Breakout Session 4: Contract Giga is helping countries enhance their procurement of school connectivity solutions, aiming to connect all schools to the internet by 2030. This session will present Giga’s key procurement tools, including: a comprehensive toolkit to help countries navigate the procurement process; a methodology for assessing the supply and demand of school connectivity; and a global bulk procurement initiative designed to achieve economies of scale across multiple nations. Facilitators:
Breakout Session 5: Capacity Development This interactive session will present the Giga Learning Hub’s role in advancing school connectivity. Participants will engage in a team workshop to prioritize learning needs, discuss effective learning formats- and share best practices. The aim is to identify synergies and foster collaboration among Giga stakeholders to develop impactful training content in the area of school connectivity and beyond. Facilitators:
|
14:15-15:10 | Round 1 of the Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity |
15:15-16:10 | Round 2 of of the Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity |
16:15-17:10 | Round 3 of the Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity |
17:15-18:00 | Transfer to the Reception by coach, departing from Montbrillant building |
18:00 – 20:00 | RECEPTION Hosted by the Swiss Government and Canton de Genève at the Residence of the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva Venue: Villa Saladin, 2 Plateau de Frontenex, CH-1224 Cologny (Geneva) Masters of Ceremony:
Welcome addresses by:
|
20:00 – 20:45 | Transfer by coach from the Residence of the Swiss UN Mission Representative to Cornavin Geneva Train Station |
Location: ITU Headquarters
(Entrance through the Montbrillant building: 2 rue de Varembé, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)
07:30 – 09:00 | Badging at ITU Montbrillant building entrance |
Segment II: Continuation – Working Sessions on Core Giga Programme Areas: Map, Model, Finance, Contract, Capacity Development
Venue: 2nd floor of Montbrillant building
09:00 – 11:00 | Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity Through two rounds of 50-minute breakout sessions, participants will get a deeper look at Giga Products ready for deployment. |
09:00 – 09:50 | Round 4 of the Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity |
10:00 -10:50 | Round 5 of the Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity |
11:00 – 11:30 | Coffee Break at Montbrillant 2nd Floor |
11:30 – 11:40
| Spotlight Talk on the IFC Global Challenge Program on Digitalization by German Cufré, Global Head of TMT and Creative Industries, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Isabel Neto, Practice Manager for Digital Development (East and Southern Africa), World Bank. German and Isabel will focus their inspiring 10-minute talk on this joint initiative between the IFC and the World Bank to tackle connectivity bottlenecks working with governments and private sector. |
11:40 – 12:30 | Giga Product Showcase: Map, Model, Finance, Contract and Capacity Development for School Connectivity: Conclusions and Wrap-Up Moderated by:
|
12.30-13.30 | Networking Lunch at Montbrillant 2nd Floor |
12:40 – 13:25
| Session over lunch at K1 Room (at the first floor of Montbrillant Building) Info Session on ITU Standards Bureau & WTSA-24 overview by Bilel Jamoussi, Deputy to the Director and Chief of Telecommunication Standardization Policy Department, TSB, ITU |
Segment III – Sustainable Business Models For School Connectivity
Venue: 2nd floor of Montbrillant building
13:30 – 13:40
| Spotlight Talk on UNESCO collaboration with Giga by Erin Chemery, Senior Partnerships & Project Finance Officer, UNESCO |
13:40 – 15:40
| Sustainable Business Models for School Internet Connectivity This session includes two roundtables that focus discussion on leveraging sustainable business models to mitigate the ongoing costs of internet connectivity at public institutions, focusing on schools and other public-facing organizations. As a leader in connectivity projects, Giga brings unique insights and a global perspective to this critical issue. |
13:40-13:55 | Welcome and Introduction Remarks by:
|
13:55-14:35 | Roundtable 1 Discussion: How governments, international funding organizations and intergovernmental organizations can support sustainable financing models for school connectivity? Moderated by:
Speakers:
|
14:40-15:25 | Roundtable 2 Discussion: How can Giga support leveraging sustainable business models to mitigate the ongoing costs of internet connectivity at public institutions, focusing on schools and other public institutions? Moderated by:
Speakers:
|
15:25-15:40 | Additional Q&A with the presence of the speakers of both roundtables |
15:40 -16:00 | Coffee Break at Montbrillant 2nd Floor |
Segment IV- Special Topics
Venue: 1st and 2nd floor of Montbrillant building
16:00 -17:00
| SEGMENT IV- SPECIAL TOPICS These special topics, though not part of the Giga programme, are critical if Giga is to help achieve the broader outcomes enabled by universal school connectivity. |
16:00 -17:00
| Sessions in parallel: Session 1: Safe Digital Connectivity for Children and Schools at Room K1 (1st floor of the Montbrillant building) The session will bring unique knowledge, insights and expert voices from the Safe Online portfolio of grantees and key partners, including highlights about multistakeholder collaborations. Panelists will share the latest insights on trends, safety policies, successful strategies and future visions to ensure children are safe in a world of universally connected schools. The conversation will be framed to promote exchange and alignment between different perspectives and agendas. Key points and potential opportunities will be shared with participants after the event to facilitate further engagement. Moderated by:
Speakers
|
16:00 -17:00
| Sessions in parallel: Session 2: Redefining Access: Strategic Approaches to Connectivity Adoption and Device Affordability at Montbrillant Lobby Groundfloor. Bridging the digital divide demands a comprehensive and holistic strategy that encompasses financing, education, regulation, and beyond. Enhancing smartphone adoption is crucial in this endeavor, and numerous organizations are dedicating their efforts to this cause, aiming to secure a prosperous digital future for all. During the session, participants will delve into the challenges and opportunities in the field of device affordability and connectivity adoption. This encounter will provide an interactive platform for the audience to discuss strategies and necessary steps to ensure device affordability. Don’t miss this collaborative session, designed to pave pathways towards enhanced accessibility, thereby empowering individuals and communities worldwide. Moderated by:
Speakers:
|
16:00 -17:00
| Sessions in parallel: Session 3: The Power of Soft Infrastructure: The Case for DPI for Education at 2nd floor of Montbrillant building. This interactive workshop delves into the concept of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Education. Connecting schools to the internet is undeniably crucial, underpinning global educational goals like SDG4 – “inclusive and equitable quality education.” However, internet access alone isn’t enough. DPI acts as the missing piece – the “soft infrastructure” that empowers education as part of a whole-of-society system of digital services, tools and technologies to create more robust learning ecosystems for the 21st century. Join us to explore how DPI can unlock the full potential of digital learning, from demystifying its core components to learning from successful implementations like India’s DIKSHA initiative. You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to a thought-provoking discussion on maximizing Giga’s role in advancing DPI and accelerating progress towards global education goals. Moderated by:
Speakers:
|
17.00 -17.30 | Giga Connectivity Forum Closing at 2nd floor of Montbrillant building Co-chaired by:
Special Update on the Aftermath of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean by:
Final Reflections on the Inaugural Edition the Giga Connectivity Forum:
Closing Interventions:
Closing Remarks by:
|
17.30-18:00 | Giga Apéro at Montbrillant 2nd Floor Following the Closing Session, all participants are invited for a Giga Apéro, a farewell drink to thank you for all your active participation and time dedicated to Giga. |
18.30-20:00 | INFORMAL HAPPY HOUR – with local professionals working at the intersection of the internet and digital issues Venue: Le Cormoran (next to Bains des Paquis, on Quai du Mont-Blanc) Giga and the Atlantic Council’s Democracy and Tech Initiative are happy to invite you to an informal happy hour with local professionals working at the intersection between the internet and digital issues. Please note that consumption of drinks will be covered individually. How to get there: From ITU Montbrillant, take Tram 15 to the Mole stop. Once you arrive, walk for about 10 minutes to reach the shores of the lake. |
Side Events
All the participants of the Giga Connectivity Forum are cordially invited to join these two extra activities (specific registration is required).
9:00 – 9:30 | Transfer by coach Departure from Cornavin Geneva Train Station — Meeting Point in front of Amavita Pharmacy, Place Cornavin. |
9:30 – 11:30 | CERN GUIDE VISIT Venue : CERN, Esplanade des Particules nº1, CH-1217 Meyrin (Geneva) CERN is the European laboratory for particle physics and one of the world’s leading scientific research laboratories. CERN’s business is pure research – physicists and engineers use the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the fundamental particles of physics, nature’s tiniest building blocks, to understand the inner workings of the universe. This site visit was limited to 20 people maximum on a first come, first serve policy. As we have already a waiting list for this activity, we will contact personally to reconfirm the 20 selected people. |
11:30 – 12:00 | Transfer by coach from CERN to Cornavin Geneva Train Station |
14:00 – 19:00 | SAFE CONNECTIONS: Venue: SDG Solution Space, 15 Avenue de Sécheron, CH 1202 Geneva This event organized by Safe Online in collaboration with Giga is a critical and unique opportunity to discuss and promote cohesive approaches to integrating child online safety into global internet connectivity efforts and frontier technologies such as GenAI and immersive environments. International experts will share the latest insights on key trends, safety policies, tech tools, and future visions for child safety in a world with universal connectivity. The event is geared towards understanding the challenges and most importantly identifying needs and practical, actionable solutions. Please see here more information about the program. Participation is limited to 60 attendees to ensure focused and meaningful discussions. If you want to attend, please register here. |
Information for delegates
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. 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 high-level representatives from the Ministries of Education; 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 on 9 and 10 July at the ITU Headquarters in Geneva. Participants are welcome to join a networking reception on 8 July.
An official evening reception at the residence of the permanent representative of Switzerland to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva will take place on 9 July (Address: Villa Saladin, 2 Plateau de Frontenex, 1224 Cologny, Switzerland)
The Giga Connectivity Forum is an invitation-only event. If you are interested in attending, please send a request to: giga@itu.int
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;
- High-level leaders and experts from the private sector, civil society, international organizations and academia partnering with Giga.
The meeting will be in-person only, but we may record some sessions.
All in-person participants must register in advance and will have to collect their badge at the reception desks in the Montbrillant building of the ITU.
Please note that there will be no onsite registration.
For more information, please access the logistic note here.
Location and point of contact
Location
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Place des Nations 1211, Geneva 20 Switzerland.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact: giga@itu.int