With just five years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the window for action is rapidly closing. This session explores how the United Nations and other stakeholders are accelerating efforts toward meeting these goals and how open source solutions are critical. The Digital Public Goods Alliance in collaboration with the UN Envoy on Technology will dive into the role of digital public goods in supporting SDG progress, highlighting innovative initiatives, partnerships, and technologies that can scale impact in areas like health, education, climate action, and more. Join us for a conversation about how the open-source community can unite with governments, NGOs, and the private sector to build the digital infrastructure needed to meet these ambitious goals.

The Digital Public Goods Alliance is a multi-stakeholder UN-endorsed initiative that facilitates the discovery and deployment of open-source technologies, bringing together countries and organisations to create a thriving global ecosystem for digital public goods and helping to achieve the sustainable development goals.

The Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology is dedicated to advancing the United Nations’ digital cooperation agenda, ensuring that technological advancements benefit all of humanity while mitigating associated risks.

Keynote Presentation:

1. Brief introduction to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the urgency of achieving them within the next five years.
2. The unique role of open source solutions in bridging critical gaps and delivering scalable, impactful innovations in health, education, climate action, and beyond.
3. The Power of Digital Public Goods (DPGs):
4. Introduction to Digital Public Goods, their role in achieving the SDGs, and how the DPG Standard ensures openness, scalability, and ethical implementation with the latest updates made in it to assess open AI systems.
5. Case studies of impactful DPGs, showcasing their real-world benefits in addressing systemic global challenges.

Collaboration with the UN Envoy on Technology:

The Global Digital Compact (GDC): 1. The UN Envoy on Technology will present highlights of the GDC, emphasizing its relevance to open source communities and sustainable development. 2. Key areas of focus: - Digital Inclusion: Bridging digital divides through open collaboration and equitable access. - Open-Source as a Foundation: Recognizing open technologies as a cornerstone of global cooperation and innovation.

Special Announcement by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA):

Formal Recognition of New Flagship DPGs and insights from some other notable DPGs:

1. The announcement by the DPGA, celebrating TOR Project and Wikipedia for meeting the DPG Standard and contributing significantly to global digital infrastructure.
2. Insights into their alignment with open source principles and the impact of their inclusion as DPGs on advancing global digital equity.

Call to Action:

Engaging the FOSDEM Community: A compelling closing appeal to developers, contributors, and organizations in the open-source ecosystem to: 1. Actively participate in scaling DPGs. 2. Leverage their expertise to support SDG-aligned open initiatives. 3. Join global efforts like ours to create inclusive, ethical, and open digital infrastructure.