UN Open Source Week 2026: A Summary of the Global Forum

 

UN Open Source Week 2026: A Summary of the Global Forum

​UN Open Source Week 2026, held from June 22 to June 26 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, served as a premier global forum for advancing open-source collaboration. The event was dedicated to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Digital Compact, bringing together over 2,600 participants from more than 120 countries to bridge the gap between high-level policy and practical digital implementation.

​Event Overview

​The week was structured around five thematic days, each focusing on critical aspects of the global digital ecosystem. Rather than a sequential series, the program utilized this daily thematic approach to foster deep dives into specific technologies and policies:

  • ​June 22: UN Tech Over A kickoff event focused on practical collaboration, featuring a multi-day hackathon where participants worked on open-source solutions for challenges including AI governance, geospatial analytics, and child safety.
  • ​June 23: Open Source x AI Sessions explored the potential of open hardware and open robotics as gateways to a sustainable AI future, emphasizing the need to bridge digital divides and promote responsible AI development.
  • ​June 24: DPI Day (Digital Public Infrastructure) This day positioned Digital Public Infrastructure as a critical enabler of the digital economy, focusing on the inclusive design, implementation, and long-term sustainability of digital public goods.
  • ​June 25: OSPOs for Good The program highlighted the value of Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) in accelerating open-source adoption across UN agencies, governments, and private-sector institutions through knowledge sharing and capacity building.
  • ​June 26: Community-Led Side Events Held at IBM One Madison, this final day showcased community-driven projects, facilitated workshops, and encouraged cross-sector collaboration.

​Accessing Session Recordings

​Because the event was organized by day rather than a numbered series of "parts," you can locate specific recordings by searching by date and theme on the UN Web TV platform.

​Search Tips for Archives:

  • ​Use Precise Terms: Search for the specific thematic day (e.g., "Open Source x AI" or "OSPOs for Good") alongside "UN Open Source Week 2026."
  • ​Check the Official Portal: The UN Open Source Week website provides an agenda that acts as an index for the event. You can use this to match specific session titles with the dates, which will help you navigate the UN Web TV archives more effectively.
  • ​Understand the Format: If you encounter videos labeled as "Part 1," "Part 2," etc., these are segments of the full-day livestreams rather than a separate series. They are typically organized chronologically on the UN Web TV site under each day's main event title.

​For those interested in the broader documentation and policy outputs from the week, additional summaries and highlights are available through the UNITE/OICT portal.

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