IGF 2025 Call for Session Proposals

Stakeholders are invited to apply to organize different types of sessions at IGF 2025 within the deadline: 12 March 2025, 23:59 UTC. Proposals should focus on the four subthemes of the meeting, held under the overarching theme, “Building Digital Governance Together”. All are welcome to learn more about IGF 2025's thematic approach and explore the session types open for application, as described below. 

Hybrid IGF
IGF 2025 will be organized in a hybrid format and welcome participants at the physical venue in Lillestrøm, Norway, as well as online. The goal is for all participants, whether onsite or online, to engage in an equally meaningful way in IGF sessions. Workshop and session organizers are expected to consider elements of interactivity and accommodate the hybrid format in their proposals. For workshop proposals competitively evaluated by the MAG, these elements of hybrid interactivity will be a factor in a proposal's overall rating.

IGF Subthemes
The IGF 2025 programme will be organized according to the following subthemes:

• (Building) - Digital Trust and Resilience
• (Building) - Sustainable and Responsible Innovation
• (Building) - Universal Access and Digital Rights
• (Building) - Digital Cooperation

The subthemes above were decided on during the IGF 2025 First Open Consultations and MAG Meeting, after reviewing inputs from the IGF 2025 thematic and stocktaking calls. The IGF's thematic inputs and stocktaking processes are open to everyone. They form the basis of the MAG's discussions and ensure programme topics are those deemed most critical and timely to Internet governance stakeholders and societies at large. 

Session Types
As noted, there are several types of sessions for which stakeholders can apply. Please see below.

How to submit your session proposal? Stakeholders are strongly encouraged to look through the session types carefully and consider which is most suitable for their purposes. Workshops are the main substantive session type and are evaluated competitively by the MAG, due to space restrictions. Please browse the session types below and click on 'To the Application Form' to be directed to a dedicated page where an online application can be submitted.

Workshops
Workshops are sessions in the IGF annual meeting on a specific Internet governance topic or question. Internet governance is defined as “the development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.” Workshops should offer expertise or insight on the topic and generate discussion among participants. 

Who can apply?

• Any person, or group of persons, from any stakeholder group - civil society, the technical community, the private sector or government - may submit a workshop proposal. 
• Organizing teams who are proposing a session for the first time, or are from developing countries, are especially encouraged to submit. 
• It is also strongly encouraged to list a team that is diverse in terms of perspective, gender, region, stakeholder group, age (e.g. youth), and physical ability (e.g. persons with disabilities), as diversity is an important factor during proposal evaluation.

To the Workshop Application Form

Open Forums
Open Forums are interactive sessions organized by governments and treaty-based international ‎organizations.  Open Forums should focus on a government ‎or organization’s Internet governance-pertinent activities and allow sufficient ‎time for questions and discussions. ‎

Who can apply?

• Governments
• Treaty-based international organizations
• Global organizations from any stakeholder group with international scope and presence, with ‎operations across regions, dealing with Internet governance-related issues

To the Open Forum Application Form

 

Launches and Awards

A limited number of Launches and Awards will be selected for the IGF programme. These types of sessions serve to launch an Internet governance-related initiative, or to host award ceremonies. Proposals should clearly state the relevance to Internet governance and the IGF themes. 

Who is eligible to apply?

• Stakeholders with demonstrated interest in Internet governance
• Organizations wishing to introduce an initiative or host an award ceremony in the global Internet governance ecosystem, who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session

To the Launches and Awards Application Form

 

Lightning Talks
Lightning Talks are fully in-person events that are brief, to-the-point, prepared presentations on a specific Internet governance issue.‎

Who is eligible to apply?

• Stakeholders, participating onsite, with demonstrated interest in Internet governance
• Organizations, participating onsite, wishing to present their work in the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session

To the Lightning Talk Application Form

 

Networking Sessions
A limited number of Networking Sessions will be selected for the IGF programme. These are interactive gatherings of stakeholders interested in a same or similar issue on Internet ‎governance. Their open (in the case of face-to-face events - open-seating) formats can serve as icebreaker, prompting quicker ways for people to get to know each other. ‎Networking sessions are also a suitable session type for social gatherings, or for gatherings of people ‎and organizations from a particular region, stakeholder group, or area of activity.‎

Who is eligible to apply?

• Any organization currently active in the Internet ‎governance ecosystem
• Organizations wishing to organize a networking event for the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session

To the Networking Session Application Form

 

National, Regional and Youth IGF Initiatives (NRIs) Collaborative Sessions
In line with NRI network standard procedures, NRIs are in the process of submitting issues of priority that help understand mutual thematic interests within the network and on which NRI sessions may focus. 

Who is eligible?

• NRIs recognized by the IGF Secretariat

Learn more 

Pre-events (Day 0 sessions)
These sessions take place on the day before the IGF official programme begins. Requesters are given the space to hold the events if their content is IG-relevant and appropriate. Taking into consideration regional and stakeholder balance as well as relevance, space for these sessions is allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis and requested durations are granted based on availability. 

Who is eligible to apply?

• Stakeholders with demonstrated interest in Internet governance, wishing to hold a session prior to the first day of the IGF
• Organizations wishing to present their work in the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session

To the Pre-Event Application Form

 

FAQs- Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions