Director-General of DG CONNECT at the European Commission, Roberto Viola, opened the event and delivered a thought-provoking keynote, outlining the Commission's vision for a resilient and democratic digital landscape and emphasising the importance of the contribution of the open source community in this endeavour. “The NGI community has the power to embrace an identity ecosystem that's open, federated and empowers citizens in both the digital and real world.”
French Ambassador for Digital Affairs, Henri Verdier, emphasized that Europe is the house to a big community of technologists working on digital commons (the “commoners”) and highlighted France's initiatives in advancing digital sovereignty and the importance of EU-wide collaboration. "Europe must do its best to support the resources it has created to ensure sovereignty.”
Throughout the two-day event, the NGI Forum 2023 hosted thought provoking discussions on crucial topics for the future of the internet, including digital identity, quantum internet, large language models, web search, decentralized social media, and the security of the open-source supply chain. The plenaries and workshops provided a dynamic platform for participants to engage in discussions and collaborative efforts toward building the internet of tomorrow.
The debates over the two days proved there are a lot of open questions regarding how to concretely deliver the human-centric internet which is at the core of the NGI mission but that the NGI community is deeply committed to address those and to cooperate with the governments and policy makers to achieve the common goal. As Pearse O’Donohue – Director for Future Networks at the European Commission – emphasised in his closing remarks, bringing together elements of top-down policy and bottom-up, grassroots ideas and solutions, is a challenge but one that NGI has clearly embraced.
The NGI Forum 2023 also served as a momentous occasion to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the NGI initiative’s funding of innovations. Over the past five years, NGI has fostered a unique ecosystem of highly talented and value-driven innovators, contributing to projects such as CryptPad, Searx, Mastodon, and many more that prioritise open source and open data solutions.
During the event, it was announced that NGI has achieved a significant milestone of funding and supporting over 1000 groundbreaking innovations. This accomplishment speaks to the initiative's dedication to re-imagining and re-engineering the internet for a safer, open, and citizen-centric digital environment.
Unveiling the Digital Commons
The forum's agenda, filled with dynamic sessions and workshops, emphasised the importance of digital commons – shared digital resources that are accessible to all. These sessions unveiled strategies to foster innovation while ensuring equitable access and promoting sustainability in the digital ecosystem.
Highlights and Commitments
Key sessions discussed the future of decentralised social media, the Fediverse's potential to scale, and the urgent need to secure open-source software against supply chain risks. The event also shone a light on the advancements in open web search and the pivotal role of large language models in European innovation.
Empowering Digital Citizens
The NGI Forum 2023 stood out as a hub for not only sharing knowledge but also for empowering citizens in the digital world. Discussions delved deep into the creation of a digital identity that respects privacy and offers control to individuals across the European Union
Looking Ahead
As the NGI Forum 2023 wraps up, the path forward is clear: Europe is poised to take bold steps towards a more inclusive, secure, and innovative digital future. The forum has set the stage for ongoing dialogue and action, with a unified vision to realise the potential of the internet as a force for good.
As we reflect on the success of NGI Forum 2023 and the accomplishments of the NGI initiative over the past five years, we look forward to continued collaboration and innovation that will shape the digital landscape of Europe and beyond.
About NGI Forum
The NGI Forum is the flagship event of the European Commission's Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative, bringing together innovators, policymakers, and technologists to advance a safer, open, and citizen-centric internet. NGI Forum explores topics that underpin the transition to the future internet, focusing on the concept of the Digital Commons, equitable access to information, innovation, and digital sovereignty. Learn more here.
About NGI Initiative
The Next Generation Internet (NGI) is a European Commission initiative that aims to shape the development and evolution of the Internet into an Internet of Trust according to the vision of the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles. An open Internet that responds to people’s fundamental needs, including trust, security, and inclusion, while reflecting the values and the norms all citizens enjoy in Europe.
Promoted by Next Generation Internet
