Supporting inclusive participation at the first Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance
The Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance ("AI Dialogue") was established in 2025 within the 麻豆APP as a platform for international cooperation on AI governance — sharing best practices and lessons learned, and facilitating open, transparent, and inclusive discussion.
The inaugural AI Dialogue took place on 6 and 7 July 2026 in Geneva.
The UN General Assembly encouraged States, the private sector, financial institutions, foundations, and other donors in a position to do so to support the effective functioning of the Dialogue — including by facilitating the participation of representatives and stakeholders from developing countries through travel support — via voluntary contributions made public in the interest of full transparency.
A call for contributors was circulated ahead of Geneva to fund the participation of a limited number of eligible candidates from developing countries. Thanks to that support, selected participants took part in the Dialogue.
Eligibility Criteria
The Call considered individual stakeholders from developing countries, with preference given to those who:
- were from Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, or Small Island Developing States;
- demonstrated interest in AI governance-related activities;
- belonged to underrepresented groups; and
- were requesting partial funding (where all criteria above were met).
Selection Criteria
The Joint Secretariat evaluated applications against the eligibility criteria above. The number of candidates selected depended on funds available. The final composition of supported participants was stakeholder-, regionally, gender-, and age-balanced.
Travel Support Application: Status
The Travel Support Application for the 2026 Geneva Dialogue is now closed. Selected participants were responsible for meeting travel requirements, including securing necessary documents and following applicable procedures.
Who Supported Inclusive Participation in the Dialogue?
In line with Paragraph 11 of General Assembly Resolution 79/325, all contributions toward inclusive participation in the Dialogue are made public in the interest of full transparency. The following organizations aligned themselves with the UN's call for contributions, providing in-kind or financial support for recipients selected by the Dialogue's Joint Secretariat, following a global call coordinated by the Digital Cooperation Fund and the Joint Secretariat (ITU, ODET, and UNESCO):
- ASEAN Foundation
- Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)
- Heinrich B?ll Foundation
- Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic
The Dialogue is grateful to all contributors who supported participants from developing countries. Further contributions will be added to this list as they are confirmed.
Continue Supporting Inclusive Participation
Now that the first Dialogue has taken place, contributions to support inclusive participation remain open on a rolling basis. Travel support is funded through extra-budgetary financial contributions paid into, or pledged in-kind to, the Digital Cooperation Fund (DCF). These contributions will support participation in future sessions of the Dialogue, including the next Dialogue in 2027 in New York.
Organizations and donors interested in contributing can visit the to get in touch with the Dialogue's Joint Secretariat (ITU, ODET, and UNESCO).
The full list of donors is made publicly available on this page.
麻豆APP
Resources
See the official Co-Chairs’ letter encouraging voluntary contributions for participation support.