Welcome to the virtual conference by host Ikenna Azuike and the Danish ministers Jeppe Kofod, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Flemming Møller Mortensen, Minister for Development Cooperation.

The ministers will in brief set the scene and stress Denmark’s commitment with the Tech for Democracy initiative.

Moderated by Denmark’s Tech Ambassador Anne Marie Engtoft Larsen, key stakeholders from civil society, the tech industry and the EU will discuss and outline the key challenges and opportunities for democracy and human rights in the digital era. The session will discuss questions such as:

How can technology enhance democratic values and practices such as inclusion, transparency and accountability to restore trust in democracy? What are the tools at hand for paving a way forward, and what is the emancipatory potential for tech in present day democracies around the world? How can democratic governments, parliaments, and the people they represent get back in the driver’s seat of technological development?

Following the first session, this session introduces a geopolitical perspective on the issue of tech, democracy, and human rights. We find ourselves between one side working for a more democratic global governance of technological development, and on the other side the global rise of authoritarianism becoming increasingly more digital.

The opening keynote by Eileen Donahoe will address the issue of the rising geopolitical tensions anchored in the technological development, and what democratic states need to do differently in charging the way forward for a democratic digital future and to combat the spread of digital authoritarianism. Then, in a fireside chat, participants will address the role and responsibilities of civil society and tech companies in navigating this new geopolitical landscape. How do we build in democratic values in the development, dissemination and application of new technologies?

This section dives deeper into the humanistic aspect of the technological development, and in this discussion we highlight artificial intelligence (AI) - the new and most important technologies of today. Technology is not just about coding, machine learning, hardware, raw materials, policy papers and regulation. It is about people. Humans. Those that have created, designed, developed and innovated the codes and algorithms, but also those whose lives are affected by the very same technologies.

We dive into specific concerns such as biases, inadequate representation and digital inequality. But also how AI can contribute to a more democratic digital future. Through the artistic space, AI-artist Cecilie Falkenstrøm shows the utopia and dystopia of our digital future and extend the human imagination showing human fears and hopes for the future of tech and democracy.

This session highlights voices from a range of stakeholders from around the world. Civil society, youth representatives, and other non-state actors from across governance eco-systems will present their experiences and evidence on challenges and opportunities on how to drive a progressive agenda for an open, safe, and inclusive digital world where technology works for democracy and human rights.

The session is jointly facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Focus and will be kicked off by Executive Director of the Togolese Civil League, Farida Nabourema, followed by a message from the UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner. Based on a series of roundtables with Southern Voice, a network of +50 think tanks in the Global South, and a scan of the horizon for some of the most promising pro-democracy digital projects taking place today, the session takes the audience on a roundtrip across the globe to present key challenges and approaches on how to make digital technology a vehicle for democracy and human rights.

In this session, we focus on the need for action and demonstrate how to “walk the walk and talk the talk”. What initiatives, partnerships and actions can bring about real change to make tech work for democracy and human rights? The two central pillars of the Tech for Democracy initiative, the Copenhagen Pledge, and Action Coalitions will be presented to guide and inspire action. Other initiatives and partners will present their visions and actions with the aim of inspiring further action and displaying how the Tech for Democracy initiative complements existing efforts.

This final session will focus on what we need to do individually and collectively as the tech industry, civil society, multilateral organisations, and governments to make tech a tool for democracy and human rights, while also confronting any challenges that may arise. Learning from past mistakes, what do we need to do differently, and how?

The session opens with the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jeppe Kofod, giving a short recap of the conference: What are the most important takeaways from the conference sessions; why the Tech for Democracy initiative matters; and hopes for the way forward. The subsequent panel focuses on how to take action and committing to make tech work for, not against, democracy and human rights.