Last week, Prof. Mariana Valente and research assistant Hana Musljiu conducted a group of four Digital Policy Leadership Program (DPLP)* students to the Geneva Days, an intensive two-day academic trip where they visited key international organizations working at the intersection of law, technology, business, and human rights.
Our visit began at WIPO, where Ms. Deblue introduced WIPO’s mission of promoting innovation through intellectual property. She explained its international role and initiatives supporting businesses, policymakers, and countries.
Afterwards, we had an informal lunch discussion with Pedro Lana and Raquel Gatto, who are affiliated with ISOC and CGI.br (the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee). They explained the multistakeholder governance model and Internet Society’s mission to promote an open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy internet and shared insights into digital inclusion, policy advocacy, and emerging debates around internet governance.
Following lunch, we visited DiploFoundation, where Ms. Horejsova presented Diplo’s work in strengthening the participation of developing countries in global digital governance. She highlighted courses and programs available to equip future leaders for the challenges of digital diplomacy and policy.
At the Palais des Nations, we met with Ms. Azin Tadjdini from OHCHR. Ms. Tadjdini gave us a clear overview of how the UN system operates, discussed priorities for the digital environment, and introduced the Global Digital Compact initiative.
The evening concluded with a dinner discussion with Isabel Ebert from the B-Tech Project. We discussed the interaction between the UN and companies and how the B-Tech Project helps major technology firms like Meta, Microsoft, and Cisco improve their terms of use to ensure platforms continue to respect human rights.
On the second day, we visited UNCTAD, where Ms. Cyron gave a presentation on the environmental and developmental impacts of digitization. We discussed how digital transformation is reshaping global trade and the importance of fostering more inclusive and sustainable digital economies.
We concluded our visit at UNITAR, where we toured the Palais des Nations and learned about UNITAR’s role in strengthening training and education for international cooperation and diplomacy.
We are deeply grateful to all the organizations and professionals who generously welcomed us, shared their time and expertise, and contributed to making this visit an exceptional learning experience. Their openness and insights made a lasting impact on all of us, and we look forward to building on these connections in our future work.
* The DPLP is an exchange program that brings together students from Insper in Brazil and the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, funded by the Lemann Foundation and supported by the Law and Economics Foundation. Designed to develop the next generation of digital policy and Internet governance leaders, the program is open to bachelor’s students from both institutions and encourages participation from diverse academic backgrounds.
