The 4th International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) will take place from 4–6 June 2025 in the MuseumsQuartier Vienna, positioning the Austrian capital once again as a central hub for global dialogue on digital security, sovereignty, and international cooperation.
Organised by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, with the support of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs and other major ministries, and in partnership with the Austrian Security and Defence Industries Group of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Competence Center Secure Austria (KSÖ) and the Austrian Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development (AED), and international organisations, the conference operates under the motto: “Balancing Sovereignty and Solidarity in the Digital Age.”
The event provides a high-level multi-stakeholder platform that unites experts from industry, research, government, and civil society. Building on the success of IDSF23, which hosted over 500 participants and 100+ speakers from 35 countries, #IDSF25 will again feature keynotes, panel discussions, and interactive formats.
Open Knowledge Highlights
The CEO of the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN), Renata Ávila, will be joining two sessions in the #IDSF25 programme, detailed below:
Day 1 – Wednesday, June 4, 2025
11:30-11:45
Keynote: Reclaiming our Digital Commons for Security, Peace, and Solidarity
In a digitised world of exclusion and control, a human-centric digital commons offers a transformative vision grounded in openness, equity, and collective empowerment. This keynote will propose a path towards building a digital commons that moves beyond profit-driven tech, embracing shared stewardship, participatory governance, and universal access as cornerstones of peace and security. It will explore the resilience of networked communities, shaping technologies that reflect their needs—fair, sustainable, and inclusive. And how data and tools freely shared, reusable, and adaptable under transparent terms play a role in safer, more just and equitable societies with a people-centric tech ecosystem. By treating the digital commons as a living, co-managed resource, the keynote will argue that a commons-based governance system will enhance security online, countering exploitation and opacity, building trust through accountability, and offline, equipping societies with accessible, reliable tools to bridge divides and strengthen resilience against conflict. As a key part of the digital commons, security is reimagined as a commitment to justice that sustains peace and strengthens cooperation and solidarity.
11:45-13:00
Panel: Bridging Continents: Human-Centric Data Governance and Data Sovereignty for Peace and Security
As digital technologies shape the future of peacebuilding and security, we must ask: are the data and tools we rely on truly fit for purpose? This panel will explore the challenges of Western-centric data systems, the importance of data sovereignty, and the role of human rights in ensuring ethical, human-centric data governance. By addressing these issues, we’ll examine how to empower local communities, build trust through transparency, and create digital solutions that would be more fit for purpose, because if PeaceTech and the data sources that support it are not accessible, they are pointless. Join us for an engaging on bridging continents and making data work for peace and security.
Chair: Nathan Coyle, Senior PeaceTech Advisor AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria
Participants:
- Renata Ávila Pinto, CEO of Open Knowledge Foundation, United Kingdom
- Markus Kornprobst, Vienna School of International Studies, Diplomatische Akademie Wien, Professor of International Relations, Austria
- Farhat Asif, Founder & President, Institute of Peace & Diplomatic Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Tobias Lang, Director, Austrian Centre for Peace, Austria
PeaceTech Alliance
Among the various initiatives that will be presented at the Forum is the launch of the PeaceTech Alliance, a new collaborative platform hosted by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), aiming to place Austria at the forefront of ethical, inclusive, and peacebuilder-led technology for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. The PeaceTech Alliance responds to this challenge by fostering a space where peacebuilders and technologists work together to design solutions that prioritise local ownership, human dignity, and global cooperation.
The Alliance is already operational, community-driven, and institutionally supported by recognised actors such as the Austrian Institute of Technology, with supporters such as the Austrian Centre for Peace, universities across Austria, and global partners including the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN). It represents a credible, ready-made vehicle for Austria to lead in a space that combines digital innovation, peacebuilding, diplomacy, and global cooperation.
#IDSF25 aims to explore how digital sovereignty and global solidarity can be aligned to ensure secure digitalisation, foster strategic autonomy, and strengthen international cyber resilience.
#IDSF25 addresses how digital sovereignty and global solidarity can be aligned as digital transformation challenges states to maintain their open strategic autonomy and sovereignty while fostering global solidarity in leveraging the benefits and addressing risks and cyber threats.
More information and registration: www.idsf.io
