A Summary From the Global Digital Forum 2025 in Nizhny Novgorod Industrial City - Russia.
Attended and Written by Mawazo Mataje, Program Technical Advisory
In the scope of Digital Agenda for Tanzania Initiative’s values and principles of partnership, collaboration and forging alliances, the organization (DA4TI) is currently participating in the Global Digital Forum in Russia at Nizhny Novgorod industrial city from 5th to 6th June 2025. The organization is represented by our Program Technical Advisor, Mr. Mawazo Mataje, who among other things, is expected to share his insights on digital inclusion for socio-economic development, DA4TI’s experience in digital literacy, global collaboration initiatives between Russia and Africa with particular focus in Tanzania and the strategic engagements in forging alliances for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital childhood protection alliance initiatives.
The overall mission of the forum is to create a unique platform for equal dialogue on global aspects of digital development, unlocking new opportunities for knowledge sharing and partnership, and share best practices in the technological field. Participants from the globe, for the two days, will be able to attend high-level sessions with top industry leaders, get involved in shaping digital trends, expand professional networks and discover Russian and foreign IT-achievements at the digital Expo. The Forum convenes representatives of international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media houses, individual experts, government agencies and officials, IT-companies, academic and scientific communities.
In the first day of the forum, DA4TI managed to participate in several programs to share its experience and knowledge in the fields of digital literacy for rural communities, experiences of mis-information and dis-information, fact checking mechanisms, opportunities and challenges of AI and digital diplomacy. Earlier in the program, the Program Technical Advisor, took part in an interview with Russian Television (RT) to share his experience on regional collaboration, opportunities between Russia and Africa, cooperation between global south and global north, challenges of AI in developing countries and how Russia can equally work with developing countries on the principles of trust, respect and equal opportunities for all nations. The link to the interview will be shared soon in the coming days.
The forum has brought more than 1,000 IT experts on site, 10,000 online participants, more than 170 IT companies participating in the exhibition and more than 100 MoU agreements are expected to be signed. The alliances and partnerships due to be engaged within two days of the forum are expected to improve synergies among the digital community members and provide an inclusive digital alliance with shared values of trust, equality and transparency.
In the late evening and under the spirit of Russian culture and promoting international diversity, the organizing committee of the Global Digital Forum took the participants to the selected cultural and historical sites/areas for learning and sharing about Russian culture and deep-rich history of Nizhny city within a larger Russian Federation. The cultural sighting programs were meticulously planned and organized to showcase the origin of the city, its history as an industrial hub and its relationship with the Russian Federation. One of the unique experiences was the sighting of the Nizhny Kremlin with rich of historical information from industrial development to military achievements and preservation of arts and culture.
