On 28 and 29 October, the Lisbon Forum 2025, organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, is bringing together over 200 policymakers, legal experts, civil society representatives from across the world to discuss the need to govern artificial intelligence (AI) in a way that upholds human rights, democracy and cultural diversity.
Building on the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy and the rule of law – the world’s first binding international treaty on AI – the forum will focus on how societies can address the challenges posed by AI. Key topics include the urgent need for AI literacy and capacity-building, especially for policymakers, legal professionals, youth and vulnerable groups, whose voices should be considered in the digital transformation.
The Lisbon Forum will foster intercultural and interregional dialogue, providing a unique platform for diverse actors to share perspectives, exchange knowledge, build capacity and develop actionable proposals. The forum aims to strengthen cross-regional cooperation and promote human-rights-based governance of AI, through innovative practices and collaborative strategies.
Among the key speakers and participants at the forum there will be:
- Secretary General Alain Berset will participate in the closing session on 29 October, following the presentation of the forum’s conclusions
- Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Alliance of civilizations
- Augustin Kibassa Maliba, Minister of Digital Economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo
- Inês Domingos, Secretary of State for European Affairs of Portugal
- Ambassador Francesca Camilleri Vettiger, Permanent Representative of Malta to the Council of Europe, President of the Council of Europe’s Ministers’ Deputies and President of the North-South Centre’s executive committee.
In addition, Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Tourism at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Malta, Nazim Ahmad, Representative of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal, and Pilar Morales, Executive Director of the North-South Centre will speak at the opening.
The forum’s speakers also include Neema Lugangira, Member of Parliament of Tanzania, Chair of the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG) and Secretary General of Women Political Leaders (WPL), Mohamed Ben Amor, General Director of the Arab ICT Organisation (AICTO), and Waldemar Gonçalves, President-Director of the National Data Protection Authority of Brazil (ANPD).
This edition of forum is being held on the theme of “AI and global governance: rights, representativity and readiness”, and is organised by the North-South Centre in cooperation with the organisation’s Digital Governance and Sport Department, with contributions from AICTO, the Council of Europe’s Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ), the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) and the Global Partnership on artificial intelligence (GPAI). The forum is also part of the policy programme of the Maltese Presidency of the Committee of Ministers.
Plenary sessions will be streamed live on the North-South Centre’s website.
The Lisbon Forum: a global platform for dialogue
Since 1994, the Lisbon Forum has been a flagship event providing a platform for interregional exchange among representatives of governments, parliaments, regional and local authorities, and civil society – the quadrilogue – to discuss the global role of the Council of Europe in the areas of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. In line with the mandate of the Council of Europe North-South Centre, the forum maintains a global focus, with particular attention to the Southern Mediterranean region and Africa.
Secretary General Alain Berset
Malta’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers
Watch the North-South Prize live
