RIYADH — Saudi Arabia will host the Global Summit on Child Protection in Cyberspace from October 2 to 3, 2024 as part of the agenda of the International Cybersecurity Forum held in Riyadh, under the patronage of King Salman. The summit is organized by the International Cybersecurity Forum Foundation and the National Cybersecurity Authority, in cooperation with the United Nations specialized agency for information and communications technology, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the DQ Institute, and the global coalition "WeProtect". The summit aims to lay the foundations for international cooperation to build a safe and empowering cyberspace for children around the world, with the participation of an elite group of international decision-makers, representatives of governments, international organizations, the private sector, and key stakeholders. The Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell, revealed that the Global Summit on Child Protection in Cyberspace represents an important opportunity to coordinate international efforts to maximize the potential of technology in children's lives while protecting them from the risks it entails. She stressed the importance of joint and collective work to make cyberspace a safe place for children to learn and socialize. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the United Nations specialized agency for information and communications technology, stressed that protecting children in cyberspace is a shared responsibility and has become more urgent than ever, especially with children spending an increasing amount of time online. She pointed out that the Global Summit will bring together leaders and decision-makers from all sectors to ensure that our young children thrive in a safe cyberspace. Eng. Majid Al-Mazid, Governor of the National Cybersecurity Authority, confirmed that the summit will bring together key stakeholders in this field, whether from international organizations, non-profit organizations, or the private sector. The summit will address topics and initiatives that will unify efforts with the aim of maximizing the impact of protecting children in cyberspace, especially considering the increasing use of modern technologies by children. Dr. Yoo-hyun Park, founder of the DQ Institute, noted that the priority today is coordinated multi-stakeholder collaboration to enhance children's safety and well-being in cyberspace. Ian Drennan, CEO of the WeProtect Global Alliance, stressed that threats to children are an urgent and growing problem, and it is important to focus on creating a safer cyberspace for children around the world. The International Cybersecurity Forum Foundation, which was established by royal decree in 2023 as an independent institution, seeks to contribute to unifying the efforts of global stakeholders in this regard by opening horizons for partnership, cooperation, and exchange of expertise, and advancing dialogue between the most prominent experts in relevant cybersecurity topics, in a way that supports economic and social development around the world. This edition of the International Cybersecurity Forum comes under the slogan "Maximizing Collaboration in Cyberspace" and witnesses the holding of dialogue sessions that discuss the five main themes of this year's edition, which are: Overcoming Cyber Diversities, Cyber Behavior, Social Structure in Cyberspace, A Thriving Cyber Economy, and New Cyber Horizons.
