Nurain Janah hosted the second Tech Diplomacy Global Forum at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. Janah is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and the founder of the Kandufa Foundation.
Held under the theme "Technology as Statecraft: Building Trust in a Fragmented Era,"* the international forum brought together global leaders in technology diplomacy, digital governance, and artificial intelligence (AI). More than 1,000 participants attended, representing governments, international organisations, academia, industry, and civil society, to discuss digital sovereignty and responsible innovation.
As host of the forum, Janah led the morning programme, introducing keynote speakers including UNESCO Assistant Director-General Dr Abou Amani and Ayumi Moore Aoki President of the Tech Diplomacy Global Institute. She also moderated high-level discussions throughout the event.
The programme featured distinguished speakers including Malaysia's Minister of Digital, Gobind Singh Deo, former UNESCO Assistant Director-General Professor Tawfik Jelassi, and the world's first Tech Ambassador, Casper Klynge. Professors from the University of Oxford and the University of Florida, alongside AI experts, also discussed the growing influence of technology companies in shaping the global order.
During the forum, the UAE Government and the Global Center on AI Governance jointly launched the "X Global AI Accelerators 5" initiative to accelerate the responsible development of AI. Speaking about the initiative, Janah highlighted the increasing role of technology in diplomacy, economic development, security, and international cooperation.
Janah was invited to host the forum in recognition of more than a decade of work in technology governance and public policy. Since 2013, she has been actively involved in New Zealand's technology ecosystem and, in 2025, was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
Through the Kandufa Foundation, Janah has also worked to empower young people and women in the Maldives. Earlier this year, she attended the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting as an official delegate. Her work continues to raise the profile of Maldivians on the international stage, a contribution further reflected through her leadership of this global forum.