VALENCIA – 17 November 2025

The Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI – Discovering the Citiverse, co-led by the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and Digital Dubai, opened a Call for Comments on the draft Global Digital Citiverse Framework, inviting stakeholders worldwide to help shape the future of inclusive, trusted, and interoperable AI-powered virtual worlds.

The launch took place during the 1st Citiverse Assembly, held in Valencia, Spain. Hosted by the City of Valencia and organized by the Initiative, the Assembly brought together more than 250 participants, including mayors, policymakers, international organizations, academia, and industry leaders. The Assembly marked a major milestone in global collaboration towards human-centred and sustainable virtual environments.

1st Citiverse Assembly: From vision to implementation

In the framework of the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI, the 1st Citiverse Assembly provided a platform for dialogue and collaboration among global leaders shaping the future of AI-powered virtual worlds. The programme featured high-level interventions, interactive sessions, and demonstrations highlighting city use cases, digital identity, interoperability, and citizen trust, with participation from speakers representing UNICC, ITU, UNICEF, INTERPOL, and several cities and academic institutions.

UNICC Director Sameer Chauhan opened the event alongside Paula Llobet Vilarrasa, Councillor for Tourism, Digital Agenda, Innovation and Investment, City of Valencia, and Hyoung Jun Kim, Chair of ITU-T Study Group 20. In his remarks, Mr. Chauhan highlighted the Initiative’s evolution from a shared vision to a coordinated effort with tangible outputs across multiple thematic tracks.

“From the use case tracks, we now have a comprehensive set of taxonomies covering domains such as urban planning and mobility, health, public safety, education, and digital governance. These documents lay the groundwork for meaningful experimentation and implementation across diverse contexts.”

Sameer Chauhan, Director, UNICC

Later in the programme, UNICC experts Anish Sethi, Chief of the Digital Solutions Centre, and Akhilesh Nirapure, Cloud Architect, shared perspectives on how cities can implement secure, scalable, and interoperable digital solutions that put citizens first.

UNICC’s leadership in Emerging Technologies and Security & Trust

A key outcome of the Assembly was the presentation of the draft Global Digital Citiverse Framework, a first-of-its-kind reference document designed to help local governments harness AI and virtual world technologies for inclusive, safe, and sustainable urban transformation.

Developed collaboratively under the leadership of the Emerging Technology Track co-leads Anish Sethi (UNICC) and Ernesto Faubel-Cubells (City of Valencia), with input from over 30 global experts across academia, public institutions, and the private sector, the Framework offers a practical, technology-agnostic guide for cities worldwide. It integrates global standards, ethics, and innovation principles into a unified model that supports digital participation, literacy, safety, and governance.

Mr. Chauhan noted that this framework represents “the first comprehensive guide of its kind” and invited the global community to contribute feedback through the Call for Comments, open until 3 December 2025. Feedback will help refine its structure, real-world applicability, and coverage, ensuring the Framework remains relevant and implementable across diverse local contexts.

Under the Security and Trust Track, co-led by UNICC and Google Cloud APAC, the Initiative is finalizing the Secure Citiverse Blueprint, which prioritizes cybersecurity, data protection, and ethical governance to ensure safe and equitable access for all.

New deliverables and the UN Citiverse Challenge Startup Award

The Assembly also marked the launch of other deliverables and collaborative mechanisms that reinforce this shared momentum:

• The Citiverse Alliance, chaired by Paula Llobet Vilarrasa, will be a dedicated space exclusively for cities and their communities within the Global Initiative on AI and Virtual Worlds, bringing together mayors, municipal leaders, local communities, and city-level digital innovation teams to build partnerships and co-develop immersive solutions for the future of public service delivery.
• Seven new deliverables, including the report titled ‘No One Left Behind in the Citiverse: A Blueprint for Accessible AI-Powered Virtual Worlds’ and the Citiverse Use Cases Taxonomies, which demonstrate how AI-powered virtual worlds are transforming sustainability and public services.

The Assembly also celebrated innovation through the UN Citiverse Challenge Startup Award, recognizing WEO as the winner for its AI-driven solution AURA, which advances climate resilience, civic engagement, and sustainable urban innovation.

Towards a human-centred Citiverse

By connecting people, cities, and technologies, the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds and AI – Discovering the Citiverse continues to advance a shared vision where digital innovation serves the public good. The launch of the Draft Global Digital Citiverse Framework, Citiverse Alliance, and accompanying deliverables marks a significant step toward building a human-centred Citiverse that empowers cities, supports innovation, and ensures that no one is left behind.