The 2025 Edition of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF25), a pivotal global gathering, has opened its registration, inviting delegates worldwide to converge in Lusaka from April 29, 2025, to May 1, 2025.

This 12th iteration of the event, hosted by the pan-African organisation Paradigm Initiative (PIN) and its consortium of partners including Bloggers of Zambia, Common Cause Zambia, and the Internet Society Zambia, promises to be a landmark occasion, held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC).

Under the theme, “Promoting Digital Ubuntu in Approaches to Technology,” DRIF25 will serve as a crucial platform for dialogue and collaboration, addressing pressing issues within the digital ecosystem.

Attendees, comprising representatives from government, non-governmental organisations, academia, media, funding partners, the United Nations, the technical community, and the private sector, will engage in strategic discussions aimed at transcending geographical boundaries and fostering digital inclusion.

This year, PIN introduces a novel approach, offering delegates the opportunity to support digital rights and inclusion efforts through ticket purchases, while maintaining free registration for those who wish to attend without cost.

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The free registration period, however, is time-limited, closing on March 20t, 2025, having commenced on Thursday.

The thematic areas for DRIF25 encompass critical aspects of the digital landscape, including Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, Trust and Accountability, Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, Digital Inclusion and Marginalised Groups, Digital Security, and Human Rights and Freedoms.

These discussions will build upon the foundations laid at the 11th edition, which focused on “Fostering Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age.”

DRIF25 has garnered substantial support from prominent sponsors, including the Ford Foundation, Luminate, Mott Foundation, Google, Meta, Wellsprings, Kingdom of the Netherlands, MacArthur Foundation, and Wikimedia Foundation, underscoring the event’s global significance.

The forum’s growth is evident in its increasing participation and session offerings.

The 2024 edition in Accra, Ghana, drew 1,044 registered attendees from 61 countries, while the 2023 Nairobi event hosted 601 participants from 54 countries.

Furthermore, the number of sessions has expanded, with DRIF24 featuring over 80 sessions, up from 70 in 2023.

This year, PIN has received an impressive 346 session proposals, encompassing a diverse range of formats, including world cafes, workshops, day zero events, exhibitions, tech demos, lightning talks, and panel sessions.

In 2024, the forum included the premiere of PIN’s short film Undersight, and the launch of the Londa report, Ayeta and Ripoti digital toolkits.

The 2023 Londa report provided findings for 26 African nations.

Thobekile Matimbe, PIN’s Senior Manager, Partnerships and Engagements, emphasised the forum’s role in fostering a digital community rooted in Digital Ubuntu.

"As we plan our gathering in Lusaka, Zambia, we look forward to engaging with diverse stakeholders to shape policies and innovations that ensure collective approaches, digital rights and inclusion for all," Matimbe stated.

"This is our moment to bridge gaps, foster trust and champion an inclusive and tech-driven future. The great response we have so far garnered from session hosts demonstrates immense interest in DRIF2025."

"We would like to express our utmost gratitude to all those who honoured our Call for Session Proposals which ended on January 30th, 2025. The session hosts should expect to receive feedback from us on February 28, 2025," she added.

She also commented that DRIF25 was not just a convening of delegates but an event that provides the organisation with a platform for building a digital community rooted in Digital Ubuntu, where collaboration and inclusivity drive the future of technology.

DRIF25 is poised to be a critical arena for addressing global digital rights and inclusion challenges, facilitating dialogue among diverse stakeholders and shaping the future of technology in an inclusive and collaborative manner.