Vienna (TDI): The wait is finally over and the highly anticipated digital security dialogue, The International Digital Security Forum 2025, has formally kicked off. With 500 speakers from 35 countries, this three-day event is set to exchange ideas and gather policy solutions on digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, disinformation, AI governance, and international technology diplomacy.
The inaugural session was moderated by Cornelia Ertl, one of the top event moderators in Austria. After welcome notes by the organizers, Austria’s Secretary of State for Digitalization, Alexander Pröll, delivered opening remarks in a video message. This was followed by Harald Himmer taking the stage.
He is the Federal Councilor, Parliamentary Group Leader and Chairman of the Committee on Internal Affairs of Austria.
Next up, the Ambassador of Poland to Austria, Zenon Kosiniak Kamysz, delivered his remarks, followed by the Ambassador of Finland to Austria and the Deputy Director General for European and Economic Affairs of Austria.
Ambassador Kamysz is the Head of Mission in the Embassy of Poland, since October 2024. From August 2018 to February 2023, he was the Minister Counsellor in the Department of Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Warsaw, Poland.
The opening ceremony came to a close after the the Deputy Director General for European and Economic Affairs of Austria, Yvonne Toncic-Sorinj, delivered her remarks.
After the opening ceremony, the Day 1 of IDSF is packed with two workshops and eleven sessions, including expert talks and penal discussions. All the sessions will take place in the backdrop of this year’s theme, Balancing Sovereignty and Solidarity in the Digital Age.
Digital transformation challenges states to maintain their open strategic autonomy and sovereignty while fostering global solidarity in leveraging the benefits and addressing risks and cyber threats. Digital sovereignty emphasizes control over national data and infrastructure, while digital solidarity relies on international cooperation to develop common security standards and share knowledge.
The IDSF 2025 will focus on exploring this crucial balance from a variety of technological and thematic perspectives. This conference provides a comprehensive platform to examine how independence and cooperation can be harmonized to address global digital security challenges.
A special highlight of the Day 2, June 5 is the high-quality social science track organized by the IDSF program partner Vienna Centre for Societal Security (VICESSE) under the title “Sovereignty and Solidarity in the Digital Age – a critical View”, which will take place on 5 June 2025 at the IDSF.
This part of the program will be opened by a keynote speech byPhilipp Budka (Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna, Austria) on “Community-Led Digital Sovereignty: Insights and Lessons from an Indigenous Initiative in Remote Canada”, followed by top-class panel discussions that will discuss the social challenges of digital transformation and practical technological and security policy issues.
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