Globethics at the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI

Globethics' Executive Director, Fadi Daou, and AI Ethics Manager, Paola Galvez Callirgos, took part in the 4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI, held in Riyadh from 14 to 17 September 2026.

Convened by UNESCO since 2022, the Forum has become the leading international platform for advancing ethical AI governance. Its fourth edition, co-organised with Saudi Arabia’s SDAIA and ICAIRE, brought together governments, international organisations, academia, industry, and civil society to turn UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of AI into shared, implementable practice.

This work has brought to life "Empowering CSOs to Lead the Way in Advancing AI Ethics", a flagship capacity-building course designed for civil society actors, which equips participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage critically with AI technologies and their societal implications.

Fadi moderated the panel "Financing and Partnerships: Ethical AI Governance for the People", which explored innovative approaches to building partnerships and cooperation around shared, impactful goals.

Paola, recently appointed to the Steering Committee of UNESCO's Women4Ethical AI network, moderated the panel "Turning the Gender Lens for AI Governance into Action". She also held a productive meeting with UNESCO's Deputy Director-General, Ms Åsa Regnér, on how to make AI governance more inclusive and ensure that the voices of women, youth, and underrepresented communities shape it.

The conversations in Riyadh echoed a conviction at the heart of Globethics' work: ethical AI governance becomes real only when principles are translated into capacities, tools and partnerships on the ground. This is what drives our Ethics of AI and Emerging Technologies portfolio, from capacity building for civil society and youth, to the Emerging Leaders in Ethical AI Governance Fellowship, to practical instruments that help organisations move from commitment to practice. The Forum's focus on implementation, sustainable financing and inclusion confirms the direction of this work, and Globethics will continue building on these exchanges with UNESCO and partners across regions.