Pedro Sánchez calls for action to ensure that “rights are as robust in the digital space as they are in the physical world 

The President of the Government has welcomed the ‘Global Digital Rights Forum’, organised by the Government of Spain and the Mobile World Capital Foundation, with a message highlighting Spain’s work in the field of digital rights and stressing the need to give citizens a greater understanding of their rights in the digital environment. 

The opening session featured the participation of the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, María González Veracruz; the Minister for Economy and Finance of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Alicia Romero; and Barcelona City Council’s Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance and Tourism, Jordi Valls. 

The event brings together more than 100 speakers in Barcelona over two days, including experts in technology, ethics and digital governance. 

Frances Haugen, data expert and whistleblower behind the ‘Facebook Files’; Giuliano da Empoli, president of the Volta think tank; Yael Eisenstat, technology policy expert and former Facebook executive; and Carissa Véliz, philosopher and specialist in digital ethics and privacy at the University of Oxford, are among the keynote speakers. 

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, opened the 1st International Digital Rights Forum with a recorded message in which he highlighted the importance of the event at a time when “the paradigm of trust has changed forever and our right to a truthful reality is at stake”. In his speech, Sánchez stated that, in this context, “social cohesion is being undermined and democracy is weakening”,and called for action to ensure that “rights are as robust in the digital space as they are in the physical world”. 

The President of the Government also highlighted Spain’s role as “a pioneer in the field of digital rights” through initiatives such as the Charter of Digital Rights and the Digital Rights Observatory, and encouraged citizens to take part in the event, noting that “75% of Spaniards lack the information needed to understand technologies that are already essential in their daily lives”. Sánchez also stressed that the forum turns Barcelona into the “world capital of digital rights”. 

Following the President of the Government’s message, the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, María González Veracruz, stressed that “this is not a gathering of technologists or specialists: it is an open space for the whole of civil society, for mothers and fathers, for teachers, to listen, reflect and act on something that affects every one of us”. She also explained that, as an international benchmark in promoting ethical technological development, “the Government of Spain wants this forum to mark a turning point, creating a before and after for Spanish society”. 

For her part, the Minister for Economy and Finance of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Alícia Romero, highlighted Catalunya’s commitment to the technology and digital sector, recalling that “Catalunya currently has 18,000 companies operating in the digital field, generating more than €40 billion in turnover”.  

Romero also stressed that “digital rights are about how we participate in society. We need education, knowledge and guarantees of rights that provide citizens with trust and legal certainty”. 

The opening session also featured the participation of Barcelona City Council’s Deputy Mayor for Economy, Housing, Finance and Tourism, Jordi Valls, who underlined the significance of Barcelona hosting the 1st International Digital Rights Forum. “Twenty years ago, Barcelona decided to become part of the digital revolution. Today, we are a deeply technological and scientific city”. 

In his speech, Valls also remarked that “we live in a hybrid world, where we cannot talk about a country’s productivity without digitalisation, and we cannot address digitalisation without debating digital rights”. 

The opening session marked the beginning of two days of reflection and debate at the Llotja de Mar, bringing together more than 100 national and international speakers to address the key challenges posed by digitalisation from the perspective of fundamental rights. 

A forum promoted by the Government of Spain and Mobile World Capital Barcelona 

The 1st International Digital Rights Forum is promoted by the Government of Spain and Mobile World Capital Barcelona, within the framework of the Digital Rights Observatory, and is taking place in Barcelona on 13 and 14 May. 

The event brings together institutional leaders, academics, technology experts and representatives from civil society to discuss key issues such as data protection and privacy, the regulation of Artificial Intelligence, algorithmic transparency, cybersecurity, and the protection of children’s rights and vulnerable groups in the digital environment. 

More than 100 international speakers in technology, ethics and digital governance 

The programme features more than 100 internationally renowned speakers, including Yael Eisenstat, technology policy expert and former Facebook executive; Carl Öhman, researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute and specialist in digital legacy; Frances Haugen, data expert and whistleblower behind the ‘Facebook Files’; and Carissa Véliz, philosopher and author specialising in digital ethics and privacy at the University of Oxford. 

The line-up also includes Giuliano da Empoli, president of the Volta think tank and author of the bestselling novel The Wizard of the Kremlin, alongside experts, legal professionals, academics and technology specialists taking part in keynote speeches, round tables and open debates. 

In addition to the different sessions, the forum includes participatory activities and workshops open to the public, organised in collaboration with social organisations, foundations, universities and associations, with the aim of bringing the debate on digital rights closer to society and fostering a more critical, inclusive and informed digital culture.