International Forum on Digital and Democracy 2026

Convened by Copernicani, the International Forum on Digital and Democracy (IFDaD) is organized in cooperation with Inspiring Futures Europe and Re-Imagine Europa, and hosted by EuropIA as a special session of the World AI Cannes Festival (WAICF), which annually attracts over 14,000 participants and brings together the people and companies shaping the most transformative and purposeful AI strategies globally.

The 2026 Forum is framed under the theme: “Democracy at a Turn – Reimagining Transatlantic Technology Diplomacy.” It provides an informal, high-level space for stakeholders from politics, academia, civil society, and industry to debate pressing issues at the intersection of AI, democracy, and international cooperation. Discussions build on insights from previous editions of IFDaD and on the principles outlined in the Rome Declaration on Media Ecology and Technology Diplomacy.

In addition to keynote presentations at selected WAICF sessions (invitations managed by the WAICF Secretariat), the Special Session on AI & Democracy includes two complementary activities:

• A public high-level panel on AI for Democracy

• A closed-door roundtable on AI for Democracy

Speakers:

• Bernard Benhamou, Secretary General, Institute of Digital Sovereignty (ISN)

• Christian Kastrop, President & CEO, Global Solutions Initiative (GSI)

• Emanuela Girardi, President, European AI, Data and Robotics Association (ADRA)

• Gry Hasselbalch, Director of Research, Data Ethics

• Paul Nemitz, Visiting Professor of Law, College of Europe; former Principal Advisor on Strategies of Justice Policy and Digitalization, European Commission

• Simona Tiribelli, Assistant Professor of Ethics, University of Macerata; Director for AI Ethics, Public Innovation Institute, Boston, USA

Featured image: Photo by Getty images on Unsplash