Francesca Albanese to join WMF 2026 in Bologna

By AI, Created 9:41 AM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese will appear on the main stage of WMF 2026 in Bologna from June 24 to 26. The event is using her presence to spotlight international law, human rights and global responsibility as it expects more than 1,000 speakers and a larger international audience.

Why it matters: - Francesca Albanese’s appearance adds a high-profile human rights voice to WMF 2026 as the event broadens beyond tech into law, civil rights and global governance. - The session comes as debate continues over sanctions, free expression and the independence of UN experts. - WMF is positioning the event as a cross-disciplinary forum for innovation and social impact, not just an AI and tech showcase.

What happened: - Francesca Albanese will be a special guest at WMF – We Make Future 2026, the International Fair and Festival on Innovation: AI, Tech & Digital. - The event runs June 24-26 at BolognaFiere in Bologna, Italy. - Albanese will speak on the Mainstage about international law, justice and global responsibility. - Search On Media Group announced the appearance on May 27, 2026.

The details: - Albanese is a jurist, an expert in international law and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since 1967. - She is the first Italian woman to hold that UN mandate. - Albanese serves as an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, document and report on human rights conditions in the territories under her mandate. - Her work includes legal analysis, research and dialogue with international institutions, governments, local communities, civil society and academia. - The recent temporary suspension of sanctions against Albanese in the United States has renewed debate over freedom of expression and UN expert independence. - WMF said Albanese’s participation fits a broader program that brings representatives from institutions, companies, universities, research centers, international organizations and civil society. - WMF expects more than 700 exhibitors and sponsors, more than 1,000 speakers and thousands of stakeholders from the international innovation ecosystem. - The event drew more than 73,000 attendees from 90 countries in 2025. - More than 1,000 speakers from over 90 countries are expected for 2026, including participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, South Korea, India, Saudi Arabia and Brazil. - The speaker lineup already includes Alberto Sangiovanni Vincentelli, Marco Pavone of NVIDIA, Corey Ching of OpenAI, Daniele Pucci of Generative Bionics, Henna Virkkunen of the European Commission, Enrico Mentana, Cecilia Sala and Mathew Knowles. - The full speaker list is available on the official WMF website.

Between the lines: - WMF is leaning into debate-driven programming to frame innovation as a political, legal and cultural issue as well as a technical one. - Albanese’s inclusion signals an effort to draw international attention around rights, institutions and accountability alongside AI and digital transformation. - The mix of Big Tech, public institutions, media and civil society suggests WMF wants to position itself as a broad policy and innovation gathering.

What’s next: - WMF 2026 will continue building its speaker roster ahead of the June event. - Albanese’s main-stage appearance is expected to draw an international audience focused on law, geopolitics and human rights. - Organizers will use BolognaFiere to host panels on AI, robotics, technological governance, business, new economies, rights, information, culture and social impact. - WMF 2026 is conceived, organized and produced by Search On Media Group. - The event has the patronage of the European Commission and the Municipality of Bologna, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ITA – Italian Trade Agency and the Emilia-Romagna Region. - WMF is in partnership with Visit Emilia-Romagna and in collaboration with BolognaFiere, CINECA and the European Space Agency. - Philip Morris International, Dell Technologies and Intel are the main sponsors of the 2026 edition.