Hyderabad, 4 April 2026 – UNESCO participated in Universal Acceptance (UA) Day 2026 at the Internet Society India Hyderabad Chapter (ISOC-HYD) – held at Microsoft’s Gachibowli Campus in Hyderabad, India. The event, themed “Universal Acceptance for an Inclusive Digital Future: Driving Atmanirbhar Bharat,” underscored UA’s importance in enabling multilingual internet access and digital equity across South Asia.
Representing UNESCO, Ma’aly Hazzaz underscored the need to improve linguistic diversity in the digital world in her address “Language, Identity and Digital Inclusion: Why UA Matters for Humanity”, linking UA to UNESCO’s mandates on media literacy, freedom of expression, digital rights, and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032) – with a focus on South Asia’s linguistic diversity.
Universal Acceptance is not a niche technical concern. It is a foundational enabler of digital dignity, ensuring that every language, every script, and every person has an equal place in the digital world.
Ma’aly HazzazChief & Regional Advisor, Communication and Information, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia
The one-day hybrid conference convened policymakers, industry leaders, academics and technical experts – distinguished guests included Shri Jayesh Ranjan (Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana), Samiran Gupta (MD Asia Pacific, ICANN), Amitabh Singhal (ICANN Board Member), Sarmad Hussain (Senior Director, IDN and UA Programs, ICANN), Dr. Salman Abdul Moiz (ISOC-HYD), and K. Mohan Raidu (ISOC-HYD President).
The event marks the first of three in South Asia within a global series of 30 curated events taking place from 25 March to 30 May 2026 across five regions – organized by UNESCO in collaboration with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
UNESCO has strategically deepened its partnership with ICANN to drive global UA efforts, advancing linguistic diversity online through targeted 2025-2026 initiatives – from joint advocacy on multilingual internet commitments and UA Day mobilization to spotlighting progress at ICANN85.
These collaborative actions ensure seamless acceptance of all valid domain names and email addresses in any language or script, empowering equitable digital participation.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-underscores-universal-acceptance-multilingual-digital-inclusion?hub=701
