At the 2nd UN Virtual Worlds Day in Turin, Italy, Radia Funna, Founding Chair of UN Virtual Worlds Day, made a groundbreaking announcement that will reshape how organizations approach global challenges through immersive technologies. Speaking to an audience of UN officials, government representatives, and technology leaders from around the world, Funna unveiled the Build n Blaze Collaborative, a pioneering initiative designed to address the digital silos that have emerged during this era of technological transformation.

Transforming Global Cooperation Through Technology Convergence

The Build n Blaze Collaborative represents Build n Blaze's direct response to the pressing paradox facing the digital inclusion community: "How do we responsibly prioritize immersive technologies for inclusion when 2.7 billion people remain offline?" The Collaborative specifically focuses on technology convergence, emphasizing the intersection of AI, neurotech, and quantum computing with immersive environments, ensuring that no nation or community is left behind as these technologies reshape our world.

"As we move forward, the fundamental question remains: How can we align the Global Digital Compact's ambitious vision with hyper-localized, low-tech solutions to ensure immersive technologies become bridges rather than barriers?" Funna stated during her announcement. "We believe the answer lies in the collaborative spirit that founded UN Virtual Worlds Day."

Building on UN Virtual Worlds Day Success

As Founding Chair of UN Virtual Worlds Day, Funna has successfully created a platform that unites over 18 UN agencies in collaborative action, transforming her initial 2023 vision into tangible implementation. The announcement came during the second half of the two-day global forum that, in its second year, brought together leaders, innovators, and youth changemakers to explore how emerging technologies are reshaping governance, education, agriculture, health, climate resilience, and cities.

Reflecting on the journey, Funna shared: "When we embarked on this transformative journey several years ago, beginning with foundationalizing the metaverse concept at ITU's Focus Group on metaverse, I proposed two groundbreaking ITU initiatives that align with my lifelong mission to remove institutional silos by building platforms for global knowledge sharing. One initiative became the first to take our focus group into the metaverse itself—pioneering immersive standardization—and the other evolved into what we celebrate today as UN Virtual Worlds Day".

Addressing Critical Implementation Challenges

The Collaborative directly addresses what Funna identified as a "critical failure" in the sector: terminology confusion has actively hindered technological progress in the immersive technology space. Build n Blaze's analysis reveals that 68% of policymakers continue to conflate 'metaverse' with 'gaming,' fundamentally overlooking its transformative potential for climate resilience planning, healthcare delivery, and educational equity (to name a few).

Further research indicates that regulatory uncertainty around metaverse definitions has contributed to a 40% slowdown in cross-border digital infrastructure investments, particularly affecting Global South nations seeking to integrate immersive technologies into national development strategies. On addressing these challenges, Funna emphasized: "Today, Build n Blaze has launched a comprehensive initiative that synthesizes our standards work across ITU, IEEE, and other global bodies to prioritize 'ethical immersive environments' over technical jargon. This approach ensures inclusive dialogue across sectors while advancing practical implementation frameworks that serve humanity's greatest challenges".

A Call for Global Collaboration

In closing her announcement, Funna issued a direct invitation for collaboration: "If you share this vision, I warmly invite you to reach out to me on LinkedIn @RadiaFunna. Together, we can build a future where technology serves everyone, everywhere".