In a historic milestone for virtual world governance, Radia Funna, Acting Chair of the ITU Focus Group on Metaverse's Working Group 1, has successfully led the drafting and adoption of the United Nations' first official definition of the metaverse—a groundbreaking achievement that establishes the conceptual foundation for global metaverse policy, regulation, and standardization efforts worldwide.

Defining the Future of Virtual Worlds

The UN-approved definition, ratified by 193 Member States in December 2023, describes the metaverse as "an integrative ecosystem of virtual worlds offering immersive experiences to users, that modify pre-existing and create new value from economic, environmental, social and cultural perspectives." This comprehensive definition, crafted under Funna's leadership, captures the multidimensional nature of metaverse technologies and their transformative potential across all sectors of society.

"This definition provides the essential foundation for future policy-making, standardization, and responsible development in the metaverse space," Funna stated following the historic adoption. "It reflects the comprehensive nature of these technologies and their potential to create positive impact across economic, environmental, social, and cultural dimensions—ensuring virtual world development enables humanity's collective good."

Establishing Global Standards Through Collaborative Leadership

Funna's leadership in this consensus-building process demonstrates Build n Blaze's commitment to collaborative, evidence-based approaches to emerging technology governance. Working with international experts, government representatives, and industry leaders, she facilitated the complex negotiations required to achieve unanimous agreement among 193 UN Member States—an unprecedented achievement in the rapidly evolving metaverse landscape.

The UN's official metaverse definition now serves as the authoritative reference point for international discussions on virtual world regulation, ethics, innovation policy, and technical standards. This foundation enables governments, organizations, and developers worldwide to work from a common understanding while developing metaverse technologies and governance frameworks.

Creating the Framework for Responsible Innovation

The adoption of this definition marks a transformative moment in metaverse governance, establishing a unified global understanding of virtual world technologies among UN member states, industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers. This shared foundation is essential for developing coordinated international approaches to metaverse regulation, ensuring virtual worlds develop in ways that protect human rights, promote digital inclusion, and advance sustainable development.

The definition's emphasis on "integrative ecosystems" and "value creation across multiple perspectives" reflects Funna's human-centered approach to technology development—ensuring that metaverse standards prioritize user agency, digital dignity, and societal benefit rather than purely technical specifications.

Shaping the Future of Virtual World Governance

The UN's adoption of this foundational definition establishes a crucial precedent for international cooperation on emerging technology governance. As metaverse technologies continue to evolve and scale across industries—from education and healthcare to commerce and entertainment—this definition provides the conceptual anchor needed for consistent, coordinated global policy development.

Through her leadership in securing UN adoption of the world's first official metaverse definition, Radia Funna has established the foundational framework that will guide responsible metaverse development and governance for generations to come.

Build n Blaze is the global authority in standards-driven digital transformation. Led by UN Special Advisor and global standards authority Radia Funna, we empower organizations to harness AI, metaverse, quantum, and emerging tech for sustainable, human-centered impact—ensuring innovation serves everyone, everywhere. Learn more at www.buildnblaze.com.