- Celebrating the UN’s 80th and UNU’s 50th anniversaries, the series advances the Pact for the Future and Global Digital Compact.
- Three interlinked events form a cohesive platform to convene ideas, transfer knowledge to younger generations, and catalyze AI-driven solutions.
- Tackles urgent global challenges—governance, climate, and inclusion—through frontier AI topics such as generative AI, AI safety, and AI for education.
- Expects over 500 participants from across sectors and regions, with strong representation from the Global South, bridging the Culture East and West, Global South and North.
- Spotlights Macau’s role in global dialogue through dedicated sessions, youth engagement, and special award recognition.
Macau SAR, China, October 13, 2025 — The UNU Macau Milestone Series focusing on AI, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and the 50th anniversary of the United Nations University, will take place October 23–25, 2025 in Macau SAR, China. The series also contributes to the implementation of the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, advancing inclusive digital governance and sustainable technology ecosystems.
Designed as an interconnected journey, the series brings together global thought leadership, youth empowerment, and practical innovation through three flagship events: the UNU Macau AI Conference 2025, AI Education Day, and the AI for SDGs — Global Youth AI Future Innovation Competition 2025. Together, these events form a cohesive platform to convene ideas, transfer knowledge to younger generations, and catalyze AI-driven solutions for sustainable development.
The program tackles some of the most pressing global challenges, including international governance, climate resilience, and youth empowerment, while addressing frontier AI issues such as generative AI, AI safety and ethics, AI for climate adaptation, and AI in education. Over 500 participants from technology, academia, government, and civil society are expected, with strong representation from the Global South. The series serves as a bridge connecting the global south and north, and culture east and west.
Macau’s evolving role in global dialogue and innovation is also highlighted throughout the series, with dedicated sessions, youth-focused activities, and recognition of regional contributions. These include the Macau Prize in the AI for SDGs competition, sessions on local applications co-hosted with the Macao Computer Association, joint training for the government officials from Lusophone countries on AI and digital economy with Forum Macao and the University of Saint Joseph, and a Smart Education Forum with the Macau International Model United Nations Youth Association.
Program Pillars
The Milestone Series opens on October 23 with the Final Round of the AI for SDGs — Global Youth AI Future Innovation Competition 2025 at The Londoner Macao, hosted with Sands China Ltd. as the venue sponsor. This global competition showcases youth-led AI solutions for climate resilience and green innovation. The 2025 theme, “AI for the Environment: Ecological Environment and Green Transition Challenges,” invites submissions across four tracks: Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Protection and Conservation, Clean Energy, and AI for Less Developed Countries. Winning teams will receive $1,000 USD and a growth-support package that includes pilot opportunities in China. A special UNU Macau Prize will honor outstanding local entries, reinforcing the Institute’s commitment to regional engagement. The jury comprises global academics, industry leaders, and investors. The competition is organized by the UNU Global AI Network, co-organized by UNU Macau and Venture Cup China, with academic support from Tsinghua University.
The UNU Macau AI Conference 2025 will take place on October 24 at the Galaxy International Convention Center, hosted with Galaxy Entertainment Group as the venue sponsor, coinciding with United Nations Day. Under the theme “AI for Humanity: Building an Equitable Digital Future,” the conference is expected to convene over 150 speakers and 500 participants across 30 sessions. The program spans critical topics such as AI and climate resilience, education, law, health, and governance, reflecting the breadth of AI’s impact on sustainable development. A special session co-hosted with the Macao Computer Association will spotlight AI-powered applications in Macau. The conference will also mark the launch of the UNU-Springer Book Series on Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development. The Conference is also supported by Chunlai Education Group, HKUST IEMS, MGM, and SenseTime.
AI Education Day will follow on October 25 at Wynn Palace, hosted with Wynn as the venue sponsor, focusing on the transfer of global AI insights to younger generations. The day will open with a GenAI & Higher Education plenary chaired by UNU Rector Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, bringing together education leaders from Macau and abroad. Throughout the day, students from primary to university levels will engage in youth workshops and training programs, including AI & SDG Games designed to foster creativity and digital literacy, digital economy and AI training for the government officials from the Portuguese speaking countries in collaboration with in collaboration with Forum Macao and the University of Saint Joseph, technical bootcamps on TinyML and AI for SDGs, and the Smart Education Forum by MOIMUN.
Global Participation and Local Impact
High-level participation will include United Nations senior officials such as Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and UN Under-Secretary-General; Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies; Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs and Prof. Virginia Dignum, Member of the UN High-Level Advisory Body on AI. The conference will convene over 150 speakers from technology companies, academic institutions, and civil society organizations worldwide. Prominent featured speakers include Prof. Benjamin Rosman (University of the Witwatersrand), named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential thinkers in AI for 2025, Dr. Girmaw Abebe Tadesse (Microsoft), Prof. Simon See (NVIDIA), and Prof. Virginia Dignum (Umeå University), member of the UN High Level Advisory Body on AI.
Delegations and attendees represent global diversity, reinforcing Macau’s role as a bridge between local innovation and global agendas. Beyond the speaking participants, the event will welcome approximately 500 attendees from 30+ countries.
The Host
The United Nations University Institute in Macau (UNU Macau) is one of 13 research and training institutes that comprise the UNU system. UNU Macau is dedicated to research, training, and education on digital technologies for sustainable development, promoting evidence-based actions and policies to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Institute was founded in Macau in 1991 and has been supporting the digital transformation of Macau government and the youth development in technology in the past 30 years.
For further inquiries, please contact us at aiconference@unu.edu or unuai25.reg@gmail.com.
