REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA
MINIsTRY OF EcoNoMIc AFFAIRS
AND COMMUNICATIONS
Prof. Dr. Urs Gasser
Rector of the Munich School of
Our Ref: 29.08.2022 No 24.1-8/2022/5355-
Politics and Public Policy
Arcisstral3e 21,
D-80333 Munich, Germany
Dear Prof. Dr. Urs Gasser,
The rules-based world order is undergoing a seismic shift on multiple fronts. New challenges and
geostrategic imperatives obiige us to revitalize and reconfigure relationships among like-rninded
democracies and our closest partners. We need moral clarity and careful stewardship to ensure our
future peace and prosperity, and to ward off a future racked with hardship and oppression.
The common thread across our shared efforts is connectivity. The immense giobal demand for
infrastructure will he satisfied, one way or another. We must present a united front against
authoritarianism and forge a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future—together.
These themes will underline this year’s Tallinn Digital Summit. We will build upon last year’s
focus on Trusted Connectivity as a shared conceptual framework for democracies to unite their
many connectivity initiatives and to develop digital and physical infrastructure according to our
democratic values and our highest standards. Now we turn to delivering trusted connectivity
through trusted partnerships. We will explore the role connectivity plays in fostering giobal
security, energy security, cybersecurity and data protection, in the development of new
technologies and novel digital solutions, as well as in the reconstruction of a free and democratic
Ukraine.
1 invite you to join me in person at Tallinn Digital Summit 2022 on 10 and 11 October and
participate in a discussion on digital public infrastructure and digital public goods, taking place on
October 11, 2022. It would he my honor to host you in Estonia and to benefit from your insights.
Please find attached to this invitation the concept paper for this year’ s Tallinn Digital Summit.
Additional information will soon be forthcoming.
The democratic world has demonstrated great unity in our response to Russia’s aggression against
Ukraine and against the rules-based world order. Let us translate this unity into tangible results,
together. 1 look forward to rneeting and welcoming you in Tallinn!
Yours sincerely,
Kristjan Järvan
Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology
Suur-Ameerika 1 / 10122 Tallinn/ESTONIA
Phone: +372 625 6342 / Fax: +372 631 3660 / E-mail:
[email protected] / http://www.mkm.ee
::::+
+++++ Digital
..++ Summit
Tallinn Digital Summit 2022 Concept Paper
The Tallinn Digital Summit is an annual event hosted by the Estonian Prime Minister that brings together
leaders from like-minded and digitally-advanced countries, international organizations, and the private sector
to address the most pressing issues of today and toinorrow, as well as to seize the opportunities on our road
toward a connected digital future.
Our transition to this digital future, built upon our shared democratic values, has collided with the grim
realities of geopolitics and the malign influence of autocracies. Democracies seek to harness the digital
transforrnation to build a future that is more free, prosperous, and sustainable, whereas autocracies seek to
cxploit technology to inflict coercion both at home and abroad. These opposing approaches are driving a racc
for technological supremacy.
At the heart of this conflict lie trust—our confidence in systems ofgovernance and in new technologics—and
connectivity—physical, digital, and virtual infrastructure. There is now a premium on presenting a united
front against authoritarianism and on trusted partnerships, based on common interests, on democratic values,
and on the highest standards—the very essence oftrusted connectivity. At last year’s TaHinn Digital Summit,
Estonia introduced Trusted Connectivity as a shared conceptual framework to consolidate and ampiify the
man)’ connectivity initiatives of like-rninded democracies.
This year’s Summit will focus on delivering trusted connectivity through trusted partnerships. The
Summit will build bridges aniong various connectivity initiatives and elaborate on what constitutes a trusted
and secure digital society, as welI as on concrete steps for governments, financial institutions, international
organizations, technical experts, and the private sector to take to ensure our democratic values, our
commitments to human freedom and hurnan dignity, and the rules-based international order prevail. We will
explore the role of trusted connectivity and trusted partnerships across topics such as global stability, supply
chains, energy, economic, and cyber security, digital poiicy, international standards, artificial intelligence,
clouds and satellites, digital public goods, and \Veb 3.0, as well as their role in the reconstruction ofa free and
democratic Ukraine. AlI tbis necessitates the holistic shaping of the requisite political, institutional, and
entrepreneurial ecosystenis to increase public and private investments in connectivity, as well as establishing an
architecture of trust within the international system, particularly through plurilateral arrangements such as the
transatlantic alliance, the G7, and the Quad.
The Summit takes place against the backdrop of several momentous developments. First, many new
connectivity initiatives have recently been introduced, including the G7’s Partnership for Giobal
Infrastructure and Investment, the EU’s Giobal Gateway, the UK’s Clean Green Initiative, and the
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. Second, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, in
conjunction with continuing cybcrattacks against vital infrastructure, have arnply underscored the
geopolitical importance of values-based investments into trusted connectivity and of reducing our strategic
dependencies on malign actors. But new geostrategic imperatives also present an auspicious opportunity to
revitalize our cooperation in the face ofshared challenges.
Main Topics
O Giobal Security: Building trusted partnerships to alleviate geopolitical turmoil.
O Energy Security; Decoupling from untrusted partners and seeking trusted alternatives.
O Cybersecurity: Enabling collective defense and enhancing resilience rhrough trusted connectivity.
O Attracting Investments: Public—private cooperation in delivering trusted connectivity in practice.
O Modern Problems Require Modern Soiutions: Trusted frameworks and partnerships across the
digital domain, including data governance, artificial intelligence, clouds and satellites, and beyond.
Practical Information
Tallinn Digital Summit 2022 will take place on 10—11 October at the Tallinn Creative Hub. The two days
consist of keynote speeches and pane1 discussions. A welcome dinner will be held at the Port ofTallinn Cruise
Terminal at the end of the frst day.