The Declaration reflects the conclusions of the Lisbon Forum 2025, held on 28 and 29 October as part of the Policy Programme of the Maltese Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. This year’s edition, themed “AI and Global Governance: Rights, Representativity and Readiness”, served as a unique platform connecting Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia in an open and constructive dialogue on global challenges.

Participants recognised that artificial intelligence (AI) is far more than a technological or regulatory matter: it represents a profound civic and cultural shift, reshaping identities, participation, and the values underpinning democratic societies. Government officials, policymakers, international organisations, civil society, youth representatives, private sector leaders and thematic experts collectively contributed to shaping the principles contained in the Declaration.

The newly adopted Declaration sets out shared principles and orientations to guide efforts toward a human-centred, ethical and inclusive approach to AI governance. It highlights the importance of international legal instruments, such as the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and underscores the need for cross-regional cooperation to ensure representativity, accountability, and readiness in the digital age.

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A collaborative effort

The Lisbon Forum also benefited from thematic workshops led by the Council of Europe (DG1 – Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law) and partner organisations including the Arab ICT Organization (AICTO), the Network of Centres (NoC) of the GPAI Expert Community, and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed). Their contributions helped deepen exchanges and diversify perspectives in the drafting process.

This edition of the Forum was organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, with the support of the joint European Union–Council of Europe programme “Protecting human rights, rule of law and democracy through shared standards in the Southern Mediterranean” (South Programme V), co-financed by both organisations.