KEY POINTS
Digital Dubai, in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC), has announced the launch of the “Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds (GIVW) – Discovering The CitiVerse.”
This initiative aims to develop metaverse solutions to benefit key industries, including urban planning, tourism, and education, while tackling complex challenges and creating new opportunities for better urban living.
The GIVW introduces a global metaverse platform called “CitiVerse,” which promotes open, interoperable, and innovative virtual worlds with a focus on safety and user trust.
The initiative focuses on three key goals: developing normative frameworks for metaverse solutions, offering training and events to share knowledge, and creating sandbox environments for cities worldwide to simulate virtual world scenarios.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Global Chair of the Executive Committee leading the initiative, stated, “This initiative represents a proactive response to the emerging technologies and their impact on people’s lives, particularly in the field of sustainable urban development through virtual worlds.”
GIVW is part of Dubai’s broader efforts to transform into a smart city. In 2022, Dubai announced its Metaverse Strategy, which aims to position the city as one of the world’s top 10 metaverse economies, create 40,000 new jobs in the virtual world, and generate $500 million in revenue for the national economy.
Since then, multiple initiatives have been launched to support this vision.
In 2022, Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ) made its debut in the metaverse with the launch of METADAFZ. Additionally, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) introduced the “DIFC Metaverse Platform” to support Web3 initiatives.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) also embraced the metaverse by offering a virtual platform for service requests and interactions, further integrating innovative technology to enhance user experiences and streamline government processes.
