OpenSSF participated in the 2025 UN Open Source Week, a global gathering of participants hosted by the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, focused on harnessing open source innovation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Held in New York City, the event gathered technology leaders, policymakers, and open source advocates to address critical global challenges.
On June 20, OpenSSF joined a featured panel discussion during a community-led side event curated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, OpenForum Europe, and CURIOSS. The panel, titled “Securing the Supply Chain Through Global Collaboration,” explored how standardized practices and international cooperation enhance open source software security and align with emerging regulatory frameworks such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).
Panelists included:
- Adrianne Marcum, Chief of Staff, OpenSSF
- Arun Gupta, Vice President Developer Programs, Intel and Organizer, UN Tech Over Hackathon
- David A. Wheeler, Adjunct Professor, George Mason University, and Director of Open Source Supply Chain Security, The Linux Foundation
- Scott Clinton, Co-chair, Board of Directors, OWASP Gen AI Security Project
The session highlighted the critical need for international cooperation to secure global software systems effectively. Panelists discussed the emerging role of generative AI (GenAI) and its implications for open source security. The importance of developer education in how to develop secure software was also noted; as developers must increasingly review GenAI results, they will need more, not less, education.
“It was both a great opportunity to share the work of the Gen AI Security Project and insights on the challenges and benefits generative AI brings to our discussion on securing open source and the software supply chain,” said Scott Clinton.
“The United Nations brought together a global community where nations become collaborators rather than competitors,” added Arun Gupta. “It’s thrilling to see the open source community advancing solutions for global problems.”
UN Tech Over Hackathon: Innovation and Stewardship
Earlier that week (June 16–17), the UN Tech Over Hackathon drew over 200 global innovators to address SDG-aligned challenges through open source technology. The hackathon featured three distinct tracks:
- Ahead of the Storm: A child-focused climate emergency analytics initiative in partnership with UNICEF.
- Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon: Collaborative enhancement of UN-related historical content.
- Maintain-a-Thon: Emphasized sustainability and ongoing stewardship of open source infrastructure.
The Maintain-a-Thon, organized in partnership with Alpha-Omega and the Sovereign Tech Agency, engaged over 40 participants across 15 breakout sessions. Senior maintainers offered guidance on issue triage, documentation improvements, and best practices for long-term project maintenance, reinforcing open source software’s foundational role in global digital infrastructure.
đź”— Read the official UN Tech Over press release
đź”— Read Arun Gupta’s blog post on “Ahead of the Storm”
The Road Ahead
UN Open Source Week 2025 underscored the importance of collaborative innovation in securing and sustaining digital public infrastructure. Aligned with its mission, OpenSSF remains dedicated to facilitating global cooperation, promoting secure-by-design best practices, providing educational resources, and supporting innovative technical initiatives. By empowering maintainers and contributors of all skill levels, OpenSSF aims to ensure open source software remains trusted, secure, and reliable for everyone.