The development of a multilingual internet – both globally and in Armenia was the focus of the regional conference “Building a Truly Multilingual Internet,” held in Yerevan on March 31.
The event, organized for the fourth time by the .am and .հայ domain registry, the “Internet Society” NGO, took place within the framework of the international Universal Acceptance movement and its dedicated day, UADay2026.
High level representatives from leading international organizations driving multilingual internet development participated in the conference, including ICANN, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO.
Hosted at the European University of Armenia, the conference also brought together members of the technical community, students from technology oriented institutions and individuals with an interest in technological innovation.
Opening the event, Igor Mkrtumyan, Board Chair of the “Internet Society” NGO, emphasized that more than 120 countries and major technology companies have already recognized the importance of multilingualism on the internet not only for education and culture, but also for economic growth. He noted that companies such as Apple, Google and Microsoft have established the Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) to advance this agenda. He added that Armenia has been actively involved in these efforts for several years, addressing local challenges and preparing to adopt broader international solutions.
The conference agenda addressed key topics such as the creation of multilingual digital content, the transformation of digital infrastructure and the implementation of systems capable of supporting multiple languages.
Recent research by Microsoft indicates that a multilingual internet can significantly boost economic activity, as users are more likely to engage online when content is available in their native language. Discussions also highlighted the importance of collaboration among academia, governments and international organizations to further expand the Universal Acceptance movement.
Since 2023, Universal Acceptance Day has been marked globally with the support of ICANN and its partners. In 2026, regional conferences across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia were organized with the support of the Regional Universal Acceptance Coordination Group for the CIS and Eastern Europe.
