In Memoriam: Péter Major, Founding Chairman of WDTA and a Visionary in Digital Governance

2025-09-19 18:28:31

It is with profound sorrow that we learned of Péter Major’s passing—a true luminary whose light touched so many lives in the realms of technology, governance, and human connection. As the Founding Chairman of the World Digital Technology Academy (WDTA), he guided initiatives bridging data governance with the ethical evolution of our digital world. His wisdom, as Chairman of the United Nations CSTD Working Group on Data Governance, profoundly influenced WDTA’s own pursuits in AI Safety, Trust, and Responsibility, as well as our Global Data Space projects aimed at fostering responsible innovation for humanity’s benefit.Péter embodied the spirit of curiosity and integrity that WDTA strives to champion.

Born in Budapest in 1948, with MSc in physics and PhD in AI, he brought a rare blend of erudition and optimism to his over two-decade tenure at the ITU in Geneva, retiring as Head of the Space Applications Software Division. His subsequent leadership in the CSTD and IGF not only shaped global processes but also inspired countless professionals—like those in our DigiBridge Digital Talent Development Program—to pursue knowledge with humor, generosity, and unyielding dedication. Péter, fluent in five languages and ever the music lover, shared a lighthearted story from his early days in Geneva, reminding us all that even in the most complex technical debates, a shared laugh could unlock the path to consensus. That moment, and many like it, revealed the man behind the achievements: kind, wise, and profoundly human.

Péter leaves behind his beloved wife of 44 years, two daughters, and four grandchildren, whose lives he enriched beyond measure. His legacy in international ICT, Internet governance, and data governance will endure through the communities he built, including the innovative collaborations at WDTA that continue his work in digital ethics and technology for good. He deserves the digital governance leader in WDTA book Digital Technology 360. We at WDTA mourn his loss deeply but celebrate the indelible mark he left on our field.

Rest in peace, dear mentor and friend. Your optimism will guide us forward.