Sri Lanka’s digital nation agenda: CSSL leads way with National ICT Conference 2025 to build human-centric future

National ICT Conference 2025 set for 14-16 Oct. at Shangri- La Colombo with theme: "Fostering a Human-Centric Nation - Towards Society 5.0

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SRI Lanka stands at an inflection point.

Global competition is intensifying, technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are reshaping industries, and societies worldwide are rethinking the role of technology in human progress. For a nation striving to become a $ 15 billion digital economy, the stakes are high. Against this backdrop, the Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) is preparing to host the National ICT Conference (NITC 2025) the country's premier and longest-running technology forum. Scheduled for 14 to 16 October at the Shangri-La Colombo, this year's conference takes on unprecedented significance as it aligns directly with Sri Lanka's digital nation-building agenda.

The conference theme, "Fostering a Human-Centric Nation Towards Society 5.0", captures both the challenge and the opportunity. While digital adoption has accelerated across the world, the defining question now is how to ensure that technology benefits people bridging divides, creating opportunities, and enhancing wellbeing. This is the promise of Society 5.0, a concept pioneered in Japan and now being localised for Sri Lanka: the fusion of cyberspace and physical space in a way that puts people, not machines, at the centre of development.

Unveiling the event, CSSL President Heshan Karunaratne stressed the importance of embracing this vision. "Society 5.0 represents the next frontier of digital transformation. It is not only about applying technology but about reimagining how technology can serve people, enhance inclusivity, and deliver social good," he said. "Sri Lanka has a unique opportunity to harness emerging technologies to drive inclusive growth, enhance digital literacy, and create a more connected and intelligent society."