UNESCO, ICANN, CAN Federation Hold 2026 Nepal Hackathon to Advance 100+ Languages Online
Updated
Updated · UNESCO · May 28
UNESCO, ICANN, CAN Federation Hold 2026 Nepal Hackathon to Advance 100+ Languages Online
1 articles · Updated · UNESCO · May 28
Kathmandu hosted the UA Adaptation and Hackathon Nepal 2026 on 16 May, where UNESCO, ICANN and CAN Federation pushed technical fixes so Devanagari domain names and email addresses work across websites, apps and online forms.
Those barriers still block Nepali users from registering for services, accessing information and communicating online in their native script, making Universal Acceptance a practical requirement for digital inclusion rather than just a technical standard.
100+ languages are spoken in Nepal, and organizers said digital systems must better reflect that diversity as education, public services and economic opportunities increasingly move online.
CAN Federation used the event to build on its Nepali-script internationalized domain portal, क्यान.संगठन, while UNESCO tied the effort to its 2003 multilingualism recommendation and a February 2025 partnership with ICANN.
With ICANN accepting Devanagari domains, who will build Nepal’s next digital brand in its own native script?
Will local-language domains truly boost Nepal's economy, or are bigger digital hurdles being ignored?
2026 Nepal Hackathon: Accelerating Universal Acceptance for Inclusive Digital Transformation
Overview
The UA Hackathon Nepal 2026 is a major step in making Nepal’s digital world more inclusive. By accelerating the adoption of Universal Acceptance (UA) principles, the event aims to create a digital ecosystem where everyone can participate, no matter what language or script they use. This practical initiative ensures Nepal’s digital infrastructure is accessible to its diverse population. Universal Acceptance is key for true multilingualism online, supporting UNESCO’s vision for greater inclusion and access. It guarantees that all valid domain names and email addresses work correctly across digital systems, regardless of language, script, or length.