IGF 2021 Newsletter: April 2021

IGF Newsletter: April 2021

In this Newsletter

   IGF 2021 Structure

  IGF 2021 Call for sessions

  Intersessional Activities

  IGF News

  For Your Action!

IGF 2021 Structure

The 2021 IGF Process will have two components: 

(i) A preparatory component or phase which includes build-up sessions on the IGF 2021’s main issue areas, development of the intersessional work as well as a series of capacity development activities; and

(ii) The 16th Annual Internet Governance Forum, hosted by the Government of Poland in Katowice from 6 to 10 December 2021 under the overarching theme: Internet United.

This year’s process introduces several innovations:

       Hybrid format. The meeting will have a hybrid format, to ensure conditions are as equal as possible for onsite and online participants. The MAG working Group on Hybrid Meetings facilitates MAG’s guidance on this.

       Preparatory phase. The Forum’s community-centred preparatory phase, to be announced in the coming days, will include broad stakeholder consultations, engagement activities and capacity development activities.

       A more focused and issue driven IGF. To enable a more focused IGF, the MAG selected two baskets of issues: (i) main focus areas, and (ii) emerging and cross cutting areas. The IGF 2021 programme is built on specific issues proposed by the community in response to the open call (January 2021), which have been clustered into six issue areas falling into one of the two baskets.

The two main focus areas are: (i) Economic and social inclusion and human rights and (ii) Universal access and meaningful connectivity. And the four emerging and cross-cutting issue areas are: (i) Emerging regulation: market structure, content, data and consumer/users rights regulation; (ii) Environmental sustainability and climate change; (iii) Inclusive Internet governance ecosystems and digital cooperation; (iv) Trust, security, stability.

       New session formats. In order to better facilitate demands from the multistakeholder community, new session formats are introduced. In addition to the traditional workshops and open forums, the community now may choose between town halls, sessions for launches & awards, lightning talks and networking sessions.

IGF 2021 Calls for sessions, village & remote hubs open



:: ::  APPLY TO HOST SESSIONS AT IGF 2021!   :: ::

Stakeholders can choose from a variety of sessions to apply for. Visit the IGF website and explore what could fit your needs!

Deadline to apply: 26 May 2021, 23:59 UTC

 

HOST A BOOTH AT IGF 2021 VILLAGE

Apply by 1 July 2021, 23:59 UTC


 

ORGANIZE A REMOTE HUB IN YOUR CITY

Register by 20 September 2021, 23:59 UTC


 

Intersessional Activities

Policy Networks

The IGF 2021 is reintroducing and advancing the past formats of intersessional work: the policy networks. These formats, facilitated by the community with engagement of a dedicated multistakeholder working group, intend to create framework networks on broad Internet governance topics that allow for an expert in-depth view on Internet governance issues of broad interest. For the 16th IGF cycle, two policy networks are under implementation:

 

       Policy Network on Environment (PNE)

       Policy Network on Meaningful Access (PNMA)



Best Practice Forums

Two Best Practice Forums (BPF) have the objective to collect existing and emerging good practices from community experience. Their meetings and mailing lists are open to all interested stakeholders to participate: 

       BPF Cybersecurity on the use of norms to foster trust and security

       BPF on Gender and Digital Rights

Dynamic Coalitions

This year, Dynamic Coalitions (DCs) will develop a paper documenting their history, providing insight into their work and processes, and looking into how they could further contribute to strengthening the IGF. A draft version of the paper will be published for public comment before the December IGF meeting. 

The DCs will also soon start working – through the DC Coordination Group – on preparing their collective contribution to the 16th IGF meeting.

IGF News

PNE Multistakeholder Working Group Formed

See the composition of experts from different regions and stakeholder groups. 

Wondering who will feature the PNMA Multistakeholder Working Group? Stay tuned until our next newsletter!

For Your Action!

Coming to Katowice for the 16th annual IGF?

Let us know via this quick poll if you will participate onsite or online.

Key dates and deadlines

26 April, 18:00 UTC

IGF 2021 Call for sessions, Village booths & Remote Hubs open!

29 April, 15:00 UTC

BPF Cybersecurity kick-off meeting



See also: Full IGF calendar

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