Newsletter Volume 1 No. 2, June 2020 (Part 2)

In this newsletter:

• Preparations for IGF 2020
• IGF News
• Intersessional Activities
• National, Regional and Youth IGF Initiatives (NRIs)
• For Your Action!

Preparations for IGF 2020

In case you missed it: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifteenth annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will be held online. The IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) together with the IGF Secretariat and UN DESA have begun preparations and consultations on how best to carry out this virtual IGF annual meeting.

The Second Open Consultations and MAG Meetings were held online, 15-19 June.

The MAG reached consensus on seven main sessions for this year’s conference. The seven sessions agreed to are:

• Main sessions on each of the four thematic tracks (data, environment, inclusion, trust)
• A session on the IGF and Internet governance-related aspects of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation
• Role of the Internet in Emergency Situations - a session led by the National, Regional and Youth IGFs (NRIs)
• COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on work of DCs - a session led by the Dynamic Coalitions (DCs)

The MAG also agreed to the next steps for organizing the first ever all-online IGF:

• The MAG will hold a call on 30 June to review format options for the virtual IGF 2020, with a view to being able to finalise the format and announce the dates of the virtual IGF by the end of July.
• Workshop proposers will be asked to resubmit, outlining how they will adapt their sessions to the virtual format. They will be provided with some details of what it will mean to hold a session in an all virtual context.
• Stakeholders who have requested types of sessions other than workshops will be asked to confirm that they still want to be considered, and then, if they are approved, will also have to submit their plans for converting to a virtual format.
• During the MAG’s call of July 14, the MAG will take on board the responses by proposers to help shape the final program for IGF 2020.

The summary report of the Second Open Consultations and MAG Meeting is now available.

Transcripts, daily summaries and archived webcasts from the proceedings held in plenary can be accessed via the IGF page for the meeting and IGF YouTube channel.

IGF News

Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), has written to the MAG to provide details of UN DESA’s commitment to the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and to strengthening the IGF.

On behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General, the Department of Economic and Social ‎Affairs (DESA) requests nominations from all stakeholder groups for the IGF 2021 MAG. The deadline for nominations is 25 August.

Intersessional Activities

Best Practice Forums (BPFs)

A summary of the 2020 activities of the BPFs to date was presented at the Open Consultations on 16 June.

The three workstreams of the BPF on Cybersecurity have finalized their individual work plans.

The BPF on Data and New Technologies in an Internet Context is inviting feedback on its Data and New Technologies Issues Card.

Dynamic Coalitions (DCs)

A summary of the 2020 activities of the DCs to date was presented at the Open Consultations on 16 June.

The DCs now have a new latest news web page. Current updates:

• The DC on Platform Responsibility is inviting stakeholders to join in their work to develop a “Glossary on Platform Law and Policy”.
• The DC on Network Neutrality (DCNN) and DC on Community Connectivity (DC3) invite stakeholders to contribute to a booklet to be launched at IGF 2020 called “The Value of Internet Openness at Times of Crises”.

National, Regional and Youth IGF Initiatives (NRIs)

The summary of the work of the NRIs was given during the Open Consultations on 16 June.

The results of the NRI Consultations on the Report of the High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation/Recommendation 5 A/B, including the IGF Plus Model are now available. The consultations closed on 22 May.

A summary report of the 22 June meeting of the NRIs’ collaborative preparatory process for IGF 2020 is available.

For Your Action!

Consider hosting or participating in a remote hub.

Know of people who could make a great contribution to IGF 2020? Let the IGF Secretariat know!

Key dates and deadlines

See also::Full IGF calendar

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