NRIs Virtual Meeting XII_15 September 2017

NATIONAL AND REGIONAL IGF INITIATIVES

- Virtual Meeting XII, 15 September 2017, 15:00 p.m. UTC -

SUMMARY REPORT

About 

1. The 12th virtual meeting of the National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs), took place on 15 September at 15:00 p.m. UTC.
    
2. The meeting was hosted and moderated by the IGF Secretariat’s NRIs Focal Point, Ms. Anja Gengo. Agenda is attached to this document as Annex A1 and a list of meeting participants as Annex A2.  List of input documents is attached as Annex A3.
    
3. During the call, the UNESCO representative updated the NRIs on the project on defining the Internet Universality indicators. A summary report for this segment will be shared as a separate document.

NRIs Main Session

4. The Host explained that this meeting is focused on updating the NRIs main session proposal to be submitted to the IGF MAG. The current version of the template was shared with the participants, and is attached to this report as an Annex A3.
    
5. Participants were reminded that the session will be split across the 90 minutes long lunch break into two parts. The first part will be 90 minutes long, and the second one 60 minutes long.
    
6. Participants were reminded that the working title of this session is rights in the digital/online world. Everyone were asked to share their suggestions for the final version of the title in the session template available as a shared document. They were kindly asked to submit their suggestions as soon as possible, so that the final version can be submitted to the MAG during the second half of September.
    
7. One NRI coordinator suggested that the title should indicate that this session reflects the NRIs perspectives. Thus, it was proposed to add to the tile that these are the ‘’NRIs views’’, or the ‘’NRIs perspectives’’. In addition, the coordinator suggested to develop a provocative title, asking if the online rights correspond to the offline ones. The Host advised the coordinator to add this title to the shared document, as a suggestion.
    
8. All NRIs were asked to add their suggestions for the title to the shared document during the next week (week of 18^th September).
    
9. The Host asked how to format and structure the session given the lunch break split. It was reminded that some of the previously suggested proposals include the following:
   • To use the 90-minutes slot for the discussion, and the lunch break for informal ‘meet the NRIs’ gathering. The last 60-minutes could be used for making final conclusions and sending messages toward the wider NRIs community.
   • The second, 60-minutes slot could be an opportunity for the Youth IGF initiatives to feed into the session.
   • The session could be split between the national and regional IGFs.
      
10. NRIs coordinator from EuroDIG suggested that the split could be made across the national and regional IGF initiatives, where the regional IGF initiatives would gather the substantive inputs beforehand, summarize them on behalf of the national IGF initiatives and have them presented during the second half of the sessions, as a wrap up of the overall discussion that will be developed during the first 90 minutes. Coordinator from the (FYR) Macedonia IGF added that this could be helpful for the national IGF initiatives that cannot attend the meeting in person.
     
11. The co-coordinator from the IGF-USA noted that the NRIs act on equal footing, and that there cannot be any segregation of the NRIs regardless of the organizational level and scope. It was proposed that the NRIs should concentrate on the first 90 minutes of the session to deliver good discussion and good quality content. The second half of the session should serve as an opportunity to come up with conclusions and interact with the audience. It was stressed that the biggest challenge for the co-organizers of this session will be to bring the audience back in the meeting room after the lunch break. Additionally, the co-coordinator noted that having the regional IGF initiatives to speak for the national IGF initiatives is not good option, as not every regional IGF attends sub- regional or national IGF meetings. The co-coordinator noted that every IGF initiatives is independent and the national IGFs do not report to the regional IGFs. With noting this, the co-coordinator reminded that this was underlined by the IGF 2015 MAG Chair, Mr. Janis Karklins during the NRIs gathering at the 10^th annual meeting in Brazil.
     
12. The EuroDIG coordinator respond to the above remarks saying that the proposal aims only for bringing an effective solution to the session that is limited by time, and involves big number of co-organizers. In addition, the coordinator insisted that the proposal was never meant to indicate that there is any hierarchy between the national and regional IGF initiatives, or that the regional IGF initiatives are more important than the national ones.
     
13. The coordinator from the Nigeria IGF and West Africa IGF supported the above summarized proposal of having all NRIs be involved in the session in a same manner, and added that the NRIs should also make sure to use this session to inform the audience about the nature of the NRIs network, and processes they NRIs run.
     
14. The APrIGF coordinator noted that the NRIs should all be involved in the main session discussion, without any segregation, as this is the way everyone can take maximum of benefits. In addition, the coordinator shared the experience from the 2017 APrIGF where the Youth IGF initiatives form the region concluded that their most valuable benefit from this meeting was the fact that they were equally represented and fully integrated in sessions, as all other participants and initiatives.
     
15. The Host reminded on the initially discussed proposal to have the session oriented toward an interactive discussion, where everyone will have opportunity to speak in case they would like to. But unlike the 2016 session, there won’t be a predetermined order of speakers. After the Mexico meeting, many NRIs noted that the session should be an interactive, substantive dialogue between the NRIs and present audience.
     
16. The coordinator from the Caribbean IGF said that the NRIs should think how to adjust the format and content of the session to given time slot, especially facing the challenges of having big and growing number of the NRIs and a 90 minutes long session split. It was advised to seek for inputs from all NRIs on the perspectives they will bring in the session, as well as the number of the NRIs that will attend.
     
17. With these three proposals, the Host asked the NRIs to consult their core organizing teams and submit their views to the session template, as a comment during the next week. It was agreed that another meeting dedicated to this matter will be organized during the next week.
     
18. The IGF-USA co-coordinator noted that the NRIs should also focus on developing a good strategy for ensuring effective online participation. It was suggested to use the lunch break to gather statements from the online participants to be read during the second half of the session. The Nigeria IGF and West Africa IGF noted that the online participants should be included in the discussion equally as the onsite participants. The Host agreed and added that the responsibility for an effective online participation will be mostly on the online moderator. In addition, it was suggested to have the online moderator positioned close to the onsite moderator so that these can coordinate among themselves the interventions. The coordinator from the Colombia IGF pointed that the interventions will need to be oriented on the substance of the discussion. 
     
19. The coordinator from the Morocco IGF noted that it is important to have the session interpretation to other languages, and not just English, as this is a challenge for the online participants especially. The Host reminded that this session will have interpretation to all six UN languages.
     
20. The coordinator from the Tunisia asked if it would be possible to have the session continuing during the lunch break. The Host responded that formally it won’t, as the interpretation and webcasting will not be available during the lunch break. But, informal discussion could be an option to consider.
     
21. The following names were proposed as potential onsite moderators:
    • Mr. Frank LaRue, Assistant Director-General Communication and Information at UNESCO
    • Mr. Janis Karklins, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Latvia to UNOG
    • Mr. David Kaye, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
    • Mr. Fadi Chehadé, former President and CEO of ICANN
    • Mr. José María Lassalle, Secretary of State for the Information Society and the Digital Agenda in Spain
    • Ms. Farzaneh Badii, Chair of the Non-Commercial Users Constituency
       
22. Some of the NRIs coordinators asked for candidate’s biographies to be shared on the list, so that they can consult their core organizing teams and propose new names. It was agreed that the session will have two co-moderators that should be familiar with the topic and with the NRIs processes.
     
23. The Host noted that the NRIs seek bottom up consensus on all matters, and do not vote, as that is not the operating principle of how the Network decides.
     
24. The current status overview of the NRIs collaborative sessions was shared, and is attached as Annex A3 to this summary report. It was noted that the core co-organizing groups will finalize these session proposals during the next week, and the NRIs will be informed via the NRIs mailing list and invited to join as contributors to these sessions.
     
25. The NRIs were informed that the booth logistic as well as the remote hubs logistics, will be shared via the NRIs mailing list as soon as they are finalized.
     
26. The IGF-USA co-coordinator announce to organize informal gathering of the NRIs during the upcoming ICANN 60 meeting in Abu Dhabi. Related relevant information will be shared via the NRIs mailing list.

Next Steps

27. The IGF Secretariat will share the summary report during the next day (Monday) via the NRIs mailing list.
     
28. All NRIs initiatives will consult the core organizing teams, and insert their suggestions during the week of 18 September in the main session template on the following elements:
    • Tile of the session;
    • Format and structure, including how to bridge the session over the lunch break;
    • Content;
    • Session onsite co-moderators, online moderators and rapporteurs.
       
29. Next meeting: The Secretariat will distribute the Doodle poll for the members of the NRIs to cast the votes for the best time slots for the next virtual meeting. In the meantime, a reminder on a  doodle poll for the NRIs to indicate if they will attend the IGF 2017 meeting will be sent.
     
30. For any suggestions or questions regarding the Report, kindly contact the IGF Secretariat, NRIs Focal Point at: [email protected].

ANNEX A1: 

National and Regional IGF Initiatives (NRIs)
MEETING AGENDA: Virtual Meeting XII

1. Welcome and introduction [10 minutes]
2. Updates from UNESCO colleagues on the 'Internet Universality Indicators' Project + Q&A [15 minutes]
3. NRIs Main Session: format and content [40 minutes]
4. Proposals for the moderator(s) for the NRIs Main Session [15 minutes]
5. Overview of the NRIs Collaborative Sessions [10 minutes]
6. AoB

ANNEX A2:  

MEETING PARTICIPANTS (in alphabetical order, from both meeting):

1. Aleksandar  Icokaev, Macedonia (FYR) IGF
2. Anja Gengo, IGF Secretariat
3. Dave Kissoondoyal, Mauritius IGF
4. Denaya Dennis, South Sudan IGF (* in formation)
5. Dušan Caf, Slovenia IGF
6. Élisson Diones, Youth LACIGF
7. Fotjon Kosta, Albania IGF
8. Frederico Links, Namibia IGF
9. HAFEDH Yahmadi, Tunisia IGF
10. Jennifer Chung, APrIGF
11. John Tucker, Ecuador IGF
12. Julian Casasbuenas G., Colombia IGF
13. Mahamat Haroun Adoum, Chad IGF
14. Maheeshwara Kirindigoda, Sri Lanka
15. Mahendranath Busgopaul, Mauritius
16. Maria Luisa Ferreira, Portugal IGF
17. Marilyn Cade, IGF-USA
18. Mary  Uduma, Nigeria IGF, West Africa IGF
19. Michel  TCHONANG LINZE , Central Africa IGF
20. Nigel Cassimire, Caribbean IGF
21. Nouradine  Abdelkerim Youssouf, Chad IGF
22. Omar Mansoor Ansari, Afghanistan IGF
23. Paul Rowney, Namibia IGF
24. Said Bensbih, Morocco IGF
25. Sandra Hoferichter, EuroDIG
26. Simon Ishaku, Nigeria IGF
27. Sorina Teleanu, SEEDIG
28. Xianhong Hu, UNESCO
29. Zdravko Jukic, Croatia IGF
30. Zoraida Frias, Spain IGF

ANNEX A3:  

List of shared input documents:

• NRIs main session proposal template : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aCUWA5QMY2jmGyA0-CaGzZBza88Cka98P-bmEzeKHxk/edit?usp=sharing

• NRIs collaborative sessions, overview (shared as a PP), available here (page 4).