Take part on the discussions about Internet Governance: organize a local IGF hub in your home city

1)      The internet Governance Forum (IGF)

The IGF takes place once a year and aims to discuss issues related to Internet governance that touch directly upon the lives of Internet users, such as: privacy, freedom of expression, access to the Internet and content diversity, to name just a few. The IGF is a multistakeholder forum. This means that governments, civil society and the business sector can participate on equal footing.

In 2010, the IGF will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania. Unfortunately, several factors may hamper physical attendance, such as professional commitments and travel costs. But staying in your home city does not mean that it is not possible to follow the debates. It does not mean you cannot participate actively and make your voice heard. There will be interactive channels for e‐participation. You can follow the discussions from home, watching the webcast of the event and participating in chat. But it is also possible to organize IGF hubs.

2) What are the Hubs?

The hubs are local meetings that take place in parallel with the main meeting. People can watch the webcast together and send questions (text or video) that will be answered by panelists in IGF. In addition, hub organizers can hold debates to discuss the themes introduced at the IGF, but from a local perspective. There are several advantages in creating a hub: it helps to raise awareness about Internet Governance issues, it fosters networking among participants and community building and it encourages follow‐up activities.

3) How to organize a hub?

The requirements are very simple:

  • A room or auditorium. It can be held in a university classroom or any other convenient place
  • A computer with a broadband Internet connection and a video‐conference (or projector) equipment, to watch the webcast
  • A hub moderator, who will plan the dynamics of the local roundtables and discussions as well as transmit the hub participants’ questions or comments to the IGF meeting through the remote participation channels.
  • A general call in lists, forums, etc, to invite the interested local community
  • An online training session to become familiar with the platform that will be used for interaction will be offered prior to the event

4) Dynamics of interaction during the meeting

Remote participants will be able to follow the meeting taking place in Vilnius by watching videocasts or listening to audiocasts from the meeting rooms, by viewing the PPT presentations from the speakers, and by reading real-time closed captioning.

Remote participants will be able to interact with the meeting individually or from a hub. All remote participants will be able to send text questions, using the remote participation platform. These questions will be forwarded to the panel moderator when he/she opens the floor for questions from the audience. Hubs can also send short pre-recorded video questions or statement that will be projected on the large meeting screen.

5) How to register a hub

Visit the website of the IGF and follow the instructions: http://intgovforum.org/cms/the-preparatory-process/512

6) More about remote participation in the IGF

For more information about remote participation in the IGF, please contact the Remote Participation Working Group (www.igfremote.info) at info@igfremote.info