Youth at IGF 2020

The IGF Secretariat in cooperation with the next year's IGF Host Country, Government of Poland and Polish Research and Academic Computer Network -  NASK , ‎UN DESA (through its Division for Inclusive Social Development and youth programmes, e.g. ‎youth ‎envoys), Internet Society, Youth Coalition on Internet governance (YCIG) in consultations with Youth IGF initiatives, Youth Observatory, Youth IGF Movement, its intersessional workstreams and interested schools on Internet governance, is committed to engaging youth in the IGF 2020 processes.

The overall engagement structure, as explained in this strategy document, will develop around:

  • ‎Outreach toward youth to get involved in the IGF 2020 processes and be informed about ‎other larger global initiatives of interest
  • IGF 2020 newsletter for youth
  • ‎Capturing good practices on youth engagement in Internet governance in a publication ‎
  • ‎Networking opportunities at the IGF 2020‎
  • ‎Global Youth Summit at the IGF 2020‎ (5 November, 16:30-18:30 UTC)

IGF 2020 public open consultations with youth

Throughout 2020, there will be several open online consultations with youth and those interested in supporting and working with youth. The consultations will focus on the youth advising how the above-referenced engagement structure could be implemented. The consultations will be run through the NRIs mailing list and open webinars.

The webinars, in preparations for the 15th annual IGF meeting, are planned to be hosted on:‎

  • 11 May, 14 PM UTC (*already implemented)‎
    Webinar 21 September, 18 PM UTC‎ (click here to register)
    • Agenda focus: structure of youth participation at IGF 2020; planning the youth IGF 2020 summit; join networks of BPFs and DCs; liaising with other global initiatives of interest; recognition of youth in IGF 2020 outputs/outcomes 
  • Webinar 14 October, 12 PM UTC (click here to register)‎
    • Agenda focus: how to prepare for IGF 2020 youth summit and other sessions?; Poland’s plans for IGF 2021 and how to start early  

Provisional agenda for the upcoming webinars is annexed to the full strategy description.

*The first open consultations with youth were conducted on 11 May through an open webinar. The Polish Ministry for Digital Affairs, NASK and the IGF Secretariat engaged in a vivid dialogue with over 165 youth and those interested in youth engagement in the IGF. The discussion focused on an exchange of good practices and challenges various countries and regions face while aiming to engage youth in digital policy matters. The Host particularly took note of the topics that are of interest to participants and effective forms of activities. 

Preparing the IGF 2020 Youth Summit and networking sessions 

The IGF 2020 Youth Summit will be hosted at the IGF 2020. Its agenda will be prepared in a bottom-up manner by consulting youth from all parts of the world on the Internet governance topics of their interest through public survey that was open by 15 September.

See HERE the results of the survey open consultations with youth.

IGF 2020 Newsletter for Youth
Good practices on youth engagement will be reflected in the monthly newsletter and presented in the public database! Those interested to be reflected in the database and possibly in the newsletter, are encouraged to inform the IGF Secretariat if they comply with the following criteria: 

  • Existing website with clearly defined scope of work on matters related to youth and Internet governance
  • Transparent documentation of work
  • International/regional or national impact (* in order of priority)

Share your ideas and stay in touch

Subscribe to the NRIs mailing list through which relevant updates will be shared.

Interested stakeholders are invited to share ideas with: