The following are the outputs of the captioning taken during an IGF intervention. Although it is largely accurate, in some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
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>> Can you hear me now?
Okay. Good afternoon here from beautiful Lillestrom. Traditional annual organisation session. For the record my name is Anja. And I believe majority here is aware the Secretariat has been entrusted now this very large network of NRIs to facilitate coordination and to take care of the sustainability of the NRIs collectively as a network but of course to also recognise the NRIs at an individual level, work with colleagues who of course have their autonomy to ensure their processes long‑term are successful and such sustainable.
Every year annually we take stock of what we have been doing the past couple of months. And particularly we focus collectively what we want to do in the months to come and the years to come. Of course the last time we met in person and online on this occasion was just a few months ago, around six months, at the IGF in Riyadh.
But I think in the six month period we managed to as a network produce a lot. And as a result the NRIs of the network will have a very nice representation here at the 20th annual IGF meeting. And in addition to that given the very important year for Internet Governance, referring to the 20th review of the World Summit on Information Society. With that review of the IGF mandate by the general assembly in December this year.
The work of NRIs has never been more important and the NRI where is aware of that. So there is a network, there is also a collective position that now captured in a document on the NRIs in relation to WSIS+ 20 and how the network sees evolving the past two decades. And specially what could be the objective for the years to come for digital governance beyond 2025.
We will be speaking about this quite a lot. Of course this topic will be cross‑cutting the three NRI collaborative sessions hosted throughout this week and the NRI main session, which will specifically look at multistakeholder approach to digital governance going beyond 2025. So that will be a very interesting opportunity to hear how the world thinking about where we are now with these processes and especially the way forward.
This is an open dialogue. That is the format. We would like to understand what in the past couple of months the NRIs have seen as the most important in terms of their work. What were the challenges? The point is always to exchange practises. And to learn from each other. To become better.
Can start from the Secretariat. I've already said quite a lot. But my question to you would be in the thinking since Riyadh, IGF, when we last time met. And this is of course question to not just you in the room here in Lillestrom but also a number of NRI colleagues with us online through Zoom.
What did you see as the biggest challenge with respect to your processes? Were there changes especially from the global level that impacted you at the local level and your multistakeholder practises with the national original IGF. This is something the Secretariat would like to learn more about. Just to understand whether that can inform the course of our action, especially as we are moving toward the WSIS+ 20.
So that is the question. For the Secretariat, where is the change? The change certainly is this framework, WSIS+ 20. Very much we're focussed on our future. And what we need to do here and now for that future to be informed and to be directed in the direction we want. Which is toward internet unique, as one, sustainable, robust. Safe, secure, resilient as such.
And last year we spent quite a lot of time of course focusing on the fact and realisation that the UN informed officially that, for example, as a system, the world is behind on the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. In addition to being very much focussed and contributing to the adoption and implementation of Global Digital Compact.
I think this year we have even bigger agenda with the WSIS+ 20. I put the question for all NRI colleagues. From your experiences so far, what do you see as the biggest change and is the biggest challenge so far?
I know many of you have hosted your meetings already. Some for the very first time. And it will be really wonderful to hear what are the lessons learned. If there is something that where we can help each other? And precisely, if you have suggestion what the Secretariat could do. For the IGF as a structure. Together with the leadership panel, think it would be good opportunity to hear that. And then we will convey to the relevant authorities see if it is possible to go into the implementation of that possible objective.
So that's the question. Happy to repeat it if possible. But it is a warm exchange of the experiences so far. And whoever wishes to start first, I'm gonna ask you maybe to raise your hand here in the room or in Zoom. I am following if we have any hands raised.
And then you will be given the floor to speak.
Jennifer, please you have the floor.
>> Thank you Anja. My name is Jennifer Chung. Speaking on behalf of the Secretariat Asia regional IGF. Always happy to start us off while colleagues gather thoughts.
I think there are three me a main things especially thinking about the regional IGF point of view. First thing I remember end of last year and Riyadh. All the NRIs came together in main session looking at evolving role we all play in the multistakeholder process and models and dialogue as well.
Since then, the six month, there's a lot more clarity about what we're going to do. Because back then we were ‑‑ it is a little bit of existential question we were asking. The global IGF mandate, they will be renewed. Will they be renewed. Perhaps it. But then for the NRIs. The 170 plus NRIs we are. We are very organically arranged, organically created. And really speaks a lot to the work that we do at local levels, national levels. Subregional levels. All of that. And the youth initiatives too.
So that is the first thing. The existential question. The second point that was a very big impact was lot of NRIs don't have their meetings so early on in the year. Actually throughout the entire year there is huge calendar of different NRIs. And usually it informs as well, you know, both ways. Both the NRI agenda and also the global IGF agenda.
This year because we're here in Norway in June lot of NRIs really tried to shorten preparation time. Which actually is a quite a heavy lift, a heavy ask from lot of NRIs, who mainly we're volunteers. We're not paid to be able to put on something that is actual quiet resource consuming. That is one thing as well.
The second thing is topics we pick as well. We're very much influenced now because we're in the WSIS+ 20 review year. So many NRIs have already had their meeting. Including other regions. Really trying to get input from the NRI communities around the world to actually opine on what they want to see as WSIS+ 20. Now we have a lot of clarity because the elements paper came out just on Friday.
So I think goings forward for NRIs who will their meetings after the global IGF, that also will inform us. You know, we have clarity on the consultation dates, for example. I think this gives us really good opportunity to be able to galvanise our NRI communities to be able to input further into the WSIS+ 20 review which is extremely central to a lot of our meetings.
And the last thing I want to touch on a little bit more is, again, it is a sustainable funding issue for all of us. I think look and talked a little about it this morning during the IGF support association session. How can we look at sustainable funding not just obviously, very obviously for the global. But how do we look for sustainable funding and sustainability, longevity of our own NRIs?
And I think it puts very big question mark over our head because not only, you know, a lot of CCTLD, to country code top level domains. They support very much the local and national meetings. But that is not enough sometimes. We need to look into other donors. For example maybe private sector, maybe big tech. Other things. Local donors. And if they have a question mark over their head regarding if they don't understand. If the global mandate doesn't renew, for example. If they don't quite understand.
Then they would ask the question what is the value for us to keep giving this money to continue your meetings? So three things I want to stop here to see also how do the colleagues react to. This I guess from the Asia‑Pacific point of view. Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you. Any other colleagues? I'm also inviting Zoom colleagues. One of the challenges.
>> Thank you so much Anja and thank you so much everybody fors who attending this session. And my name is Dr. Nazir Nicholas Kirama in Tanzania IGF. And also sit in the East Africa IGF. And this year I was also appointed or selected as a member of the Africa Internet Governance Forum.
And we happened to host the Africa IGF TCI in Tanzania. And on the side of the challenge that we have had as national IGF and East Africa IGF, for example. This year the calendar was too short. In terms of preparations. We were squeezed between the national IGF the regional IGF which is East Africa IGF, and the Africa IGF. So the time limitation was so much.
Because in the previous years we used to have a very good framework in terms of organising national, regional, and other subregional IGFs. So the challenge this year was really time and we have regard to be able to pull off these things. Because the time was so tight in terms of making sure we meet the deadlines for the global IGF. That is number 1.
Number 2, this year as you may well recall, we have had three points that we need to connect. The IGF+20. The WSIS+20. And the Global Digital Compact.
So the digital global compact and WSIS process, all these, most people were not very aware in terms of, you know, how they bring this together. Because the challenge is how do we proceed going forward? Do we merge it and make it one single or all three. How do we proceed with that.
That's the challenge. And just as my colleague Jennifer says about the WSIS elements, that's been very helpful for our colleagues back home and in the region. Where we can see now the pathway for how we can make our contribution until, you know, the meeting for the... to approve for it to become permanent or to continue the mandate of the IGF and WSIS.
So that is one of the challenges we have had. But I think human beings are very elastic in terms of thinking. We wanted to make sure no stakeholder, either at the national level or the regional level, is left behind.
For example in Tanzania we're going to have the national review for WSIS+20 on the 3rd and 4th to discuss how as a nation and stakeholders from Tanzania. What is the opposition in terms of renewing. We know we are supporting the renewal of the mandate of the IGF. But the WSIS+20 and Global Digital Compact. How do we establish a common position as a nation going forward?
That will be my 50 cents contribution for now. Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you. Thank you very much and congratulations on all the activities you indeed managed to put within a very compressed timeline.
Let's go to Carlos from the Ecuador IGF. And then we're going to take other intervention.
>> Hello. Good afternoon, everybody. I'm Carlos Vera from IGF Ecuador.
I think one of the best example of good practise question share is the NRI model itself. We work globally, locally. And we have this meeting. I heard from ministers today, saying they are going reinforce the multi stakeholder model. And that is what we need now.
We need also to have working the financial model. Funding from, for example the Internet Society Foundation is essential for us here. More of us are volunteers. So we need this support to maintain our local IGF, our regional IGF, our presence here. So.
So in the multistakeholder model, maybe in the IGF, maybe in the digital compact, I don't know. The next model. We strongly support the multi stakeholder model for work in the way we are doing. Thank you very much Anja also for your very job. You need more help now.
>> ANJA GENGO: It is a numbers are growing, I do feel it, yes. But thank you very much for really excellent work. I think the NRIs have proven their values and its been like that for years now. But I like Carlos what you mentioned. Before we go to Augustina. About funding building on what Jennifer also said. We have cooperation from stakeholders who are interested and see it as necessary to support the NRIs, in kind. And as necessary. And past couple years extremely few and other stakeholders processed the grants.
One is Internet Society Foundation. And association. And Jennifer with us from the Secretariat there.
But I have to say what I'm noticed, especially last year is increased effort from the German development fund in supporting the NRIs. We've seen that past couple of years and we've had wonderful collaboration with colleagues supporting the NRIs in African region. And that is expanding now.
We're now working with colleagues who are interested in cooperating more, including supporting NRIs in specific regions. So for this year the focus is the southeastern Europe, as well as the central Asia. And for us that is a very important step. And I just wanted to put this on the record. In case there will be also other stakeholders with means to maybe follow these really good practises. Because investing in NRIs really means investing in people. Bringing back to people. As these are people‑centred and people‑led processes. First and foremost. Now the floor to Augustina from the Argentina IGF.
>> Thank you Anja. Well first thing is the news we relent the idea of Argentina this year. The coordinator of the IGF Argentina. And one of the challenges that we faced was first getting the government involved. It was a little bit hard for us to get people from the national government involved. We have two members of parliament who are part of the IGF.
Like one month ago we got the executive branch involved, but it was quite challenging for us. And the other thing I want to share with you, we also faced some challenges on having the private sector involved. Especially with funding and sharing their experience being part of the IGF.
Civil society and academia, we were all in. But it was really hard. And one thing that I'm seeing is that ‑‑ so for you to know, we are 20 members. So 10 members, half of the IGF committee. It is, I call them like the "old ones" because they are the ones that have been in the IGF for several years. But then we brought new people with new discussions. Like, Bitcoin. We have a person who is leading initiative on Bitcoin, for women.
We also wanted to, because people usually in these fields in Argentina the ones who were leading the conversation were not that young. So we have 30% of the committee members is youth. And one thing that I want to address and I want to ask you maybe for some advice is. I saw at the beginning everyone was like yeah yeah, we should do it. We're launch it. We're all in power. And now, you know, it is decreasing. So how do you keep people involved and working, knowing that it is not their primary work and they do not get paid?
So everything is volunteer. How do you do that?
I see several initiative here for have been for several years now. And in Argentina, they had one four years ago, before the pandemic, before covid. But it kept on breaking. It kept like not going. So how do you do that? Getting people involved, working without being paid?
And how do you get funds? I know Anja just mentioned.
But also we cannot depend always on donors? So how do you manage that? Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much Augustina. I think with Nigel and then to ‑‑... thank you, Nigel. I think the microphone doesn't work. Can you hear Nigel?
>> Are you hearing? Thank you Anja for calling on me, I will try to answer the questions in terms of what I'm going to say. Because we're trying to exchange good practises here. And one of the things we at the Caribbean IGF always sought to do is to have some impact. Some positive impact. And I would say very short answer, Augustina, is if people can see they are having impact, they would continue. And that would draw others in as well.
In our case in the Caribbean, from the outset we decided, you know, we'd rather than talk about the issues and so on, we would try to record what was some of the agreements that came out of our meetings. In terms of ways forward. So we created this document. We call it Caribbean Internet Governance policy framework. Which we've updated ads time has gone. We have four editions now, the last in 2024.
So on what we found is that as people realise that maybe there is something going on here or something growing here. We've been able to get some sponsorship from the technical community, from the IGF, from ISOC and so on. To continue what we're doing.
So the impact we want to have is on ICT policies in the Caribbean. We are lucky in the sense that my group, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union is a international organisation so we do have a link into the governments. So what comes out of the CIGF we could put into government policy spaces. So that is not the case for all of us.
But still I think what we should do is try to measure the impact that we're having. And when you get something positive happening, you make it known. And that tends to attract others that are coming in as well.
We realise that we have shortcoming in terms of measurement. We could point anecdotally to things that we have done. But we're now, again, getting into better practises of establishing some measurement systems that we will keep current in terms of measuring the progress we are making on various things.
So that is what I would suggest for now. Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much Nigel for sharing this concrete practise coming from the Caribbean IGF. Let's a please hear from the Mauritius IGF.
>> Thank you. I knew we had difficulties looking for funding. But luckily we had one or two corporate sectors who helped us in taking forward the Mauritius IGF.
And seems that we went for it was artificial intelligence. And the good thing that I would like to share at this meeting is that after our AI meeting, the government of Mauritius decided that we need to go forward with AI. This is what the government is doing is that for this 2025 meeting here, I have the pleasure, as the President of the republic of Mauritius is accompanying us. Is it is very positive. And I think what Mauritius IGF is doing within Mauritius and within the islands is quite posit.
I would like to thank Anja for the official opening ceremony. I think Anja when you talk at the opening ceremony, it was quite positive. Even the press. Everybody just talked about it. Saying that the UN IGF from Geneva is hosting us and is together with us.
And the other thing that I would like to add is we are going for the school on Internet Governance for August for two weeks. This is quite positive, within the island and within the Indian Ocean islands we are taking forward the IGF agenda and everything that we can do.
Thank you Anja for all your support and help.
>> ANJA GENGO: With great pleasure Mahindrana. For great work and such short time. Became big process and not just annual event. Always grateful to be part of it.
With that I'm going to turn ‑‑ no I'll stay on this side and hear from Mary. And then we'll go here.
Mary please.
>> Thank you. Can you hear me?
>> ANJA GENGO: We can, yes.
>> All right. In terms of experience sharing, I want to see that it was ‑‑ okay my name is Mary for the record. One of the things in Africa is we've gotten the attention of the parliamentarians to be part of the West Africa Internet Governance process. So they have this year the declaration on the website. The West African parliamentarian on IG. They now know. So it is not we're talking to ourselves any longer. The parliamentarians. We have gotten their buy‑in.
Secondly, we're working with the government, the administration of West Africa states. Most of their parliamentarians are here. And thanks to the funding that the DGIZ has provided and the IGF Secretariat as well. Thank you.
And so we are increasingly seeing interests to host our meetings from one country to the other within the West Africa region. And most of the funding, the heaviest of our funding comes from the government of the administration or the country. That is one.
At the national level, we also, because of our and the involvement of the parliamentarians. The parliamentarians that are in the IG network is pressing it on the minister. Ministers, because we had ministers attend our meetings. And their colleagues put parliamentarian. So Nigeria is hosting the Secretariat of the parliamentarians. And the parliamentarians are those that decide the budget for the country. In doing that they were able to push the ministers to be able to fund, you know, put in budget for the IGF. The national IGF and the regional IGF.
So that's increase funding we have seen. And they are also reaching out to other funding agencies to see that we are doing well. I think if we involve our executive, of the government as well as the MPs who see increase in participation. And also we specifically want them to be there to know about to go vote for the IGF mandate. That was our end to make sure we bring them, there get their buy‑in, so when they get there in December they will be able to vote. Have not had national IGF but we did a webinar. We're going to do another webinar involving all the stakeholders so we can press on the fact we need to renew the mandate of the IGF.
Those are things we're doing in West Africa and Nigeria. Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much Mary. Let's go to maybe Kata‑san of Japan IGF.
>> Thank you. My name is Masayano from Japan. If you ask one big question. Still the question how we can draw the attention or interest from general public to IGF matters. How to explain importance for participation to IGF. And we are still struggling on this.
We, probably you remember that we sponsor or hosted Kyoto IGF year and a half ago. Where we invited prime minister, three ministers and many executives from companies and so on. I thought IGF became very popular. Many newspaper put articles on. This.
But unfortunately some of the newspapers said that IGF was about AI governance. Anyway.
After Kyoto, unfortunate we probably lost some of the general interest to the IGF activities. It is our fault. You know we couldn't explain continuously about importance of participation to this kind of international, you know, event. And the ‑‑ and but also, we are trying to organise more formally about IGF Japan, which is still going on and took us more than one year and a half to have more formalized. In cooperation of the organisation in Japan.
And this is simply because currently Japan IGF hosted or supported by those who are all the people knowing the real issue, but they still have their own issues and agenda and so on. It is very difficult to have one united, you know, group of people in Japan. So that's where we are right now. And this is not just the negative side. I like to mention some of the things we are doing right now.
One thing is several months ago we started to have an study discussions. Every month we pick up some of the issues surrounding policies and so on. Also last month we hosted Japan IGF meeting as preparatory meeting for this meeting. And where we talked about topics which may draw interest or attention by general public.
Such as child protection from SNS. Also issues surrounding online gambling, which became very big issue right now in Japan. Some of you may know this well. But online gambling coming from outside Japan. Japan is in general, you know, gamble is prohibited. So online gambling is not possible in Japan in general.
But they can, you know, bet money to online gambling site outside of Japan. So this became a big public issues. So we put emphasis on importance of this kind of, you know, discussion through IGF in Japan.
Also, in that session, you know, we talked about the future of IGF and kind of learning process for general public about what we are discussing at WSIS and GDC and so on. Luckily we invited speakers, outsider from Japan, many from ICC basis participated. So these are things we're trying to connect Japan to us outside of, you know, Japan.
Also, you know, pick up some topics which may draw interest of the general public. Let us know if we can improve our inner activities more. Thank you very much.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much. And you are coming from unique perspective and interesting also to hear from colleagues who had this experience of their government hosting the IGF. How it reflected on the national IGF. From our experience it is precisely the national IGFs that are the drivers of processes for hosting, I would say. And they often have a very active role as a programme committee or steering committee within the overall host country process. And that's been a new practise. But I they have just been recognised by the host government as well as a great asset that can help to prepare a meeting.
So with that we're going to hear from our colleague Julian from Colombian IGF.
>> Thank you. Julian Casis Buenas. Coordinator of the Colombian IGF. And now I would like to present some of the things that we are doing currently that that is been evolved very much in the last year because of all of this work that we have been doing. We try to meet every month. So we are about to reach our 100th meeting. For the Colombian IGF. And the annual meeting this year will be the 11th version.
So in this process we have implemented mechanisms where every month we try to convene this meetings with different stakeholders to ask to moderate the sessions. So every time is not only those that are coordinating. But also different actors that can participate and get more link to all the process. And reinforce the importance of the multistakeholder model.
Also we try to get Colombian IGF involved in different international calls and submit observations in Internet Governance processes as well. As well as the Global Digital Compact or WSIS. And also to participate in Latin American Internet Governance Forums. Or even local activities.
So support for the dissemination of the initiatives of the Colombian IGF, such as the annual forum, events related to Internet Governance by member stakeholders, as well as sharing the work for the local initiative including international spaces, such as here at the IGF. And ICANN meetings.
So what this process brings us to a point that we are trying to continue discussions with previous meetings. And try to bring these themes into the intersessional process. Not to select only those themes, but also to continue in the work. And this year we plan to organise our agenda based on these meetings... that we are doing during the year.
So what at this moment our challenges are to continue to make sustainable the process. Looking for support from different organisations. And also to include more actors. Not only from the main cities in Colombia but also in the rural areas. So this year we want to provide scholarships but also to make at least one activity outside of the forum. Of the annual forum. So I think that is a challenge and a way that probably will work to convene people that are not yet linked to the processes.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much Julian.
Yes, let's go to Casson and then Cossi.
>> Thank you. I'm Casson. We have initiated Sri Lankan IGF first time after 2017. 2024 IGF Sri Lanka. For the IGF Sri Lanka we are mainly focusing multistakeholders.
We use keys, five sects from last year. Inclusion. Universal acceptance and localization of internet. And website. And focusing digital inclusion side. Disabilities how they can utilise the internet. And also digital economic side too.
And also following the multi stakeholder we have used several key multistakeholder segments to conduct specific sessions. Another challenge we have identified. How we can go to Glasgow to make them aware of Internet Governance is and how they can involve in the process. In that one we have so strategies. Primary session series primary to Internet Governance Forum in Sri Lanka.
Prior we have bonded with other key programmes. Organised (?). And second primary sessions combined with universal acceptance in Sri Lanka. So those are key things we have used to make our people aware of governance.
And another challenge. Is (?). Key challenge we have identified. Other than financial challenge. So those kind of things I think we have collaboratively discussed and then policy implementations by government sector. And challenges we have such as private sector, and technical sector participation. Those things I think we have focus.
Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much Casson. Cosi. You have the floor.
>> Thank you. I'm Cosi. (?) IGF. We have occasion to recognise support we receive from IGF Secretariat. Also IGF support our process this year. Very important for us. We know IGF (?) make decision there. But you have more IGF to bring policy on table for our digital space. Is important for us this time to have more private people on table. Government. Tech. But private people are not (?). That is challenge today to improve. Need more support on that. More collaboration.
Discussion always very important to build good internet ecosystem for our countries. Locally. That is very important.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you.Lily, you have the floor.
>> Thank you. I'm Lily Antimoro. Coordinator of Latin American and Caribbean gaffe. We continue preparing our lack IGF for this year. We have our last lack IGF at the end of the GR in Santiago, Chile and we are preparing 18th version of the forum. We defined topics. And already have them defined. Especially those so specific for our region. As environment and (?) and human rights.
We renewed our virtual solution committee and made a call for host organisations. Inviting all the sectors and countries. And we are defining host country for our annual event.
We are ‑‑ something that is important for us is that more people know that what is the meaning of Internet Governance. Because we think many people may is not involved in the discussions because they don't understand the scope. And we are implementing mechanism and practises to give more visibility to the discussions. And bring in information for people to understand the meaning and scope of Internet Governance.
We are working on communication strategy.Al we intend to create more information for different actors and also about Internet Governance ecosystem in that region.
Talking about challenges additionally for the difficulty to find funds for an event that receive more than 2,000 participants. I think we need to strengthen the sessional work and original collaboration from different actors and from different NRIs in Latin America. We are trying to implement mechanisms to be more in contact and to have more information of the NRIs in our workplace and diffusion mechanism like news and things that we spread in our networks.
And that's what I want to say now.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you. Thank you very much Lillian.
Let's talk two more comments, or maybe three. And then for the conclusion, I'm always eager to hear from the NRIs that have hosted their meetings for the very first time this year. So Declan, I would like to give you heads up for later. I think it would be good to hear how the Ireland IGF went. We went through extent in the process together. You really kept us in the loop and I want to thank you for that. I would like just to hear major takeaways at the end of this session if possible. In the meantime let's hear from the Indian youth IGF. And then Yahoo from the Benin and then (?) from (?) IGF.
Picture.
>> Hi everyone. I am representing the Indian youth IGF. I'm (?). Since we're exchanging lot of best practises I want to vent what has been happening in India last years. We're really focuses on impact. I think that is one way we'll receive a lot more support. We run two critical things. One is annual forum that brings together conversations. And also fellowship programme. So the idea is that young people given a platform to get more mature and understand the different dialogues happening. And not just help them work in silos but bridge the silos and gaps.
The work we're doing. How influence the current policy making happening at national levels. Open consultations the government of India opens up and we're ensuring young people send out policy briefs or give out input. So we're advocating very strongly and are influencing these consultations that happen either in regulation sector in standardisation space or even in general from a capacity‑building standpoint that the government ‑‑ (?).
In addition to. This I think we ‑‑ what the issues are facing, I think the last few years is of course sponsorship. It is a very critical space. And kind of even though there is impact, I don't know, we're trying to find ways how this translates to let's say a business value to private sector or translate to something the government would be even more interested in to support us.
Because one variable that falls out here is leadership of youth IGF that is keep changing year and year. That is one.
The other thing we've realised the challenge is not being able to incorporate a lot more diversity than we could. Because India has lot of language, economy, cultures. And also different types of genders out there.
Then somebody also mentioned private partnerships. One thing I would say that has really helped us through the challenge, is partnerships. But private sector involvement is low. Region in the country that have very low internet penetration or have penetration but not using it to optimum. Or not aware of cyber hygiene. So we have run lot of partnerships to reach out to young girls who are using the internet but not understanding how safe, you know, they can actually make it to be.
And then the other important thing that we are looking for is some kind of ‑‑ I would call it necessarily media coverage but some kind of coverage of the type of work we do. If any of the NRI initiates have been able to get this kind of coverage done earlier, I think their support would help us influence the type of work we're able to do in the country and maybe influence other stakeholders also so there is more impact and more partnerships we're able to drive with sectors that are currently not involved in the space.
Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much. Let's hear from Yao.
>> Thank you. I'm Yao from the youth IGF Benin. I thank everybody for the contribution in action of good practises. I have one, I would say, two, questions. Yeah. Questions I wanted to bring to considerations.
One in terms of good brackets, how could we learn from all the other network how we better engage private sector in terms of getting them to actually long‑term, like funding the initiative? For partnering with different, involving them into sessions, and having set of contribute into capacity‑building activities we are doing during our different initiatives. They join sometimes.
But then when it comes to actually asking them to sponsor in terms of giving support for money or in kind, it is sometimes difficult for them. I don't know may be how we frame it. To see the added value in giving funding us to.
So for those who have been successful in securing fund from private sectors, how have you been doing this? So is it the youth need to learn how to do it better when it comes to raising fund. Because we have different issue in our countries and strategy to raise fund might be different but there might be common ground how we do it better.
Next is related to the way the youth NRIs are functioning that in this circle of changing leaderships. How do we make sure that we maintain all the good practises that have been, doing work that have been accomplished by the volunteers? So that even the leadership change, the work progress still remains, and those who come after will do better from in terms of contributing to the work and making sure that our contribution have been meaningful in terms of policy implication and so on thank you very much.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much Yao.
>> Thank you. This is Julie from Myanmar IGF. And I know lots of (?) challenges and experience so far. From (?) initiative from. We would like to share some (?) we have done for like full year. As a volunteer organising committee member. First thing what we have done after the first year we raised co‑funding by ourself for the next year. Of course it is not ‑‑ it wasn't very big amount but we current facilitate the for at least for second year.
And then after we tried to reach out to (?) organisation which with support us for the (?). As our initiative we have very difficult to apply the (?) organisation which can support youth initiative and NRI who are running, who are trying to support and facilitate the forum as initiative. They should not have barrier to (?)
There is another point of view I would like to mention here. As long as committee member have (?). Even though its been like a full year. This is our year facilitate activity related to YIGF member. But transformed into virtual series this year because of our limited resources.
We can do measure our limited resources and we can, if we have very limited resources, like transform into (?) to continue our activity as (?) of NRI. That is practise I would like to share here. As long as you have (?).
Thank you.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much.
We have 3 more minutes until the end. And we want to hear from four speakers. Let's see how skillful our speakers are. First to Tijani in Zoom.
Tijani, you have the floor.
>> Thank you very much. Tijani Ben Jemaa from (?) and speaking on my own behalf. I think this is a coordination session from the NRIs. And the NRIs will coordinate what they are doing together. And what we are doing together is these sessions in the IGF.
So I propose that in the future, at least part of the session would be dedicated to the assessment, evaluation of our performance of the past year. We should try to find what kind of effects our sessions made on the general attendees in the IGF. How fast our performance? How was the content our speakers gave? How was the moderations we did?
Of course with will not speak about person, not about names. But we have to be aware that we need to improve our process. And so that and for the upcoming year we will not make the same mistakes, if we made mistake.
Thank you very much.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much Tijani. Declan you hosted Irish IGF if I may note in very exceptional venue. I'd like to see what was the feedback from the community? How do you see the future? What was the biggest challenge? Very briefly.
>> Very briefly. Hi everyone. My name is Declan, coordinator of if Ireland IGF. We just hosted or first vent several weeks ago. And the feedback has been exceptional.
We're very happy and we're very encouraged for the future. We particularly I think one of the main successes was just the wide array of stakeholders that we were able to bring together. We ended up actually getting a government minister as well to give a keynote speech, as well as getting very prominent figures in the civil society and academia to also take part. I think a lot of that success is attributed to the organising team.
We made sure the organising team was also very diverse and they could also have these connections when the different stakeholder groups who might not know who the IGF is. But having the connections from the organise team, they were able to sort of go out and advocate for a very prominent key figures to take part.
I would say one of the biggest challenges, there were the normal challenges that seemed to be recurring. Identifying funding, explaining what the IGF is to the general public but I'd say one of the biggest that stuck out know, because everyone was eager to participate, our agenda was very very broad and wide. And it was somewhat difficult to fit in five panels and two keynote speakers and a lunch all day. But we were able to do it. So we were very happy. But I think moving forward we'll try to be a little more targeted water overall theme and with our selected panels.
But to me, it is also a benefit, or it is a strength. Because it did mean there was such a wide range of people who wanted different topics discussed. So we are very encouraged moving forward in the future.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you. Thank you so much Declan. And looking forward to see the continuation.
I have signaling from the technical team that we have to conclude. So if you can be quick in 30 second, more than happy and looking forward to your remarks. I promise I will not take time for the conclusion.
>> Can you hear me. Thank you for opportunity. I'm from the Pacific IGF. Pacific islands chapter. I just want to comment hearing some best practises from the colleagues here. And I think we have the same. Just want to name too the challenges we are facing. And same challenges getting the fund. But the most important things are the opportunities of getting out and sharing and advocating what the I IGF. One of the important things for us to do. And also for us as coming from the technical background, we know the technical architecture of this thing of IGF. So we are the ones as well assisting the political and policies people to push through the IGF.
So my point here is it is a collaborative work. And it is for us they know what the to do that helps and impacts others. It is something we need to work together. That is my two cents. Anja. Thank you for the opportunity.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you very much, Sarai.
Abdel. Briefly.
>> Hi everyone. Thank you so much Anja and dear colleagues. My name is coming from IGF of char. So happy to learn the different experience. My comment about collaboration here in Chad we have good with government and private sector also. So coming for fund is sometimes difficult but we is have some strategies. We prep our budget.
Sometimes receive funding from ‑‑ but going to private sector sometimes. (?) we don't need physical money. But for food or printing or media. So sometimes this kind of collaboration after that we put their logo in our application and sometimes they have some session also to this kind of collaboration will help. And also for NRIs can help countries like coming not only for IGF but for the internet space also.
Like we say that Chad (?) how we can help bring like Chad and ICANN. And (?) lot of things as NRIs can become key platform to help the national.
Thank you so much.
>> ANJA GENGO: Thank you. I have received a final warning I think from the technical team that we cannot take more interventions.
I'm very sorry. But we four more sessions of the NRIs on various topics as of tomorrow. So let's please continue there. I use the opportunity to also invite you to join I think what could be a very interesting panel at half past 3:00 at studio N. Global youth summit where we have the Australian digital ambassador Meta, speaking with people around the world on putting age verification on social media may be good or not good thing. I hope you can come support the dialogue and we can continue also this discussion there.
Thank you so much.
