Might of interest to some of you.

Rgds

From: cmasango@unog.ch
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2015 12:09:43 +0100
To: igfregionals@intgovforum.org
Subject: [Igfregionals] Invitation to participate in IGF2015 preparatory process

Dear Regional and National IGF initiatives,

As you are aware, preparations for the 2015 meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) are already in process. This year there is a particular emphasis on inter-sessional work. The Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) has recommended in its virtual meeting of 3 March that National and Regional IGF initiatives be approached and invited to participate more closely in the preparation process. It is hoped that such participation will serve to strengthen the synergies and connections that exist between National and Regional initiatives and the IGF, thereby enriching the discourse.

The “Evolution of Internet Governance: Empowering Sustainable Development” has been chosen for as the main overarching theme of IGF 2015. With eight sub-themes that are as follows:

· Cybersecurity and trust;
· The Internet economy;
· Inclusiveness and diversity;
· Openness;
· Enhancing multistakeholder cooperation;
· The Internet and human rights;
· Critical Internet resources; and
· Emerging issues.

The MAG has recommended that a formal invitation be extended to all national and regional initiatives both to contribute to the horizontal global inter-sessional theme for this year: "Policy Menus for Connecting the Next Billion", and to develop messages and/ or conclusions that will support the global IGF inter-sessional work.

The MAG also recommended that regional and national IGFs be invited to participate in the Best Practice Forums (BPFs). The mailing lists for the associated themes for this year’s BPFs are as follows:

· Regulation and mitigation of unwanted communications (http://mail.intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/bp_spam_intgovforum.org);

· Establishing and supporting Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) for Internet security (http://mail.intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/bp_certs_intgovforum.org);

· Developing meaningful multistakeholder participation mechanisms (http://mail.intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/bp_multistakeholder_intgovforum.org;

· Practices to countering abuse against women online (http://mail.intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/bp_counteringabuse_intgovforum.org);

· IPv6 (http://mail.intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/bp_ipv6_intgovforum.org); and

· IXPs (http://mail.intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/bp_ixps_intgovforum.org).

For these reasons, the IGF Secretariat kindly invites National and Regional IGF initiatives to:

Introduce the theme and sub-themes of the upcoming IGF to the discussions held during 2015 whenever possible;
Provide suggestions relating to ideas on the basic pillars that will help operationalize and advance inter-sessional work during 2015;
Contribute to the discussions regarding the development of “Policy Menus for Connecting the Next Billion”;
Distribute this message widely amongst multistakeholder participants involved with your respective IGFs; and
Make any suggestions and/or inputs on how we can maximise, facilitate and strengthen your engagement with BPF and inter-sessional work.

We look forward to continuing and strengthening the collaboration that already exists between National and Regional IGF initiatives and the IGF.

For further queries please kindly contact igf@unog.ch

Best regards,

Chengetai

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chengetai Masango

Programme and Technology Manager

Secretariat of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Dependance La Pelouse

Palais des Nations

CH - 1211 Genève 10

e-mail: cmasango@unog.ch

Tel : +41(0)22 917 57 68

Fax : +41(0)22 917 00 92

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