Stakeholders are invited to apply to organize different types of sessions at IGF 2022 within the deadline: 10 June 2022, 23:59 UTC. Proposals should focus on the five themes of the meeting, held under the overarching theme, Resilient Internet for a Shared Sustainable and Common Future. All are welcome to learn more about IGF 2022's thematic approach and explore the session types open for application, as described below.
Hybrid IGF
IGF 2022 will be organized in a hybrid format and welcome participants at the physical venue in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as well as online. The goal is for all participants, whether onsite or online, to engage in an equally meaningful way in IGF sessions. Workshop and session organizers are expected to consider elements of interactivity and accommodate the hybrid format in their proposals. For workshop proposals competitively evaluated by the MAG, these elements of hybrid interactivity will be an important factor in a proposal's overall rating.
IGF 2022's hybrid nature means that stakeholders can submit session proposals regardless of whether they plan to be present onsite in Addis Ababa, although they are required to have at minimum one physically present, onsite moderator.
Read more in the hybrid guidelines.
IGF Themes
The IGF 2022 programme will be organized according to the following five themes:
- Connecting All People and Safeguarding Human Rights
- Avoiding Internet Fragmentation
- Governing Data and Protecting Privacy
- Enabling Safety, Security and Accountability
- Addressing Advanced Technologies, including AI
After reviewing inputs from the IGF 2022 call for themes and issues, and following feedback in both the annual thematic and stocktaking calls urging the IGF play a greater role in ongoing and upcoming global digital policy processes, the themes above were decided on during the IGF 2022 First Open Consultations and MAG Meeting. In their content and wording, the themes align closely with the focus areas of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) envisioned by the UN Secretary-general in the Our Common Agenda report. The GDC is intended to "outline shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all" and will come under discussion during the UN's 2023 Summit of the Future.
The IGF's thematic inputs and stocktaking processes are open to everyone, with a combined 286 submissions received this year. They form the basis of the MAG's discussions and ensure programme topics are those deemed most critical and timely to Internet governance stakeholder and societies at large. The overarching theme of IGF 2022 is Resilient Internet for a Shared Sustainable and Common Future.
Session Types
As noted, there are several types of sessions for which stakeholders can apply. Please see below.
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How to submit your session proposal? Please browse the session types below and click on 'Learn more & Apply' to be directed to a dedicated page where an online application can be submitted. |
Workshops
Workshops are sessions in the IGF annual meeting on a specific Internet governance topic or question. Internet governance is defined as “the development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.” Workshops should offer expertise or insight on the topic and generate discussion among participants.
Who can apply?
- Any person, or group of persons, from any stakeholder group - civil society, the technical community, the private sector or government - may submit a workshop proposal.
- Organizing teams who are proposing a session for the first time, or are from developing countries, are especially encouraged to submit.
- It is also strongly encouraged to list a team that is diverse in terms of perspective, gender, region, stakeholder group, age (e.g. youth), and physical ability (e.g. persons with disabilities), as diversity is an important factor during proposal evaluation.
Open Forums
Open Forums are interactive sessions organized by governments, treaty-based international organizations, and global organizations with international scope and presence, with operations across regions, dealing with Internet governance issues. Open Forums should focus on a government or organization’s Internet governance-pertinent activities and allow sufficient time for questions and discussions.
Who can apply?
- Governments
- Treaty-based international organizations
- Global organizations from any stakeholder group with international scope and presence, with operations across regions, dealing with Internet governance-related issues
Town Halls
Town Halls are interactive sessions organized by entities dealing with Internet governance issues of international scope. Through town hall sessions, stakeholders exchange views on topical and even controversial Internet governance issues. This session type is particularly suitable for current and emerging issues.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Organizations dealing with Internet governance issues of international scope
- Organizations wishing to present their work in the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session
Launches and Awards
Sessions to present and discuss Internet governance-related academic and/or research initiatives or outputs such as research or think tank work, to launch Internet governance-related books, and similar. Proposals should clearly state the relevance to Internet governance and to the IGF meeting themes. The session content must adhere to the UN Code of Conduct. This session type can also be suitable for award ceremonies.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Stakeholders with demonstrated interest in Internet governance
- Organizations wishing to present their work in the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session
Lightning Talks
Lightning Talks are brief, to-the-point, prepared presentations on a specific Internet governance issue.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Stakeholders with demonstrated interest in Internet governance
- Organizations wishing to present their work in the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session
Networking Sessions
These are interactive gatherings of stakeholders interested in a same or similar issue on Internet governance. Their open (in the case of face-to-face events - open-seating) formats are spontaneous and can serve as icebreaker, prompting quicker ways for people to get to know each other. Networking sessions are also a suitable session type for social gatherings, or for gatherings of people and organisations from a particular region, stakeholder group, or area of activity.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Any organization currently active in the Internet governance ecosystem
- Organizations wishing to present their work in the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session
Dynamic Coalition Sessions
Dynamic Coalitions (DC) use individual sessions to discuss issues related to their DC topic, and in turn, related to the themes of the IGF meeting.
Who is eligible to apply?
- DCs recognized by the IGF Secretariat and who have provided an annual report, as well as a post-session report from their session at last year's IGF (if applicable)
- DCs recognized in 2022 who have submitted a 'light' activities report to outline any work done since their recognition
National, Regional and Youth IGF Initiatives (NRIs) Collaborative Sessions
In line with NRI network standard procedures, NRIs are in the process of submitting issues of priority that help understand mutual thematic interests within the network and on which NRI sessions may focus.
Who is eligible?
- NRIs recognized by the IGF Secretariat
Pre-events (Day 0 sessions)
These sessions take place on the day before the IGF official programme begins. Requesters are granted the space to hold the events if their content is IG-relevant and appropriate. Taking into consideration regional and stakeholder balance as well as relevance, space for these sessions is allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis and requested durations are granted based on availability.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Stakeholders with demonstrated interest in Internet governance
- Organizations wishing to present their work in the global Internet governance ecosystem and who can clearly outline the Internet governance-related objective to be achieved through this session
FAQs - Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions
(i) Session teams participating fully online
If a session’s organizing team participates only online (including online speakers, moderators, rapporteurs and other involved resource parties), the session will still be assigned a meeting room at the 17th IGF in Addis Ababa. The meeting room will contain the necessary technical equipment, such as a screen from which the session room is projected and a microphone connected to the online platform, as well as technical support staff.
All participants, onsite or online, will have parity of intervention, meaning all will need to request the floor to speak through the IGF's single online floor request system.
(ii) Session teams with mixed online and onsite presence
If the session is mixed, with some participants joining online and some onsite, the room moderator(s) will act as a bridge between two groups of participants and ensure equality of interactivity.
- I don’t know yet if I will be able to travel to Addis Ababa. Can I still apply for a session?
Yes, regardless of whether you take part online or onsite, you can still submit a proposal and organize a session. - Some of my speakers won’t be able to travel to Addis Ababa. Can they still participate?
Yes, speakers can take part online or onsite. - If the session has only online speakers, do I still need to provide an onsite moderator?
Yes, an onsite moderator, or an individual onsite who can support the moderator participating online, will be key for ensuring those onsite do not feel left out and for facilitating a smooth session flow.