IGF 2017 WS #163 Multicultural, Multistakeholder, F2F and remote Capacity Building

Content of the Session:
Following a very successful experience done with this workshop during the IGF 2016 in Guadalajara, this new workshop proposal will review the different dialogue spaces including this time the impact analysis of the remote participation.

Since the first IGF in 2006, several regional, national IGFs, dialogue spaces and capacity building initiatives have been created, during the last years some of them offer remote participation additional to the Face to Face

The purpose of this workshop is to exchange ideas about the experiences, outcomes and effectiveness of these debate spaces and capacity building initiatives and if they have an impact in promoting inclusive and sustainable growth. The workshop will review whether these initiatives accurately reflect the multistakeholder model and its implicit requirements, namely multiculturalism and multilingualism.

The relevance of the remote participation will also be included.

All the Internet Governance fundamental documents, since WSIS Tunis Agenda until the WSIS+10 Outcome Document released in 2015, recognize the importance of a multistakeholder dialogue and the value of capacity building initiatives.

But are they being effective?
Are they mindful of development and inclusiveness?
Are they mindful of local reality and problems?
Is the remote participation relevant and inclusive?
Which is the real value of the capacity Face to Face vs remote capacity building activity?

This debate will be based in these ideas:

How to balance the stakeholder participation in the dialogue spaces?
Are all stakeholders presently participating in them?
Is remote participation an equal or good way to participate?
Is language a barrier? Does simultaneous interpretation make the difference?
Within the context of economic barriers, should Internet Governance capacity building programs be paid or should all be available through fellowship programs?
How can the gender composition of panels and discussions be addressed in these activities?
How are these programs ensuring equity of voice during these events?
With regard to language barriers, how to translate Internet governance material(s) into various languages without sacrificing timeliness and accuracy or causing volunteer burn-out?
How to include the remote participant in a relevant way?
How to promote the remote participant to actively engage in the activities?

Relevance of the Session:
It is very important to include this workshop because it addresses:

- Diversity
- A multicultural Internet
- Relevant content in different languages and scripts
- Remote ane F2F participation in IG activities

Tag 1: Access and Diversity
Tag 2: Capacity Building
Tag 3: Multilingualism and Local Content

Interventions:
Panelists will each give 3 minute brief perspective illuminating their discoveries on the subject at hand. Afterward, panelists and participants will have the remaining time of the workshop to debate and exchange different points of views also with remote participants.

Some triggering questions to facilitate discussion to a deeper discussion on methods and the path forward will be in the workshop description so online participants will be prompted to review them for questions and participation, some two as examples are:

-Quick poll of attendees with questions such as “How diverse and multistakeholder you find the different IG debate spaces?”

-Asking panelists if they can share ideas on how to improve relevance and diversity in IG debate spaces.

- Asking panelists and audience about their experiences in F2F vs remote / online participation in IG events

Diversity:
Organizers are from different countries of the Americas
Invited panelist will reflect also diversity coming from different regions
There is gender balance among the invited panelist
There are panelist from developing and developed countries (Argentina, USA, Switzerland, Tunisia, Hong Kong, Kenya)

Onsite Moderator: Olga Cavalli and Dustin Phillips
Online Moderator: Adrián Carballo
Rapporteur: Jackie Treiber

Online Participation:
ICANN Wiki has extensive experience in managing online audiences, we plan to use their experience in encouraging the virtual audience in submitting questions and comments.
ICANN Wikin jointly with the SSIG and the Internet Argentina and Washington Chapters will send previous communications to targeted audiences which will participate remotely so they are aware of the content and purpose of the workshop.
This will let them have information to make their participation more active and profitable.

Discussion facilitation:
Panelists will each give 3 minute brief perspective illuminating their discoveries on the subject at hand. Afterward, panelists and participants will have the remaining time of the workshop to debate and exchange different points of views.

Some triggering questions to facilitate discussion to a deeper discussion on methods and the path forward:

-Invite participation of attendees with questions such as “How many of you have definitive resources on Internet Governance in your native language?”

-Asking panelists what efforts they’re making toward creating a multilingual resource on Internet governance.

-Creative space towards end of discussion for participants to relay their experiences with exchanging information on Internet governance through language barriers.

Conducted a Workshop in IGF before?: Yes
Link to Report: https://www.intgovforum.org/filedepot_download/4098/239

Additional Reference Document Link: http://wsms1.intgovforum.org/content/no69-teaching-internet-governance-developing-countries#report