Invitation to the Third Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum

On behalf of the Secretary-General, it is my pleasure to invite you to participate in the Third IGF in Hyderabad, India on 3 - 6 December 2008.

The meeting will be open to all World Summit on the information Society (WSIS) accredited entities, as well as other institutions and persons with proven expertise and experience in matters related to Internet governance.

Following broad-based consultations through the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), the proposed agenda for the Third Meeting of the IGF will be as follows:

• Reaching the next billion;

• Promoting cyber-security and trust;

• Managing critical Internet resources;

• Taking stock and the way forward;

• Emerging issues - the Internet of tomorrow

The overall theme of the meeting will be 'internet for all'.

This theme complements that of the 2008 World Telecommunications and Information Society Day, 'connecting people with disabilities'. The theme underscores the importance of ensuring that we include the world's 650 million people with disabilities as we move towards giving internet access to the next billion people.

I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Government of India for hosting the next Meeting of the internet Governance Forum (IGF). Our host this year provides us with a practical example of how tremendous economic growth can be achieved through harnessing the tools which the Internet has placed at our disposaL We will see first hand in the host city of Hyderabad, how India's development through the application of Information and Communication Technology (lCT) has been truly astounding.

I look forward to welcoming you to the IGF in Hyderabad this December.

(Signed)
Sha Zukang
Under-Secretary-General
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)