What is Internet Governance? And why should Youth care?

From November 26th to December 16th, join us as we demystify the terms of Internet governance, decode acronyms like IGF, and discuss a proposal for meaningful participation of young people in the next IGF meeting in Rio de Janeiro in November 2007.

Background

Young people were active contributors to the two phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process – raising awareness of important issues; mobilizing at the national, regional and international levels to provide policy input; and creating networks to support local Information and Communications Technology (ICT) projects.

The WSIS process gave birth to a multitude of action lines, one of which is the Internet Governance Forum. In particular, the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society invited the Secretary-General to convene a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue (Para 67). The Internet Governance Forum (www.intgovforum.org) was convened October 30th – November 2nd in an open and inclusive process as indicated in Para72 of the Tunis Agenda.

Why?

1. To build on the past activities of the World Summit on the Information Society youth caucus while empowering a new generation of young leaders interested in follow-up activities around the Internet Governance Forum

2. To provide an opportunity to learn more about Internet governance in an informal, online environment.

3. To identify areas of interest and importance to young people within the context of Internet governance

4. To help plan for youth leadership at the Internet Governance Forum 2007

When?

From November 26th to December 16th 2006 a three week moderated discussion will take place.

What?

Week 1: Demystifying Internet Governance

Week 2: Decoding the Internet Governance Forum

Week 3: Progressive Involvement: Youth @ Rio - IGF 2007

There will be a moderator for each week to help guide and shape discussions including an overall expert who is a respected voice in the realm of Internet Governance.

Who?

§ Young people passionate about the potential of Internet technologies who want to get involved in a global debate about its governance;

§ Youth working in the area of the Information Society/ICT4D

§ Youth-oriented organizations

§ Networks/Community of Practice on IG

§ Youth issue supporters

§ You!

Where?

To subscribe, please send a blank email to YouthandIG-subscribe@groups.takingitglobal.org For enquiries, please email titi@mindset.co.za

FYI:

Do you feel you know more of computers and technology than your teachers/educators/peers?
Do you feel you could even improve/build on/adapt the technology you use?
Do you use this technology to broaden your horizon and communicate with people all over the world?

Then please fill out the questionnaire at www.101research.nl/powerusers for an international research project by the Education Development Centre (EDC.

For people whose mother tongue is not English we apologize: the questionnaire is only available in English. We nevertheless hope you will take the effort to participate in this project and be able to influence this research which is, after all, about you.

For teachers, intermediaries:

After a decade of work focusing on building the capacity of youth and adults to use technology as a tool for living, learning and working, the Education, Employment and Community programmes at the Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) launched a long-term research initiative to learn from and with children who are the power users of technology.

This Power Users of Technology Initiative attempts to focus on Power Users on a large scale. Questions include: What happens to youth when their technology capacity is highly developed? How does this capacity shape thinking and reasoning, educational and career decisions, family and social interactions? How do youth translate their technology skills and interests into “currency” in a global information society?

An important goal in the initiative is to hear from Power Users themselves what they think. A first step is therefore to identify these Power Users and ask them how they would define themselves. In collaboration with EDC / EDC Europe, the Dutch research company 101 Research has formulated a questionnaire on this topic. Although the questionnaire is in English, we would like as many potential Power Users from as many countries as possible to fill out this survey.

Please spread far and wide across your networks.

We appreciate your support in bringing this great initiative to a success!

The questionnaire can be filled in at: www.101research.nl/powerusers

Thank you very much!

www.edc.org

Hmm...Final evening - my final tired thoughts
1. Engaging on the 'documents: A lot more preparation on all grounds including Youth caucus to feed into these but first a proper orientation around the issues at hand. Major parts are shifted till the next prepcom - IG mainly.
2. On Words to Action: NYC Phase II up and Running with initial 8 countries, WSYA and Radio on Better track, partnership with Milset for Parallel Youth COngress on Track, ICV and YC collarborating on national strategies...great...did Ileave anything out? Reserved a whooping 300 m2 for the Pavillion today with no idea who would be paying - hope we get the request and can have a jamboree...
3. People: So many 'new' faces to the whole process - missing a lot of actors from phase II - what happens to conitnuity? Pressure becomes a lot more on those who have been engaged so far even though they find this phase a bit blurry as well
4. Supporters: A huge thanks to the following organisations fo rthier support - SchoolNet Africa (www.schoolnetafrica.org) as the Executive Secretariat (hey if they don't say 'Go' I may no tbe able to; IISD www.iisd.ca - For Terri :-); CTA (www.cta.nl) for the First mini-grants for the Rural National Youth Campaigns; to the World Summit Award and ICNM (www.wsis-award.org); to TIG for the Technical Platform;to the various organisations the Youth Caucus memebrs who were aroudn belong to...If I have forgotten any please forgive

Hmmm...