IGF 2024 Day 0 Event #140 African Library Internet Governance Ambassadors Program

Since the early days of the public internet, libraries have been at the forefront of applying digital technologies to enhance service delivery. The ongoing rapid growth of emerging technologies, tools and applications has underlined libraries’ potential as a hub for advancing access to information and knowledge for all, and also as a co-creation hub for the socio-economic development of the communities they serve. However, the realization of this potential everywhere cannot be taken for granted. There needs to be a holistic approach, drawing on multistakeholder partnerships and data-backed decision making to identify and develop capacity of librarians, build their ability to act as agents of digital inclusion, and foster development and adoption of policies that will facilitate resource allocation and sustainability of libraries’ contribution to digital Future. In achieving this mutual goal of digital future there by Harnessing innovation and balancing risks in the digital space, this session will share core practical applications of empowering librarians in African countries through the African Library Internet Governance Ambassadors Program: empowering librarians to participate in the discourse and actions of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Through the session, we will share how librarians in Africa are shaping internet governance policies and advancing digital inclusion strategies for libraries through targeted engagements, capacity development and advocacy activities to empower library leaders to become ambassadors for internet governance within their communities. Through the session, we will engage with IGF participants and ecosystem partners to share feedbacks on key areas of improvement and scaling the African Library Internet Governance Ambassadors Program, how they can be actively engaged in various IGF NRIs, and other potential collaborations that will further position libraries as core stakeholders in the internet governance ecosystem and discourse.

Active participation both online and in-person is a priority for us to engage audience for the session. Prior to the session, we will conduct online awareness and publicity for the session to our library networks to register and sign up to attend the session, sharing key expectations.