Session
Friends For Leadership
David Okpatuma, Friends for Leadership, Intergovernmental organization, African Group
Gabriella Marcelja, Sirius, Technical Community, WEOG
Yamil Quispe, Pacifica, Private Sector, GRULAC
Milos Jovanovic, Open Link Group, Private Sector, WEOG
Gabriella Marcelja, Sirius, Technical Community, WEOG
Yamil Quispe, Pacifica, Private Sector, GRULAC
Gonaya Monel E Sethora, Business Women Africa, Civil Society, African Group
Sharifah Norizah, Asian Youth Network Resources, Civil Society, Asia Pacific Group
David Okpatuma, Friends for Leadership, Intergovernmental organization, African Group
Yamil Quispe, Pacifica, Private Sector, GRULAC
Gabriella Marcelja, Sirius, Technical Community, WEOG
9.c
10.2
16.10
16.3
16.7
16.b
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: The session will focus on empowering youth from diverse backgrounds and ensuring equitable Internet access (9.c). Collaboration among stakeholders with varying perspectives, through multilateral discussions (17) and responsive decision-making (16.7), is crucial for identifying key areas for protecting fundamental freedoms (10.2, 16.10) The goal of this network session is to enhance national institutions and establish an international framework that promotes the rule of law and equal access to justice on the Internet by empowering youth and safeguarding human rights in the digital realm (16.3) Ultimately, the session aims to find a balance between safeguarding human rights and the rule of law in the digital sphere without impeding sustainable development (16.b).
Classroom
Interactive Projects Presentation
Friends for Internet is the initiative of the international project Friends for Leadership that includes young changemakers, visionaries and entrepreneurs from around the world. Friends for Internet is an open project that is set to address digital issues, especially in the Global South and present new solutions to well-known projects and promote Internet for all giving voices to the young changemakers in the field of Internet Governance from the Global South. During this networking session, youth from all over the world are set to present their own solutions to the developing countries' issues. Young people from the Global South often face unique challenges and perspectives that may not be fully understood or considered by more developed nations. Many countries in the Global South still lack adequate infrastructure and resources to fully participate in the digital economy, which can exacerbate existing social and economic disparities. This platform gives them an opportunity to present their digital projects that can change not only their country for good but also the world. Furthermore, by showcasing their projects on a global platform, these young entrepreneurs can inspire others to take action and collaborate on initiatives that promote peace, development, and sustainability. This will in fact demonstrate the potential for technology to drive positive change and create opportunities for economic growth and social inclusion. This can contribute to building more resilient and sustainable digital ecosystems that benefit all stakeholders, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status. Networking session is also aimed at showing different perspectives on the issues of Internet governance. This can foster cross-cultural exchange and collaboration, leading to greater understanding and cooperation in the digital space. Attendees of the session are also welcome to talk about their own ideas. Organisers inspire to make an event for building horizontal communication and international teams for new projects in the digital cooperation field. By showcasing the diversity of perspectives and approaches to innovation from different regions, the session is aimed at promoting dialogue and mutual learning to help break down barriers and build bridges between communities.
The hybrid format of the session will rely primarily on the facilitation provided by a moderator and pre-moderator. Their roles will be pivotal in ensuring equitable representation and participation opportunities for both online and offline participants and speakers. Additionally, the session will feature real-time feedback mechanisms to guide the discussion in a dynamic manner. All attendees, whether present physically or virtually, will have the ability to offer immediate feedback through a range of online tools such as Mentimeter or AhaSlides. Moreover before the session, organizers will contact participants of the discussion and provide guidelines for both onsite and online participants on how to engage in discussion in the best possible manner.
Report
Empowerment of Young Innovators: The Friends for Internet initiative serves as a crucial platform for young entrepreneurs from the Global South, enabling them to present digital projects that address community challenges such as inequality and limited access to technology.
Youth Involvement in Governance: Engaging youth in Internet governance processes is essential, as highlighted by various representatives who emphasized that youth-led initiatives can often achieve results more swiftly than traditional bureaucratic methods.
Balancing Globalization and Localization: Internet governance principles should be developed with the respect of local realities and contexts, suggesting that globalization and localization should coexist rather than be viewed as opposing forces.
Support Youth-Led Initiatives: Encourage stakeholders, including governments and organizations, to invest in and support youth-led digital projects that aim to solve local issues and promote digital inclusion.
Foster Inclusive Internet Governance: Advocate for the establishment of platforms and forums that facilitate the active participation of Global South young leaders in Internet governance discussions, ensuring that their voices and perspectives are integrated into decision-making processes.
The Friends for Internet initiative unites young entrepreneurs and innovators from all over the world, becoming a platform for their ideas in the field of Internet governance. Technology can be a catalyst for social and economic growth, as well as for inclusion and sustainable progress.
The session provided a unique opportunity for young leaders from the Global South to present their digital projects aimed at solving key problems of their communities. These projects help overcome challenges such as inequality in access to digital technologies, lack of infrastructure, and limited resources to participate in the digital economy.
Representatives of youth organizations involved in Internet governance processes shared their thoughts and concerns. IGF Coordinator in North Macedonia and member of the Steering Committee of the Youth Coalition on Internet Governance (YCIG) Marco Paloski spoke about initiatives to involve young people in governance processes, in particular, the organization of webinars and newsletters.
Agustina Ordoñez, Advisor and Policy at the Chamber of Deputies Argentina, noted the importance and necessity of youth initiatives, which often lead to goals faster than the actions of bureaucratic authorities. She also stressed that the development of general principles of Internet governance must necessarily take into account the realities of specific countries, since the mentality, economic conditions and legislative framework of countries, such as Latin America and Northern Europe, vary significantly.
The moderator of the session, Alexander Khanarov, founder of BRICS Project Lab, considered this topic very important and suggested discussing the question of whether globalization and localization are mutually exclusive trends.
He was supported by Mariana Alves Araújo Lopes, a representative of the Youth Program from CGI (Brazilian Internet Steering Committee). She stressed the importance of developing common management standards, but stated that these standards cannot ignore the local characteristics of different countries, otherwise globalization can only become a new form of colonization. At the same time, she called for considering globalization and localization not as alternatives, but as two parallel phenomena.