Launch / Award Event #159 Book Launch Netmundial+10 Statement in the 6 UN Languages

Summary

This discussion centered on the launch of “NetMundial Plus 10,” a book containing multistakeholder guidelines that has been translated into the six official UN languages plus Portuguese. Rafael Evangelista from Brazil’s Internet Steering Committee opened the session by explaining that NetMundial Plus 10 represents a continuation of the original NetMundial process from 2014, resulting in the São Paulo Multistakeholder Guidelines designed to strengthen internet governance and digital policy processes.

Multiple speakers emphasized that NetMundial serves as a shining example of how the multistakeholder model can deliver concrete results in a timely manner, contrasting it with other forums that may deliberate for years without reaching consensus. Pierre Bonis from AFNIC highlighted how NetMundial addressed critical moments in internet governance history, including the post-Snowden era and the recent Digital Global Compact discussions. The collaborative editing process was particularly noteworthy, with participants describing intense online sessions where committee members from around the world simultaneously edited documents in real-time.

The translation process itself proved to be more than mere linguistic conversion. Speakers noted that translating these governance concepts into different languages required deep understanding of the field and collaboration with community experts rather than just professional translators. Jennifer Chung discussed the complexity of Chinese translation, involving coordination between different script systems and regional terminology variations. Valeria Betancourt emphasized that translation carries political dimensions and increases community appropriation of the guidelines by making them accessible in native languages.

Several participants stressed the practical application of these guidelines, particularly in the context of the upcoming WSIS Plus 20 review process. The book launch represents not just a publication milestone but a call to action for implementing these multistakeholder principles across various governance levels, from local to global contexts.

Keypoints

## Major Discussion Points:

– **Book Launch and Multilingual Publication**: The primary focus was launching the “NetMundial Plus 10” book, which contains multistakeholder guidelines and has been translated into the six official UN languages plus Portuguese, making it accessible to a global audience.

– **Success of the Multistakeholder Model**: Participants emphasized how NetMundial and NetMundial Plus 10 serve as exemplary cases of effective multistakeholder governance that can deliver concrete results in a timely manner, countering criticisms that such processes are slow or ineffective.

– **Translation as Political and Cultural Process**: Speakers highlighted that translation goes beyond literal conversion, involving cultural adaptation and political considerations. The process required collaboration within language communities (e.g., different Chinese dialects and scripts) and helps increase local appropriation of governance principles.

– **Practical Implementation and Future Applications**: Discussion centered on putting the São Paulo Multistakeholder Guidelines into practice across various levels (local, national, regional, global) and using them to inform ongoing processes like the WSIS+20 review and national IGF initiatives.

– **Collaborative Process and Community Engagement**: Participants reflected on the intensive collaborative editing process that created the guidelines and emphasized the ongoing nature of the work, including invitations for additional translations and continued community involvement.

## Overall Purpose:

The discussion aimed to officially launch the multilingual publication of the NetMundial Plus 10 statement and São Paulo Multistakeholder Guidelines, celebrate the collaborative achievement, and encourage broader adoption and implementation of these governance principles across different linguistic and cultural contexts.

## Overall Tone:

The tone was consistently celebratory, appreciative, and forward-looking throughout the session. Participants expressed genuine enthusiasm and pride in the collaborative achievement, with frequent expressions of gratitude and mutual recognition. The atmosphere remained positive and constructive, with speakers building on each other’s comments and emphasizing the collective nature of the work. There was no notable shift in tone – it maintained an upbeat, collegial spirit from beginning to end.

Speakers

**Speakers from the provided list:**

– **Rafael de Almeida Evangelista** – Board member of CGI.br (Brazilian Internet Steering Committee), session moderator

– **Pierre Bonis** – Representative from AFNIC (French registry)

– **Jennifer Chung** – Works for .asia (registry operator for the generic top level domain .Asia)

– **Valeria Betancourt** – From Association of Progressive Communication

– **Renata Mielli** – Member of CGI.br, involved in NetMundial Plus 10 organization

– **Everton Rodrigues** – Part of NIC.br team involved in the NetMundial Plus 10 process

– **Jorge Cancio** – From the Swiss government, involved in translation process

– **Akinori Maemura** – Member of the HLAC (High-Level Advisory Committee) for NetMundial Plus 10, also involved in NetMundial 2014 EMC

– **Vinicius W. O. Santos** – Part of the secretariat/NIC.br team for NetMundial Plus 10

– **Audience** – Identified as James Ndolufuye from Africa

**Additional speakers:**

None – all speakers who spoke during the session were included in the provided speakers names list.

# NetMundial Plus 10: Multilingual Book Launch and Implementation Discussion

## Executive Summary

This session focused on the launch of “NetMundial Plus 10,” a publication containing multistakeholder guidelines translated into the six official UN languages plus Portuguese. Moderated by Rafael de Almeida Evangelista from Brazil’s Internet Steering Committee, the discussion brought together international stakeholders to celebrate this achievement and examine its implications for internet governance.

Participants emphasized NetMundial’s effectiveness as a multistakeholder process that delivers concrete results efficiently. The conversation highlighted how translation involves more than linguistic conversion, requiring cultural adaptation and community collaboration. Speakers stressed the importance of implementing these guidelines in practice rather than treating them as static documents.

## Background and Context

Rafael Evangelista explained that NetMundial Plus 10 continues the original NetMundial process from 2014, which produced the São Paulo Multistakeholder Guidelines for strengthening internet governance and digital policy processes. The publication launch occurs one year after NetMundial Plus 10, with printed copies available for free and digital versions accessible at cgi.br.

The timing coincides with ongoing discussions around the Digital Global Compact and preparations for the WSIS Plus 20 review process. Pierre Bonis from AFNIC noted the post-Snowden context that influenced NetMundial’s development.

## Multistakeholder Model Effectiveness

Speakers consistently praised NetMundial as proof that multistakeholder approaches work. Pierre Bonis stated: “Sometimes people look at our model, at the multi-stakeholder model, saying, okay, that’s nice, but it doesn’t deliver anything. And NetMundial and NetMundial Plus10… you see that in four days, you get a consensus that is a solid one, that can last four years, as in other fora, you may talk for 10 years without having anything like that.”

Jennifer Chung from .asia described NetMundial as “a shining example that multi-stakeholder process works and produces tangible results,” emphasizing how the guidelines provide practical tools for improving multilateral processes. James Ndolufuye from Africa noted that “NetMundial process has become the conscience of information society regarding multi-stakeholder engagement.”

## Translation as Cultural Process

The discussion revealed sophisticated understanding of translation challenges. Valeria Betancourt from the Association for Progressive Communications explained: “Translation is not just a mere transposition, a literal transposition of specific content from one language to another. When doing the translation we are actually also expressing different views of reality, different perspectives… It’s not only a communication strategy… but for me it’s actually mostly an attempt to respond to the contextual realities of people, if we really want to be inclusive.”

Jennifer Chung detailed Chinese translation complexities, explaining how the team had to collaborate within the Chinese community because “certain terms are translated in different ways” and decisions were needed between traditional and simplified scripts, as well as different regional variations.

Pierre Bonis noted that “Internet governance concepts are better translated by field experts than general UN translators.” Vinicius W. O. Santos from NIC.br described their collaborative review process involving “multiple reviewers and field experts” working with professional translators.

The translation effort involved specific contributors including Lucien Castex (French), Manao, Christina Arida, Zena (Arabic), and Leonid Todorov (Russian). Renata Mielli from CGI.br observed that reading different language versions reveals “meaningful differences” and that “different language versions have distinct impacts and make more sense in specific contexts.”

## Collaborative Editing Process

Akinori Maemura, a member of the High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) for NetMundial Plus 10, described the “dynamic online editing process with global HLAC members” as a “remarkable collaborative experience” involving committee members from around the world simultaneously editing documents.

Jorge Cancio from the Swiss government characterized the process as “intensive and emotionally heavy but productive,” highlighting both the challenges and rewards of such collaboration.

## Implementation Focus

Jorge Cancio emphasized implementation responsibility: “It’s really in our hands to put them to work… if it’s just a piece of paper it will get forgotten in some years of time but if we put them to use… they will really gain some reality, they will inform what we do on a multi-stakeholder fashion at the different levels.”

He provided concrete examples, describing how the Swiss IGF is implementing the São Paulo guidelines and how his office uses the guidelines in German and French for internal discussions to ensure “bottom-up, open, inclusive” processes that “take into account asymmetries of power and influence.”

Valeria Betancourt connected the guidelines to the WSIS Plus 20 review, explaining how they “provide practical steps for making inclusion reality” and can increase representation of underrepresented communities. Jennifer Chung emphasized their relevance for capacity building in local communities.

## Ongoing Expansion

Everton Rodrigues from NIC.br emphasized the continuing nature of the project: “We had ongoing efforts in other languages as well, so please feel invited to send us those new translations to contact us also to make those translations available… the future of NetMundial is still ongoing.”

This prompted James Ndolufuye to offer translations into Swahili, Yoruba, and Hausa to “scale the approach across Africa.” The NetMundial Plus 10 website will credit new translations and make them available to the community.

## Conclusion

The session demonstrated strong support for NetMundial’s multistakeholder approach while emphasizing the need for practical implementation. The multilingual publication represents both an achievement in inclusive governance and a tool for ongoing work. Speakers committed to using the guidelines in their respective contexts, from local IGFs to international processes, ensuring the NetMundial principles continue to evolve through practical application.

The discussion highlighted how effective multistakeholder governance requires both inclusive processes and concrete outcomes, with NetMundial serving as a model for addressing complex governance challenges efficiently while maintaining broad stakeholder participation.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Hello, good afternoon, everyone. It is a pleasure to welcome you to this launch session at the Open Stage. My name is Rafael Evangelista. I am a board member of CGI.br, the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee. This session is about the book launch, NetMundial plus 10, statement in the six UN languages. So I have here with me, helping me with the book launch, Pierre Bonis from AFNIC, Pierre, can you join us? Okay, Pierre. Thank you. Valeria Betancourt from Association of Progressive Communication, Valeria, she’s not here yet. Okay. Jennifer Chung from .asia, hi Jennifer, how are you? And Renata Mielli will join us later after her session ends. NetMundial provided an inclusive platform where relevant actors from all stakeholder groups and regions were able to convene, deliberate and reach consensus on a new set of guidelines and recommendations. These were designed to address the most pressing challenges facing governance processes in our time. The result of an extensive and collaborative process, NetMundial plus 10 culminated in the document entitled NetMundial plus 10, Mood Stakeholder Statement, Strengthening Internet Governance and Digital Policy Processes. This document is now being published within the CGI book series and it is available in the six official languages of the United Nations, in addition to Portuguese. This is the book that I’m showing here. One of the central outcomes of this process was the formulation of the Sao Paulo Mood Stakeholder Guidelines. These guidelines present a structured yet adaptable set of steps aimed at enhancing Mood Stakeholder practices across various digital governance decision-making contexts. By doing so, the NetMundial plus 10 ultimate outcomes contribute to fostering a more effective, inclusive and results-oriented model of Mood Stakeholder collaboration at the global level. The Sao Paulo Guidelines seek to strengthen governance processes by offering a flexible, inclusive and actionable framework grounded in principles of transparency, participation and adaptability, thereby reinforcing the legitimacy and effectiveness of Mood Stakeholder approaches. In light of the importance of disseminating these outcomes widely, this statement has been translated into multiple languages and compiled into a book available in both digital and print formats. Launching this publication at the Internet Governance Forum is a meaningful milestone, one that allows us to promote and discuss the NetMundial plus 10 results with a broader global community. This moment is particularly significant given that NetMundial plus 10 recognizes the IGF as a forum that ought to be further strengthened and as a central hub for Internet governance decisions. Today’s launch also serves as a timely opportunity for reflection and dialogue, making one year since the NetMundial plus 10 event. Our session will feature contributions from key stakeholders involved in the process, who will discuss the Sao Paulo Guidelines, the Mood Stakeholder statement and the challenges encountered in producing a multilingual publication of this nature. We are grateful for your presence here and engagement in this session. Printed copies of the book are available. Please feel free to request one if you have not received one yet. The digital version can also be accessed online at cgi.br. Thank you. I’ll hand out to our speakers. Perhaps Pierre can be the first one. Can you, please?

Pierre Bonis: Thank you. Obrigado. Thank you very much for welcoming us here. So it’s a little bit ironic because I’m going to speak in English. Because while we are presenting this work that I will talk about a little bit later, in the UN official language and Portuguese, this open space that is a very cool one is the one where you don’t have translation. So I will keep on speaking English. Just to share the fact that, first of all, having been invited by cgi.br and nick.br is always a pleasure. We are, at AFNIC, the French registry and we see the work that has been done by nick.br and cgi.br for years as a real example of a multi-stakeholder approach. And an inspiring one, really. Just want to share, of course we are happy to have been able to contribute to translate in French this document. But I want to testify of something that is very important to us. That NetMundial and NetMundial Plus10 are, I think, the best example of a multi-stakeholder approach that can deliver in a timely manner. And the timely manner is a very important point here. So we can be talking, and that’s always good to talk, to exchange, to dig more and more and more some subjects. But sometimes people look at our model, at the multi-stakeholder model, saying, okay, that’s nice, but it doesn’t deliver anything. And NetMundial and NetMundial Plus10, at two very important moments of the Internet governance, the first one, we remember it, it was after the Snowden thing, and just before the transition of the IANA function and the move of the American government and NetMundial Plus10, a few weeks before the adoption of the digital global compact emergency, we had to talk and to see if together, at a global level, we had something to say, to add to what we said 10 years before. The decision to bring all the stakeholders, lately, and CGI.br organized an online platform, very demanding, very efficient. And when you look at these three or four days of meetings in Sao Paulo that reached that point, you see that in four days, you get a consensus that is a solid one, that can last four years, as in other fora, you may talk for 10 years without having anything like that. So that’s why, and I will finish with that, that’s why we say, and that’s not just to be polite, even if we try to be polite, but when we say that your work is inspiring, it’s really inspiring, this way of delivering things has to be applauded, so thank you very much.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you Pierre for such nice words, and please, Jennifer.

Jennifer Chung: Thank you very much, well that is a very hard act to follow Pierre, I feel like we can just applaud and that’s it, we can just celebrate. My name is Jennifer Chung, I work for .Asia, and .Asia is of course the registry operator for the top level domain, the generic top level domain .Asia, we have a mandate to promote internet adoption and development and capacity building in Asia Pacific, so obviously when we’re talking about translation, we’re doing the Asian languages, specifically Chinese. But taking a half step back, and really echoing a lot of things that Pierre has mentioned, NetMundial and NetMundial plus 10 is really held up to be such a shining example of what works, what actually can be done right, with the multi-stakeholder process, with the multi-stakeholder model, and the fact that the entire community comes together and produces something so beautiful is testament to the fact that it actually works, and every time there are naysayers and criticisms about, oh, you know, multi-stakeholder process is messy, it’s slow, it doesn’t produce results, this is a result, it’s beautiful, it’s a book, six languages, amazing. So taking another step back as well, to look at the Thank you very much. So, I think the multistakeholder guidelines gives us a way to measure, to look at things with a critical eye, to actually make sense of when we’re talking about multistakeholder model, we’re not talking about one model, we’re not talking about a monolith. There are different ways to look at and measure and another important part is how can we improve the multilateral process and this actually tells us very much how we can do this. In fact, sitting here, you know, in UN IGF, UN itself is multilateral but the IGF is multistakeholder and that is the beauty of it, how we are able to work together in this kind of environment and this is one of the things that really allows us to look at it in a very critical eye. I guess I’m going to turn a little bit to the translation part which is why I’m here. The interesting part about my mother tongue, Chinese, is I actually have two because I speak Cantonese because I am from Hong Kong but I also speak Mandarin which is of course the official language, the official Chinese. The script itself is also quite interesting. We have the traditional script which looks a little more complicated because when you look at the character, oh, there’s a lot more lines and of course, there’s the official script which is simplified. So when we looked into the translation process, we really had to, even within the Chinese community, do a lot of collaboration because we find that certain terms are translated in different ways and to be as inclusive as possible, we had to consult with and coordinate and cooperate with many, many different friends. So it really isn’t just .Asia doing everything, it absolutely isn’t. So it’s .Asia, there’s friends from mainland, there’s Sienic friends, there’s also friends who understand the different terminologies that is used with the Chinese-speaking community around the world. So I guess I’ll stop here with a little bit of flavor and context of the translation and hand it right back to you.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you, Jennifer. We have here Valeria, she could make, and thank you for joining us and please, the floor is yours.

Valeria Betancourt: Apologies for being late, it’s just running from one session to another. I really value the opportunity to talk about my experience of assisting with the translation into Spanish, but before I dig into the specific issue, what I want to say is that, and I have been saying in different panels, that when we look back at processes that we engage in relation to shaping Internet governance and the governance of digital technologies in general, we not only remember the issues that were important for us, the people that we met, the collaborations that we established, we really remember how things happened, how the process was conducted. And I think this is at the core of the multi-stakeholder guidelines. These principles and these guidelines really help us to build different ways of running processes when it has to do with the application of the multi-stakeholder approach, not only to the conversations, but actually to the collaborations and to finding solutions, which I think help us to address specific problems, either acknowledging that there are different interests on the table, acknowledging that the dynamic of stakeholder engagement is not easy, but actually helping us to move beyond the simple dialogue and conversation which is essential and important to specific solutions to address the different and critical challenges that we face in order to crystallize the vision that many of us envisage of having governance that is inclusive, that is democratic, that is transparent, that is accountable. So all of that is at the center of these guidelines and the possibility to honor also the principles that were stated 20 years ago in relation to inclusivity in the information society, not only to sit in the different stakeholders on the table, but actually to be able to meet their interests and to respond to the realities that people face, acknowledging that the way in which tech is embedded in our lives is really rendering us in many different ways. So in relation to the translation, the translation is not just a mere transposition, a literal transposition of specific content from one language to another. When doing the translation we are actually also expressing different views of reality, different perspectives, so in that sense the translation in Spanish is not only an exercise and an attempt and an effort to expand the reach of the multi-stakeholder guidelines, but I think it is a very important effort to actually respond to the contextual realities that are needed in order to be able to make progress in democratic governance. So that’s the importance for me of having the multi-stakeholder guidelines, the Sao Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines in different languages has to do with that. It’s not only a communication strategy, it’s not only the possibility for different people to be able to relate with the principles and the guidelines in their own language, but for me it’s actually mostly an attempt to respond to the contextual realities of people, if we really want to be inclusive, if we really want to be able to make progress in terms of democratic governance. So let me leave it like that for now.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you very much, Valeria. We have time for questions, yes?

Audience: Thank you. Greetings everybody. The process that took place about 11 years ago, the first Netmundia, of course those that can remember, you know it was like a conscience on the whole information ecosystem. So the Netmundia process has become the conscience of the information society vis-a-vis the multi-stakeholder engagement. So the process was great, before I forget, I’m James Ndolufuye from Africa, Africa. The process involved is really a case in point, and I’m so happy that this has been translated so that others can benefit from it. The scoping, the engagement, and the inclusivity across the region is exemplary, and we’ve been talking about this a lot in Nigeria, and government people have a dozen of it, but it’s like the reference point, and we are scaling it across Africa. And so we also offer to at least translate into Swahili, into Yoruba, into Hausa. So we will proceed with that initiative as well. Thank you very much.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you. Any more comments? Everton, please. I should say that this was possible because of the great team that we have on NIC.br, all those persons who were able to do in a timely manner, and Everton was one of those, and Vinicius was the other, and many other people. So all the NIC.br team, thank you Rafa.

Everton Rodrigues: Very quickly, just as a follow-up of what Jimson was mentioning, NetMundial, the success of NetMundial depends a lot on the future of what we did one year ago. So it’s a living experience. The process didn’t stop on those two days that we gathered in Sao Paulo. Part of that is also that the process of translation is still ongoing, so we are open to keep receiving those translations in other languages. The six UN languages are published here with the book, but we have ongoing efforts in other languages as well, so please feel invited to send us those new translations to contact us also to make those translations available. They will be credited on NetMundial Plus 10 website, so join the effort, because the future of NetMundial is still ongoing. Thank you very much.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you, Everton. We have here with us Jorge Cancio, who was also involved in the process of translation, and we will have a few words from him. Please, Jorge. Anything you want.

Jorge Cancio: Hello, everyone. I’m Jorge Cancio from the Swiss government. I’m very sorry that I was late. We had an open forum just discussing, amongst other things, how we can use the NetMundial Plus 10 and the Sao Paulo multistakeholder guidelines to inspire the different processes we have. It’s really in our hands, so it’s like the translations. We did one into Italian, and then our colleague, Titi Casa, really went on. document and especially the Sao Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines, which are very close to my heart Not only because of the product but because of the process we had Before Sao Paulo and in Sao Paulo last year, which was really amazing very intense very very Heavy also in emotions, but very productive It’s really in our hands to put them to work. I think that’s the the most important part of them To them because if it’s just a piece of paper It will get forgotten in in some years of time but if we put them to use be it here in the dynamic coalitions be it in the best practice for our beard in the policy networks or be it in national and regional IGF’s they will really gain some reality, they will inform what we do on a Multi-stakeholder in a multi-stakeholder fashion at the different levels. So I really invite you wherever your responsibility lies Be it at the local at the national at the regional or at the global level To really use them to put them to work and to Bring back your feedback on what works what doesn’t work where we have to improve them and here in the IGF Which is like the caretaker of the Sao Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines Thanks to the invitation of net munia plus 10. This is the place to then keep on evolving them and just Very small commercial on my side in that sense. We are trying to implement them For the Swiss IGF, so we have a role in the Swiss IGF we are part of a multi-stakeholder community there and now we are looking into how we use the Sao Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines to make sure that the Processes that affect the Swiss IGF are really bottom-up open inclusive and take into account Also the the asymmetries of power and influence of the different stakeholders Which is the first guideline from Sao Paulo, so I’ll leave it by that. Thank you

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank You Jorge I’ll hand out the microphone to Renata Miele who was able to join us from another session Please Renata

Renata Mielli: Well, I’m sorry I was in another session first of all, thank you everybody for being here for our Book launching and What I’m going to say I’m going to say that I’m very very very Happy to see that the work we’ve done we in net mundial plus 10 It was a hard work We joined some Marvelous people in our Agalec the the committee the high-level committee that put the the net mundial Who organized and Helped to Deline all the discussions. We we’ve made in net mundial and Some are here with us now and in the IGF and it’s very very wonderful, there is no words to say how Amazing is to see when we are on workshop and see people in all the world Making reference to the net mundial stakeholder guidelines, you know in so What we try to do when we start this discussion on CGI.br Well, let’s do another net mundial. I think we achieve our goal and in I hope this guidelines can Impact on the future of the governance of the Internet and the governance of the digital world in a way that the mood stakeholder approach can be improved and applied in Everywhere, so thank you very much. I’m very happy with the result of our collective job because only in the collective we can achieve And Things that can be Have a real impact in the society. Thank you very much

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank You Renata any more comments I see people here who were involved in the process anyone want to comment anything no Jennifer please

Jennifer Chung: Just a quick comment, actually, I was gonna go straight to Akinori, I wanted to acknowledge that he is also on the HLAC and I’m sure he’s gonna talk about the translation

Akinori Maemura: Okay All right Okay. Thank you very much my name is Akinori Maemura one of the member of the HLAC for the net mundial plus 10 and then I am actually the net mundial 2014 I was involved in the EMC. So this is this is my second Fabulous experience to join this this party I’d like to share two things. One is that As the whole head said the process was great I I was so totally astonished by the editing process You know, do you can you imagine that the all HLAC member is in the zoom call and Then from all over the world editing the same that a single Google document to move ahead so a lot of castles are here and there and Editing and someone doing the some edition editing in in, you know a little bit, you know a Why are you saying that the sentence of the forthcoming sentences, so it is really dynamic that dynamic process to edit and then my brain is really sizzling to Catch up the discussion. That’s one one one one thing and then another thing is I I actually contributed for the the Japanese translation of the Of the net mundial plus 10 Statement and then it is it is, you know only, you know contributing for the Japanese community for You know better Understand what is net mundial plus 10 a statement and the guidelines are but it is for me it is very important that that statement is not only the statement, but it is it is it it is Get more valuable when it was utilized made use of in their own process, so I’d like to have it Utilized in Japanese some Some a multi-stakeholder process in in in the Japanese community So if if it is utilized like that, then the value of the this this document is more and more Tangible and then a substantial one. So what that’s two points of mine. Thank you very much.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you Vinicius please

Vinicius W. O. Santos: Thank you I’m Vinicius. I was part of the secretariat as they mentioned I won’t repeat many of the great sentences that you all already Brought to us here in this group, but just to add small comments related to the translation process itself we could just reach this result here this Book because we had a lot of help We needed and we had a lot of help from many people from these people here But also from other people that are not here exactly. For example, we had also Manao So just recognizing here Manao Christina Arida also Zena that were responsible for reviewing the translation to the Arabic We had the same for the Russian translator. We had a Collaborator as well his name Leonid Todorov that was also responsible for reviewing the the translation for us We had translators some some translations. It was really a collaborative process So we had some translations that were made from people here with us Also some translations made by by specific professionals hired for that but all the translations were reviewed by people of the field of this field here the internet governance community and people that were involved with the net mundial process and could Review the work and help us out with all the details because there are a lot of details and you know that So that’s it just to recognize these people and all this work because it’s a very complex and very very minimalistic work and we really need to be very Helped to to reach this kind of result. Thank you very much. That’s it

Valeria Betancourt: Thank you. Sure a very important comment that I want to make well I hope it is important But as many of you know, we are going through the plus 20 review of the World Summit on the Information Society and And I think this instrument that we have here, it has very practical and pragmatic steps and recommendations on how to make inclusion a reality. And I mention this because the opportunity that the PLAS-20 review of the WSIS present us is to precisely increase the representation of underrepresented views, perspectives, communities, and stakeholders. And I think if we really want to achieve the WSIS vision and to make progress in terms of a digital future with dignity and justice, it cannot happen if we don’t really in practice at all levels, national, regional, local, global, increase the representation of perspectives that have been overlooked or because of different reasons are not present here as they should be. So I think this is a powerful instrument for us to use in order to make sure that those voices, perspectives, and realities are taken into consideration as part of the review. So we actually can move towards a future that is truly more inclusive. Thank you.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Pierre?

Pierre Bonis: Yeah, thank you. If I can add a few words because I was so thrilled by the process that everyone talked about that I almost talk about that only, but on the translation process in French. So first of all, I want to thank Lucien Castex because it has been a work to read the translation that we asked to a professional translator. And in that process, I think we see in this document that the concept of the Internet governance are better translated that for instance, the official translation that we can find even in the UN system. Because when you had the WSIS for instance, the translation of the Geneva Declaration and Agenda of Tunis was made by very competent translators from the UN system, but not from the field. So now if you look at the words, at least in French, there is a new translation of IG concept that is closer to the field that it was before. So maybe it gives an idea for the next WSIS plus 20 process to ask some of the community of the multi-stakeholder community to read the official translation of the UN before they are published. Maybe it will be more understandable later, but anyway, thank you to have given us this opportunity to do it. And once again, thank you to Lucien who have done that brilliantly in French.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you. Thank you. Jennifer, please.

Jennifer Chung: Thank you so much. Just very briefly because of what Akinori and Valeria said about going through the WSIS plus 20 process and actually this is a good time to use and actually kind of enshrine these principles, these guidelines into the input. And I wanted to take up on specifically on translation because of language. Because we are, when we live and breathe internet governance and multi-stakeholderism, we live and dream it, we are able to actually translate it into our native languages and this actually helps us with capacity building in our own communities for them to understand these concepts so they too can be leveled up to be able to substantively input into the WSIS plus 20 process. So this is such a valuable undertaking and thank you again CGI, WPR, Renata and all of those, I’m looking around, I don’t see them anymore, Everton and Vinicius and all of, oh there you are, to actually do this, to enable us to have this resource so we can uplift our own communities. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: We thank you, Jennifer. People are saying to me that I have to say to you that the copy of this book is free so please pick up one of these. We have some on our booth as well on the CGI.br but I think there are many on the tables, on the chairs and anything, anyone wants to add some more comments or from the audience? We still have five minutes, I want to ask you a question if you allow me. Is there anything in the process of translation that made more clear to you or made more important to you some of the principles that are in this book? I know that the process of translation is always a process of rethinking, reflecting on the text. So if you have something on your mind. Jorge told us about power imbalances, which is very much addressed in this book. So please.

Valeria Betancourt: I can say something, obviously as I mentioned earlier, translation, it’s also permeated by politics, your politics, your understanding of processes of existence, of issues, of problems, of your own reality, all of that is also translated into the exercise of translating content. So in that sense I think the fact that we have the NetMundial principles in different languages, it also increases the level of appropriation. And appropriation of the instruments that we have at the moment, whether they are frameworks of principles, whether they are guidelines, whether they are set of policies or practices, whatever the instrument it is, the possibility to relate with those instruments on your own language I think increases the possibility or appropriate them in a way that is meaningful. And only by being meaningful we can engage with the governance arrangements that could respond to the challenges that we face in a way that really means something for the different groups and realities. So that is what I want to highlight in terms of the translation. It’s not exempt of those politics and the political dimension that the processes have, particularly if they have to do with the governance of digital technology. Thank you.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Renata?

Renata Mielli: I want to make a comment, not about the translation process, but about the importance in having the guidelines in different languages. When I’m going to discuss the NetMundial plus 10 guidelines with Spanish people, I don’t read the guidelines in English or in Portuguese. I look for the guidelines in Spanish because I can see the difference in the impact that the very specific language has in the translation. So for us, it’s amazing to see that. When I’m going to talk about in English, I go to the English version because it’s different for the Portuguese. And the other day I made a meeting and I talked about NetMundial plus 10 for Brazilian people. And I didn’t read the Portuguese version until that moment. And I saw differences that make more sense in Portuguese. So for us, it’s also important to have this book in all these languages. It’s very interesting and an education process for me.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Jorge?

Jorge Cancio: Yeah, perhaps a similar example. We were having a discussion in the management board of my office, where we were talking about a process, a procedure that was rather internal, but that had some elements of needing inclusion and openness. And it was super handy for me because I could refer to the text, to the process steps, both in German and in French, because normally it’s the languages we work in, we discuss. And it has a completely different impact for my colleagues who are not used to work in English, so that I could show them, indicate them the text I was referring to in German or in French.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Thank you. Thank you. Any more comments? I think our time is over. So please, Renata, do you want to say something?

Renata Mielli: No. I want to say, don’t go. Let’s take a picture with everybody who is here from the HLAC before closing the session.

Rafael de Almeida Evangelista: Okay. So let’s make a picture. But thank you all for attending this presentation, and please pick up a copy of the book. Thank you. Thank you.

Agreement points

NetMundial demonstrates effectiveness of multi-stakeholder governance

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Jennifer Chung
– Audience
– Renata Mielli

Arguments

NetMundial demonstrates multi-stakeholder approach can deliver results in timely manner

NetMundial serves as shining example that multi-stakeholder process works and produces tangible results

NetMundial process has become the conscience of information society regarding multi-stakeholder engagement

Collective work is essential for achieving real societal impact

Summary

All speakers agree that NetMundial represents a successful model of multi-stakeholder governance that delivers concrete results quickly and serves as an inspiring example for the global community

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Translation requires collaborative effort from field experts

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Jennifer Chung
– Vinicius W. O. Santos

Arguments

Internet governance concepts are better translated by field experts than general UN translators

Chinese translation required coordination across different Chinese-speaking communities and scripts

Translation process was highly collaborative involving multiple reviewers and field experts

Summary

Speakers unanimously agree that high-quality translation of technical governance documents requires collaboration among experts from the internet governance field rather than relying solely on professional translators

Topics

Sociocultural

Multilingual resources enable meaningful community engagement

Speakers

– Valeria Betancourt
– Jennifer Chung
– Jorge Cancio
– Renata Mielli

Arguments

Having guidelines in native languages increases appropriation and meaningful engagement

Multilingual availability enables capacity building in local communities

Native language resources help colleagues who don’t work in English understand concepts better

Different language versions have distinct impacts and make more sense in specific contexts

Summary

All speakers agree that providing resources in native languages significantly enhances understanding, appropriation, and meaningful participation in governance processes

Topics

Sociocultural

Guidelines must be actively implemented to remain valuable

Speakers

– Jorge Cancio
– Akinori Maemura
– Valeria Betancourt

Arguments

Guidelines must be put to work in various contexts to gain reality and avoid being forgotten

Japanese translation contributes to better understanding in Japanese community

Guidelines provide practical steps for making inclusion reality in WSIS Plus 20 review

Summary

Speakers agree that the true value of the guidelines lies in their practical implementation across various governance contexts rather than their mere existence as documents

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize that translation is not merely technical but involves cultural and contextual adaptation that makes content more meaningful and impactful for specific audiences

Speakers

– Valeria Betancourt
– Renata Mielli

Arguments

Translation expresses different views of reality and responds to contextual realities

Different language versions have distinct impacts and make more sense in specific contexts

Topics

Sociocultural

Both speakers view NetMundial as definitive proof that multi-stakeholder processes can be effective and produce concrete outcomes, countering critics who claim such processes are ineffective

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Jennifer Chung

Arguments

NetMundial demonstrates multi-stakeholder approach can deliver results in timely manner

NetMundial serves as shining example that multi-stakeholder process works and produces tangible results

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Both speakers see multilingual resources as tools for empowerment and inclusion, enabling broader participation in governance processes

Speakers

– Jennifer Chung
– Valeria Betancourt

Arguments

Multilingual availability enables capacity building in local communities

Guidelines can be used to increase representation of underrepresented communities

Topics

Development | Human rights

Unexpected consensus

Technical complexity of collaborative online editing

Speakers

– Akinori Maemura

Arguments

Dynamic online editing process with global HLAC members was remarkable collaborative experience

Explanation

While not directly contradicted by others, the detailed appreciation for the technical and logistical complexity of simultaneous global editing represents an unexpected focus on process innovation that wasn’t emphasized by other speakers

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Ongoing nature of translation efforts beyond official publication

Speakers

– Everton Rodrigues

Arguments

Translation efforts are ongoing and open to additional languages beyond UN official languages

Explanation

The commitment to continue accepting translations beyond the six UN languages represents an unexpected expansion of the project’s scope that goes beyond typical publication cycles

Topics

Sociocultural

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion shows remarkable consensus across all speakers on the value of NetMundial as a governance model, the importance of collaborative translation by field experts, the necessity of multilingual resources for inclusive participation, and the need for practical implementation of guidelines. There were no significant disagreements or conflicting viewpoints expressed.

Consensus level

Very high consensus with strong mutual reinforcement of key themes. This unanimous support suggests the NetMundial Plus 10 process has successfully built broad stakeholder buy-in and demonstrates the maturity of the multi-stakeholder governance community in recognizing effective practices. The consensus has significant implications for legitimizing and scaling multi-stakeholder approaches globally.

Different viewpoints

Translation approach – professional vs community-based

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Vinicius W. O. Santos

Arguments

Internet governance concepts are better translated by field experts than general UN translators

Translation process was highly collaborative involving multiple reviewers and field experts

Summary

Pierre emphasizes the superiority of field expert translations over professional UN translators, while Vinicius describes a hybrid approach using both professional translators and community reviewers. They differ on the optimal translation methodology.

Topics

Sociocultural

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion showed remarkably high consensus among speakers with only minor methodological differences regarding translation approaches

Disagreement level

Very low disagreement level. The speakers demonstrated strong alignment on core principles of multi-stakeholder governance, the value of multilingual accessibility, and the importance of practical implementation. The minimal disagreements were constructive and focused on methodology rather than fundamental principles, suggesting a mature and collaborative community working toward shared goals.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize that translation is not merely technical but involves cultural and contextual adaptation that makes content more meaningful and impactful for specific audiences

Speakers

– Valeria Betancourt
– Renata Mielli

Arguments

Translation expresses different views of reality and responds to contextual realities

Different language versions have distinct impacts and make more sense in specific contexts

Topics

Sociocultural

Both speakers view NetMundial as definitive proof that multi-stakeholder processes can be effective and produce concrete outcomes, countering critics who claim such processes are ineffective

Speakers

– Pierre Bonis
– Jennifer Chung

Arguments

NetMundial demonstrates multi-stakeholder approach can deliver results in timely manner

NetMundial serves as shining example that multi-stakeholder process works and produces tangible results

Topics

Legal and regulatory

Both speakers see multilingual resources as tools for empowerment and inclusion, enabling broader participation in governance processes

Speakers

– Jennifer Chung
– Valeria Betancourt

Arguments

Multilingual availability enables capacity building in local communities

Guidelines can be used to increase representation of underrepresented communities

Topics

Development | Human rights

Key takeaways

NetMundial Plus 10 successfully demonstrates that multi-stakeholder processes can deliver concrete, timely results and produce tangible outcomes

The Sao Paulo Multi-stakeholder Guidelines provide a practical, actionable framework for improving governance processes with principles of transparency, participation, and adaptability

Translation into multiple languages is not merely linguistic conversion but enables cultural appropriation and contextual understanding of governance concepts

Collaborative translation processes involving field experts produce better results than standard institutional translations

The guidelines serve as a living document that gains value through practical implementation rather than remaining theoretical

Multi-language availability significantly increases community capacity building and enables broader participation in governance processes

The NetMundial process represents a successful model for inclusive, bottom-up decision-making that can be replicated at various levels

Resolutions and action items

Continue accepting and publishing translations in additional languages beyond the six UN languages

Implement the Sao Paulo Guidelines in various contexts including national IGFs (specifically Swiss IGF mentioned)

Use the guidelines as input for the WSIS Plus 20 review process to increase representation of underrepresented communities

Apply the guidelines in dynamic coalitions, best practice forums, and policy networks

Provide feedback on implementation experiences to evolve and improve the guidelines

Utilize the IGF as the platform to continue developing and refining the multi-stakeholder guidelines

Unresolved issues

How to effectively scale the NetMundial model to other regions and contexts beyond the examples mentioned

Specific mechanisms for collecting and incorporating feedback from implementation experiences

How to ensure sustained engagement and prevent the guidelines from being forgotten over time

Methods for measuring the effectiveness of the guidelines in addressing power imbalances and asymmetries

Coordination mechanisms for ongoing translation efforts in additional languages

Suggested compromises

None identified

Sometimes people look at our model, at the multi-stakeholder model, saying, okay, that’s nice, but it doesn’t deliver anything. And NetMundial and NetMundial Plus10… you see that in four days, you get a consensus that is a solid one, that can last four years, as in other fora, you may talk for 10 years without having anything like that.

Speaker

Pierre Bonis

Reason

This comment directly addresses a fundamental criticism of multi-stakeholder governance – that it’s inefficient and doesn’t produce concrete results. By contrasting NetMundial’s 4-day consensus with other forums that ‘talk for 10 years without having anything,’ Pierre provides a powerful counter-narrative that reframes the discussion from theoretical benefits to practical effectiveness.

Impact

This comment established a defensive yet confident tone for the entire discussion, positioning NetMundial as proof-of-concept for multi-stakeholder effectiveness. It influenced subsequent speakers to emphasize concrete outcomes and practical applications rather than just theoretical principles.

Translation is not just a mere transposition, a literal transposition of specific content from one language to another. When doing the translation we are actually also expressing different views of reality, different perspectives… It’s not only a communication strategy… but for me it’s actually mostly an attempt to respond to the contextual realities of people, if we really want to be inclusive.

Speaker

Valeria Betancourt

Reason

This insight transforms the discussion from viewing translation as a technical process to understanding it as a political and cultural act. Valeria introduces the concept that language carries worldviews and that true inclusivity requires acknowledging these different realities, not just linguistic accessibility.

Impact

This comment elevated the entire conversation about translation, leading other speakers to reflect more deeply on their translation experiences. It prompted Renata to later observe how different language versions had different impacts on audiences, and influenced the discussion toward viewing translation as a tool for democratic governance rather than just communication.

It’s really in our hands to put them to work… if it’s just a piece of paper it will get forgotten in some years of time but if we put them to use… they will really gain some reality, they will inform what we do on a multi-stakeholder fashion at the different levels.

Speaker

Jorge Cancio

Reason

This comment shifts the focus from celebrating the achievement to acknowledging the responsibility for implementation. Jorge introduces urgency and agency, warning against the common fate of policy documents that remain unused, and emphasizes the need for active application across different governance levels.

Impact

This comment created a turning point in the discussion, moving from retrospective celebration to forward-looking action. It prompted speakers to discuss practical applications and inspired concrete examples of implementation, such as Jorge’s own work with the Swiss IGF and references to using the guidelines in WSIS+20 processes.

The interesting part about my mother tongue, Chinese, is I actually have two because I speak Cantonese… The script itself is also quite interesting. We have the traditional script… So when we looked into the translation process, we really had to, even within the Chinese community, do a lot of collaboration because we find that certain terms are translated in different ways.

Speaker

Jennifer Chung

Reason

This comment reveals the complexity hidden within seemingly simple categories like ‘Chinese translation.’ Jennifer exposes how even within a single language community, there are multiple variants, scripts, and terminologies that require extensive collaboration and negotiation, demonstrating that inclusivity requires attention to intra-community diversity.

Impact

This comment deepened the discussion about translation complexity and reinforced Valeria’s earlier point about translation as a collaborative, political process. It led to greater appreciation for the collaborative nature of the entire translation effort and influenced later comments about the importance of community involvement in translation work.

We had ongoing efforts in other languages as well, so please feel invited to send us those new translations to contact us also to make those translations available… the future of NetMundial is still ongoing.

Speaker

Everton Rodrigues

Reason

This comment reframes NetMundial from a completed project to an ongoing, living process. By opening the door for additional translations and emphasizing continuity, Everton transforms the book launch from an endpoint to a milestone in an continuing journey, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the initiative.

Impact

This comment energized the discussion and led to immediate offers of additional translations (James Ndolufuye offering Swahili, Yoruba, and Hausa). It shifted the conversation from retrospective to prospective, encouraging active participation and expanding the scope of the initiative beyond the current publication.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally shaped the discussion by transforming it from a simple book launch celebration into a sophisticated dialogue about governance effectiveness, cultural politics of translation, and ongoing responsibility for implementation. Pierre’s opening defense of multi-stakeholder efficiency set a confident tone that influenced all subsequent speakers to emphasize concrete outcomes. Valeria’s insight about translation as cultural-political work elevated the entire conversation about language and inclusivity, leading to richer reflections from other translators. Jorge’s call for active implementation created a crucial pivot from celebration to action, while Jennifer’s detailed account of Chinese translation complexity and Everton’s invitation for ongoing contributions transformed the event from a conclusion to a beginning. Together, these comments created a dynamic flow that moved the discussion through multiple layers – from defending multi-stakeholder governance, to understanding translation as political work, to accepting responsibility for future implementation – ultimately positioning the NetMundial guidelines as both a proven model and a living tool for democratic governance.

How can the NetMundial Plus 10 guidelines be effectively implemented and utilized in various multi-stakeholder processes at local, national, regional, and global levels?

Speaker

Jorge Cancio

Explanation

Jorge emphasized that the guidelines need to be put to work in practice rather than remaining as documents, and invited feedback on what works, what doesn’t work, and where improvements are needed when implementing them in real processes

How can the Sao Paulo multi-stakeholder guidelines be applied to improve the Swiss IGF processes?

Speaker

Jorge Cancio

Explanation

Jorge mentioned they are actively trying to implement the guidelines for the Swiss IGF to ensure processes are bottom-up, open, inclusive, and take into account asymmetries of power and influence

How can the NetMundial Plus 10 guidelines be used as input for the WSIS Plus 20 review process?

Speaker

Valeria Betancourt and Jennifer Chung

Explanation

Both speakers highlighted the opportunity to use these practical guidelines to increase representation of underrepresented communities and ensure more inclusive participation in the WSIS Plus 20 review

How can translation into additional local languages (Swahili, Yoruba, Hausa) be coordinated and implemented?

Speaker

James Ndolufuye

Explanation

James offered to translate the guidelines into African languages to scale the approach across Africa, indicating a need for coordination of additional translation efforts

How can the multi-stakeholder community contribute to improving official UN translations of internet governance concepts?

Speaker

Pierre Bonis

Explanation

Pierre suggested that the community could review official UN translations before publication to make them more understandable and closer to field terminology, particularly for the WSIS Plus 20 process

How can the guidelines be utilized in Japanese multi-stakeholder processes to make their value more tangible and substantial?

Speaker

Akinori Maemura

Explanation

Akinori emphasized that the document becomes more valuable when utilized in actual processes and expressed interest in applying it to Japanese community multi-stakeholder processes

What feedback and lessons learned can be gathered from ongoing implementations of the guidelines in various contexts?

Speaker

Jorge Cancio

Explanation

Jorge called for bringing back feedback on implementation experiences to continue evolving and improving the guidelines based on real-world application