Wrap up

Summary

This transcript covers the closing remarks of EuroDIG 2025, focusing on the future of digital governance and the upcoming Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Norway. Speakers emphasized the importance of a human-centered approach to technology, highlighting the need for ethical considerations and protection of vulnerable groups in the digital environment. They discussed the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and the need for improved digital literacy.

The speakers stressed the significance of multi-stakeholder dialogue in shaping digital policies and the need to strengthen global digital cooperation frameworks like WSIS and IGF. They emphasized the importance of inclusivity, particularly in involving voices from the Global South and underrepresented groups. The upcoming IGF 2025 in Norway was highlighted as a crucial opportunity to address pressing digital issues and contribute to more effective global digital governance.

Speakers also touched on Norway’s role in internet history and its commitment to hosting an impactful IGF. They encouraged active participation from all stakeholders and emphasized the importance of diverse perspectives in fostering innovation and creating beneficial solutions. The discussion concluded with expressions of gratitude to the organizers and participants of EuroDIG, highlighting the event’s success in promoting meaningful dialogue on digital governance issues.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– The impact of digital technology and AI on society, including both benefits and risks

– The importance of a human-centered approach to digital governance

– The need for multi-stakeholder cooperation in shaping digital policy

– Preparations for the upcoming Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2025 in Norway

– Reflections on EuroDIG 2025 and plans for future events

Overall purpose:

The purpose of this discussion was to close out the EuroDIG 2025 conference by reflecting on key themes, looking ahead to upcoming events like IGF 2025, and emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration on digital governance issues.

Tone:

The overall tone was optimistic yet serious, emphasizing both the progress made and the challenges ahead. Speakers expressed enthusiasm for future events while stressing the ongoing work needed. The tone became slightly more casual and lighthearted toward the end during the thank-you remarks, but maintained an underlying sense of the importance of the work being done.

Speakers

Speakers from the provided list:

– Marianne Wilhelmsen

Role: State Secretary at the Ministry of Digitalization and Public Governance in Norway

– Sandra Hoferichter

Role: Secretary General of EuroDIG

– Chengetai Masango

Role: Head of the Office of the Secretariat of IGF

– Thomas Schneider

Role: President of the European Support Association

– Moritz Taylor

Role: Moderator

– Matjaz Gruden

Role: Director of Democracy at DG2, the Council of Europe

Area of expertise: Education, youth, culture, heritage, civil society, and media freedom

Additional speakers:

– Rainer

Role: Assistant to Sandra Hoferichter

– Nadja

Role: Youth participation organizer and stage director

– Elisabeth

Role: Social media and newsletter manager

– Joao

Role: Remote moderator

– Francesco

Role: Youth diggers supervisor

– Miriam

Role: Youth dig team organizer

– Daniel

Role: Youth dig team organizer

Summary of EuroDIG Closing Remarks

The closing remarks of EuroDIG focused on the future of digital governance and the upcoming Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Norway. Three main speakers contributed to a comprehensive discussion that touched on several key themes.

Matjaz Gruden, Director of Democracy at the Council of Europe:

Gruden emphasized that technology itself is ethically neutral, but its effects are determined by human use. He provocatively quoted Timothy Snyder, suggesting that the internet has made the world population “20% more stupid,” challenging the common assumption that increased connectivity leads to improved intelligence. Gruden stressed the importance of a human-centric approach to technology, arguing that it should enhance human capabilities rather than replace human creativity. He illustrated this point with a quote from Joanna Maciejewska, emphasizing the desire for technology to handle mundane tasks, freeing humans to focus on creative pursuits. Gruden also discussed the concept of “Degenerative AI” and mentioned an “AI-proofed assignment” as examples of the complex relationship between AI and human intelligence.

Marianne Wilhelmsen, State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Digitalization and Public Governance:

Wilhelmsen emphasized that digital governance must prioritize human rights protection. She highlighted Norway’s role in early internet adoption and stressed the importance of the WSIS framework in global digital cooperation. Wilhelmsen noted that while not always the most efficient approach, multi-stakeholder dialogue is essential for ensuring all relevant perspectives are heard and for building trust between diverse actors. She expressed Norway’s commitment to hosting an impactful and inclusive IGF 2025 in Lillestrøm, aiming to strengthen global digital cooperation frameworks.

Chengetai Masango, Head of the Office of the Secretariat of IGF:

Masango noted that the 2025 IGF would be the largest UN meeting ever hosted by Norway, underscoring its importance. He praised the efficiency of the Norwegian organizing team and highlighted special features of the upcoming IGF, including a music night. Masango emphasized the need to enhance inclusivity at the IGF, particularly in involving voices from the Global South and underrepresented groups.

Thomas Schneider, President of the European Support Association, and Sandra Hoferichter, Secretary General of EuroDIG, offered closing remarks:

Both speakers reflected positively on the EuroDIG event, praising its success and professionalism. Hoferichter announced that EuroDIG messages would be published by 25 May and presented at the global IGF. She also mentioned plans to announce the location for next year’s EuroDIG by August or September, and explained the message drafting process.

The closing session included a video presentation about the IGF 2025 in Norway. As a gesture of appreciation, flowers and Swedish fish were given to the organizing team. Attendees were reminded about the EuroDIG newsletter and social media channels for future updates.

The discussion concluded on a note of gratitude to the organizers and participants of EuroDIG, celebrating the event’s success in promoting meaningful dialogue on critical digital governance issues. As the focus shifts to the upcoming IGF 2025 in Lillestrøm, Norway, there is a clear commitment to building on these discussions to shape a more inclusive and effective global digital governance framework.

Moritz Taylor: It’s time for the closing of Eurodict to begin and we’ll be starting by welcoming Matjaz Gruden, Director of Democracy at DG2, the Council of Europe. Thank you very much.

Matjaz Gruden: Thank you. Thank you very much. Just a moment. I’m very technology conscious, so I’ll be using a mobile telephone in a peripheral function. I’m sure you must be exhausted. It’s been three days, but you’re almost there, or not, we’ll see. Obviously I don’t know how to do it, forget it. My name is Matjaz Gruden, I’m the Director for Democracy, one of the most pretentious titles in European, international, multilateral architecture, but it actually means that I’m responsible for the Council of Europe work in the area of education, youth, culture and heritage, civil society, and media freedom. And we’re trying to approach the issues that you’ve been discussing over the last three days related to digital technology, artificial intelligence, from all those different perspectives, but especially from the perspectives of what it means for democracy, for the functioning of our democratic systems. Let me just make a last try. Nope. Okay. A few years back, we organized a meeting or a lecture by a US historian, Professor Timothy Snyder, who came to Strasbourg, and there was one thing that he said on that occasion that really stayed with me. He said, because of the internet, the entire world population has become 20% more stupid than it was before. And the reason why nobody is noticing it is that we are all collectively 20% more stupid. Now it’s hesitating to start with, open with this quote from Professor Snyder, because I felt it would come across as too cynical, exaggerated, and very anti-technology, negative about technology. And then just this morning, I came across an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education specialized publication in the United States, a testimony from a professor from New York University who said that he has given to his students an AI-proofed assignment. And the reaction was hilarious. First they complained it was too hard, and then he explained that these were standard assignments only prepared in a way that Chad GPT would not be able to read and answer them. Then they complained that he was interfering with their learning style. And one of them even demanded an extension, because Chad GPT was down on that day. So when you look at that, I thought perhaps Professor Snyder wasn’t exaggerating. Perhaps he was too conservative. Mind you, this was years ago, he was talking about internet, that was before Chad GPT and artificial intelligence made its entrance into our lives, before the artificial intelligence made at least some people, in a very un-artificial way, clearly less bright, like these students, where we can observe a risk of atrophy of some cognitive functions due to excessive use of artificial intelligence. Degenerative AI, I claimed it first, sorry I couldn’t resist, but this is not a rant against technology, I’d be stupid to do that with this audience. But I just wanted to start with that because I wanted to illustrate that we did travel a long way from those early days, at least I remember because I’m old enough, the early days of the internet, of unbridled enthusiasm and belief that technology, digital technology is going to transform our societies for the better, on its own, by default. And I think that we have now realised that we were wrong. Not wrong because we believe that technology was inherently good, because it’s neither good or bad, it’s because we have been attributing ethical qualities and intentions to a machine. Because as I said, technology is neither good nor bad, it’s ethically neutral, it is really what makes it good or bad is what humans do with it, and especially what humans do to other humans with it and through it. And I think one of the biggest mistakes that we can make is to frame and understand the digital society in terms of interaction between technology and humans alone, because it remains defined by interactions between humans, but with and through technology, of course. I think that’s something that’s quite self-evident, but still I feel it’s something that’s important to say it and say it loud and say it often, because it reminds us that we, humans, retain agency to shape our interactions and shape our societies, even and especially in the conditions and circumstances of that increased and over-present influence of technology. So I’m very pleased and I welcome the fact that the sessions at this EuroDIG have underscored that digital governance is fundamentally about people, that it is about ensuring that innovation serves the public good, that ethical principles guide or must guide our decisions, and that the most vulnerable, especially children, are protected in the digital environment. The human-centred approach must remain at the heart of all governance efforts as we shape a future where rights, safety and dignity are preserved online. The question is how. This is a very noble intention, but the question is how. I like to start with how not. I don’t think we’re going to be successful by repeating ritualised platitudes about minimising the risks and maximising the benefits, regardless of the resolve and passion and enthusiasm we invest in our claims. When you look at it on minimising, I think we can say that we have improved in identifying the risks and threats of the use of technology, even though I think that there are large areas where we are still in the dark. But we’re not very successful in identifying effective, or we’re not sufficiently successful in identifying effective responses to these risks. When it comes to maximising benefits, it’s a little bit of a mixed picture, because I think it’s absolutely clear that digital technology, artificial intelligence are built in and it’s driving a multitude of processes and systems that are making our lives better and safer, and I think that’s important. But on the other hand, it is also things that are, to a large extent, invisible to the general public, and that public perception of technology is being dominated by the negative, especially when it comes to human relations, disinformation, manipulation of elections, fraud and so on. That is not good. That is actually dangerous, because mistrust, fear or resentment of technology is not making our societies any safer. If anything, it is making manipulation easier, misuse easier. So I think it’s important also to give technology a better reputation. I welcome also the fact that EuroDIG went beyond the obvious and the platitudes and dug into the concrete and practical solutions on how to mitigate the risks of AI systems for human rights, on ways to resolve tensions and disagreements between tech giants and European regulators on the scope of freedom of expression, on how to tackle the challenges to privacy created by neurotechnology development. To succeed, we need to work together, as you have over those three days and on many other occasions. We need to compare notes. We need to push each other. We need to drive innovation. And this is what EuroDIG does, and this is why it is so important for the Council of Europe to be involved and to contribute. I welcome very much the focus on human-centered approach. I remember, which of course you have also heard many times, that statement by the young Polish artist Joanna Maciewska, I think she lives in Ireland, who said about AI that, I want the technology to do my dishes and laundry so I can do my job. I am a young artist, and I am doing my art and my writing, not the technology doing my art and my writing so I can do the dishes and the laundry. Of course the technology is replacing and will be replacing many of the tasks that we are doing, generally with positive effects. There may be some hiccups in that, but that’s a good and positive development. But the fundamental message of this young artist’s stance is that technology should make our lives better. And similarly goes for innovation. While we all overwhelmingly support increased investment in innovation, we should also bear in mind that the ultimate goal of the innovation also is not just to make our technology better, it’s to make our lives better. So we need to continue our conversations and cooperation to acquire, to get right and constantly update the right mix of policies and interventions. Regulations, where and when regulations are necessary and needed. Improved governance, but also investments in people. Through education especially, not exclusively. In digital skills and competencies, because it is essential that people understand technology. That they have sufficient knowledge about the infrastructure of the digital ecosystem in order to be able to be empowered in a digital society. Not that everybody is going to become an AI specialist and programmer, but there has to be a higher level of digital knowledge in society as a whole. But it’s not only about digital skills and competencies. Because we must not forget, again, this is about human interactions. And not every threat can be attributed to technology, which is very often an amplifier in most of the threats that we are facing. But it’s not always the cause of every pathology we are confronted with in today’s world. From polarization, disinformation, growing sense of social, economic, political, technological marginalization and neglect. In all these, technology plays a role, but very often as an amplifier. But we also look at the causes and find answers to those causes. I mean, it wasn’t the technology that made so many people around the world claim and believe that a used handkerchief was a bag of cocaine. The technology just disseminated to many more people in a shorter period of time. But it’s something in people that made them make that claim and share that claim, share that nonsense. So we need to look at what is pushing people towards that. What is making them vulnerable to misuse of technology and sometimes actively embracing some of those nefarious side impacts, effects of technology. So I think we need to find effective responses to all these developments. To all this sense of alienation, loss of confidence, loss of trust, fear of the future. Sense of social, economical, political, marginalization and neglect that I mentioned. If we want also to get the digital AI transition right. One requires the other. I think we can be really satisfied. I’d like to congratulate you all for three, two and a half days of hard work. And I think we can all be satisfied with the result. It clearly was a good and productive session. But I also think that, and I know that you will all agree, it’s not enough. We cannot just now go and clap each other on the shoulder and become complacent. Because this was an important step, but only a step in something that, you know, it’s a marathon. It’s a marathon with never quickening pace and no set distance. So we just have to keep on running and running ever faster. Because future will not adjust to our learning styles. We need to adjust our learning styles to the future. Or the future will interfere with our living styles in ways we surely wish to avoid. Thank you very much.

Moritz Taylor: Thank you very much, Matjaz. We’ll move on swiftly to the next speaker, which is online actually. It’s Marianne Wilhelmsen, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Digitalization and Public Governance in Norway. Thank you very much.

Marianne Wilhelmsen: Thank you. Esteemed colleagues, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. As we come to the close of Euro Day 2025, I’m filled with a sense of optimism and determination. Over the past few days, we have engaged in rich discussions, shared diverse perspectives and explored new possibilities. This forum has once again demonstrated the power of multi-stakeholder dialogue in shaping our digital future. We stand at a pivotal moment for global digital cooperation. As we mark the 20th anniversaries of both WSIS and IGF, we recognize that these milestones are closely linked. Norway believes that a strengthened and updated WSIS framework is fundamental to achieving continued global digital cooperation. The digital landscape has changed dramatically since WSIS first was established, and so the framework must adapt to reflect today’s realities and challenges. Our approach must be clearly human-centric. Technology must serve humanity, not the other way around. Human rights, including freedom of expression and privacy, must underpin all our efforts. We must strengthen the multi-stakeholder model, ensuring meaningful participation from governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, international organizations and the technical community. This means lowering barriers to participation, supporting underrepresented groups and ensuring the voices of the global south are heard. In this context, it is crucial to better connect WSIS, the global digital compact and sustainable development goals. Without coordination, we risk duplication and fragmented global efforts. From the outside, the ecosystem can seem complex and hard to navigate. It must become easier to understand how these processes relate to each other, what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and how digitalization can become a tool for sustainable and just progress. The IGF 2025 theme, Building Digital Governance Together, reflects Norway’s strong belief in international collaboration. We want the Forum in Norway to serve as a true meeting point and platform for addressing key digital challenges we face today. We aim to build momentum ahead of the WSIS plus 20 negotiations, demonstrating what a modern, relevant IGF can deliver. As a host, Norway is committing to creating an inclusive, engaging and forward-thinking IGF. Our goal is that this year’s event leaves lasting impact, strengthening the IGF itself and contributing to more effective global digital governance. We envision IGF25 to be a space where diverse stakeholders can come together to discuss and address the pressing issues of our time. This includes the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, the challenges of ensuring cybersecurity, and the protection of kids and youth online. By fostering an environment of open dialogue and collaboration, we hope to inspire innovative solutions and build a more inclusive digital future. As you know, the IGF is the world’s biggest platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue on internet governance and digital policy. Multi-stakeholder dialogue is not always the most efficient path, but it is the only approach that ensures that all relevant perspectives are heard. It helps to build trust between actors who would otherwise have no common space for discussion. It strengthens the legitimacy and relevance of digital governance outcomes by allowing those affected by decisions to help share them. Some have criticized the IGF for not having a decision-making power, but it is also part of its strength. It provides continuous involvement, open dialogue, and capacity building across stakeholder groups. By working together, we can create a digital future that’s equitable, just, and sustainable. Norway strongly supports renewing the IGF’s mandate beyond 2025, and the renewal must come with a strengthening of the forum. We must enhance inclusivity, especially from the Global South and underrepresented groups. We should make IGF outcomes more accessible and useful for policymaking. Finally, we need to leverage the IGF community more effectively, including national and regional initiatives, to channel expertise and lessons learned into the broader UN digital agenda. The current global security situation, particularly the ongoing war in Ukraine, underscores the importance of robust international cooperation and governance. The conflict has had profound implications for European security and highlighted the need for collective action. In this context, the role of the multi-stakeholder community and effective internet governance become even more crucial. Smaller stakeholders, often with limited resources, rely on these frameworks to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are addressed. Good governance practices help level the playing field, providing these stakeholders with the tools they need. with the support and platforms necessary to participate meaningfully in global discussions. As we look to the future, it’s clear that internet governance would play an increasingly important role in shaping our societies and economies. The rapid pace of technological change presents both opportunities and challenges, and it’s essential that we navigate this landscape with care and foresight. We are now just 40 days away from the IGF 2025, and preparations are well underway. This will be the largest UN meeting Norway has ever hosted, and we’re proud to contribute meaningfully to the global dialogue on digital governance. A key part of our contribution is sessions which Norway are responsible for organizing. We have put significant thought into curating sessions that are timely, relevant, and aligned with the overarching theme, building digital governance together. There will be parallel sessions covering a wide range of themes throughout the week, and we of course hope people will make use of the breaks to continue discussions over coffee or some chocolate. Now, I know that Norway might be a small country, famous for fjords, fish, and freezing temperatures, but when it comes to digitalization, we like to think big, really big. In fact, did you know that Norway was the second country in the world to connect to the internet? That’s right, back in the 1970s, while most people were still figuring out how to program their VCRs, we were already online. Fast forward to the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. While the world was watching figure skating and ski jumping, a little company called OsloNet teamed up with the Norwegian news agency NTV to automatically publish Olympic news online. That might not sound revolutionary today, but in 1994, it was like inventing fire on the internet. And in 1995, we had a truly historic moment in national television, where they filmed Torben Jognand, the former Norwegian prime minister and now secretary general of the Council of Europe, sending a digital greeting to none other than President Bill Clinton. It was peak 90s diplomacy, no emojis, just per modem-powered statemanship. Since then, Norway has engaged with enthusiasm and commitment in internet governance. So yes, we might be small, but when it comes to digital innovation, we’ve always punched above our weight, and we’re not done yet. We look forward to welcoming many ministers and possibly prime ministers, along with leaders from across stakeholder groups to Norway in June. A strengthened IGF is key to the success of the WSIS process, and Norway is committed to working constructively with all partners. We hope IGF 2025 in Norway will be a space for open dialogue, fresh ideas, and stronger connections across regions and sectors. Delegates, IGF is what we collectively create and shape it to be. I urge you to return to your communities and encourage everyone to use their voice and actively participate in this process of shaping our digital future. Be proactive in inviting marginalized groups and stakeholders to the conversation. Although it might be challenging, I also encourage you to engage with those who hold different opinions. Diverse perspectives foster innovation and create solutions that benefit many. Now, as we conclude EuroDIG 2025, let’s carry forward the insights and commitments we have made here. I’d like to extend my gratitude to the organizers of EuroDIG, your dedication and hard work have made this forum a resounding success. I look forward to continuing these important discussions and building on the momentum we’ve gained here. Let’s build a digital future that’s inclusive, human-centric, and resilient. Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to welcoming you to Norway in June.

Moritz Taylor: Thank you very much. I’m not going to, because we’re a bit late on time, I’m just going to say Mr. Chengetai Masango, please come. Head of the Office of the Secretariat of IGF.

Chengetai Masango: Thank you very much, and I’d also like to thank the State Minister for her speech. I totally agree with everything she said, and this year, as you know, we had six months instead of the full year to organize the meeting, and the Norwegian team has been very efficient, very coordinated, and I think it’s the best type of synergy that we’ve had for a very long time with a host country organizing team, so we really appreciate them, and you really must come, and I’ll say it again. My speech is going to be short, because I know I’m the one who’s standing between you and the outside, and it’s also very good to see that a lot of you are still here. There’s a lot of retention in some meetings. The first day, there’s a lot of people, and then the last day, there’s also, there’s always very few people, but here I can see there’s quite a lot of people, so that is also a testament to how this meeting has been organized and the interest that you show. So, and I would also like to extend my congratulations to Sandra, Thomas, and the organizing committee, and of course, the generous hosts of the Council of Europe for organizing such an exceptional EuroDIG meeting, and EuroDIG continues to set such a high standard. I’ve stated before that when I come to EuroDIG meetings, there are things that I see here that I take back with me and implement and try and introduce them into the global IGF. The quality of discussion, of course, here is top-notch. The topics, of course, as well. I was hearing the previous meeting, previous session with a reflection, with Anna, etc., and of course, everything can be improved, but it’s really up there, and I particularly like in this meeting as well, at the end of each session, you had the review of the messages in the meeting itself, which is also very good, which is another thing that I’ll take back with me, and as has been emphasized this year, it is a particularly significant year for digital governance due to the ongoing WSIS 20 review. We have the various reform processes, and of course, we have the rapid advancements in generative, or should I say degenerative, sometime technologies, and the IGF meeting in Lillestrom will be a crucial opportunity for your voice to be heard in these crucial discussions. I’d just like to highlight that both of the co-facilitators of the WSIS 20 process will be there, that is Kenya and Albania, and they’ll be hosting a town hall meeting and also hosting bilateral meetings. We’ll have a sign-up sheet at the IGF website, so delegations and groups can also sign up to meet with the co-facilitators one-on-one, but also there’s going to be a general town hall meeting where people can have their views as well. So additionally, the IGF 2025 meeting is also a very special event, as all of you know. It is the 20th anniversary meeting, and it was coordinated by a specially formed MAG, and we have, and I think Adam is the one who coined the phrase, the go-to MAG, which it is, and please do come and see the results of that. We also anticipate participation for a number of heads of government, many ministers of course, organizational leaders of agencies, but also of NGOs, etc., and more importantly, a vibrant youth contingent, and I’m also pleased to announce that the music night will be back on this year, and Oslo and Lillestrøm also offer wonderful experiences to visitors. I’ve been there twice now, and it is a truly beautiful city, and come for the meeting, and stay for a weekend as well, and just see the sights and the views, it is really an amazing place, and the Norwegian hospitality is second to none. And then finally, currently we have approximately 4,000 registrations, so if you have not registered, please do register, because we do want to get the logistics just right, we don’t want to waste stuff, and we also don’t want to have too little of stuff, so the earlier you register, the more that we can get the numbers in, and know what to order, and know what we need to do, and in what quantities. So with that, I would like to conclude, and I’m pleased to present the IGF Norway video, if we can play that. The internet is a story about community and connection. A global space where we share our knowledge, our joys, and our lives. A space to receive news, services, and perspectives. The internet is where we connect. This is where ideas are shared. Businesses conducted. Memories preserved and identities are shaped. A community open to all of us to build, to form, and to protect. We are all connected. We are the internet. Let’s shape our future together. We welcome you to the Internet Governance Forum 2025 in Norway.

Moritz Taylor: Thank you for that. I think we all got a slight shiver. Brilliant. I’d like to introduce now, or bring to the floor rather, Thomas Schneider, President of the European Support Association. Sandra is running away. At least, Thomas, please come down. Sandra Hoferichter, of course, Secretary General of Eurodig.

Thomas Schneider: So, we have two mics. That’s perfect. We will be very short. It’s basically just to say thanks to everyone that was part of this great event that helped behind the scenes, in front of the scenes before, and will also support us after. It was very good to be back in Strasbourg. Everyone has developed in a number of ways. It was very professional, very efficient, which is not always the case in an international organization, but this was really a very good experience. We are looking forward also to a continued strengthened relationship with the Council of Europe as one of the key partners.

Sandra Hoferichter: I also want to thank everyone who stayed in the room. We know some of you will be leaving the city tonight. If you have the chance to stay in the city, you will explore how beautiful it is. I really wish you a nice time here. I would also like to thank Schengen Tire for the warm words, for recognizing what we are actually doing, that we always try to do something new, something which is then of benefit for the multi-stakeholder model, of course, but which can also be adopted by others. I think for regional IGF, it is a little bit more easier to try out things than for the global IGF, which has to follow much more protocol procedures. So I really appreciate that you take note of this and that this is taken into account on the global level, but also in the international. I would really like to continue connecting with the national IGFs in Europe and I hope we have the opportunity to do so at the global IGF. We will have a lightning talk where we would all like to welcome you. We will present the messages. The messages will be ready by the 25th of May if every message drafter keeps the deadline. And then they will be first published on the website and in Norway we will again hand out those brochures which you might have seen from the messages of last year. So if you want to have a hard copy, get one there. We will be at a booth where all or many NRIs are assembled this year. So we will share a booth. We won’t have a separate booth. We will share a booth with other IGFs and you will be able to meet us there and we can continue the discussion. For next year, we have some good ideas. We cannot yet announce something publicly, but I think we will be able to do so soon. And we hope to see you at EuroDIG around this time of the year, May, June, wherever that will be, somewhere in Europe. But we will announce it possibly by the end of August, beginning of September. And then of course start a community participation process with the call for issues as usual. And we really hope for your input. It’s your input that makes the program rich. It’s not us. And this is the beauty of the multi-stakeholder model. We are not a conference where a small organizing committee decides on the agenda. It’s the community that builds the agenda and it’s the community that shapes the agenda. Whatever is fantastic and whatever might not be as fantastic, it’s about the community. It’s all about us. Thank you very much.

Thomas Schneider: Thank you. See you in Norway, hopefully.

Sandra Hoferichter: But now, one last word. We would really like to thank everyone who was involved from the host team. Only Moritz, unfortunately, is here apart from the technical team, but they are still busy helping us. So, Moritz, for the office, some flowers and please convey that to your colleagues. Thank you very much. And if you wonder what’s in here, Swedish. Massive amount of Swedish. And please share that with everyone who was contributing. There are also interpreters, which we don’t see, but which really had a hard time following the speeches where they did not get the transcript or the script in advance. So, this is really a massive job they have done. Of course, the technical team, we were doing a rehearsal almost all Friday. When going through the program, through the slides, when is the microphone open, that is really something very difficult. And by the end of these three days, the technical team together with the Eurodig Secretariat, they are, I think, they could continue as professionals, I would say. Then let me also thank the people that are working very closely with me, which is my left and my right hand, Rainer. Rainer, maybe at least stand up. I guess everyone who was involved in building that program communicated with Rainer. Nadja fantastically organizes youth participation since quite a while, but not only this, she is basically also managing Hemicycle here on her phone and giving stage directory orders to everyone who is involved. Thank you very much, Nadja, you did a fantastic job. And Elisabeth is also with us for quite a while, started as Nadja, as youth digger, is now involved, and Elisabeth is the one who is informing you on social media channels newsletter. And I would really like to encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter. We send it out once a week, very regularly, but always very short. We actually only inform about the next step that are important for community participation. So we are not sending out huge texts and whatsoever, but if you would like to stay informed, please subscribe to the newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn, which is at the moment the best option to follow us. And then also we had helping hands with Jau, I think Jau is a fantastic remote moderator. He insists that all those who are online get as equal the opportunity to speak up as everyone who is in the room. Thank you very much, Joao. And Francesco was responsible of supervising the youth diggers that not only participated in youth dig, but also helped us with the remote moderation. So they basically learned three days before how to do it properly, I believe they did it properly, and Jau was basically organizing, not Jau, sorry, Francesco was coordinating all this. Thank you very much, Francesco. And then we have Miriam and Daniel, I don’t see Daniel, ah, there he is. Also helping to organize the youth dig team, the concept at youth dig is that youth diggers from previous years are actually organizing the youth dig for the current cohort, so that we really have a kind of knowledge transfer and get them involved. So if you have grandchildren, children at home which are at the age below 30 and are interested in digital and really want to find out about this community, encourage them to apply for youth dig, we had a record number of 427 applications this year. This was a record number and we would be happy to invite even more if the funds to invite so are available. And then my last thanks goes to everyone who was involved in the session planning, the program committee, the focal points, the moderators. It was also for us with one month less, not as much as a stretch it is for you, but it was also quite challenging and we reviewed our processes, how to be more effective. We will learn from this year, we will implement something for the next year and we will do something new next year again. Thank you very much and enjoy the rest in Strasbourg and have a good travel home. Thank you.

Agreement points

Human-centric approach to digital governance

Speakers

– Matjaz Gruden
– Marianne Wilhelmsen

Arguments

Technology should improve lives, not replace human creativity

Digital governance must be human-centric and protect human rights

Summary

Both speakers emphasize the importance of putting human needs and rights at the center of digital governance and technological development.

Importance of multi-stakeholder dialogue

Speakers

– Marianne Wilhelmsen
– Sandra Hoferichter

Arguments

Multi-stakeholder dialogue is crucial for shaping digital governance

Community input shapes EuroDIG’s agenda and discussions

Summary

Both speakers stress the significance of involving diverse stakeholders in shaping digital governance discussions and outcomes.

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the need for education and inclusivity to empower diverse groups in the digital society.

Speakers

– Matjaz Gruden
– Marianne Wilhelmsen

Arguments

Education and digital skills are needed to empower people in digital society

Inclusivity, especially from Global South, must be enhanced in IGF

Unexpected consensus

Importance of regional Internet governance forums

Speakers

– Chengetai Masango
– Thomas Schneider
– Sandra Hoferichter

Arguments

EuroDIG sets high standards for regional internet governance discussions

EuroDIG was a successful and professional event

Community input shapes EuroDIG’s agenda and discussions

Explanation

There was unexpected consensus on the value and effectiveness of regional forums like EuroDIG, with speakers from different backgrounds acknowledging its importance and success.

Overall assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement include the need for human-centric digital governance, the importance of multi-stakeholder dialogue, and the value of education and inclusivity in the digital society.

Consensus level

There is a moderate to high level of consensus among the speakers on key issues. This suggests a shared understanding of the challenges and priorities in digital governance, which could facilitate more coordinated efforts in addressing these issues at both regional and global levels.

Different viewpoints

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

There were no significant disagreements among the speakers. They generally presented complementary viewpoints on digital governance, internet forums, and technology’s role in society.

Disagreement level

Low. The speakers largely agreed on key points, which suggests a unified approach to addressing digital governance challenges and the future of internet governance forums.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the need for education and inclusivity to empower diverse groups in the digital society.

Speakers

– Matjaz Gruden
– Marianne Wilhelmsen

Arguments

Education and digital skills are needed to empower people in digital society

Inclusivity, especially from Global South, must be enhanced in IGF

Key takeaways

Technology itself is ethically neutral, but its impact on society depends on how humans use it

Digital governance must prioritize a human-centric approach and protect human rights

Multi-stakeholder dialogue is crucial for shaping effective digital governance

Internet governance forums like IGF and EuroDIG play important roles in facilitating global digital cooperation

Education and digital skills are essential to empower people in the digital society

Inclusivity, especially from the Global South, needs to be enhanced in internet governance discussions

Resolutions and action items

IGF 2025 will be held in Norway, aiming to strengthen global digital cooperation

Norway commits to creating an inclusive and impactful IGF event

EuroDIG messages will be published by May 25th and presented at the global IGF

EuroDIG organizers plan to announce the location for next year’s event by August/September

Unresolved issues

Specific strategies to mitigate risks of AI systems for human rights

Concrete solutions to resolve tensions between tech giants and European regulators on freedom of expression

Detailed approaches to tackle privacy challenges created by neurotechnology development

Specific methods to enhance inclusivity from the Global South in internet governance forums

Suggested compromises

Balancing innovation and regulation to ensure technology serves the public good while allowing for progress

Finding a middle ground between unbridled enthusiasm for technology and overly cynical views of its impacts

Because of the internet, the entire world population has become 20% more stupid than it was before. And the reason why nobody is noticing it is that we are all collectively 20% more stupid.

Speaker

Matjaz Gruden (quoting Timothy Snyder)

Reason

This provocative statement challenges the common assumption that the internet has made us smarter and more informed. It introduces a critical perspective on the impact of technology on human cognition.

Impact

This comment set the tone for a critical examination of technology’s impact on society, leading to discussions about AI’s effects on learning and cognitive functions.

Technology is neither good nor bad, it’s ethically neutral, it is really what makes it good or bad is what humans do with it, and especially what humans do to other humans with it and through it.

Speaker

Matjaz Gruden

Reason

This insight shifts the focus from technology itself to human agency and responsibility in using technology, providing a nuanced perspective on the ethics of technological advancement.

Impact

This comment steered the conversation towards the importance of human-centered approaches in digital governance and the need for ethical considerations in technological development.

I want the technology to do my dishes and laundry so I can do my job. I am a young artist, and I am doing my art and my writing, not the technology doing my art and my writing so I can do the dishes and the laundry.

Speaker

Matjaz Gruden (quoting Joanna Maciewska)

Reason

This comment provides a clear and relatable perspective on the desired role of technology in enhancing human capabilities rather than replacing human creativity.

Impact

This insight reinforced the discussion on human-centered approaches to technology and the importance of preserving human agency in creative fields.

Multi-stakeholder dialogue is not always the most efficient path, but it is the only approach that ensures that all relevant perspectives are heard. It helps to build trust between actors who would otherwise have no common space for discussion.

Speaker

Marianne Wilhelmsen

Reason

This comment highlights the importance of inclusive dialogue in digital governance, acknowledging both its challenges and its crucial role in building trust and comprehensive solutions.

Impact

This insight reinforced the importance of events like EuroDIG and IGF, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives in shaping digital policy.

Overall assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by fostering a critical and nuanced examination of technology’s impact on society. They shifted the focus from a simplistic view of technology as inherently good or bad to a more complex understanding of human agency in technological use and development. The comments also emphasized the importance of human-centered approaches in digital governance and the value of multi-stakeholder dialogue in addressing global digital challenges. This framing set the stage for a rich discussion on the future of digital governance, the role of international cooperation, and the need for inclusive and ethical approaches to technological advancement.

How can we effectively respond to the risks posed by digital technology and AI?

Speaker

Matjaz Gruden

Explanation

Gruden noted that while we have improved in identifying risks, we are not sufficiently successful in identifying effective responses. This is crucial for mitigating potential negative impacts of technology.

How can we improve public perception of technology, especially regarding its benefits?

Speaker

Matjaz Gruden

Explanation

Gruden highlighted that public perception of technology is dominated by negative aspects, which can be dangerous. Improving this perception is important for building trust and preventing misuse.

How can we increase the general public’s level of digital knowledge and competencies?

Speaker

Matjaz Gruden

Explanation

Gruden emphasized the need for a higher level of digital knowledge in society as a whole, not just among specialists. This is essential for empowering people in a digital society.

How can we address the underlying causes of social, economic, political, and technological marginalization that make people vulnerable to misuse of technology?

Speaker

Matjaz Gruden

Explanation

Gruden suggested that technology often amplifies existing issues rather than causing them. Understanding and addressing these root causes is crucial for effective digital governance.

How can we better connect WSIS, the global digital compact, and sustainable development goals?

Speaker

Marianne Wilhelmsen

Explanation

Wilhelmsen stressed the importance of coordinating these efforts to avoid duplication and fragmentation of global efforts in digital governance.

How can we enhance inclusivity in the IGF, especially from the Global South and underrepresented groups?

Speaker

Marianne Wilhelmsen

Explanation

Wilhelmsen identified this as a key area for strengthening the IGF, which is crucial for ensuring diverse perspectives in shaping digital governance.

How can we make IGF outcomes more accessible and useful for policymaking?

Speaker

Marianne Wilhelmsen

Explanation

This question addresses the need to increase the practical impact of IGF discussions on actual policy decisions.

How can we more effectively leverage the IGF community, including national and regional initiatives, to channel expertise into the broader UN digital agenda?

Speaker

Marianne Wilhelmsen

Explanation

This area for research could help improve the integration of diverse perspectives and experiences into global digital governance efforts.