European Parliament Delegation to the IGF & the Youth IGF | IGF 2023 Open Forum #141

Mr. Lagodinsky

The European Parliament’s approach to artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI focuses on regulation rather than a complete ban. The regulation primarily targets high-risk applications and generative AI to ensure responsible and safe use of these technologies.

One of the driving forces behind this approach is the recognition of citizens’ unease regarding AI technology. There is growing concern among the public about the potential risks and implications of AI, leading to a closer examination of the European Union’s regulation strategy. This scrutiny extends beyond European borders, with Africa also closely observing these developments.

The Parliament emphasizes the importance of striking a balance between protecting small and medium-sized enterprises and safeguarding fundamental rights and environmental standards. While there is a need to avoid overregulation that could stifle innovation and burden businesses, it is equally crucial to establish regulations that prioritize human rights and environmental sustainability.

By taking a supportive stance towards the regulation of AI, the European Parliament acknowledges the need for a careful and measured approach. It recognizes the concerns of small and medium-sized enterprises that prefer to avoid excessive regulation while understanding the value of protecting fundamental rights and environmental standards.

Overall, the European Parliament aims to establish regulations that create an environment where AI technology can thrive while ensuring its responsible use that promotes individual well-being and environmental preservation. This approach aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions). It demonstrates a commitment to addressing the ethical and societal implications of AI technology and sets an example for other regions and countries grappling with similar challenges.

Nathalie

In order to address the emerging online threats and vulnerabilities affecting children, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive online risk assessment. This assessment can provide valuable insights that will inform policies and industry standards aimed at protecting children online. By understanding the specific risks and vulnerabilities that children face in the digital world, stakeholders can develop targeted measures to safeguard their well-being.

It is crucial to recognize that the online landscape is constantly evolving, with new risks emerging all the time. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment is necessary to ensure that policies and industry standards remain effective and up to date. By identifying and analyzing these risks, decision-makers can better understand the scope and severity of the challenges faced by children in cyberspace.

To successfully protect children’s rights online, it is essential for governments, companies, academia, educators, and civil society to collaborate. Each stakeholder brings unique expertise and perspectives to the table, making multi-stakeholder collaboration studies vital in reducing online risks. By working together, these different entities can share knowledge, resources, and best practices, and develop comprehensive strategies to safeguard children and promote their digital well-being.

Moreover, this collaboration is not just limited to protecting children’s rights, but also contributes to the global partnership for sustainable development. The need for a safe and secure digital environment is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal 17.16, which aims to enhance global partnerships for sustainable development. By engaging in multi-stakeholder collaboration, stakeholders can collectively work towards creating a safer online space for children, supporting the broader goal of sustainable development.

In conclusion, a comprehensive online risk assessment is crucial for addressing the evolving online threats and vulnerabilities faced by children. It provides the necessary insights to shape effective policies and industry standards. Additionally, multi-stakeholder collaboration studies are of paramount importance in reducing online risks and protecting children’s rights. The involvement of governments, companies, academia, educators, and civil society is essential for enhancing the global partnership for sustainable development and ensuring a safer digital environment for children.

Brando

Brando emphasises the need for the involvement of young people in the design and governance of AI policies. He recognises that young people bring a unique perspective and understanding, which is essential in shaping policies that are relevant and effective. Brando is actively working on the AI Act which includes a clear reference to the importance of stakeholder involvement, including young people.

In addition to his focus on youth involvement, Brando also recognises the crucial issue of understanding and handling the tension between democracy and new technologies. He believes that this issue requires more engagement from young people, similar to the global mobilisation they have shown for climate issues. Brando commends the efforts of young people in advocating for climate action and sees a need for similar engagement in addressing the challenges posed by new technologies.

Brando’s work extends beyond mere recognition and advocacy. He is actively involved in negotiating for the inclusion of stakeholder involvement in the parliament text of the law. By doing so, he aims to ensure that the perspectives of young people and other stakeholders are considered and integrated into the decision-making process.

Overall, Brando’s stance highlights the significance of youth involvement in shaping AI policies and addressing the tension between democracy and new technologies. His recognition of the global dimension in legislative work and the need for stakeholder engagement reflects a comprehensive and inclusive approach. By actively working towards these goals, Brando aims to create policies that are democratic, equitable and responsive to the challenges of our rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Peter

The involvement and interests of the youth community have greatly enhanced the Declaration for the Future of the Internet (DFI) process. A successful half-day workshop, held on the first day of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), had youth IGF rapporteurs participating as animators and reporters. This workshop emphasised the importance of the DFI and highlighted the critical role of youth in shaping the digital future and the governance system of the DFI.

The main objective of the DFI is to integrate governments that are already part of the multi-stakeholder process into various communities. This approach aims to bridge the gap between the government and other stakeholders, including civil society, academia, the business sector, and most importantly, the youth. By involving diverse stakeholders, the DFI ensures that concerns from different communities, particularly the youth, are considered.

It is argued that the DFI provides an opportunity for governments to become more aware of concerns raised by various communities, including the youth. By actively involving governments in the multi-stakeholder process of the IGF, the DFI aims to make them more engaged and informed decision-makers. This facilitates a democratic approach to internet governance by incorporating diverse perspectives.

Furthermore, governments that believe in democratic principles and a human-centric nature of the internet are encouraged to support and sign up for the DFI. By participating in the DFI, governments can engage with like-minded countries and have meaningful interactions. Additionally, the DFI plays a significant role in the Global Digital Cooperation (GDC) process and the World Summit on the Information Society Plus 20 (WSIS+20) discussions.

In conclusion, the active involvement and interests of the youth community have positively influenced the success of the DFI process. The DFI seeks to bring governments closer to the multi-stakeholder process of the IGF and raise awareness about the concerns of different communities, including the youth. Governments that value democratic principles and a human-centric internet should actively support and participate in the DFI. By doing so, they can engage with like-minded countries and play a significant role in shaping the future of internet governance.

Regina Fuxova

Regina Fuxova, a member of EURID, recognizes the Youth Committee as an integral aspect of the company’s corporate governance. This committee serves as a platform for inspiration and the dissemination of information concerning EURID’s activities, providing members with new opportunities to enhance their future careers. The involvement of young people in the committee is testament to EURID’s commitment to youth inclusion.

EURID goes beyond youth involvement solely within the Youth Committee and extends it to activities for smaller children, such as Code Week.eu. This inclusion emphasizes the importance of involving young people in various aspects of EURID’s work. By engaging young individuals in activities such as Code Week.eu, EURID demonstrates its dedication to fostering a sense of inclusion and inspiring young minds.

EURID’s commitment to raising awareness about cybersecurity and Internet governance is demonstrated through initiatives like the ‘Safe Online’ art competition. This competition, designed for high school students, aims to start conversations about these vital issues with teachers and, indirectly, with parents. By organizing such events, EURID actively spreads awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and Internet governance, contributing to the UN’s sustainable development goals of Decent Work and Economic Growth and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Regina Fuxova further showcases her support for EURID’s youth inclusion initiatives by suggesting that the organization shares its best practices with other peers in the field. This proposal highlights her belief in the strength of EURID’s approach and suggests that other organizations could benefit from implementing similar strategies. Through sharing its best practices for youth inclusivity, EURID can inspire and guide other entities in their own efforts.

In conclusion, Regina Fuxova’s perspective on the Youth Committee as a vital component of EURID’s corporate governance, EURID’s commitment to youth inclusion through activities like Code Week.eu, its efforts to raise awareness about cybersecurity and Internet governance, and Regina’s suggestion to share best practices all reflect EURID’s dedication to youth involvement and inclusive practices. These initiatives contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals of Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Collegue

The discussion centred around the Hiroshima process, which aims to enhance global cooperation among G7 countries in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This process complements the AI Act introduced by the European Union (EU), which seeks to ensure AI systems undergo a risk-based security analysis.

The EU places significant emphasis on developing AI that is human-centric and aligned with fundamental rights. It actively works towards legislation addressing the ethical concerns of AI, aiming to establish regulations that guarantee responsible and accountable AI use.

The EU encourages a multidisciplinary approach to AI, recognizing its complexity and the need for input from various sectors and stakeholders. Discussions have taken place on establishing a multi-stakeholder forum to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. These initiatives demonstrate the EU’s commitment to engaging the international community and avoiding isolation in developing and regulating AI technologies.

Overall, participants supported regulating AI while promoting innovation. They advocated for a framework for AI regulation akin to the regulation of medicines, ensuring appropriate scrutiny and oversight while allowing room for advancement.

The analysis primarily focused on the positive sentiment surrounding AI regulation and innovation, indicating a widespread recognition of the need for responsible and ethical AI development. The emphasis on risk-based security analysis, human-centric AI, and the multidisciplinary approach highlights a strong desire to align with international standards and respect fundamental rights.

In conclusion, the discussion underscores the importance of global cooperation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and ethical considerations in AI regulation and innovation. The EU and participating countries are committed to creating a regulatory framework balancing innovation and safeguarding individual rights and well-being.

Yulia Mournets

The Youth Internet Governance Forum (Youth IGF) has actively contributed to shaping the future of internet policies, with a particular emphasis on involving young leaders in decision-making processes. Yulia Mournets, a key figure in the Youth IGF, stressed the importance of dialogue between the youth and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in influencing the policies that will shape the future of the online world.

The European Parliament delegation has shown potential support for a working group focused on the IGF. This is a positive development, as it indicates that the youth’s perspective and participation in internet governance are being recognized and valued by influential stakeholders.

The Youth IGF has made significant recommendations for a digital compact, one of which is the establishment of youth advisory committees within private sector structures. This recommendation aims to ensure that young people have a voice in decision-making processes related to internet policies. Notably, the Youth Advisory Committee created by EURID serves as a successful example of implementing such recommendations.

Under the presidency of the Czech Republic, the Youth IGF actively participated in several meetings, which demonstrates their dedication and commitment to advocating for youth involvement in internet governance. This involvement extends beyond Europe, as the Youth IGF has established more than 10 safe internet committees in African countries, highlighting their global reach and impact.

The Youth IGF has also played a significant role in the child online protection initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Their contribution to this initiative underscores their commitment to ensuring a safe and secure internet environment for young people.

Furthermore, the Youth IGF’s recommendations have led to the establishment of a special category for the .EU award, which focuses on recognizing the achievements of young entrepreneurs. This acknowledgement of young entrepreneurs’ contributions aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and further solidifies the Youth IGF’s influence in shaping policies that support economic opportunities for the youth.

In conclusion, the Youth IGF has actively participated in shaping internet policies, with a particular focus on involving young leaders in decision-making processes. Their efforts have been acknowledged and supported by entities such as the European Parliament delegation, and their recommendations have led to the successful implementation of initiatives such as youth advisory committees and the .EU award category for young entrepreneurs. The Youth IGF’s impact extends beyond Europe, with their involvement in meetings under the Czech Republic presidency and the establishment of safe internet committees in African countries. Ultimately, their dedication to advocating for youth participation in internet governance has made a positive contribution to the future of the internet.

Muhammad

The analysis discussed the importance of including youth in the digital governance sector and cooperation sector. It emphasized that youth are not only current stakeholders but also future leaders in digital transformation. Their active involvement in digital governance is crucial for shaping policies and strategies that will have a long-term impact on the digital world.

One noteworthy individual mentioned in the analysis is Muhammad, who serves as the Generation Connect Youth NY for the Asia-Pacific region with the International Delhi Communication Union. His interest in digital governance further underscores the importance of youth engagement in this sector. His involvement brings valuable perspectives and insights that can contribute to the development of effective digital governance mechanisms.

The argument put forth is that youth, as the ones who embrace digital transformation most passionately, should be included in the digital governance infrastructure. This inclusion is seen as essential for ensuring the continuity of digital knowledge and skills to future generations. By actively involving youth in decision-making processes, their unique experiences and perspectives can be leveraged to develop inclusive and sustainable digital policies.

Furthermore, the analysis highlighted that including youth in digital governance and cooperation aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals. Involving youth in digital governance not only supports their educational development but also promotes innovation and fosters collaborations that drive positive change.

The sentiment towards the importance of including youth in digital governance is consistently positive throughout the analysis. It is clear that all speakers recognize the value of youth contribution in the digital governance sector and believe in their potential as agents of change. By creating an inclusive and youth-centered digital governance ecosystem, societies can harness the immense talent and creativity of young individuals to shape a future that is technologically advanced and socially equitable.

In conclusion, the analysis and observations made strongly advocate for the inclusion of youth in the digital governance and cooperation sector. Youth are not just passive consumers of digital technologies but active participants and drivers of digital transformation. Their perspectives and insights are vital for creating sustainable and inclusive digital policies that benefit present and future generations. By involving youth in decision-making processes and fostering collaborations, we can harness their potential to shape a technologically advanced and socially equitable digital future.

Herman Lopez

Herman Lopez, a member of the standing group of the Internet Society, has expressed concern regarding Latin America’s limited participation in global Artificial Intelligence (AI) discussions. Lopez highlights the absence of Latin America in AI talks, while noting the active engagement of India and Africa. He advocates for the inclusion of Latin America, emphasising the importance of reducing inequalities and promoting representation.

Lopez’s concern arises from the fact that Latin America has seemingly been excluded from AI discussions, despite the potential contributions the region could make and the need for diverse perspectives in shaping AI policies and implementation. He argues that this exclusion prevents Latin America from influencing the development of AI systems that address its specific needs and challenges.

By highlighting the active involvement of India and Africa in shaping global AI discussions, Lopez provides evidence of other regions’ participation. This highlights the importance of Latin America having a voice in these discussions, to ensure its interests and perspectives are considered in the development of AI technologies.

Lopez’s call for the inclusion of Latin America in global AI discussions is driven by the goal of reducing inequalities. He believes that AI has the potential to exacerbate existing inequalities if it is driven solely by the interests of powerful countries or regions. By including Latin America, with its unique socio-economic context and challenges, in these discussions, Lopez argues for a more inclusive and equitable approach to AI.

Furthermore, Lopez emphasizes the importance of representation in AI discussions. By including Latin America, a region with diverse cultural, social, economic, and political contexts, decision-making processes around AI can be enriched. This diverse representation can lead to a comprehensive understanding of the implications of AI on different communities and ensure that the development and deployment of AI technologies are fair and inclusive.

In conclusion, Herman Lopez expresses concern regarding Latin America’s limited involvement in global AI discussions, while noting the active participation of India and Africa. He advocates for the inclusion of Latin America, highlighting the need to reduce inequalities and promote representation. By giving Latin America a voice in shaping AI policies and technologies, Lopez believes that a more inclusive and equitable approach to AI can be achieved, mitigating the potential adverse effects of unchecked AI development.

Irena Joveva

The speakers in the European Parliament discussed several important topics related to youth and digital literacy. Irena Joveva, the youngest elected delegate from Slovenia, emphasised the need for greater inclusion of the younger generation in the European Parliament, expressing appreciation for their involvement. This aligns with SDG 16, which aims to promote peace, justice, and strong institutions.

One speaker highlighted the importance of media freedom and the fight against disinformation. They mentioned their role in the recently adopted Media Freedom Act and the initiation of inter-institutional negotiations, taking a positive step towards protecting media freedom and democratic principles. This promotes transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making, all crucial for SDG 16.

The undervaluation of digital literacy, especially among young people exposed to the digital world, was also discussed. The speakers emphasized the need to give digital literacy the recognition it deserves, as it plays a significant role in achieving SDG 4, which focuses on quality education.

Furthermore, the speakers called for increased efforts from schools and politicians in promoting digital literacy. This raises questions about the responsibility of educational institutions and policymakers in ensuring that young people have the necessary digital skills. This argument aligns with SDG 10’s goal of reducing inequalities, promoting digital inclusivity, and bridging the digital divide.

In summary, the analysis highlights the importance of youth involvement in the European Parliament, the need to protect media freedom and combat disinformation, and the undervaluation of digital literacy. It also prompts further exploration of the responsibilities of schools and politicians in promoting digital literacy. By addressing these issues, policymakers and stakeholders can work towards building a more inclusive and digitally empowered society.

Ananya

Three key arguments related to youth participation in digital technologies were presented. Firstly, it was emphasised that young people should be involved as stakeholders in any process related to digital technologies. This was supported by the fact that Ananya is a youth advisor to the USAID Digital Youth Council and is actively involved in the design and implementation of the Digital Strategy. The significance of this argument is underscored by the statement that digital technologies influence young people’s aspirations, ideas, and lives right from birth. By involving young people as stakeholders, their unique perspectives and insights can be incorporated into the decision-making processes, ensuring that the digital technologies being developed and implemented meet the needs and aspirations of the youth.

The second argument put forward was that young people from diverse backgrounds must be provided with a platform to share their inputs on policies that influence their lives. This argument was justified by Ananya’s suggestion to host consultations, youth summits, site events, networking sessions, conferences, exhibitions, and educational programmes. This inclusive approach recognises the importance of enabling participation from all segments of society and the value of diverse perspectives. Ananya further emphasised the significance of local, national, and international level fora to make the policy-making process more accessible, inclusive, and globally relevant. By actively involving young people from diverse backgrounds, policies can be better informed, resulting in reduced inequalities and stronger institutions.

Finally, it was highlighted that leveraging digital platforms and social media can be effective in engaging young people. Ananya emphasised the creation of interactive online spaces and the use of social media campaigns, hashtags, and online events like webinars to raise awareness and mobilise support from and with the youth. This approach recognises the increasing influence of digital platforms on young people’s lives and the ease with which they can connect and engage on these platforms. Utilising digital platforms and social media provides a powerful tool to reach and involve young people in discussions and decision-making processes related to digital technologies.

In conclusion, the arguments presented highlight the importance of involving young people as stakeholders in the development and implementation of digital technologies, providing a platform for their inputs on policies, and leveraging digital platforms and social media for effective engagement. By adopting these approaches, there is potential to create a more inclusive and impactful digital ecosystem that meets the needs and aspirations of young people from diverse backgrounds. It is vital to recognise the value of youth participation and ensure their voices are heard and incorporated into decision-making processes to build a digital future that is equitable and relevant for all.

Levi

The analysis of the provided information highlights several significant points raised by the speakers. Firstly, there are concerns about the impact of AI, misinformation, and disinformation, especially when perpetrated by certain government officials. This raises questions about the reliability and potential consequences of information in today’s digital age. The speakers have a negative sentiment towards this issue and stress the need for vigilance and measures to combat the spread of false information.

Secondly, the role of youths in internet governance and decision-making is emphasized. As three-quarters of internet usage is by the youth, their involvement becomes crucial in shaping policies and decisions related to the internet. The speakers acknowledge the innovative ideas and perspectives young individuals bring to the table. This underscores the importance of including young voices in discussions surrounding internet laws and regulations. The sentiment towards this point is positive, indicating the recognition of the valuable contributions young people can make.

Furthermore, the analysis reveals a questioning sentiment towards the European Union’s efforts to ensure the sustainability of youth engagement in policy and governance, particularly in the realm of technology and the internet. Levi, one of the speakers, raises doubts about the deliberate actions taken by the European Union to promote youth participation and inclusion. This observation highlights the need for further examination of the European Union’s initiatives and their effectiveness in bridging gaps and fostering sustainable youth engagement.

Lastly, the analysis reiterates the importance of equality and inclusion of youths in decision-making processes to pave the way for a sustainable future. There is a need for deliberate engagement of young individuals to create a sustainable future. This sentiment aligns with the principles of SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities), emphasizing the necessity of empowering and involving young people in shaping policies that directly affect them.

In conclusion, the analysis highlights concerns surrounding AI and misinformation, the significance of youth involvement in internet governance, questioning of the European Union’s efforts in promoting youth engagement, and the necessity of equality and inclusion in decision-making processes. These insights shed light on the complex landscape of internet governance, youth empowerment, and policy-making, prompting further examination and consideration of these issues.

João Pedro

João Pedro, a member of the youth advisory committee, is a strong advocate for the inclusion of youth voices in both private and public institutions. He believes that involving young people in decision-making processes has positive outcomes for all parties involved. João Pedro has found the collaboration between the youth and businesses, such as EURID, to be mutually beneficial.

One area where João Pedro sees potential for improvement is in evaluating strategies such as promoting the .eu domain in different regions of Europe. He suggests that EURID, the organization responsible for managing the .eu domain name, should assess the effectiveness of these strategies within their own structure. This comprehensive approach would provide a deeper understanding of how the .eu domain can be utilized across Europe.

The youth committee, including João Pedro, has been actively contributing valuable insights and feedback to EURID’s activities within the Internet governance ecosystem. Their advisory role positions them to provide guidance and recommendations to EURID, enhancing its decision-making processes.

Overall, João Pedro’s experiences highlight the importance of involving young people in decision-making within institutions. By incorporating youth voices, institutions like EURID can benefit from fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a better understanding of the needs and preferences of younger stakeholders.

This case study also emphasizes the significance of youth participation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. By including young people in decision-making, we can work towards a more equitable and just society.

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy

The European Parliament, led by Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy, is actively involved in internet governance forums and is committed to supporting the activities of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Bouchoy, a member of the European People’s Party and President of the Industry Research and Energy Committee, introduced the members of the European Parliament Delegation to the IGF.

The European Parliament is strongly committed to supporting IGF activities. They have participated in most of the IGF forums and have initiated a letter to President Roberta Metzola to form a permanent working group on IGF in the European Parliament. Additionally, members of the European Parliament are involved in different legislative dossiers on various areas related to internet governance.

In the digital area, the European Parliament is actively developing legislation. They have already adopted legislation on data governance, Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act, Cyber Security, and the Artificial Intelligence Act. The Parliament is currently engaged in inter-institutional negotiations with the Council and the European Commission to finalize the legislation. These efforts demonstrate the Parliament’s commitment to addressing the challenges presented by AI and ensuring responsible use of technology.

The European Parliament strongly believes that artificial intelligence should not be used for mass surveillance. They are working on a position on artificial intelligence and are particularly concerned about the ethical issues surrounding biometric AI usage. The Parliament advocates for responsible and regulated use of AI.

Youth involvement and consultation in decision-making processes are encouraged by the European Parliament. They recognize the need for stronger and clearer involvement of young people in decisions related to digital legislation and future artificial intelligence. Some young people who are members of the European Parliament are actively connected to the youth and support their participation.

The European Parliament acknowledges the importance of dialogue and cooperation in internet governance. They have strong ties with Latin America and Africa and believe in working closely with them on issues related to internet governance and digital artificial intelligence. They have also suggested the possibility of establishing a similar network in Latin America.

Youth participation, particularly through the European Youth IGF and the public consultation phase, is deemed critical in shaping legislation on internet governance. The European Parliament commends the consultation process with Director O’Donohue and encourages the youth to take part in it.

In conclusion, the European Parliament, under the leadership of Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy, is actively engaged in internet governance and is dedicated to supporting IGF activities. They are actively developing legislation in the digital area and are advocating for the responsible use of artificial intelligence. Youth involvement and consultation are encouraged, and strong partnerships are being established with Latin America and Africa. The Parliament believes in the importance of constructive dialogue and recognizes the vital role young people play in shaping the future of internet governance.

Stefanets

Stefanets actively advocates for the organization of special events at the European Parliament to promote cooperation and involve young people. These events provide a platform for individuals to exchange ideas and establish regular cooperation. By drawing inspiration from the perspectives of the younger generation, senior members of the Parliament can benefit from their insights.

One significant event Stefanets supports is the Youth Forum, where young individuals present their ideas and contribute to discussions on important issues. Stefanets actively participates in the Forum, fostering an inclusive environment that values and encourages young voices. They recognize that many innovative concepts originate from the Youth Forum, highlighting the importance of engaging with young people and leveraging their fresh perspectives.

In addition to youth involvement, Stefanets prioritizes quality education and supports SDG 4. By fostering idea development, Stefanets empowers young individuals to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Stefanets also focuses on the digital decade, addressing issues such as addictive design and online child protection. They actively engage with children to understand the dangers they face in the digital world, allowing them to shape policies that safeguard their well-being.

The arguments presented by Stefanets reflect a positive sentiment towards promoting youth involvement, idea development, and prioritizing the well-being of children in the digital realm. By encouraging cooperation and engaging with young people, they aim to create a more inclusive and progressive future.

Overall, Stefanets’ commitment to organizing special events, supporting the Youth Forum, and addressing digital challenges showcases their dedication to cooperation, empowering youth, and safeguarding children’s well-being. Their actions align with SDG 16 and SDG 17, focusing on peace, justice, strong institutions, and partnerships for the goals.

Nadia Chekhia

During a discussion on youth participation in internet governance, two speakers shared their perspectives. The first speaker, who is responsible for coordinating the youth activities of the European Regional IGF, expressed doubts about how meaningful participation should be defined. They emphasized the need to reflect on this matter and to gain a better understanding of what meaningful participation truly entails. The sentiment of their argument was neutral.

On the other hand, the second speaker strongly advocated for integrating more young people from across Europe into the system of internet governance. They believed that it was crucial to provide youth with leadership positions to enhance their involvement. This approach aligned with the positive sentiment of the second speaker’s argument.

Both speakers highlighted their commitment to comprehending the concept of meaningful participation. They emphasized the importance of exploring this notion in depth and working towards implementing it.

The first speaker’s argument raised questions regarding the definition of meaningful participation, indicating a potentially critical analysis of the current understanding of the concept. The second speaker, on the other hand, firmly believed in the necessity of promoting youth involvement in internet governance and assigning them leadership roles.

This discussion on youth participation in internet governance sheds light on the varying perspectives within the field. It portrays the complexities involved in defining and implementing meaningful participation and highlights the importance of involving young people in decision-making processes. Such efforts can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

Yulia Mournets:
All right, so good afternoon and probably good morning from the very early Europe. I will be, as I said, moderating this session online together with you. We do have our colleagues on side, namely Levy, in case if something happens, he will be able to help and to jump on that moderation. So I’m Yulia Mournets. I’m the founder of the Youth IGF, and it’s an absolute pleasure and a privilege to have this open forum together with the EU delegation to the IGF and the members of the European Parliament. I would like to welcome them. We do have other speakers present in the room as well. So I would like to say hello to Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy. You are the head of the European Parliament delegation to the IGF. Mr. Bouchoy, maybe you can introduce the members of the Parliament present in the room and with you, so we can see and we can know who is present and who we can address. We also have with us a few young people and leaders from the Youth IGF, together with the representatives from the EU present on stage. And I believe we do have also the European Commission present in the room. Mr. Piers O’Donnor, I don’t know if Piers O’Donnor could also join the stage so we can have this conversation. Mr. Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy, please, maybe you can introduce the delegation.

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
Good morning for Europe. Good afternoon in Kyoto. We are very honoured to be here today in a, I would hope, very interesting discussion with the Youth IGF. We had also last evening a bilateral discussion with a few of the young people very much involved in IGF activities and we understood a little bit better some particularities in some parts of the world. But for the moment I would like just to introduce the colleagues. So I’m Christian Bouchoy, I’m a member of the European People’s Party, President of the Industry Research and Energy Committee coming from Romania. I have also from the EPP Party also and coming from Slovakia, Mr. Stefanets. Thank you very much. I have from Renew, coming from Denmark, together with us today, Mr. Lokegard. Also from Renew Party, coming from Slovenia, Mrs. Irena Eleva. From the left, coming from Cyprus, Mr. Niazi Kizilure. And coming from France, a member of the ID group, Madame Marie Doshi. Madame Kumpula Natri, member of the Socialist Delegation, will be here in five minutes maximum. Maybe I will not have the chance to introduce her then, but I’m sure that for our colleagues, because they are involved in different legislative dossiers on different areas, if there will be some specific questions, please allow me to invite at some point each of my colleagues to intervene to give brief answers or brief comments to the issues that we are supposed to discuss. I will finish by saying that the European Parliament is strongly committed to support IGF activities. We participated in most of the IGF forums. For me, it’s the second time, but for Mrs. Kumpula Natri, for instance, it’s the sixth time. And there are colleagues also that are veterans in participating on behalf of European Parliament to IGF forum. Also, together with some other chairs of different committees involved, I initiated a letter to President Roberta Metzola to have a permanent working group on IGF in European Parliament, with colleagues not necessarily part of different delegations, but to have a permanent working group on IGF. We are very committed to the multistakeholder approach. We would like to understand better the realities and particularities of some parts of the world. Apart to have the best legislation, as you know, European Parliament already adopted legislation on data governance, on Digital Markets Act, on Digital Services Act. Also, cyber security, we have strong cyber security legislation, not also institutions, but also critical infrastructures. And now, European Parliament in June adopted its position on Artificial Intelligence Act. I know that is a lot of interest for many participants to IGF, and it was also mentioned in some speeches, the European model on looking on the risk assessment. And now we are in the inter-institutional negotiations with the Council, with the Member States, and the participation of European Commission, and I see here a Director in European Commission and his team, to upgrade, to improve, and to have the final legislation on Artificial Intelligence. And of course, we are looking forward to develop other legislation on digital area and Internet, and this is something that could be discussed in the coming moments. Thank you once again for having us here.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you so much, Christiane Sylvieux-Bouchoy, for this introduction, for the introduction on the European Parliament delegation priorities for this IGF, but also for the information about this working group on the IGF. And we do hope, actually, that this working group that potentially could be approved by the President Metzola can have a channel also of communication with the youth IGF and with the young leaders. And by saying that, I would say that you practically made the introduction to the subject of our discussion today, because what we would like really to discuss in a very tangible manner, it’s a kind of framework, why not this group might become that framework, or part of that framework, on the sustainable participation of the young leaders in the discussion and in Internet governance. So we would like to propose you this very short open forum to be structured in the following way, to have three parts of it. So to discuss practically the recommendations the youth IGF and the young leaders made to digital compact, but also which is based on tangible examples. Namely, we would like to discuss the examples on how actually one of the recommendations was able to be already implemented. This second part, we would like to discuss about the declaration for the future of the Internet and the participation of the young people in this process. And the third one, it’s the Hiroshima process, and also what will be the say of the young people in it. So by saying that, the youth IGF made these six recommendations to digital compact, and one of the recommendations that was part of that, and we discussed the previous years, and I believe your colleagues from the European Parliament were present with us. Kumpula Natri was the chair last year and present, and where we discussed this recommendation. So one of the recommendations was to establish a kind of youth advisory committees within the private sector structures. So to advise and really work together, advise on the young leaders and the youth views on different policies within the corporate structures. So by saying that, the same year, the EURID, which is operating the .EU, together with us, took this opportunity and we established together with the .EU, the youth IGF and EURID, the youth advisory committee. And that’s quite unique, I think. We do know about another example, which is in the Russian Federation, and another example probably is in Australia. So that’s quite unique, and I would like to call very quickly on João. João is present in the room, I believe, or even on stage, I see him. So he was a member of this first youth advisory committee. He’s still a member of this youth advisory committee to the .EU, to EURID. And I would like, João, to ask you a very straightforward question. And please be short, because we have a very limited time today with the subject we would like to discuss. So could you share with us your experience in terms of what you were able to bring to EURID and what actually EURID brought to you? Very shortly, João, please.

João Pedro:
So good afternoon, everyone. I’m João Pedro, I’m coming from Portugal. Hi, Julia, online. So I hope things are not too early there. About EURID and about the youth committee. I think it’s actually, as you mentioned a little bit, so the idea of having diversity is always good, and including the voice of the youth and including it even within private and other institutions, it’s important. But I think it’s relevant to think about how can this be a value proposition for both sides. It’s been the challenge of many other projects I’ve participated, but I think it’s something that works at the youth committee for EURID. So the idea, and so far, we’ve been able to pitch and present opportunities of Internet governance to EURID. So the idea from the beginning was to advise and provide feedback on the Internet governance ecosystem to EURID. I think there’s a lot of things that we could continue and start doing. Moving forward, maybe taking a look at policy from within the EURID structure, evaluating, for instance, strategies in terms of the dissemination of the .eum in the different regions of Europe. Contributing to the activities of EURID that are not really part also from a business perspective. It’s been in the end where we’ve been providing more value, I would say.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, João, and thank you for being actually indeed short. Thank you for this statement. We will ask the members of the European Parliament to comment on that initiative, what they think, how it can be implemented in general. But I would like to turn to Regina Fuxova. Regina, you do work with the .eurid. You arrived at, probably when you arrived to .eurid, but maybe I’m mistaken, when the Youth Advisory Committee was already established. So I wanted to ask you, what is the impact for EURID, for .eu, of this Youth Committee, and how can we make this idea of establishing Youth Committees, and particularly the Youth Committee within EURID, working in a sustainable manner?

Regina Fuxova:
Thank you very much. Yes, I will try my best. Thank you very much, Julia. My name is Regina Filipová Fuxová, and I work for the .eu registry. Actually, my inventory number in the company is quite low. I arrived already in 2007, so well before the Committee was established. But due to some changes in our company, I ended up as an Industrial Relations Manager last year. And happily, in my portfolio, I also got this honor to be the liaison for the Youth Committee. We have now a year of change. We are now in the process of onboarding new members, and we will be present, among others, also at the .eu Day, which takes place on the 16th of November in Brussels. So those of you who are going to participate, and we would really be pleased to see you there, you will have also the opportunity to speak not only to long-year members, but also to new members, and they can share their impression. The Youth Committee is a very, let’s say, well-established part of our corporate governance. We are trying to include the youth and young people not only in this committee, where the aim is to inspire each other and spread the word about the activities for us to get a fresh view for the members, hopefully, to get new impulses for their future careers in and beyond the Internet governance field. But we also offer activities for smaller children at basic school within another activity of the European Commission, the Code Week.eu, which is happening now in October. And we make always use of our presence in different member states. We have four offices, so we are reaching to local communities, at least in those countries. And then for high school students, we have an art competition called Safe Online. Those of you who visited our booth could see the very nice artworks. I just brought an example of one of them, taking into account, or not only taking into account, they were created by teenagers 15 to 20 years old, and you would not get better results from professional designers. We were really amazed. And we use this as an opportunity to start discussion at the school with the teachers, but also indirectly with the parents about cybersecurity, Internet governance, what does it mean for them. We offer an introductory presentation to start this discussion. So from our perspective, it’s very enriching also for our further development, and even though it’s not directly connected to generating, let’s say, some growth or hard numbers, the spreading of awareness is an important part. And we try, because we are a member of a technical community, so it’s not very typical, and we spread these best practices among others on a central level with other peers and try to inspire them to go this way as well. Thank you.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, Regina. Thank you for sharing the experience and updating on the activities of the Youth Committee. And for a number of people, I can imagine, present in the room and online, also just bringing the information that that exists. I do like to call on the members of the European Parliament, Mr. Bushoi, or someone else from the delegation who would like to actually comment very shortly on what you just heard, on the experience, and also to maybe raise a question on how can this be implemented at the largest scale, but also why not globally. That’s a great example, great example coming from Europe, from the EU. So what is your opinion on that, Mr. Bushoi, or someone else from the delegation?

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
Maybe the youngest member of the delegation, of the European Parliament delegation, Mrs. Irena Joveva, as I said, from Renew Group from Slovenia. And I would also like to welcome, he joined immediately after I made the presentation, Mr. Sergei Lagodinsky from the Greens from Germany. Mrs. Joveva, please.

Irena Joveva:
Thank you very much. It’s okay if I stand here? Or do I? Okay. So hi, once again. I’m actually also the youngest one who was elected in Slovenia, which is a little bit sad because it took such a long time. And I was 30, you know, I wasn’t even that young. So I’m really very, very happy every time I have a chance to speak with younger generations. And I’m also very happy that the European Parliament as such is getting younger, if I may say so, because it’s always a nice mix to have experienced members, but also, of course, the younger ones have to be involved and included. So I really appreciate everything that you told and the examples and experiences. It’s very nice to hear that. I think that the younger ones could be more included regarding the European institutions or their work as such. I try to include them as much as I can, you know, regarding my work or the fields that I cover, if I may say so. I also, I mean, this is my first IGF, so I have no idea how it, I have nothing to compare it with the previous ones, but it’s really nice to have also the young IGF, you know, emphasizing or being part of it like so, so concretely. I have maybe, I mean, my main, I was a journalist before, before I came into politics. So my main topics are actually the last few weeks or even months, the Media Freedom Act that we prepared. We actually adopted the European Parliament stance. I think it was on this last October plenary session. Yeah. Okay. Did long days in the timeframe and everything. Yeah. So we are also starting with the inter-institutional negotiations here. So it’s also, you know, connected with the internet, obviously, especially the disinformation and misinformation that we are all, you know, dealing with more or less. So maybe here a question or a comment from you guys would be helpful, because of course the younger generation is the most exposed since being the most also on the internet or the digital world is the most, is the, I mean, the physical and the digital are the same more or less now, I think in these times. So I feel that the digital literacy as such is underestimated. I’m not feeling that we are all aware how important this is. So maybe I would have a question here. How do you think or how do you feel about it? Do you think that the schools should do more or the politicians? should do more. I mean we try to do as much as we can but of course at the end of the day we have limited, I mean we are limited with the member states or whatever. So this is my question and if you have any questions regarding the media freedom or disinformation or something I will be happy to answer. Thank you. Thank you. If you allow also a short intervention from

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
Mr. Stefanets, EPP Slovakia, one of the senior members of the delegation but very close to the youth movement. Thank you, Chair. Great to be with you today.

Stefanets:
Also senior people have to take inspiration from young ones definitely and digital future is about young people so it’s great to be with you. But if the question is how to make our contacts more regularly, how to establish our cooperation, I think it’s possible to organize even special events on different topics at the European Parliament so we are welcome. So that’s the part of the answer, number one. Number two, we have already regular meetings which are organized also by our European People’s Party. It’s so-called youth forum. It is in September. It’s one week where young people can come to the European Parliament, they can present their respective ideas and there is most ideas about digital future, I can assure you. So there is a lot of inspiration talking about new legislation so we can get also more inspiration from you. So you are welcome to participate at youth forum, you are welcome to come with new ideas which we can develop at special events and also the answer number three is we can organize also special event between us and between youth IGF. So that’s possible also to do it relatively soon in two, three months in the European Parliament. In terms of contents, particularly I’m working on the digital decade development, I’m working also on the addictive design right now and also on online children protection. So if you are also working with children maybe we can get more inputs also how they see, what is dangerous from their perspective and all the inputs also are welcome. So looking forward to participate with you and to cooperate with you. Thank you very much. Back to the

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
moderator, I think maybe someone would like to intervene from the youth

Yulia Mournets:
participants. Thank you, Mr. Mbesho. We will maybe just follow and we will give the opportunity to the young people to intervene in a couple of minutes. I would like just to thank you, thank the interventions from the members of the European Parliament and indeed the youth IGF. We do work with children and on the question of child protection because we were one of the organizers and founders of the child online protection initiative of the ITU. And as well, the youth IGF established more than 10 actually safe internet committees outside of Europe. So mainly in African countries working with our African friends. And so that’s the information we’d like to share with you. And indeed, will be very interesting to organize this topic based debates. But I would like just to be back to the EURATE example and to follow what Regina Fuxova mentioned, the .EU days and actually what we established as well together with the .EU. It’s a special category of the .EU award, which is going for and it’s focused on young entrepreneurs. And that’s also a second achievement, I would say, in a very tangible manner that came from one of the recommendations of the youth IGF to the digital compact. But let’s go to the second topic, which is the declaration of for the future of the Internet. And as you know, as you might know, the youth IGF also actively participated in a number of meetings, namely in the Czech Republic under the presidency of the Czech Republic. And I would like to turn to Peter Sedona from the European Commission. And Peter Sedona is the director of the Future Networks Directorate at the European Commission. Peter, what is your opinion about the what are the priorities, first of all, of the European Commission on the day five? But also what actually what is your opinion in terms of the impact that the young people brought to the day five during these, you know, different meetings where we took part and participated on site with the European Commission and, by the way, invited by your colleagues? Thank you. Is this on? Thank you. Good afternoon.

Peter:
Hello, Julia. Thank you very much. Thanks for this opportunity. Indeed, on day zero of IGF, we had a very successful half-day long workshop on the Declaration for the Future of the Internet, and successful from several points of view, partly because we had a number of countries that had not previously been closely associated with the process who were present for the plenary session, but also for a breakout session among governments, and who then brought that back into another session at the end, where it was clear that there was strong support for the principles. There are five principles in the DFI, but that process was also aided by the fact that we had rapporteurs from the youth IGF, who acted as animators and reporters back to the plenary session, who showed the involvement of youth, but also the interest of the youth community in what is being done in the DFI. If I could, without going into too much detail, if I could summarize it as follows, is that while it is a track which is led by governments who sign the Declaration for the Future of the Internet, the purpose is to pull them more closely into the multi-stakeholder process of which they are already a part, and specifically into the process of the IGF, where we see all of the other communities already working hard, in order for them to be made aware of the concerns and to be guided by civil society, academia, but of course the other members, including of course the business segment, so that when they come as member states of the United Nations to negotiate the GDC, they will be fully aware of that input. And the input from the youth IGF is actually very much what has been said by the members of Parliament here, is that we’re talking about digital future, so we are talking about what is of most concern to the young people today, and where we, and I speak as one of the greyheads in the room, we have an obligation to ensure that we make a governance system that works and that answers, responds to their concerns, to your interests, because you’re here in the room and online, and we want that process to continue, so that when we talk about human rights, for example, or when we talk about more process-oriented things such as internet governance itself, that you are fully aware of what’s going on, and using the network which youth IGF represents, you can actually inform your members as to why it is important that they are, at national level, talking to your governments to convince them that they should sign up to the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. If they are to state that they believe in democratic principles, if they believe in maintaining human rights and the human-centric nature of the internet, then clearly this is a forum which will allow them to speak with like-minded countries, but also to influence the outcome of the GDC process and the WSIS plus 20. I’ll stop there, thank you very much.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, thanks. Thank you, Per Seudonor, for giving us your opinion, the opinion of the European Commission and the EFI, and a note taken on how we can help and assist more with the EFI and the implementation of the EFI as the youth IGF. I would like now to turn to Nathalie, we have Nathalie Terkova, I think, apologies for mispronouncing your name, from the Czech Republic, and I would like to ask you, you know, in the EFI we can find the recommendation on the collaborative research, you’re a young researcher from in the Czech Republic, so what kind of opportunities you would like to see for you within this EFI as a young researcher? Very shortly, Nathalie, please.

Nathalie:
All right, thank you so much for the question. It’s actually surprising that I’m also a PhD student focusing specifically on digital literacy and digital skills of children and adolescents, so it would be a pleasure to also have more conversations later on, but to keep it short and to answer the question, I would like to maybe highlight a few research opportunities that I personally believe would be very much needed. Firstly, it would be the need for comprehensive online risk assessment, because we, I believe, we must delve into the emerging online threats and vulnerabilities affecting children to inform policies and industry standards to really help protect their child rights online. And secondly, as we are just highlighting this a lot, the multi-stakeholder approach, and those like collaboration studies, I would say are vital, because governments, the companies, academia, and educators as well, and civil society, they must work together effectively to reduce online risks for children. And research can really help us to assess the impact of these collaborations. Thank you.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, Natalie, and thank you for being so short in it. That’s appreciated, so that allows us to have a discussion afterwards. I would like now to go to our third point. But before, I would like to quote the Member of the European Parliament, Brandon Bénéfé. I don’t know if Brandon Bénéfé is with us in the room. If not, we would like to quote him from yesterday, actually, and he said on stage, if you do not engage, they do not care. And it is also the duty of institutions and society to give them instruments to be involved. But if they refuse to do, then others will do in their place. And I think that’s actually a good summary of what we are trying to reach and discuss here today. Really, what are the instruments that the European Parliament is that the young people can have in order to be fully involved and bring you the tangible examples? And I would like to go with that to the third point of the Hiroshima process that has been discussed a lot during this IGF 2023 in Kyoto, we’re following online, and Levi, present from the Youth IGF from our team, was following on site as well. So I would like to ask the members of the European Parliament, you know, the vision of the year, well, to ask the question on the vision of the European Parliament on the Hiroshima process on the generative AI, but also how do we how do you see the role of the young people globally to be involved in this Hiroshima process and its potential implementation? I don’t know, Mr. Boucher, who would like to maybe yourself or other members of the delegation would like to… Yes, I will just say two sentences and

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
then I will invite two colleagues very knowledgeable on this, Mr. Lagodinsky, who’s a shadow and he will be involved also in the negotiations, and Mia Petra Kumpula-Natris, who was vice chair of a standing committee on artificial intelligence, so I will kindly ask them to briefly comment and explain a little bit European Parliament vision. As I said in the introductory remarks, I’m very happy to see interest, a lot of interest about European initiative on artificial intelligence, the risk-based assessment, but also what European Parliament issued as position. The most important is the fact that we will not accept that artificial intelligence should be used in mass surveillance. We have issues about biometric, using biometric artificial intelligence usage, and in the same time, of course, not banning generative AI, trying to regulate. Of course, we looked mainly to the safety, to the ethical aspects. ITRE committee, the committee that I’m chairing, also gave an input related also to the business case, to the growth that artificial intelligence could bring to economies, to companies, to individuals, also some benefits, but in the same time, we’re looking to the challenges and how it can tackle these challenges, and if I’m not mistaken, we are the first continent regulating in a way, or starting to regulate, because I’m sure that this will evolve a lot in the coming years, the artificial intelligence processes, and I know that there are other approaches. Yesterday, we met the US delegation to the IGF. We understand a little bit better the vision in the United States. With the members of the African Parliament, we understood a little bit how they look and how they could be inspired by what the European Union is doing. You mentioned the Hiroshima process in Japan, and even the Prime Minister of Japan mentioned the interest and the concern, and also the vision of the great nation of Japan related to this. So clearly, participation in IGF also inspired us a little bit more on how we can address artificial intelligence legislation. But two short interventions from colleagues. I start with Mr. Lagodinsky. You have a microphone here, and then I kindly invite

Mr. Lagodinsky:
for a short intervention, Miapetra. Thank you. It’s great to be here, and a great question. We are now, as you know, in the middle of a trilogue, which is a negotiation between European Parliament, European Commission, and the Council, so the member states. The position of the Parliament is clear. We do not want to ban artificial intelligence, as some were misled to think. We do not want to ban foundation models or generative AI, whatever term you want to use. We would like to regulate them, and most of AI is not regulated at all. We have a high-risk approach where the regulation only is on special high-risk applications and on generative AI. We can discuss about how this regulation takes place. We, of course, understand that we will not advance if there is no international cooperation, and from that perspective, Hiroshima process is a great step forward. However, for many of us, the concern is that by using Hiroshima process to place our dialogue with providers and with developers, solely on the basis of code of conduct, we will distract us from the real regulation of this technology, and this is something that citizens expect. There is a lot of unease, and you know the letters about banning AI or putting moratorium on AI. We do not want to go that far, but we want to give people and to give our partners in Africa, for example, who are watching very closely what we’re doing, to give them orientation that would be in the realm of regulation, not over-regulating, leaving room for innovation, but also innovating in laws, and this innovative approach is something that the Parliament presented. As I said, and we can discuss this if you’re interested, we are in the process of meeting together and kind of balancing out our view with the view of Member States who would like to be very careful. They want to protect, of course, small and medium enterprises from Europe, who would like not to be regulated, understandably. Well, we’re saying we have to walk a middle ground, because it’s not just about industry, and it’s not just about businesses, it is also about fundamental rights, it’s about environmental standards, and it’s about our view of how we place human being in the center of this innovation. I will stop here, happy to discuss this, and I will pass the word to the colleague. Thank you, thank you Chair, and thank you all young participants.

Collegue:
Very short also, the Hiroshima, I think, links well with the AI Act that European Union is doing, because we are not isolating ourselves from the world. We will look forward to having the multidisciplinary approach, and also enjoy discussing here on the multi-stakeholder forum. I must say that also in AIDA, the AI in the digital age, the special committee we had, we worked for one and a half years, with all the possible stakeholders, more than 100 specialists were talking to us, European parliamentarians, and then Commission gave the proposal, we were mature to look what we want, and it is to continue the trails that we have had in the Europe, that we want Internet to be human-centric, what is built on the Internet should be human-centric, and respect to fundamental rights. And sometimes, coming from this innovation and industry committee, and I did also work for this legislation, there we are not innovating out, we are giving some quadrilles, like a framework, because then often somebody said, why are you regulating anything on AI? I said, what are you planning to do with AI, if you are scared that high rates might have some rules? So make a comparison, like medicines, if you doctor say that take that medicine, do you want to first sign consent? Maybe, your risk, but if you swallow the bill. So we are kind of wishing that AI systems on the market have some risk-based security analysis, and keep it globally open, so that we can have interoperable systems, and so on. So this is one more aspect on that. So Hiroshima having more G7 countries to work together, we have been using OSCD, and whatever, UNESCO, all other defining how, what is the AI actually, do we try to give some framework legislation on. So I welcome on that sense, that there are more countries taking it seriously, and looking for the better future with less threats. Thank you very much. Back to the moderator.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, and thank you for helping us with the moderation. Yes, we feel that you are here with us, but sometimes it’s good to… The sun is coming, we have the morning and the sun coming, so we are with you right now. So thank you so much to the members of the European Parliament for briefing us and bringing the detailed information on the processes going on, on AI, from the legislative and policy perspective. I would like to turn now to Ananya. Ananya, you are on the stage. You are from India. You are the young leader. You participated in a number of different programs, capacity building, and et cetera. And Ananya, your interest is on AI. One of your interests is on AI. And I would like to ask you, how would you like to see young people to be involved in the implementation of different regulations all over the world, or at least to have your say, but to have your say on a sustainable manner, I would say. Ananya, you have the floor.

Ananya:
Thank you very much for inviting me today. I am Ananya. I am the youth advisor to USAID Digital Youth Council. As a young person who is very closely involved in the design and implementation of the Digital Strategy of an international agency like the USAID, here is how I think young people could be and should be involved in the implementation of the Hiroshima process. First of all, I want to emphasize that it is crucial that young people are involved in any process related to anything digital. As a generation of young people who are born into a digital age, digital technologies influence our aspirations, ideas, and lives from the very moment we are born. Hence, I strongly contest the usage of the word future stakeholders for us young people, because in the digital context, young people, due to the ubiquitous penetration and presence of technology in their lives, are nothing less than equal and current stakeholders. Therefore, they must be provided a platform right now to share inputs on processes and policies which will massively influence their lives, like the Hiroshima process. And I will very briefly enlist three things that I would want to happen. The first one is to ensure that young people from diverse backgrounds, socially, educationally, and geographically, have a seat at the table, like you see right now, because I’m not from the European region. So thank you very much for walking the talk. We should make young people parts of decision-making bodies, like I heard about the EURID body, committees or working groups related to the Hiroshima process. I would also suggest hosting consultations, youth summits, site events, networking sessions, conferences, like IGF, exhibitions, educational programs, and other such community engagement activities, which enable the youth to share their ideas, their experiences, thoughts, suggestions, projects, and initiatives that align with the goals of the Hiroshima process. But I would insist that any such fora be held at local, national, and international levels. So as to make the process more accessible, inclusive, and glocally relevant. Second, as young people tend to be one of the biggest consumers and producers of social media content, it would also be a very good and feasible idea to indeed leverage digital platforms and social media to engage young people in the Hiroshima process. We could do that by creating interactive online spaces and use social media campaigns, hashtags, online events, like webinars, to raise awareness and mobilize support from and with the youth. And finally, it is always important to acknowledge, just because we are young does not mean that our contribution was not instrumental enough. Hence, we must recognize and celebrate the contributions of young people to the Hiroshima process by highlighting their achievements, stories, and initiatives through awards, scholarships, or media coverage. This will also inspire any other such future processes to include more young people in the dialogue. I’ll just briefly end this by saying that there is nothing for us without us. And thank you, Yulia, again for inviting me.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, Ananya. I think we have to thank you for a strong message that probably has been taken. And thank you for this strong voice and for tangible proposals, I would say, to what can be done. To continue on that strong and positive, but I mean, our open forum, it’s generally positive. But to continue on this strong youth voice, I would like to give the opportunity to other young people to raise their questions. And maybe afterwards, turn to our leaders, to the members of the European Parliament, and the European Commission, and the private sector to comment and to answer their questions. Would you have Levi on stage? Levi, you’ve been very patient. Thank you for staying with us. You are from Zambia. Levi, do you have a question? Or maybe you would like to raise an issue to the members of the European Parliament and other senior leaders present in the room? Levi.

Levi:
Thank you, Yulia. So, let me make a comment and then I will pose a question to the European delegation and people in this room. I’m Levi Siansege from Internet Society Zambia chapter, but I also head the Zambia Youth IGF. Now, there have been concerns about AI, misinformation and disinformation. And quite honestly, to some extent, misinformation sometimes actually has been perpetrated by certain government officials. In my region, in Africa, I don’t know about the European Union, but I’d like to believe in certain cases it’s been so. Misinformation or disinformation, right? Now, three quarters of the internet is used by the youths. They have a lot of innovations. And one of the European delegate made mention that it’s also nice to get inspiration from the youths. Them being majority of the users of the internet, I think they have quite a number of solutions to some of the world’s problems. And having less interaction or involvement in making decisions or policies about internet governance and internet laws, to some extent, I feel it becomes unfair. And if we’re talking about the future of the internet, then what future are we building if we don’t get their involvement to the most? So, just building up on what Ananya said, my question then would be, how deliberate is the European Union in terms of ensuring sustainability of youth engagement in policy and governance related issues, especially when it comes to technology and the internet space? How deliberate is the European Commission ensuring that there’s sustainable engagement in as much as they are learning from the youths in the European Union, but across the entire continent or across the entire globe, how is it deliberate about being sustainable in engaging the youths to make these decisions? Because youth internet governance forums are one of the platforms where you can actually get to see what the youths are thinking about and some of the innovations they have regarding how they envision the future of the internet. But if we are creating a sustainable future for the youths, how about being deliberate in engaging them? I end there. Thank you.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you. Thank you, Lenny. Thank you for the question and statement. We’ll be going in two minutes sharp to the European Parliament delegation for their comments and discussion. Just would like to take another question online because we try to be inclusive as much as possible. And indeed, we need to encourage this online participation. We have a question from Muhammad from the Pakistan. Muhammad, you have one minute, please. You do have a question. Please do raise your question and be in camera. Thank you, Muhammad. You have the floor.

Muhammad:
Hello, and thank you so much for having me. I hope I’m audible. You do. Please continue. Yeah, so I’ve been listening to the discussion for a while now. And I’ve seen that the honorable members of the European Parliament, as well as the fellow… As for my impression, first of all, my name is Muhammad Amarali and I’m the Generation Connect Youth NY for the Asia-Pacific region with the International Delhi Communication Union. My question has been that the members of the committee have been discussing about the artificial intelligence and the cybersecurity. And the youth fellows have been discussing about the inclusion of youth in the overall process. One particular aspect of the internet governance, and that has been my core area of interest as well, has been the digital governance and the cooperation sector. And the question here would be that how do the stakeholders look into the participation of youth within the digital governance and the cooperation sector? Because as Ananya mentioned that the youth are the current stakeholders. And of course, they are the future stakeholders as well. They are the ones that are going to embrace this change of digital transformation in the first place and then passing it on to other generations. So is there a mechanism in place or in the pipeline where youth would be included in the digital governance infrastructure as well? Thank you.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, Muhammad. Thank you for your question. Thank you for being short. Now we would like to turn to the members of the European Parliament for your comments. Kristian Silviu Besoi, the floor is yours and the floor is in the hands of the members of the European Parliament. If you want to comment.

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
Thank you so much. The two questions are very much related and they’re about the main issue discussed today, the need to stronger and more clearly involvement of young people, of youth, when decisions are made related to digital legislation, but also to future artificial intelligence. So how sustainable is the youth participation? You heard Director O’Donoghue, you heard colleagues, the will is very clear at the EU institutions. Youth were very much involved until now via the consultation processes, via the participation in different formats and initiatives of political groups in the European Parliament. Of course, some of the members of European Parliament, as you saw today, are young people very much connected to the youth, but I think we should do more. We should do more in order to have maybe a better coordination and formal consultation and formal dialogue and IGF youth could be permanent and formal stakeholder for European legislators. Very short intervention, if you allow, because Mr. Brando Bonifay, the colleague that also was quoted and our reporter for artificial intelligence joined us. He was in other meetings here because there are many meetings, very interesting for our colleagues. Just also to comment on this, if any other colleague that did not have the chance until now to take the floor, would like to say something also very shortly, please make me a sign. Brando, please, you can use that microphone or you can come here. It’s how you would like to come there.

Brando:
So I think this topic has been quite relevant for you. I’ve seen that from my speech on the first day, UIGF took exactly that excerpt for the social media when I mentioned the need for the involvement of young people in the design of these policies and also in their governance and enforcement. That’s exactly what we are trying to do with the AI Act because we have included a clear in the AI legislation at European level that we are negotiating. We included a clear reference to the need for a permanent involvement of stakeholders, not just academia and business, but also civil society, including young people. This is, I mean, we are still negotiating, but in the parliament text that we are defending in the negotiations with the member states to get the final text of the law, it is quite extensive because it’s considered to be needed to do this kind of consultations for many steps of the application of the law, but also for its update. Also, and I hope this can be a model that we continue in this direction. I agree with what colleague has said that UIGF should be an important permanent interlocutor for this work because more and more, it came clear also in these discussions in these days that the international dimension is crucial. Also, our work, more legislative, domestic European work as a necessary international global dimension, it comes very clear. Hiroshima process was mentioned earlier. We are working, thinking of it, of this global effort. And so it’s crucial that we have a global youth involved. In fact, and I conclude on this, I must say as a politician on a broader reasoning that it has been extremely important, extremely helpful that young people have mobilized so much for climate issues. They have driven the debate in a way that I think was very important. I think we need to find the ways, so it might not be the same, but the ways to mobilize more young people, more youth associations, also around the, we can say the tension and the possible outcomes, possible outcomes of the tension between democracy and the new technologies because I think this is the point. Thank you.

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
Thank you so much, Brando. I know that we are almost done with the time and I see, I think someone from the organizers coming and maybe reminding us that, yeah. We have three minutes. We have three minutes, but we have two people queuing, if the moderator allow me just to, because maybe she doesn’t see them in the room, queuing to the microphone.

Yulia Mournets:
Let’s try to take one question maybe. Maybe we have two youth in the room to take the presentation. Two short questions. We can take them together and maybe address them. Please ask the question without making a statement because we don’t have any more time. So please be very, very short where you have one minute.

Herman Lopez:
Yeah, state your name also for the record. No, well, thank you very much. This is Herman Lopez from the standing group of the Internet Society, part of the board. It’s great to see that also India and Africa are involved in the discussion, but how can we from Latin America also get involved into these discussions about AI? Because we, like you see people from all over the world, but Latin America, so thank you very much.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you. Let’s, shall we answer this question first or not? So we take the both and then I will, yeah. Good afternoon. Very short.

Nadia Chekhia:
My name is Nadia Chekhia and I, I’m short. And I represent the European Dialogue on Internet Governance. I coordinate the youth activities of the European Regional IGF. And my question to the MUPs is, what is your definition of meaningful participation? At YouthDIC, we’ve been working on what does that mean and working with youth stakeholders to understand how are their activities. And we are asking you to reflect on this. And for this, we do have a publication that we would like to invite you and also to invite you to EurDIC to reflect on how we can have more youth participation of youth around Europe and allowing them to integrate into the system and take on leadership positions. Thank you very much.

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
Thank you. Yulia, if you allow me just to give two short answers to the questions and I will stand because maybe it’s, on Latin America, clearly there is a lot to be done together, to work together, to be inspired by each other. You know that European Union, European Parliament have strong ties with countries from Latin America and also with Africa. We are happy to meet yesterday members of the African parliaments. I’m not sure if there is a network also in Latin America comparable that could be a interlocutor on the internet governance and digital artificial intelligence issues. If there is so, it will be good once we have a permanent working group in European Parliament to start working. And the youth dimension, of course, could be extremely important. On involvement of European Youth IGF, and I see that you made the first excellent step. You discussed with the Director O’Donohue because European Commission is the key player and I kindly invite you and encourage you to take into very much serious the consultation process of legislative acts. You know that European Commission is doing that. It’s a public consultation. The stakeholders are very much involved and the Parliament only asked European Commission and we saw there is a strong commitment there and a strong will to take into serious, to take on board the relevant and important comments and of course, inputs on this. So this would be when the legislation is prepared, the public consultation phase. Then of course, talk to the co-legislators when we amend, modify, improve the proposal of European Commission. You saw the openness of colleagues. Go directly to the rapporteurs, to the coordinators of the political groups in the relevant committees and also once again, once we have the permanent IGF working group together with other initiatives and other interest group or intergroups and of course, the relevant committees. You have many interlocutors and I’m sure that will be very open to your participation and contribution, which is indeed very valuable.

Yulia Mournets:
Thank you, Christian, Silvio, Ushuai for answering these questions. Thank you. We have to thank you for all your interventions. We would like to thank all members of the European Parliament present in the room. We will probably once again, quote Mr. Benfeh afterwards with his proposal to have the permanent youth IGF legislative work together with the parliament as well as other members of the delegation on precise topics. With that, we have to end our session. I would like to thank all young people from the Czech Republic, India, Portugal, Zambia, Pakistan, Europe, other countries present in the room for your statements and questions. We’d like to thank the European Commission, Piers O’Donoghue for being with us today. And of course, .EU present in the room and all other participants. Thank you. Until next time, we’ll continue the discussions with you online or offline.

Christian-Sylvie Bouchoy:
Thank you. A special word of thank you for Julia, our moderator. Actually, I was the first to make in the proposal of the permanent representation. I’m joking. It is good that- Apologies, miss. Yeah, we are very committed to permanent dialogue and a special thank and appreciation for the moderation. During COVID times, I chaired the ITRE committee with colleagues in different European capitals with different presidencies. I know how challenging it is to moderate from distance and the moderation organization was excellent. And on behalf of European Parliament delegation, I would like to thank youth IGF and young people present today here or online. And we are really inspired by what we heard today and by their commitment to be part of the best solutions for the future of internet governance. Thank you.