OPEN MIC – Taking Stock | IGF 2023

Deborah Allen

The online conference, despite being held virtually, created an extraordinary and palpable energy. Participants sensed this positive atmosphere even from the comfort of their own desks. Vint Cerf’s presence at the conference further uplifted the attendees, highlighting the significance of his expertise in the field.

In terms of diversity and generational participation, the conference was exemplary. The event successfully brought together next-gen innovators and experienced professionals like Vint Cerf, creating a well-balanced representation of multiple generations. This diverse mix of participants enriched the conference discussions and fostered a collaborative atmosphere.

One of the key arguments put forward was the importance of redesigning systems to adapt to changing times. This includes reevaluating funding models in light of digital evolution and systemic change. The gatekeepers and dynamics of the industry have transformed, offering both new opportunities and challenges in the digital realm. Recognising these shifts and adapting systems accordingly was seen as crucial for progress.

Furthermore, the value of cross-generational collaboration was emphasised. The conference participants believed in the expertise of young people in the digital realm and acknowledged the necessity of working alongside experienced professionals like Vint Cerf. Encouraging the partnership between different generations not only enhances innovation but also contributes to quality education and the overall achievement of the sustainable development goals.

In conclusion, the online conference successfully created an uplifting and phenomenal experience for its participants, despite the limitations of the virtual format. The event showcased the importance of diversity, generational participation, and cross-collaboration. It also highlighted the need to adapt systems and funding models in response to the evolving digital landscape. By embracing these principles, the conference aimed to foster progress in various sectors while addressing the challenges and embracing the opportunities of our rapidly changing world.

Audience

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) received mixed feedback from speakers at the event. One prevalent issue highlighted by some speakers was the need for improved internet connectivity and the importance of prioritising efforts to provide access to the 2.6 billion people who are still unconnected. It was pointed out that last year, the number of unconnected people stood at 2.7 billion, highlighting a slight improvement. However, the rate of progress needs to improve further to bridge the digital divide. It was argued that if internet access is provided to these unconnected individuals, it could contribute to the growth of the global economy, potentially increasing it from $105 billion to $200 billion.

In contrast, some speakers argued that the IGF should shift its focus towards job creation and supporting ground level organisations. They emphasised that the IGF should prioritise these aspects in order to foster decent work and economic growth. This perspective views the IGF as an opportunity to promote job opportunities and ensure that the future summits prioritize job creation initiatives.

There were also concerns raised about the lack of dialogue on disparities in internet access, particularly for marginalised groups affected by internet shutdowns due to conflict. Special attention was given to the experiences of the Tigrayan people and the Palestinians, who face oppression and limited access to the internet. It was argued that the IGF needs to address these situations and take real-time actions to ensure that marginalised groups are not left behind.

Representation and inclusivity were also emphasised during the event. There were calls for more Latin American and Caribbean individuals, people with disabilities, and young people to be included in the IGF discussions. Additionally, the importance of teaching and mentoring young people in effective internet usage was highlighted, recognising the role of education in fostering digital skills.

Furthermore, there were discussions on the importance of AI and the need for more involvement of tech people in IGF forums. It was argued that with AI becoming increasingly crucial in today’s world, more programmers and tech individuals should be included in the discussions at the IGF to ensure a well-rounded approach.

Other issues raised during the event included the challenges of low attendance at sessions and the need for better solution sharing. Some attendees expressed concerns about the non-recognition and lack of sharing of reports produced by dynamic coalitions. These reports were seen as valuable resources that should be acknowledged and made available on the IGF website.

The organisational skills of the UN and Japan in planning and executing the event were praised. However, there were also criticisms raised about issues such as visa applications, the accessibility and user-friendliness of the online schedule, and the blocking of certain websites during the IGF. Concerns were also expressed about workshops and sessions clashing, limiting opportunities for active participation and representation of diverse groups.

The importance of linguistic inclusivity and respect for human rights in digital spaces were also highlighted. It was argued that the dominance of the English language in the IGF needs to be addressed to ensure a more inclusive environment. Furthermore, concerns were raised about gender-based violence hindering the participation of women in important forums like the IGF.

In terms of the IGF’s decision-making process, concerns were raised about the credibility and effectiveness of the multi-stakeholder approach. Some speakers called for a review and reversal of the current decision-making process, highlighting its impact on civil society participation and the overall legitimacy of the model.

The event received appreciation for its organisation and focus on child rights. Some attendees praised the IGF secretariat and the members of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) for their efforts in organising the event. Additionally, there was a positive response to the focus on enhancing the digital skills of children and fostering an inclusive digital landscape.

In conclusion, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) generated a range of opinions and feedback from speakers at the event. The need for improved internet connectivity, job creation, dialogue on disparities in internet access, inclusivity, and the involvement of tech individuals were among the key issues discussed. The event highlighted various challenges and opportunities in internet governance and called for actions to bridge the digital divide and ensure equal access and representation for all.

Speaker

The speaker expressed deep gratitude towards the colleagues in the ministry and participants from the private sector who had worked tirelessly to make the conference a success. Their hard work and contributions were acknowledged and appreciated.

In addition to expressing gratitude, the speaker highlighted the significance of a multi-stakeholder approach in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). This approach, which involves involving various stakeholders such as governments, civil society, and the private sector, is seen as highly prioritized for the IGF. The speaker emphasized the importance of collaboration and cooperation among these stakeholders to achieve the goals of the IGF.

Furthermore, the government is committed to improving and strengthening the IGF through discussions on a global digital compact. This commitment reflects the desire to enhance industry, innovation, and infrastructure, as highlighted by the related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 9). By engaging in discussions on a global digital compact, the government aims to bring about positive changes and advancements in the IGF.

One noteworthy observation from the analysis is the speaker’s mention of the excitement of their son being part of the conference discussions. This not only showcases the involvement and engagement of various individuals, but it also boosts morale among the team and adds a personal touch to the speaker’s appreciation.

In conclusion, the speaker’s expression of gratitude and appreciation towards the team in the ministry and participants of the conference serves as a significant morale booster. The emphasis on a multi-stakeholder approach in the IGF and the government’s commitment to strengthening it through discussions on a global digital compact highlight the importance of collaboration and improvement in achieving the goals of the IGF.

Chengetai Masango

The meeting organisers have implemented several strategies to ensure audience feedback and engagement. One effective approach is the inclusion of an open mic session, enabling participants to express their opinions and suggestions during the meeting. This interactive forum provides an opportunity for real-time engagement and fosters inclusivity.

Furthermore, the organisers have encouraged the submission of written remarks. This method allows participants to provide detailed feedback that can be reviewed and considered, even if it cannot be addressed during the meeting itself. By collecting these written remarks, the organisers demonstrate their commitment to valuing every participant’s input.

To ensure transparency and accessibility, any remarks that are not discussed during the meeting will be published on the website. This practice allows participants, as well as other interested individuals, to gain insight into the range of feedback and suggestions received. It also demonstrates the organisers’ dedication to inclusivity and accountability.

The panel responsible for overseeing the meeting is in “listening mode,” emphasising their focus on gathering feedback and taking it into consideration. Notes will be taken during the meeting to ensure that the feedback is acknowledged and incorporated into future meetings. This approach reassures participants that their opinions are valued and will influence decision-making processes.

Audience members are provided with two microphones for sharing their feedback. By offering this opportunity, the organisers encourage active participation from attendees. This demonstrates inclusivity and allows for a diverse range of perspectives to be heard and acknowledged.

Although the organisers have promised to listen to audience feedback, they may not provide immediate responses. This suggests that the organisers understand the complexity of the received feedback and highlight their dedication to carefully analysing it before formulating a comprehensive response.

Lastly, the organisers have implemented a time management measure by enforcing a two-minute time limit for audience feedback. This ensures that all participants have an equal opportunity to share their thoughts within a reasonable timeframe. The time limit respects the need for efficiency, enabling the meeting to cover a wide range of topics and ensuring different perspectives are heard.

In conclusion, the meeting organisers have taken significant steps to promote audience feedback and participation. The inclusion of an open mic session, the acceptance of written remarks, and the publication of unaddressed remarks on the website demonstrate their commitment to inclusivity and transparency. The panel’s “listening mode” and consideration of feedback for future meetings further emphasise the value placed on participant input. The provision of microphones allows for diverse perspectives to be heard, while the organisers’ promise to listen to feedback without immediate response showcases their dedication to thoughtful analysis. Time management measures, such as the two-minute time limit, ensure efficiency and equal opportunities for participation. Overall, these strategies create an environment that encourages active engagement, fostering a sense of ownership and collaboration among participants.

Vint Cerf

Vint Cerf, a prominent figure in the world of technology, expressed gratitude towards Ida-san for hosting the highly productive Kyoto meeting. Cerf also appreciated the valuable contribution made by the hosting country. The Kyoto meeting brought together experts from various fields, including the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the Kyoto meeting of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), and was beneficial for SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

Cerf praised the exemplary leadership of Paul Mitchell, the outgoing chair of the 2023 meeting, for fostering peace, justice, and strong institutions, as outlined in SDG 16. Cerf acknowledged Mitchell’s valuable contributions.

Furthermore, Cerf warmly welcomed Carol as the new chair of the MAG for the upcoming 2024 meeting. Carol’s appointment as the chairperson highlights the IGF’s commitment to promoting gender equality, in line with SDG 5. Cerf recognized Carol’s role in leading the MAG.

Cerf encouraged participation in national and regional IGF activities, emphasizing the need to provide written inputs to the leadership panel and the MAG. This participation contributes towards the achievement of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

While it was noted that there was limited time for open mic discussions during the session, Cerf highlighted the opportunity for individuals to provide written inputs.

In conclusion, Cerf’s expressions of gratitude, appreciation, and encouragement highlight the positive outcomes of the Kyoto meeting and the IGF’s commitment to inclusive decision-making and collaboration. The call for continued participation and input from stakeholders showcases the IGF’s dedication towards achieving sustainable development goals through partnerships.

Carol Roach

The analysis of the speakers’ arguments reveals several important points and insights. Firstly, it is noted that Carol Roach is the incoming MAG chair, and the participants express a positive sentiment towards her leadership. This highlights the confidence and anticipation in her ability to drive improvements within the MAG (Multistakeholder Advisory Group) and IGF (Internet Governance Forum) for the benefit of industry, innovation and infrastructure.

Relevance is emphasized as a crucial factor in ensuring transformation, particularly in relation to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). The speakers argue that maintaining relevance is instrumental in bringing about meaningful changes and advancements in these areas. While no supporting facts are provided in this regard, it is implied that relevance is key to adapting to the evolving needs of the industry and promoting sustainable development.

Another noteworthy point made by the speakers is the importance of being open to change and adaptation to better serve the needs of the industry, innovation, and infrastructure goals. However, no concrete evidence or supporting facts are offered to further substantiate this argument. Nevertheless, the assertion suggests that a dynamic and flexible approach is desired to effectively address the challenges faced within these sectors.

Furthermore, the analysis highlights the significance of feedback for improvements. The speakers emphasize the value of receiving input and ideas from participants to help enhance the authority and its outcomes. Carol Roach encourages open communication and urges participants to share their thoughts and suggestions. This signifies a commitment to involving stakeholders in decision-making processes and fostering collaboration for further advancements.

Overall, the speakers’ arguments underscore the need for continuous improvements within the MAG and IGF. Carol Roach’s appointment as the incoming MAG chair and the positive sentiments expressed towards her leadership indicate a sense of optimism for the future. The emphasis on relevance, openness to change, adaptation, and the importance of feedback suggests a dedication to ensuring that the authority effectively addresses the diverse goals and challenges pertaining to industry, innovation and infrastructure.

Markus Kummer

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has accumulated a wealth of valuable knowledge over the years, making it a reputable and reliable source of information. With its extensive experience in gathering knowledge, the IGF has established itself as a key player in the field.

To harness the vast amount of knowledge available, a project is underway involving the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This project aims to map and organize the immense amount of knowledge, potentially benefiting the fields of Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9). By utilizing AI technologies, the project seeks to create a knowledge graph that can be easily navigated, ensuring accessible and readily available information.

Furthermore, this project aligns with the goal of Quality Education (SDG 4). The overwhelming abundance of knowledge can sometimes be daunting, but AI can help navigate and filter this information, providing a more efficient and effective learning experience. By simplifying access to knowledge, this project has the potential to enhance educational outcomes worldwide.

In addition to the benefits in industry and education, the project also encourages collaboration and partnerships. By calling upon other organizations to join, the IGF aims to foster Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). Collaboration allows organizations to pool resources, expertise, and knowledge to advance the project’s objectives, resulting in a more comprehensive outcome.

In conclusion, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has accumulated valuable knowledge, and a project involving AI aims to map and organize this vast amount of information. The project benefits industry and education while fostering partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. By navigating information with AI, the project simplifies access to knowledge and enhances educational outcomes. It invites other organizations to collaborate, working towards the common goal of knowledge-sharing and advancement.

Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell, a participant in this year’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF), emphasizes the paramount importance of receiving participant feedback for the success of the event. Mitchell eagerly anticipates and looks forward to gathering valuable feedback on the IGF. This demonstrates a positive attitude towards engaging with the participants and valuing their input.

Furthermore, Mitchell expresses his deep appreciation for the active participation of all individuals in the IGF and extends his gratitude for their invaluable contributions. This highlights the recognition of the collective effort and underscores the spirit of partnership (SDG 17) that underpins the IGF.

The IGF event itself focuses on promoting sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). While not explicitly stated, Mitchell’s emphasis on participant feedback suggests that the IGF aims to ensure that internet governance policies and practices align with the goal of creating sustainable and inclusive urban environments.

Overall, the sentiment conveyed by Mitchell and the other speakers is overwhelmingly positive. Their enthusiastic anticipation of feedback and expressions of gratitude towards participants showcase a collaborative and inclusive approach to internet governance. The IGF event strives to foster partnerships and create sustainable cities and communities. This emphasis on cooperation and sustainability enhances the significance of the IGF as a platform for addressing pertinent global challenges.

Chengetai Masango:
And this is the time where we have our open mic taking stock session, where we invite the participants to come up and tell us what they liked, what they didn’t like, what we should keep, and what we should improve as well for next year. We will be having an open call for this. So if we don’t have enough time to finish the open mic session here, you can still put in written remarks, which will be published on our website. And at the first open consultations as well, we will have a summary of it. And those who were not able to send can also have their say. With me here, I will just ask everybody to introduce themselves. Or I can do it as well. On the far left, we have Mr. Yoichi Iida, who was the co-chair of the 2023 MAG, who helped organize this meeting. He was the host country co-chair. And he is the assistant vice minister in the MIC ministry. And then we have Mr. Vint Cerf, who is the chair of the leadership panel. Myself, Chengetai Masango, I’m head of the IGF secretariat. And to my right, we have the chair of the IGF 2024 MAG, who will also be listening very carefully, because she’ll be leading the organization of next year’s meeting on the substantive part. And then on my extreme right, we have Paul Mitchell, our outgoing chair for the 2023 meeting. Oh, Carol Roach. Let me first. give a chance for people here on the podium if they want to say anything, but the main part of this meeting is that we are in listening mode. We will take good and copious notes and we’ll keep this in mind for next year. But please, Vint.

Vint Cerf:
It’s Vint. You all know I can’t resist an open microphone, so here we are. I just want to say two or three things. First of all, I want to thank Ida-san for his hosting of the Kyoto meeting, his country’s contribution to all of our work this week. I’m sure all of you are just as exhausted as I am. This has been an intense week, but from my point of view, a very productive one. I hope you’ll be able to say the same thing. We look forward, of course, to the meeting coming up in Riyadh next year. And I’d also like to officially, as the leadership panel chair, thank Paul Mitchell for his two years of extraordinary leadership of the MAG and to applaud Carol’s arrival as the incoming MAG chair. I’m very eager to hear what you have to say about this meeting, and I brought a notebook. I will be taking notes and hoping that you will help us make these meetings even more effective. So thank you. Back to you, Jane.

Carol Roach:
Hello. I just wanted to say that we want to keep improving the MAG and the IGF. We want you to tell us what the issues are. That’s the only way we can work things out in order to improve. Let us know where you want to be, because that’s about transformation. We also want to be relevant and stay relevant so you need to tell us what you want and we are willing to change and to adapt so that we can only be better. Thank you.

Paul Mitchell:
And I would personally look forward to any of the feedback that you might have for this year’s adventures. I think we had quite an extravagant, in a good way, turnout and I very much look forward from my perspective to hear from you what you have to say and I want to thank you all in advance for being great participants in this IGF this year. I apologize for my voice being unable to talk that loud today.

Chengetai Masango:
Okay, thank you very much. In front you do see two microphones so if I would invite the audience to please come and we’ll take turns with the mics back and forth if you have anything to say and we’re here to listen. We may not give you answers straight away but I think it’s important that we do listen and take into account what you say. Yes and two minutes please, not more than two minutes.

Audience:
Thanks, this is wonderful. It’s very tough to tell your love of what’s the scope to improve and for five years I’ve been in love with IGF. Now let me come straight to the point. This is one of the fantastic forums. I love the way you all have shaped it up and I love everything that you do here. Now here is a bit of constructive criticism slash ideas. Last year we heard 2.7 billion people are not connected to internet. this year it’s 2.6 billion. That means in 25 years we are going to give internet to everyone, which I guess is a failure of conscience for the supremacy of greed. We need to stop it. And I think if I can get access to internet and a cafe at the airport free by advertising model, why can’t we give internet to this 2.6 billion people on those models? And then lastly, at the end, we are not a spiritual organization, let’s talk about jobs. I think that’s the final tangible outcome of this. And let’s not mistake IGF as a narrative platform for big tech. We should give ample scope for ground level organizations. And one call out to the Honorable S.G. of United Nations, this is a UN body, that if 2.6 billion people are not connected to internet, we have a high level panel for AI, but not high level panel for 2.6 billion people. It’s misplaced priorities, you know? We should have a high level panel. I think the summit for the future should be the summit for the jobs. And I think all that I’ve said over the last five years, I have seen positive action and support. So in no way it means criticism, it’s just kind of saying that we have better priorities to focus on, and just thinking of AI when 2.6 billion people do not even have access to internet. And if we give them the opportunity, the $105 billion of the global economy will be $200 billion. That is what we should aim for. Thank you so much.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you very much. And also, could you please also say your name and your stakeholder group, if you can. Marcus, please.

Markus Kummer:
Marcus Kummer, I’m speaking my capacity as senior advisor to Diplo Foundation and to Geneva Internet Platform. They kindly allowed me to show a slide, and that’s a project I’m involved in with Diplo. It’s IGF knowledge for our digital future. Over the years, the IGF has accumulated a tremendous amount of knowledge. And I do remember back in 2011 in Nairobi, Vint, you said then we should do some data mining. And now I’m quite excited to be involved in this project of using artificial intelligence to map the vast amount of knowledge that we have accumulated over the years. And then with the artificial intelligence, we see here a knowledge graph that shows. different intersections between the speakers, between the various sessions where this knowledge was, where the various content was actually mentioned. So with all this, we hope that we make it easier to navigate through this vast amount of knowledge, and it has, I think, a great potential for the future. And obviously we will be very interested if other people, organizations, would like to join in in that project. More details are available on the Diplo website, and we look forward to working with anyone who is interested. Thank you very much for your attention.

Vint Cerf:
Just a question for you, Marcus. Is this publicly accessible then on the website?

Markus Kummer:
It is publicly accessible now, yes, thank you.

Audience:
Thank you. Okay, please. Thank you. Hello. My pseudonym is JJ, and apologies for wearing sunglasses, but it is important to avoid facial recognition in certain social environments. I’m a researcher focused on disaster resilient internet infrastructure, and my life’s mission is to help bring about an evolved internet that removes barriers and ensures equitable progress for all. I’m here at the IGF, hello, I’m here at the IGF for the first time, and while I find this forum to be an important step towards consensus and collaboration for the evolved internet, we want to see this evolution will never come to pass as long as we maintain hushed tones about marginalized civilian populations that are actively oppressed by a lack of internet access, especially those who have had their voice removed from the global stage as a result of weaponized shutdowns and senseless wars. As a proud Tigrayan, I come here to ensure that my people’s voice was present in this community. The welcome I received was warm, and I value the conversations and collaborations that have been born from this presence. However, now I see my people’s struggle in another community, and I would be remiss and hypocritical to let this opportunity to speak on their behalf pass me by. The internet is instantaneous, and I hope an evolved IGF will be able to discuss movements of the internet in the same fashion. So with that in mind, I would like to express my outrage that the Palestinian people have been purposely removed from the internet this last week, and the depth of their civilian reality now hidden from the world. due to the actions of a few radicals. I hope and encourage the IGF to make actionable forums for these populations to be represented in real time at these events. To say we’re sorry for the pain is not enough. It wasn’t enough for Tigray, and it isn’t enough for Palestine either. To close, I would like to read a short poem by Tigist Hussein, an active and fierce defender of women’s rights here in the IGF community. Your sorry makes me want to scream like my body is being fried in an oil-filled pan. Your guilt is like a rash, something ugly itching under my skin, suffocating me with lifeless words. Thank you.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you. And now I think we have a remote, remote tab from Benin. Thank you. Can we, if not, we’ll just go to the next speaker, and then we’ll come back to see if we can get them online, please.

Audience:
Thank you for that wonderful summit, and I would like to say, that’s my fifth one. And also, I’m one of the hub for the Dominican Republic. While I’m here, I have my hobbies, one in University of Yucatiba, and Dominican, Dominican, Balahona. I would like to say, on the name of inclusivity, I would like to see more Latin American to be participate in next IGF, especially the Caribbean, and also, I would like to see more people with disability, because if we want to make everything exclusive, we’re talking about internet for all, it is a must have, because we cannot say we want one internet, one people. And that’s the way we don’t have the people who are supposed to make the decision, and we don’t see them. And thank you for your time. My name is Andries Bass. I come from Institute of Public Policy Diplomacy Research. We are in New York. And also we encourage the Internet by teaching young people, mentor them, how they can use Internet to be useful. And I’m so grateful I bring a lot of my students to be with me.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you. Thank you very much. Next please. On my left. Okay.

Audience:
Thank you very much. My name is Valerij Skanevs. I’m currently a master’s degree student here at the KCGI in Kyoto. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude. It’s my first IJF forum that I ever visited, and I’m really amazed how many people came all over the world to express their opinion about such an important topic, especially in the age where the AI is becoming so predominant. The only one thing that I would like to give you as maybe a little bit of a fresh opinion is I would really honestly like to see more actual programmers, more tech people. I mean, I know that it is sometimes maybe will be beneficial even for the politicians who we have a lot joining members of the parliament from the Europe. We have a lot of parliamentarians who are representatives of the United States and other countries. So I would just wanted to see more programmers, more people who write the stuff, more people who develop the stuff so they can share their knowledge about the technology, and maybe this is going to be a great addition for the further IJF forums. Thank you very much for your attention, and have a great day.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon.

Audience:
My name is Wouter Nathuis, and I’m speaking in a personal capacity and as coordinator of the Dynamic Coalition IS3C, Internet Standards, Security and Safety. First I want to thank Mr Iida and all the people who made this great IJF and venue. I really love it. Thank you. The first thing is a worrying point. I have not been in a single session that had more than 25 people in it, and the limit down below was three. So do we have? What is the cause? Too many sessions, people doing other things, something to investigate. I think the focus of this IJF was great, but I was in a session on AI, and I heard solutions, and they’re now somewhere, everybody flew home, and it’s nowhere. Why not brought all these sessions together and try to come up with some sort of a, you can’t call it a declaration, but I don’t have a better word, because these solutions are in this building, and insufficiently shared. Then I come to dynamic coalitions, and I won’t speak of my own, but in general, we have produced a lot of great solutions. Thank you. reports, where are they? They’re not recognised by the IGF, they’re not on the IGF website. On the DC website they will be there, but nobody knows these reports exist and they bring tangible outputs to this IGF. So why, not why, but how can we improve this and what sort of criteria should the DCs meet? And that will provide new focus but also tangible outcomes. Finally, on the GDC, we’ve been discussing that for a long time, but I would like to stress again, and I take this opportunity to do that here, if we want to take on more responsibility as IGF, and that perhaps happens only in 2025, but we have to start preparing ourselves. We need resources, we need to have a plan, we need to have focus and need to play with it in 2024 so that we at least have the experience how to deal with this complex topic that we will be taking on as IGF community. And my DC has already indicated that we’re willing to take on information, sorry, information, the responsibility for that. Thank you very much.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you very much, Wood. We have Deborah Allen online.

Deborah Allen:
Thank you very much. Thank you for taking my hand. All right. First of all, what I want to say is that this conference has been phenomenal in my perspective. The stakeholders I represent are civil society. I’m based in The Hague. I come from New York City. My background is in clothing design for two decades in the 80s and 90s, and now I work as a peace builder here in The Hague promoting digital fluency and trustworthy sources online. So that’s who I am. When I’ve come to conferences, to me, it’s about the energy and being here now online but still feeling like I’m there on site is a testament to how great this conference has been, I would submit. I think having Vint Cerf in the room next to the next-gen innovators, I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes there, but that was next level for me being able to interact with Vint Cerf and to see, Cerf, you’re on the platform. Yes, hello. To just be able to look into your eyes, even if I’m here on screen looking into your eyes and talk about the difference between looking at the way we measure things from inside out in the digital realm compared to outside in in the development realm. To have your brain, I watched your eyes just go back. I see the difference. That connection, I’ve never met you in person, but here we are. So I just want to honor that and I want to honor the fact that this conference had these young people in a way that I’ve longed for. because the experts in the room oftentimes now are the young people in the digital realm. And the multi-gen, you know, we do a lot of Gen Z, Gen X, Boomer, et cetera, but it’s really multi-gen and we know it. And this conference represented multi-gen, you know, this new way of looking at it. The other thing I wanna say is the passion of the people on the mics. I just heard the Dutch voice since I’m living here in the Netherlands saying, let’s be more practical and figure out how we can convene all these sources together. So I really appreciated that. The young man on the mic speaking up for what’s fair and just, I can feel it. I can feel it sitting here at my desk all the way from there. So I just wanna honor the fact that this online, offline, no-line world that we’re living in, as a designer, this is one of the best times to be working in the world together because the gatekeepers have changed. So the last thing that I wanna say, but I want us all to hear together is let’s redesign this. Let’s redesign funding models. Let’s redesign the way we, whatever it is, let’s flip it. The time is now, and I’m just so happy to be together here with all of you and to be able to even say these things to you. So Vin, I hope you work with the young people as much as you can and want to. And I know that they are hungry

Chengetai Masango:
for working together with those who know. So I appreciate meeting you here. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Vint Cerf:
Thank you so much, Deborah. It’s Vin. I just wanted to tell everybody that my way of getting younger is to express my age in hexadecimal. So I’m 50 now.

Audience:
Hello, assalamu alaikum. This is Umar Khan from Pakistan, community leader, a digital rights activist, a young lawyer by profession. Everything went very well. I think UN, the organizers, and the Japan people need a lot of appreciation for their work. They were wonderful. I’m just putting a bit of disappointment with regards to the people with disabilities. Actually we have seen very less number of people with disabilities. And if I tell you that one of the session on the inclusion of the people with disabilities, there were eight speakers, but unfortunately there were only four people sitting in the room. A lot of disappointment, because the people with disabilities should not be the only ones who own themselves. I think we all need to own them. We all need to be with them. So I think IGF will be really working seriously for the next time to have a good number of speakers, also, and participants in IGF. With this, a last disappointment for those who belong to the underdeveloping countries or developing countries with the visa process issue. When I went to the Islamabad embassy, Japan embassy in Islamabad, they told us how can a global event, such a global event invitation be such a simple email. A lot of my friends from Pakistan were not granted visa just because of the invitation letter. I think the invitation email or the letter should be in such a proper way, or should be modified, amended in a way, or the embassies of the concerned countries in the concerned countries should be directed about this program. Even when I went, the visa officer was not aware of this program. So I think IGF should really take this serious. I hope everyone has enjoyed. I have learned a lot of things. See you all in the next IGF, inshallah. Thank you, everyone.

Chengetai Masango:
All right. Thank you. Let us try the remote hub in Benin again. Please go ahead.

Audience:
So thank you. Good morning, good afternoon, evening, everyone. So my name is Omar Farooq, a 17-year-old boy from Bangladesh, and I’m one of the nominees for prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize 2023. I’m the founder and president of Project Pumna, which is an upcoming AI-powered mobile app project focused on children’s mental health and child rights. And I was the youngest and only child panelist of every global digital conflict sessions by UN Tech and Boy, representing children globally, and provided statements on every digital conflict. So thank you. thoughts on the IGF 2023 and to make some suggestions for next year with a focus on children and young people. First I want to comment the organizers of the IGF for putting on such successful event. It’s been inspiring to hear from so many stakeholders about the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. One of the things that has struck me most at the IGF is the importance of putting children and young people at the center of digital policy and governance. Children and young people are the digital natives of tomorrow and we need to ensure that they have a safe and supportive online environment in which to learn, grow and thrive. Thank you so much. Hi, my name is Carla Velasco and I speak on behalf of the Association for Progressive Communications. First of all we would like to express our most sincere recognition and gratitude to the Government of Japan for their dedicated and careful planning and overall excellent execution of this Internet Governance Forum. The venue was excellent, the rooms were spacious and the impeccable logistics made the event enjoyable and effective. That said, we would like to share some feedback on the overall execution of the IGF. Firstly, while preparing for our participation and upon arrival we found the IGF online schedule difficult to read and difficult to navigate. The way the agenda is designed is not user-friendly and this affects in terms of accessibility. As areas of opportunity we kindly ask for future iterations for links to be integrated in all formats of the schedule and for the links to properly work in the most efficient and fast possible way. Additionally, as the IGF began we noticed with concern that access to some domains for the ones connecting via Wi-Fi through the official network provided for the IGF were and are still blocked, such as the URL of the Amnesty International website and the URL of our APC’s the IGF that we want campaign about the value of the IGF that we launched at this edition of the IGF. This raises questions about which domains are blocked and on what basis. Access to content has been limited in a process that is oriented to ensure a free, secure and open internet. In terms of workshops and main sessions, we weren’t able to participate meaningfully in some of them as they constantly clashed with each other. We believe that this had an impact on participation and in the possibility to use the input from workshops in the conversations that main sessions aimed to appropriate. We also noticed that some sessions are not necessarily contributing to deepen the analysis of issues. We are concerned about the predominance of technosolutionist approaches in sessions related to the persistent digital exclusion in the global south, for example. Additionally, in terms of representation, we are also concerned that several sessions, for example, digital me, being youth, women or gender diverse online and the workshop on dynamic coalition, gender disability, gender and digital self-determination, failed to represent the diversity of voices that were speaking. From these sessions, people of colour, gender diverse people, youth and people with disabilities that spoke were mostly participating online. In the sessions, some of them shared the difficulties that didn’t allow them to be on site. The main two reasons were related to visa applications and travel support. This brings us to an important issue that we think must be raised out loud. Before the event took place and while doing travel preparations, we received many reports, especially from members of our community in African countries, of Japanese embassies extending repeated multiple requests for extensive documentation related to financial unemployment proof. For instance, in Uganda, where the Association for Progressive Communications team worked to support the visa application of its members and partners, the Japanese embassy refused to provide any reasons for the denial of visas for at least 10 persons applying to attend to the IGF. In some cases, applicants had to prove the legitimacy of the documentation submitted in order to process their visa. Therefore, we kindly ask for the next iterations to ensure that decisions on host countries for future editions of annual IGFs take into consideration the commitment of the government to provide a clear and accessible process through which all intended participants can access this vital space. To ensure that host governments instruct their missions and embassies as early as possible on the need to facilitate visa processes for people from the Global South, in particular from Africa. To ensure that host governments put in place measures that ease specific visa-related barriers related to extended…

Chengetai Masango:
I’m sorry, I may have to cut you off because you’re almost double your time. You can send it to the IGF Secretariat and we’ll look into it. I wasn’t aware of the first two. I’ll look into that as well, but thank you very much for your intervention.

Audience:
Thank you. Amrita Choudhury, wearing my hat as chair of IGFSA. Thank you for organizing a great IGF. I think most of the things went with time. Everything was seamless. Yes, we do have hitches, but I think overall, if we look at it, it was great. The reason why I’m here is today IGF is doing much more. We have the dynamic coalitions, policy networks. We are seeing more people coming into IGF. That needs more resources. And IGF is also at a critical stage. stage. So I think just like people are coming here, contributing, getting from the IGF, I think it is important that people go out and also speak to people on how to bring in more resources to the IGF. We from IGFSA try to support the national regional IGFs, but I think if the word goes and people also start thinking on how the communities outside this room also can contribute, because just as we get from the IGF, if we want more, we also need to contribute. So this is an urge that everyone thinks about, how resourceful can be. The leadership panel is definitely thinking about it, but they cannot do it in silos. There would have to be more hands on it. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Bia Barbosa. I’m from the Civil Society. On behalf of the Coalition Rights on the Network, an alliance of more than 50 Brazilian civil society organizations, many of them are here in Kyoto, we would like to thank the Japanese people for their incredible kind welcome. We also welcome the return of Brazil’s leading role in the international sphere, where the government has taken up fundamental issues like the fight against social inequalities and the undersea of environmental protection. But much needs to be done at home. Brazil faces profound digital inequality, with the majority of the population enjoying precarious access to the Internet, with billions of reais being spent in the wrong way to supposedly connect people. At the same time, despite having a pioneering law guaranteeing the rights of Internet users, the Marcos Review of Internet, Brazil keeps facing wrong waves of disinformation and hate speech online, with an impact on our electoral process, on the public health, and in the rights of women, children, black and LGBT people. Due to a strong pressure from platforms and the far-right parties, we still haven’t managed to pass a legislation that democratically regulates digital platforms. So we really need to do better at home. That’s why we look forward to the possibility of the CGI, the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, to host a mode stakeholder meeting next year in our country, where we can together set And I think we can be bills with sevral bills and activists’ with supplies that will shape our space to solve our needs and to build more goals and concrete commitments for the Internet we want. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. We have a lot of questions about the role of Internet governance here. And as long as artificial intelligence has implications for Internet governance, then this is the right venue to talk about it. So we should, in our future sessions about artificial intelligence, have the Internet governance aspect to it as well. And I think this is a very important question, and I think it’s a very important question. We have a lot of workshops. Unfortunately, we have not integrated the technical community in our workshops. They bring great expertise. They are the reasons that we actually have access to the Internet, and our online presence is run by them, but we do not integrate them in our policy discussions, which we have to do. So I think we need to be very careful when we are discussing about the Internet governance, and this information, and this narrative might actually result in a rush to solutions that might hamper our access to the Internet, so we need to be very careful when we argue such things, especially on high-level panels. And let’s make these meetings about Internet governance. Internet and connectivity still matters. Thank you very much. This is an NGO that I am here representing, and we try to talk about the ethics. So we have organized a second hub, in other words, a second workshop on this subject, and we are very interested in what is happening on an international level in terms of Internet and the ethics. So we want to understand where we can maybe get more training on this subject in Benin so that we can go further in our understanding of the Internet. Because what is quite clear is today the situation, well, we can’t ignore the Internet anymore in our country, it’s there. And whether one is connected or not, the Internet is nonetheless part of our lives. And we know that in our country, the women play a much more important role than men on an economic point of view. So it is of the utmost importance for them to use the Internet so that they can better organize and continue their economic development. I would also like to thank those of you who have organized this forum, because we have many people here who had never heard of the IGF, and they have come to hear about what is happening for the first time. So we really want to thank you wholeheartedly for what you’ve done. Thank all of you who have communicated. Thank you all for everything that you have said. Now we have another concern nonetheless. Now it’s true, when one looks at a meeting like today, we can see, yes, there are lots of experts, and there’s lots of organizations that have taken part. But what we would like So, I would like to ask you, Mr. Mahmadov, what do you think about the possibility of the Internet in the future, and what do you think is, well, our recommendation, rather, is that we could maybe talk a little bit more about the policies that we can then, in turn, help more people to benefit the Internet with. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mahmadov, and thank you to all of you for being here. It’s really a great pleasure to greet all IGF participants. IGF has a unique feature, and in the World Summit on Information Society, decided to gather representatives of different stakeholders in one unique possibility, such as Internet Governance and Internet Governance, and we have a lot of opportunities to be together and solve issues related with Internet development, and I’m thankful to all who put a lot of contribution for making it. We were host of the IGF 11 years ago in 2012, and we know that how it is difficult, but we see everywhere that developers can help innovation and the needs of small businesses who are not ready to have the Internet, and we think that we can do everything we need so far, in our application of the development of the technologies and innovation, and digital transformation is a priority in the agenda of the Government of Azerbaijan. Digital transformation, it is pivotal to the development, but also it is part of development more and more. We think every innovation and innovations are more important for development of each countries. and a strong digital economy can help to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth, strengthening competitiveness and increase resilience to shocks. And the government of Azerbaijan is committed to transform its economy from the economy dependent on natural resources to innovation-based economy. And nowadays, 2.6 billion people, as it was mentioned several times, still offline and not connected to the internet. Azerbaijan is doing different programs and by the end of 2024, we plan to achieve 100% home broadband internet coverage with a minimum speed of 25 megabytes per second. And we are working with private sector to create private-public partnership to speed up the process and we plan to provide incentiveness for private sector, operate state-owned infrastructure. Various activities has been conducted for implementation of this and one of the also new achievements of Azerbaijan, establishing smart cities and smart villages in newly liberated areas where people returning back after certain years and certain years being internally displaced people and we gain some kind of experience. So I wish in future such kind of experience will be shared and best practice for IGF stakeholders will be shared with all of us. And I wish to all of you all the best in future IGF events. Thank you. Thank you. I’m a student. I have learned a lot of things through this days of meeting so that I’m very grateful for this meeting. I hope that in future the meeting can be held in their respective countries or regions. So in addition, I hope that can we introduce a regulation or a suggestion to regulate… the highly popular digital currency around the world, which has, to some extent, extended the world. Good afternoon, members of the panel, and to each and every one of us. I am James Gregor Asuelo, from the Bridging Leaders for Sustainable Development of the Republic of the Philippines, and first and foremost I would like to congratulate the government of Japan, and the UNDESA, and the men and women behind the IGF for the successful conduct of the IGF 2023. I would like to share three points that might help, and some of my suggestions. First, I suggest that if we can find opportunities, I suggest that if we can urge members of the government, the creation of the Internet Governance Council in various local governments among member states to spearhead programs and projects and policies to address the myriad of challenges that we face today in relation to the Internet digitalization and innovation. Number two, I urge the government around the world to pass laws and legislations to provide incentives to private sector and companies who will invest in rural areas and underserved communities to increase connectivity to the Internet. And number three, if we can find solutions or if we can find ways to urge the government and the private sector to support start-ups, initiatives, and communities through access to funding, mentorship, and access to markets to help support economic growth in developing countries. Thank you so much. Thank you. Please. Merci. Thank you. Sébastien Bachelet, member of ESOC France and co-organizer of IFG in France, and president also of the European Association of Internet Users. Thank you to the speaker of Benin for having spoken a language other than English, because I think if this place is not a place where many languages are spoken, well, I think that we must remember that the tools that are put at our disposal should be used. Now, people have already thanked the Japanese government before me, and I also would like to do so. I’d also like to thank all of the many people who have taken part in the organization of this conference. I’d like to thank all of you. thank Japan. It’s true that a multi-stakeholder conference of this ilk is organized not only by the government but also by representatives of civil society, the private sector. And perhaps I should mention two other things before closing. It’s true that too many meetings kill meetings, and I think perhaps there were subjects that were discussed in parallel sessions that should have been put together and would have allowed us to have more participants during these sessions. And indeed to have been more interactive and useful in their nature. Second point, we’ve talked a lot about artificial intelligence. Perhaps it would be time to talk about our collective intelligence that we have brought together here. Thank you. Thank you very much, please. I will speak in Spanish, please. I am Nelson Guilhermes. I am from Brazil. I am a non-trans-binary person. I would like to put forward a criticism for there wasn’t enough representation for vulnerable peoples. There are different types of people with different bodies. These are the bodies that are the most impacted by technologies. This goes beyond borders. We need to enable these people, allow these people to be part of this environment. When I go, when I register for an event, they don’t have any type of accommodation for non-binary or trans people. And my body is not respected. This is the very first time that Brazil has a non-binary delegation with trans people. We need to be part of this because there are numerous risks in our lives, we need to be sitting at the table to foster human rights with different types of bodies. Otherwise, we are not able to speak about human rights because it would be sheer, utter hypocrisy. We need to hone in on these marginalized peoples. We need to include them into the mainstream. We are diverse bodies. We need to be able to understand Internet governance. And we need to take part in all of these discussions. Thank you.

Chengetai Masango:
I will have to close the queues now. So these are the last people, please. The queue is closed. Okay. Please. Thank you.

Audience:
My name is Azan Khan. I’m here with my fellow colleague, Natalie Tertsova. And we are current fellows of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance’s youth program, YouthDIG. I wanted to take this opportunity first to call out the absolutely incredible work that the Internet Society’s Youth Standing Group has done with the version of the Internet Atlas for this year, which is Coelvatus Youth, which is basically where are the youth going and recognizing the absolutely incredible work that the youth has done in the Internet governance space. I also wanted to take this opportunity, along with Natalie, to present the YouthDIG messages for this year very, very briefly. We covered four topics. I’ll cover two, and she’ll cover two very, very quickly as well. The first one is that we want to create a brighter future with artificial intelligence having safety and prosperity for all. We wanted states to assume leadership roles in promoting collaboration in artificial intelligence research and development, and invest and support AI alignment and development research equally. Governmental bodies should also ensure that high-risk AI systems are supplemented by human involvement in order to prevent a single point of failure. We also wanted to improve the clarity of a lot of pieces of legislation. legislation, including the AI Act. We want to call for the teaching of AI, namely its potential usages, limitations, and ethical implications of its use. And we want governmental bodies and civil society to advocate for AI to be regarded as a common good, not something that is solely within the remit of certain organizations alone. Secondly, we want no backdoors in the future of internet governance. We want to move towards cooperative and evidence-based internet governance. We want to call on the international community to create enforcement mechanisms to hold governments to account for all of their commitments contained in the various declarations. For example, the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. We want all stakeholders involved in regulation or the development of the internet to conduct impact assessments to avoid internet fragmentation. We want to call on states to systematically engage with the technical community. We want a framework for acceptable online activism. And most importantly, because we are the youth, we want to make sure that all past and future youth messages are addressed by the respective stakeholders and that the youth are systematically involved throughout decision-making processes. Thank you. Okay, you carry on, but the queue’s closed, so the last two, you’re not gonna get on. I’m so sorry. Right. Thank you very much. Additionally, we aim to build a conscientious digital ecosystem. We prioritize enhancing the digital skills of children through caregiver and educator education to empower them while mitigating online risks. We urge collaboration among stakeholders to include marginalized voices in decision-making, fostering an inclusive digital landscape. For rural regions, we appealed for increased internet infrastructure investment to reduce fragmentation and to create work opportunities. Finally, we promoted cohesive standards for interoperability to prevent vendor lock-in and excessive market concentration. These efforts aim to create a world that is inclusive, digitally empowered, and respectful of individual rights. We hope that these messages from youth can be implemented and. So, I’m going to turn it over to Peter to talk a little bit more about the Internet Governance Forum and what it’s directed upon. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. I’m Peter Micek from Access Now and I’m joined by Valeria Bettencourt of Association of Progressive Communications. We are speaking on behalf of a growing chorus of civil society organizations to support the Internet Governance Forum. We call on you to reverse this decision and urgently review the decision-making process. Saudi Arabia has led an unprecedented and relentless campaign against freedom of expression, online and off. Activists are being tortured, detained, disappeared, and killed. A 54-year-old retired teacher was sentenced to death for a few tweets. A 34-year-old mother of two children and PhD students was sentenced to a five-year travel ban. Two Saudi Wikipedia volunteers remain unjustly imprisoned in connection with their work advancing access to information. There is no civic space in the country, no independent civil society organizations. As we commemorate the five-year anniversary of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, there is still no justice. As a result, we are physically afraid to attend. Riyadh is not a safe space for most women, and we are not prepared to be a victim of gender-based violence. We are concerned about the impact of gender-based violence on women, and we are equally concerned about transnational repression outside of Saudi borders. We have heard the importance of centering the experience of women and all their diversity and to apply a gender lens to all areas of our work. Saudi Arabia is one of the most dangerous places on earth for women to participate in these conversations.

Chengetai Masango:
We are concerned about the impact of gender-based violence on women and all their diversity. conduct and the way we should encourage this course.

Audience:
Thank you. So I’ll just ask you to adhere. I am aware there are concerns, and that’s very important, yes. But just the way that the concerns are expressed is also important. Thank you. I’m expressing facts. And I’m happy to take this conversation, if you want to investigate these facts further offline. I will hand off to my partner. Thank you. Because of the reasons that my colleague Peter has exposed, we feel that the legitimacy of the multi-stakeholder approach and model is threatened by the situation. That the multi-stakeholder participation forms the cornerstone of the IGF. So civil society participation plays a vital role in upholding the multi-stakeholder model. So a context that is not conducive for the participation, the effective and meaningful participation of civil society, could undermine not only civil society ability to participate and contribute, but also put the IGF, which is in a vital moment as well, at risk. So the IGF keeps being a key piece in the internet governance and digital cooperation ecosystem in a moment in which it’s vital to strengthen it. So we really want to emphasize the call to reverse and review the process through which the decision has been made. Thank you. Thank you. Please. Please. Thank you. This is Mariko Kobayashi from Wide Project in ISOC Japan chapter. So firstly, congratulations to the success of IGF 2023. I appreciate for the IGF secretariat and Japanese government and the IGF leadership panel and members. And as a person from tech community, personally, it has been a bit challenging in the past. the four or five years, because I’ve been trying to submit in the workshop which is actually related to the internet influx lecture technology, but compared with emerging tech, which is quite popular, such as AI or charge GPD, I think it’s very difficult to link the sort of the sometimes a very tech and a bit difficult for understand other stakeholders people to understand the issues. So I wish, so there’s still the issues to be discussed in internet governance forum and I wish we can bring more the people from tech community and we can see more on tech related issues internet governance forum, not only like the buzzword emerging technology, because especially the internet critical resources in the internet infrastructure is directly related to the connectivity issues and digital governance issues. Thank you so much.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you. And then our last speaker. I think you were the last one when I closed. We have to keep on time. Sorry. Because others have sat down. So just because you stood up, you can send it in.

Audience:
But thank you. Please. Hello everybody. My name is Torsten Krause from Germany civil society. This is or was my first on-site IGF. For me it was a real incredible experience and therefore I would like to thank all the MAG members and of course the IGF secretariat for your work, for organizing, planning, managing, realizing this great event. Thanks to all of you. You are wonderful people. As a political scientist and child rights researcher, I really appreciate that so many sessions and workshops dealing with the right of the child and expressing their needs and interests of young persons. I believe with no doubt that a child rights-based approach would be a good approach to serve for a better world for all of us on and offline as well. Last but not least, I want to thank my boss for trusting in me to act as a child rights manager and to strive for the goals of our Digital Opportunities Foundation internationally. Thank you so much, Jutta Kroll, also for encouraging me. I would like to conclude with a wish to see you all next year at the IGF and hopefully in a world more peaceful than today with less conflicts and wars. Thank you so much.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you very much. Okay, so I would now like to see if there’s anybody on the panel if they want to say any closing remarks. So thank you very much.

Speaker:
Just briefly, I would like to extend our highest gratitude to the kind words expressed by speakers and also to everyone joining us on site here. And I really appreciate the kind words and words of gratitude given to us, and the credit should be for my colleagues, not only in the Ministry but also from the private sectors and other communities who have been working very hard to prepare all the facilities and the hospitalities presented here. And I also extend my personal thanks to the UN team, the Genkidai team, and also the Mag chair, Paul Mitchell, and also Dr. Bintzorf sitting here. You may easily understand how I feel, how much excited I feel to see the part of Internet sitting next to me and discussing all together. Even my son was so excited to see his name card, and so it was really encouraging for us to discuss under his leadership how we could improve and how we could realize the Internet we want. And this theme, we need to continue over the next coming years, and we will definitely our government So, we believe that the IGF is a very important part of the global digital compact, and we believe that it’s deeply, strongly committed to protect and promote the multi-stakeholder approach in IGF, and we believe we will work all together to discuss and to improve and strengthen IGF through the discussion on global digital compact, and also, we look very much forward to the IGF, and we look forward to the IGF committee review in coming years. So, thank you very much to everybody, and I’m presenting the Japanese government and Japanese community, and I really am really grateful for everybody, for everything you brought through the conference. Thank you.

Chengetai Masango:
APPLAUSE Thank you very much, and thank you very much to all of you for being here, and thank you very much to all of you for coming.

Vint Cerf:
So, very briefly, why is this man smiling? It’s because it’s almost the closing session, and it’s the end of a really, really not just week, but months and months of planning, so thank you very much for that. Just a reminder, we did run out of time on the open mics, but we have not run out of time and space for your written inputs. Please send them in. Thank you very much for coming and for your time and for your input, and thank you very much for the opportunity to speak here, even though we are capturing this recorded for reference. I really look forward to another candid opportunity to see all of you next year, and in the meantime, please do take action in your national and regional IGF activities and provide that input to the leadership panel and to the MAG.

Chengetai Masango:
Thank you very much. Thank you very much. That ends the open mic session, and I would like to end with giving a hand of applause for our outgoing chair, MAG Chair, Mr. Paul Mitchell.

Paul Mitchell:
Thank you very much.