Whose Internet? Towards a Feminist Digital Future for Africa | IGF 2023 Open Forum #59

Audience

The ISOC Alumni network has achieved significant milestones in its efforts to promote internet governance. They have conducted a series of workshops on diverse topics, such as artificial intelligence and encryption. These workshops have educated internet society members and youth ambassadors about crucial issues in the digital sphere. Additionally, the network has organized huddle sessions at renowned international conferences such as ICANN, Wright’s Con, and Eurodig. These sessions have provided a platform for networking and knowledge sharing among the participants.

Another noteworthy accomplishment of the ISOC Alumni network is their involvement in welcoming new Youth Ambassadors. By assisting in the meet and greet process, the network ensures a smooth transition and integration for these ambassadors into their roles. This support contributes to the development of a strong and effective youth community within the internet governance landscape.

During the audience interaction, questions were raised about the importance of youth initiatives in promoting internet governance. The audience also expressed interest in the involvement of ISOC Alumni in advocacy and decision-making spaces. In response, it was emphasized that the network actively participates in advocacy efforts and collaborates with various stakeholders. The audience suggested that the ISOC Alumni network should play a more active role in advocacy and engage in decision-making spaces like the Global Digital Compact. Furthermore, the audience encouraged alumni members to support each other in advocacy work within their respective countries.

In addition to the main points discussed, an observation was made regarding the challenges faced by global teams within the network. Specifically, the issue of scheduling difficulties due to different time zones was highlighted. This insight indicates the need for better time management strategies and effective communication among global teams to overcome these challenges.

In conclusion, the ISOC Alumni network has made commendable achievements in promoting internet governance through workshops, huddle sessions, and support for Youth Ambassadors. The audience’s feedback underscores the importance of youth initiatives and advocacy. The network is encouraged to further engage in advocacy efforts and participate in decision-making spaces. Additionally, the observation regarding scheduling challenges highlights the need to address time zone differences for enhanced collaboration among global teams. Overall, the ISOC Alumni network continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of internet governance.

Speaker

The USAGF, or the United States Alumni Global Fund, functions as a local platform that promotes knowledge application and fosters collaboration among individuals. It provides opportunities for organizing local events and discussions, facilitating the exchange of ideas and the formation of meaningful partnerships. This platform aims to harness the expertise and experiences of its members to tackle various challenges and contribute to sustainable development. The Internet Society has established an alumni network that offers valuable networking and capacity building opportunities. The alumni are connected through various fellowships and meetings, including ICANN meetings, RightsCon meetings, and regional IGFs (Internet Governance Forums). This extensive network not only provides a supportive community for its members but also serves as a gateway to various internet ecosystems. By providing support and sharing crucial information, the network enables easy entry and active participation in relevant initiatives. The Internet Society has introduced alumni huddles to further enhance collaboration and learning among its alumni. These huddles create a platform for individuals to connect, share experiences, and learn from each other. Through these collaborative settings, alumni can foster meaningful relationships, exchange knowledge, and develop innovative solutions to common challenges. Alumni huddles play a crucial role in facilitating networking opportunities and promoting continuous learning within the alumni community. The speaker in this context advocates for increased participation in the alumni network. Recognizing the immense value of being part of such a vibrant community, the speaker encourages all alumni to join and actively engage in the network. By broadening the network and fostering greater participation, the alumni community can maximize its potential to support quality education and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In conclusion, the USAGF and Internet Society’s alumni network are powerful platforms that enable knowledge sharing, collaboration, networking, and capacity building. These initiatives play a vital role in promoting sustainable development, supporting quality education, and fostering partnerships for the goals outlined in the SDGs. The call for increased participation serves as a reminder of the significant impact that active engagement within the alumni community can have on individuals and society as a whole.

Saba Tiku Beyene

Saba Tiku Beyene actively participates in the ‘Toolkit for Youth Participation in Internet Governance’ project, which aims to provide reliable and user-friendly information to young individuals interested in internet governance. The project encompasses a model Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and a concept note paper. With pathways for engagement at both the global and regional/national levels, the toolkit ensures inclusivity and empowers young people from diverse backgrounds to contribute to internet governance.

In addition to her project work, Saba is an advocate for the Internet Society’s (ISOC) youth ambassador program. Having been an alumna of the program, she recognizes the networking and professional growth opportunities it offers. Saba believes that participating in the ISOC youth ambassador program can lead to advocating for an open internet and becoming an expert in the field.

Saba Tiku Beyene’s involvement in the ‘Toolkit for Youth Participation in Internet Governance’ project and her support for the ISOC youth ambassador program demonstrate her commitment to empowering young people in shaping the future of internet governance. Her initiatives strive for a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable internet governance landscape.

Nicolas Fiumarelli

The ISOC Alumni Network plays a pivotal role in internet governance, conducting over 20 activities a year that focus on vital topics such as encryption and internet fragmentation. These activities include workshops and huddles, serving as platforms for brainstorming sessions, the exchange of ideas and information, and shared learning experiences among the alumni and new members of the ISOC cohorts. The 2023 monthly workshops will cover diverse themes like AI governance and interplanetary networks, highlighting the network’s commitment to staying at the forefront of emerging trends and technologies.

The alumni network’s activities not only contribute to strengthening bonds among its members but also advocate for an open and interconnected network. By resonating with ISOC’s mission of advocating for an open, interconnected network, these activities promote the values of inclusivity, collaboration, and volunteerism. The sense of camaraderie and support within the network is further bolstered by ISOC Alumni coffee chats, which offer a space for casual meetings within a tight-knit community. These chats are facilitated by Lily, who is responsible for creating an environment that highlights the value of casual connections within the network.

Moreover, the alumni huddles have played an instrumental role in fostering networking, collaboration, and learning. These huddles take place at different meeting points, including ICANN meetings, RightsCon meetings, and the regional Internet Governance Forums (IGFs). They provide opportunities for alumni to come together, exchange insights, and build valuable connections that contribute to their professional growth and development. Collaboration and learning are further promoted through ISOC workshops, which cover a diverse range of topics including internet fragmentation, AI governance, encryption, and more. These workshops feature senior speakers and alumni, who share their knowledge and experiences with the attendees.

Nicolas, a member of the alumni network, has shown strong positivity and satisfaction towards the accomplishments and contributions of the network. He is optimistic about future collaborations and the value they will bring. Throughout the year, the network has conducted various workshops, huddles, and coffee chats, all of which have been voluntary efforts. These activities have not only helped build strong relationships but have also disseminated knowledge and gained valuable insights on a wide range of topics.

One challenge that has been identified during global meetings is the issue of time zones. The universal meeting time of 13 UTC does not work well for members in the East of the Asia Pacific region. To address this, there is openness to the idea of parallel meetings at different times. In the past, activities have been duplicated at different hours to accommodate various time zones, ensuring inclusivity and participation from all members.

Overall, the ISOC Alumni Network is a significant platform comprising individuals who amplify its voice and mission through their respective organizations. The network’s dedication to internet governance, its commitment to staying up-to-date with emerging trends, and its focus on fostering strong relationships and collaboration make it an invaluable force in shaping the future of the internet.

Lily Edinam Botsyoe

The ISOC Alumni Network organises monthly coffee chat sessions to facilitate discussions on topics related to ISOC’s action plan. These coffee chats have been taking place for the past nine months, and the upcoming 10th session is scheduled for the 18th of October. The chats aim to create spaces where enthusiastic ISOC alumni can continue learning and collaborating towards upholding ISOC’s action plan.

Lily, a prominent member of the network, emphasises the significance of these coffee chat sessions in several ways. Firstly, these sessions serve as platforms to discuss cross-cutting issues, incorporating the voices of young individuals and fostering the growth of the network at the grassroots level. The approach of these coffee chats involves a 30-minute expert talk, followed by an open discussion. The discussions cover a wide range of topics, including encryption and gender bias in AI. This diverse range of subjects ensures that the alumni engage in meaningful conversations and gain valuable insights.

Lily calls upon ISOC alumni who have not yet participated in the coffee chats to join the discussions actively. She encourages them to take on roles as hosts or speakers, further enriching the conversations and bringing forth fresh perspectives. The coffee chat sessions provide a relaxed and inclusive environment where participants can freely ask questions and express their thoughts. At the end of each chat, action points are provided for attendees to implement, aligning the discussions with tangible outcomes and empowerment.

Additionally, there are also coffee chats available for support and resource sharing, which contribute to the overall advocacy and youth empowerment efforts. These chat sessions enable alumni to connect, exchange ideas, and collaborate post-discussion through the Alumni mailing list. This communication channel facilitates ongoing collaboration and potentially opens up opportunities for global collaboration in the future.

Overall, the regular coffee chat sessions organised by the ISOC Alumni Network serve as crucial platforms for discourse, engagement, and personal growth. Through these sessions, alumni can actively contribute to ISOC’s action plan, foster inclusivity, and further the network’s impact in advocating for young people and providing support and resources. With a focus on diverse topics, active participation, and action-oriented outcomes, the coffee chats play a significant role in nurturing a thriving community of alumni committed to making a positive difference.

Ananda Gautam

Ananda, a coordinator from Nepal, plays a significant role in Youth IGF Nepal, an organization that annually organizes youth-led versions of Internet governance forums. A notable aspect of their work is the inclusion of multiple stakeholders in these sessions, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives is represented. The positive sentiment surrounding Youth IGF Nepal is further reinforced by their strong belief in empowering and building the capacity of young people. To support this belief, they actively send fellows to the India School on Internet Governance and encourage community members to apply for fellowship programs.

Ananda and their team are integral members of the Digital Freedom Coalition, which organizes the Digital Freedom Summit on a yearly basis. The positive sentiment surrounding this coalition can be attributed to their commitment to promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions, as well as fostering industry and innovation. Ananda’s team is a founding member of the Digital Freedom Coalition, highlighting their dedication to digital freedom and shaping the digital space.

One of Ananda’s core stances is supporting collaboration and interaction between various stakeholders to address pressing issues in the digital space. They actively invite multiple stakeholders to collaborate and work together on current internet issues. Furthermore, they extend invitations to other stakeholders, fostering discussions at the Digital Freedom Summit, which serves as a platform to address challenging topics within the digital realm. This approach reflects Ananda’s commitment to leveraging partnerships and achieving the goals of peace, justice, and strong institutions, as outlined in SDG 16.

In conclusion, Ananda’s work demonstrates a strong commitment to youth involvement, empowerment, and capacity building in the field of Internet governance. Their involvement in the Digital Freedom Coalition further illustrates their dedication to shaping the digital space and promoting collaboration between stakeholders. By organizing Youth IGF Nepal events and actively participating in the Digital Freedom Summit, Ananda actively contributes to discussions on pressing issues in the digital realm. Their efforts contribute towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Marco Paloski

The Youth Coalition on Internet Governance is a vital organisation that plays a significant role in enabling young people to comprehend the complex world of internet governance. By engaging individuals under the age of 35, the Coalition collaborates with them in various ways, including preparing proposals for Internet Governance Forum (IGF) sessions. This provides young people with an opportunity to contribute their ideas and perspectives to the global internet governance dialogue. Active participation in these discussions helps the Coalition empower young individuals to understand and shape the policies and frameworks governing the internet.

In addition to their involvement in IGF sessions, the Coalition also assists young people by sharing valuable job opportunities related to internet governance. By disseminating information about these opportunities, the Coalition ensures that young individuals have access to relevant career prospects in this field, thereby contributing to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The Coalition further keeps young people updated about various events and happenings in the internet governance space through a bi-weekly newsletter. This serves as a valuable resource for young individuals to stay informed about new developments, conferences, and fellowship opportunities.

Recognising the importance of mentorship for young people new to the field of internet governance, the Coalition runs a mentorship program in collaboration with the Internet Society. This program provides crucial guidance and support to cohorts of youth ambassadors, helping them navigate the intricacies of the internet governance landscape and gain practical experience. Through this mentorship program, the Coalition contributes to SDG 4: Quality Education by enhancing the skills and knowledge of young individuals pursuing a career in internet governance.

Networking is emphasised as an essential aspect of the Coalition’s work. Marco, a representative of the Coalition, highlighted the significance of networking in collaborating with other young individuals in the internet governance space. Building connections, exchanging ideas, and forging partnerships with like-minded individuals and organisations allows the Coalition to strengthen the collective voice of young people in shaping the future of the internet.

In conclusion, the Youth Coalition on Internet Governance plays a pivotal role in empowering young individuals to understand and actively participate in internet governance. Through activities such as preparing proposals for IGF sessions, sharing job opportunities, and running a mentorship program in collaboration with the Internet Society, the Coalition provides invaluable support and resources to young individuals pursuing a career in this field. By emphasising the importance of networking, the Coalition fosters a community of passionate young people united in their efforts to shape the future of internet governance. Their dedication and commitment contribute to SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
Well, good afternoon, everyone. It’s an honor to welcome you all to this enlightening session, Exploring the Pivotal Role of the ISOC Alumni Network in the Real Internet Governance. Our hybrid session is designed to kind of collaboration, recognize our alumni’s achievements throughout the year, and shed light on the unparalleled contributions to the internet governance. From our inspiring Utah IGF ambassadors to our dedicated ISOC program fellows, mid-career fellows, early-career fellows, and so on, our alumni network underscores the essence of the collective strength and purpose of the internet society. As we delve deep into today’s discussion, we will spotlight the stellar 2023 alumni network, accentuating the significance in the broader context of the internet governance. Throughout the session, we will unpack the array of activities hosted by the alumni network. There are more than 20 activities throughout the year, from workshops focusing on vital topics like encryption and internet fragmentation, to our esteemed huddles at the IGF, which play a crucial role in bridging connections during large-scale meetings. These platforms epitomize the alumni network’s commitment to nurturing continued connection, championing local topics, and still fastly upholding ISOC principles. But that’s not all. Today’s highlights will include a deep dive into the highlights of the 2023 monthly workshops, where we reflect on the outcomes and glean insights from each of the workshops, with topics ranging from AI governance to interplanetary networks, community networks, and so on. Then an intimate chat on the ISOC alumni coffee chats with our esteemed colleague, Lily, here, emphasizing the value of the casual meetings within a tighter-knit community. And then a comprehensive discussion on our huddles, underscoring the integral role at various global events, like IGF, FICA, RightsCon, and so on, the regional IGFs. And our session’s ultimate goal resonates with the ISOC’s mission, advocating for an open, interconnected network. We are here to foster stronger bonds, embrace the spirit of volunteerism intrinsic in our ISOC community, and especially in our ISOC alumni network, and our collective work towards an inclusive digital ecosystem. So now, thank you so much for joining us. Let’s embark on the journey together. So first, I will give the floor to Lily to talk about the coffee chats.

Lily Edinam Botsyoe :
Thank you, Nico, for the overview, the general overview for everything that the alumni network has been up to this year. And it’s exciting to see how we are able to rally the support amongst ourselves to be able to do the work we do. And you mentioned, rightly, the spirit of volunteering. It stands out that the learning doesn’t end. And to bring our enthusiastic self to the forefront to be able to do this and continue the conversation is really inspiring. And just to say that a huge shout out to the team at ISOC for their continuous support, and to Mauritius, who literally has us coming together to just keep on the work we’ve been up to since our fellowship days, to those who also joined ISOC True Learning on the ISOC learning platform. All of those people are also invited to be a part. And this is why we see the continuous growth amongst ourselves and for the community we interface with. Then today, I’m going to talk about the coffee chats and what it has means to us as an alumni network. Think of the coffee chats as a place where we are able to unwind and unpack at the same time. So think of an informal setting where we are able to discuss issues that’s in line with the Internet Society’s action plan, which focuses on growing the internet, strengthening the internet, and empowering people to take action. So for the past nine months, the 10th one is coming on the 18th of October, we’ve been up to the coffee chat every month. What we’ve been doing is using an approach where the first 30 minutes is given to an expert speaker to speak on a topic. And then we have the room open for people to discuss. Now, we’ve gone through issues that are cross-cutting, and issues that are also related to what the Internet Society stands for, allowing young people to bring our voices to the forefront, and to just see how we can gather support on a grassroots level to make things that are actionable towards the overarching goals for Internet Society. So from everywhere across the world, we’ve had people join in who are alumni. The idea was to have us talking among ourselves, and it’s been growing. I see some people are taking interest and learning on the iTalk platform, just so that they can also join some of these conversations. And it’s been growing from time to time. So we’ve spoken about encryption, we’ve spoken about how to take action, we’ve spoken about how to even really support what it is you’re doing, things around policy, and all of the things are what enriches those sessions. So for our continuation, in the past month, we spoke about gender bias and AI. There’s gonna be a continuation also this month, and this is a clarion call for everyone to look out for the announcement when it goes out, and plan to be a part of it. Now, like I said, we have it in a relaxed way. So if you had any question that has been on your mind, something that has been probably burning on your heart, and you want to reach aspects in the space, which is Internet Society as an organization, and just people who also work in the space, you can seize the opportunity to use that one to ask any question, one that wouldn’t get people to judge you. You can be yourself, and you can learn while at it. At the end of it, we end with actions, something that’s actionable, and we ask that you go and work with it, make the implementation follow after the conversation. So, in essence, that is what a coffee chat stands for. And for alumni who haven’t been a part, please seize the opportunity. We need many of you to be hosts, many of you to be speakers, and just many of you to also join the conversation to enrich it. And with that, I’m gonna give back the floor to you, Nico, and another colleague continues. Thank you. Thank you, Lily.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
Thank you so much. It’s very important, the work of the coffee chats, because it’s a place where all the alumni can join together and share their insights in a more decontracted and informal manner. So now, we are switching to Marco. Marco is the leader, one of the leaders of the Youth Coalition on Internet Governance, that have been pivotal in shaping the discussions in the ISOC alumni network, because the Youth Coalition is a place when you can also find other colleagues, and the volunteer is a spirit to help us developing the workshops, getting senior speakers. Marco, the floor is yours.

Marco Paloski:
Thank you, Nico. Hello, everyone. I’m here as a part of the Youth Coalition on Internet Governance, as a steering committee for Eastern Europe, together also with Nico, we are part of the steering committee for this year. So the whole idea of Youth Coalition on Internet Governance is to collaborate and to network also the young people that are under 35 years old, and to help them navigate to the internet governance world. What means to help them is we have several activities that we are doing to the whole the year. One of them is preparing proposals for sessions for IGF, like this one here. This year, we had, I think, together with the youth standing group on internet society, over 150 submissions, which 10% of them were selected, around 50 sessions here are the sessions that we helped and collaborate together with all the youth people to better structure them, to help them during the drafting, the phase of submission proposal, because there is a procedure that needs to be taken. And from someone who is new in this world, it might be hard to navigate to this. That’s why one of our activities is to make working groups on the topics and prepare them together to submit the proposals from the youth. Another thing that we are doing is we have also bi-weekly newsletter where we share opportunities for youth people, like jobs, fellowships, events that are happening, a lot of stuff. Together with the internet society, we are doing a mentorship program where we open a call for mentors to mentor the new cohort of youth ambassadors from internet society. Some of us are already mentors or have been part of this process, and it’s very crucial and important, this kind of activity, because navigating the youth or the new generation of internet ambassadors, it’s very crucial to have a mentor, someone who can guide them or give their experience to more easily flow into the world of internet governance. Other topics that are similar, like we mentioned in the beginning, are our sharing of the resources. We have also some mailing list, which is very active. We are sharing all the resources and happenings between the youths in the internet governance space, the writing blog posts, and from time to time organizing some events similar like the activities where we do webinars on a specific topic where we can share the experience from other youth, what they are doing, how they are doing, so to be known and maybe collaborate with them in the future. But the important thing is the networking part. So I would say it’s one of the crucial thing that as a coalition we are doing, and we are actively each year as we are here present in the IGF in Japan. So I would thanks again to Nico for the time here to explain the youth coalition internet governance and get back to his mic. Thank you, Marco.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
Thank you so much. We are very good in terms of time. So now we are passing the floor to Saba here and Ananda. Both are coordinators of youth IGF. Saba is coordinator of the IGF Youth Ethiopia, and Ananda is coordinator of IGF Youth in Nepal. So first Saba and then Ananda, they will talk a little about their initiatives.

Saba Tiku Beyene:
Thank you very much, Nico, for giving me the chance to speak on my project. So as Nico said, my name is Saba. I’m the coordinator of the youth IGF Ethiopia. I’m also one of the ISOC alumni and I served as the last year ambassador program of the 2022. So I will be sharing just a little bit about the project that we were been doing since last year. So as ISOC youth ambassadors of 2022, my teammates, Boo, Katerina and me, we’re working on a project called Toolkit for Youth Participation in Internet Governance. So this project includes the concept note and the concept note paper for the model IGF. So currently we have collected some of the materials for all parts of the toolkit mainly, and the model IGF is currently in the process of the completion. With the toolkits, we expect to complete the first edition in the coming two months. So as a model IGF concept note paper. Just to talk a little bit about the project, the project topic is the mapping existing pathways and crafting the model IGF. So we used three principles first of all, and the first one is truth. It really provides a reliable information shown on the official website of the program. So we provide the website address and also reference at the bottom of each page for further double check and reference. And secondly, it is systematic and user-friendly because it provides an easy way for young people to participate in a global governance of internet. So we collected the materials at two levels. First, at the global levels, and second, at a regional level or at a national level. We also noticed that there are other ways rather than IGF to provide deeper engagement in internet governance. So we included first, advanced stage, and second, academic passes. Yeah, so once it is published, you will take a look at it and will know how and what to choose that first on your own interest and also on your own situation. So just to talk a little bit about my apprenticeship program, it has really opened, I can say that it has really opened a new doors for me and for my teammates, I hope. It has provided me with opportunities to network with like-minded young leaders, professionals, experts from around the world, and I can say that it was a phenomenal experience for all of us, for all of the youth ambassadors. So after this ambassadorship program, I joined the alumni network and had the privilege to be part of some of the sessions to speak my ideas and also to moderate some of the session on especially on inclusion. So personally and also professionally, I can say that this program has really empowered me due to the amazing people in my network and also the amazing people that has been invited to the sessions to give us or to share their expertise with us. So to this year’s youth ambassadors, I would like to say that just take this opportunity as a stepping stone to a bright future in your career or in your life. This program really can lead you to advocate for an open Internet or become an expert on Internet-related fields or issues and just dedicate yourself truly to this program and just make the most out of it. Thank you very much, Nico.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
I’ll hand over to you. Yes, handing over to Ananda as well. Ananda, the floor is yours. Thank you, Nico, for this opportunity and everyone.

Ananda Gautam:
My name is Ananda. I’m from Nepal. I currently coordinate Youth IGF Nepal, and if you guys wonder what is Youth IGF Nepal, we organize the younger version of Internet governance forum like this where we actually invite multiple stakeholders into one session and give them opportunity to collaborate and work and discuss on the issues that are pressing on the Internet currently. So as part of Youth IGF Nepal, we not only organize one IGF in a year. We also do different capacity building programs for youth. Last year, we were able to send our three fellows to India School on Internet Governance by providing them travel support, and we also encourage our young community members to actually apply for different fellowship programs and capacity building programs out of Nepal as well. So by doing that, our fellows who have been representing outside Nepal come back to our ecosystem and then engage with more energy and give back to the community. That’s why the Youth IGF Nepal community is growing a lot. We have more than 20 MSC members right now. We work diligently to make Youth IGF Nepal successful. Also, Youth IGF members have been contributing in different ecosystems, into society itself, joining different standing group and different special interest group, working on different issues back in Nepal and contributing to the whole IG ecosystem. Also, we, as a Youth IGF Nepal, are helping to organize Asia Pacific Youth IGF, and again, some of our fellows are contributing to the Asia Pacific Regional IGF, and some of them have been attending online Youth IGF sessions. And this is how we do our capacity building. And similarly, we also are part of the bigger coalition. It’s called Digital Freedom Coalition. USAGF Nepal is a founding coalition member of Digital Freedom Coalition. And Digital Freedom Coalition organizes Digital Freedom Summit annually, where we talk about the broader digital, human right issues and digital age. And we organize a summit annually. This year, we will be organizing on the 9th of December, where we will not only invite youth stakeholders, also other stakeholders to actually talk about the pressing issues in the digital space. And then we collaborate with colleges to do the capacity building events. That is how we are doing it. If there are anything else, we can come back later. Thank you, Nico, for the opportunity.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
Back to you. Thank you so much, Sava and Ananda. This is great because the USAGF demonstrate that there is a place to go local and apply all the knowledge we have learned into our local space, right? Organizing things, also having the conversation or bringing the conversation to our own spaces and reflecting, as Ananda say, in the rationale as well. So it’s a very good way for collaboration, fostering collaboration, and also working with peers. So now we have here Valerie as well from the alumni network. And she is going to talk a little about our alumni, we have had throughout different meetings, RightsCon, ICANN, Rational IGF. So it’s very good to have Valerie here with us.

Speaker:
Please, Valerie, mention, you have like five minutes to mention about these huddles. Thank you so much, Nico. And just like you rightly said, we’ve had a number of alumni huddles that we’ve held across different meetings. That’s with the ICANN meetings, with the RightsCon meetings, as well as with the regional IGFs. What we noted is that we have a lot of young people who are spread across different fellowships who have previously been members of alumni of the Internet Society Network. And what we aim to achieve is to be able to have a full network of all our members and be able to collaborate and build capacity for the alumni within that network. So what we do with these huddles is, for instance, when we get information of some of our alumni who are going to be part of the meetings, like I said, across ICANN, RightsCon, the regional IGFs as well, we come together and brainstorm as to how those alumni onsite can then create a huddle and also help us who are online to join the huddles and ensure there’s networking, there’s capacity building, there’s learning from each other. Because also what we noted is that some of the Internet Society alumni network members had not gone to ICANN meetings and they were curious about what happens at ICANN meetings, curious about what’s the entry point. And I think the alumni huddles really helped because I remember when we were in ICANN 76, Nico, there was a question we got from some of the alumni who are joining us online asking, how do I correlate this to Internet ecosystems and ensure I get a place where I can also enter the ecosystem and how can someone who’s coming through the Internet Society Youth Ambassador Program or the Fellowship Program then find a way into many of the ICANN communities in terms of an ease into the process to be able to better also just give that ease of entry because some of the communities can be very complex but also just having that collaborative nature of the alumni, having the support you require, having a space where you can constantly ask questions as to how do I enter, how do I effectively contribute, how do I take these learnings from these various meetings and replicate the same at home. So I think just like you’re saying, Nico, the alumni huddles are here with us and it’s something that we continue to promote. We are also having one coming up in Hamburg during ICANN 78. So I think it’s very important for us to ensure that we have our alumni and just like Lily had said earlier, our call would be for all the alumni to come and join us so that we can make this network very broad, very effective, very value-driven and also very supportive to ensure that we keep the people within the network but we also open it up to people who are not within the network to join us and keep bringing in more voices of young people across the Internet Society Alumni Network and other meetings as well. Thank you, Nico.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
Thank you so much, Valerie. Yes, the huddles have been very, very proactive and also personally, I was found myself meeting another former youth ambassadors that I didn’t know that they were at the meeting at that moment. So it’s a good place to foster this networking with people that sometimes you cross with them in the middle of the meeting and you really don’t know. So these huddles are a place where, oh, you can say, oh, you are a former fellow, which year? And that is starting a conversation, having about some topics. And also, as Valerie mentioned, for the online alumni that are not participating on-site in these kind of meetings, they are learning and we also, the ones that are on-site, are helping them to understand what is happening at that meeting. We, I remember in the ICANN 76 huddle, we also touched on what is happening. Yes, these issues are happening with the DNS at the moment. We are going to discuss about this. So the online alumnus there also have ideas for us to, okay, well, try to talk about this and mention about this other. So it’s a good thing to do collaboration and definitely a way to know other former fellows or ISOC members. And it’s very funny because everybody is joining the huddle there, they see a lot of people together and say, oh, what is happening here? I am also from Internet Society. So it’s a very good informal way of doing more networking. So now I have a very short presentation to share with you. The technical could show at the screen. Excellent. So with this presentation, I would like to show all the activities we have had throughout the year, talking a little about the outcomes of each of the workshops. So we can add a little of content or what we have learned throughout the year. So starting from January, we have a workshop with Tracy and some alumni talking about opportunities in the internet governance. Tracy touched on what is the IGF, what are the different fellowships and opportunities available to participate at the different ecosystem meetings of the full Internet Governance Forum. Then he had some storytelling for us about his experience with the IGF, with the Internet Society, with the multi-stakeholder model, right? What is the way of doing things in a multi-stakeholder basis? Then about the youth engagement, what some concepts for new people that are also, because our ISOC alumni workshops were open to every Internet Society member to know and to be more attentive and to learn how to apply also to these opportunities. And also we touched on the different topics or the different baskets for doing the reference with the Curvalija book on Internet Governance that the Internet Governance has, you know, the different topics. That was a very good workshop. I think everybody learned a lot. Then in February, we have our second workshop that was about Internet Fragmentation. We had a very important senior speaker there that is Farsaneh Vadiyeh from the United States. He is a Internet Governance Specialist and is the expert on the Internet Fragmentation. In that workshop, we discovered that fragmentation has different level or categories such as the technical fragmentation, geopolitical fragmentation, economic fragmentation. So it’s very important to learn, and it was a very good moment for all the Internet Society members to discuss and put their insights on what are the different categories of the fragmentation. It’s not all about technical fragmentation. There are infrastructure fragmentation or cybersecurity fragmentation. When we are talking about content, moderation of content, that could be another level of the fragmentation, but some others say that no, that is not fragmentation. So it was a good moment to generate the discussion and also about data localization laws, right? This workshop was very well, and we also had an alumni guest invited that was Inocent Adrico from Uganda that talked about the Internet shutdowns in his country, an important issue regarding Internet fragmentation. So going to March, we have had the first huddle at the ICANN 76. There are some photos of the huddle there. You can see like the us there and the people that joined us with the hats. In Mexico, they used to use these hats, and also you can see the people that was online at the moment learning as we were mentioning in the part of the huddles. It seems that we were very happy there. And then in March, we have our third workshop about the interplanetary networks. We was very glad to have been served, been to serve the father of the Internet with us, talking about different aspects of the interplanetary networks, such as the DTN protocol, Delay Tolerant Network Protocol, with all the high delays and disruptions of this protocol that is communicating between planets, right? We are talking about the Internet out of the earth. Then also about the Storage for War, the issue of how the satellites need to transfer these packets. It’s not like the DNS we have on earth because these packets need to wait until the orbit, put the planet the most closer as possible to send the packet perfectly. So these technicalities and also being touched on the IPNG, that is the Interplanetary Network Group in the ITF. And also the possible integration in the future with the IP protocol that could merge Earth’s Internet with the space network. So maybe in the future with this protocol, we could have access to Jupiter things in real time. What knows? Who knows what will be the future of this? And also being served, touched on some of the NASA’s role, a pioneer in the Interplanetary Network. There was a very good story he told about when they did a new protocol that was better than the previous one, they needed to update the rover that was on Mars remotely. They updated the protocol that the rover was using for communicating. So wow, this kind of interesting things we have touched on in these workshops. And I think a lot of people learn a lot about this thing that maybe it’s about the Internet but outside Earth, right? So I don’t want to extend in some of the things but we have plenty of time. But we’ll then have some little time at the end for the questions. Then in April, we have a webinar together with the Youth Coalition on Internet Governance and the Internet Society Youth Expanding Group. That was where we started to collaborate with our peers. In this webinar, we saw a little about what is the ICF? Again, what are the different interstitial activities of the ICF? You know, the best practice forum, the dynamic coalitions, and the policy networks. We explored some learnings from previous years, also touch about youth engagement and so on. Then in April as well, we have the meet and greet with the youth ambassador because this year, the youth ambassador was selected in the early months of the year because it’s the first time the youth ambassadors are not only attending the Internet Governance Forum, the global one, but also the regional forum and different forum like the Rights Con. So in April, all the meetings were starting in the year. And we have had this meet and greet with them where some of the alumni were present and also a very good moment to start establishing this networking with the new cohort. Then also in April, we have our fourth workshop about AI Governance and Policies with our guest invited, Guaravil Mudongo from Botswana. We also, with very good alumni, our guest alumni were Rodrigo and Jose, touched about different policy aspects of the artificial intelligence. We, in this workshop, it was covered about the ethical frameworks, the transparency and explainability of the artificial intelligence and the deep learning networks. Then about accountability and responsibility, the bias issue through the gender bias and the fairness of these algorithms. So privacy concerns, safety and security, a lot of different subtopics on the artificial intelligence governance that was very great for the alumni to learn and also the Internet Society members to engage in this conversation. Despite that the artificial intelligence is not like a central topic of the Internet Society, we thought that because it touches on privacy and also different aspects like standardization, we thought that it was a topic that was relevant. And because we were the ISOC alumni network, we decided which workshops we would like to have. So this topic was for sure very interesting for the Internet Society community. Then in May, 2023, we have our fourth or fifth workshop about community networks with a very known figure such as Shane Coffin, an ex-ISOC. Shane Coffin is an expert in telecommunications and she touched a lot on not only community network but also Wi-Fi Internet service providers and a wireless Internet service provider, sorry. Also we touched on satellite networks and so on. So what the market and the digital divide is about, right? The community networks are there to be constructed, to be community-based, initiated, and wow, it’s the way we can reach the next billion connected to the Internet, right? So in this case, we have Shadrash Ankara, experience about community networks in Ghana and also the alumni featuring their experiences with the community networks. In June, we reached and had our huddle at the Wright’s Con in Costa Rica where different colleagues joined together whether they were online or on site. Again, to know the former youth ambassadors or program fellows in the past. Wow, these huddles, that moment was when we find out or figured out that the huddles are very, very good for constructing the alumni network. Then in June, again, we have the second ICANN huddle in ICANN 77. There are some photos there. People is always very happy at the huddles. This was in Washington, right, in the ICANN 77. Tracy was there, Lily was there. A lot of people, yes, it is true. If you see their faces, they were all very, very happy. And was not only for the photo. Was because happy of the moment. Then in June, again, with a lot of meetings in June, we have had the Eurodig huddle as well. Well, I was not there, but people enjoyed a lot. They say that they had very good experiences. And also, Eurodig was a crucial regional IGF this year, discussing a lot about artificial intelligence and different things. So was very, very interesting for the ISOC alumnus that were there. Then in June as well, we have the workshop on encryption, the first one, because we wanted to have a series of workshops regarding encryption that is a major topic, covering different areas. So in that workshop, we have Callum Bogue from the UK, with governmental affair and advocacy of the Internet Society. Also, we have Lily there, moderating, and Marco as well. He was very interesting to talk about the technicalities and more the concept of encryption, right? I remember this workshop touched on digital signatures, as well as all the encryption, different protocols that you can use. So it’s very good for the ones that sometimes are not so technical and want to learn. what this encryption is about. I always say to my students, because I am a professor at the university, that you know the prime numbers that you learn in the school. The multiplication of two big prime numbers is the key of these algorithms. So the computer needs to deal with this problem that is the factorization. But well, also, the quantum computing is here, so this is at risk as well. So then we have our second workshop about encryption. I think the photo is from there. Let me do it. Yes, I don’t know what happened. Yes, we have several workshops. Oh, maybe it’s duplicated. OK. In July 2023, we have some coffee chats about Global Encryption Day on the 5th of July with Teodos and Paula. That is a senior policy and advocacy advisor. Again, touching on issues of encryption, but more on a general level. I think it was more about data privacy laws and the use of encryption more in the policy level. Exactly. With Esther, Marco, I remember, was moderating. We had also Sharon from Canada. So it was more a conversation about the policies regarding encryption. Then we have a coffee chat on your impact stories when Leah Kessling, the senior director of individual membership from the Internet Society, was talking about the action plan of the Internet Society and what are the things that they were looking for from the action plan, several things. Then in August, we have an alumni regional update exploring internet developments in the North American region with Kevin Dorvalus, our alumni from the African region that now is living in the USA. That was together with the senior speaker Natalie Campbell from North America Government and Regulatory Affairs. Then again in August, we have our third workshop about encryption. I told you it was a series of workshops with Ryan Paul from the USA. That was the Internet Policy, Internet Society director. We have had Emilia Zalewska from Poland, and she has Poland and NASC, to talk about cybersecurity analysis. And also, I remember this session we touched on digital violence and child online safety. This is another topic that is related with encryption, how to make sure that this is. I remember also Emilia touched on the age verification issue and several things regarding how to protect the child online. It was very interesting to talk about that. Then in September, we have our huddle at the African ICF, where people get together there in Abuja, right? Abuja was? Or in Abuja, Abuja, sorry. In Abuja, it was. And they have had the huddle there, again, in the ISOC booth at the African ICF. So another moment to share insights and get networking. Then in September, as well, we have a workshop about the gender bias in artificial intelligence, with some experts as well. Then in October, reaching to the ICF, we have a workshop there about preparation for the global ICF, where, yes, the alumni network were there, and different colleagues from the youth ICF coordinators, like Fio, me, and she’s just Nathan, sorry. Lucy Moura, as well, that was another ISOC alumni. So with this, you can see. Let me stop sharing. So with this, ladies and gentlemen, as we come to the end of the session, but it’s not just the end, I am really surprised by how much we have done this year, right? I think that every of us is very surprised. And looking back today, it’s clear that we have been very busy and achieved a lot. But remember, this is just our starting point. We are all about working together, learning from each other, and helping in the area of internet governance. I can see from today’s energy and discussion that we all share this vision and are ready to do even more in the future. So a big thank you to everyone here, every story, idea that made today special, and the good vibes of the volunteering team work. You know, contacting the senior speakers for the workshop, creating the flyers, organizing our huddles and coffee chats. It’s all volunteering efforts. This promises a bright future for the ISOC alumni network. As we think about the next steps, I am very hopeful and happy. And there’s so much we can do, so many challenges to tackle, and so many ways we can make a difference in the world of the internet governance. But before we end, let’s take a moment for any questions or comments. We want to hear from you and keep the conversation going. Mauritius, do you know if we have any questions from our online audience? Thank you, Nicolas. I have checked the chat. No questions as of yet. But I will just post another comment in the chat to ask for more questions. Yes, we have a question on site here. Maybe we will address the on site here. And if you want to do some closing remarks as well, I can let you go after the person. So yes, passing the microphone here on site.

Audience:
Hello, everyone. First of all, congratulations on all the work you have done this year, and all the work as an ISOC alumni. It’s very great to see that the network keeps strong and with people from all around the world. My name is Emanuela. I’m from Brazil. Today I work at an NGO called Instituto Alana, but I was an ISOC fellow in 2018. Yeah. So my question for you guys is, I saw a lot of workshops and formation activities that are done within the network, but today I work with advocacy, for instance, and I see a lot of youth initiatives that are, they produce manifestos, and they produce frameworks for design, and they raise the voice of youth in claims for government action, for internet action. And this is a question like, for advocacy perspective, is that, what are you guys doing, and is there ways to do this? Because, for instance, internet governance for all is very important, but it is not a decision-making place. So are you guys going to the Global Digital Compact? Is this something that the ISOC alumni, they are engaged with in other decision-making spaces, and as well as helping each other with advocacy on their own countries? Because I would be very interested in participating in that. Thank you. Thank you so much, Manu.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
And you’re spot on.

Lily Edinam Botsyoe :
Yes, that exists. And I’ll start from what we have as, we’re trying to put together a set of checklists or a how-to guideline for advocacy for young people following our coffee chats. So in the past, we’ve asked people, what do you need, and what advocacy are you working on? And then in the coffee chat, we try to give them support and say, do you have resources to enable you to make this go further? Or here are people that are also working in these areas, and you can partner with them. Because we know that the coffee chats last only for an hour, there’s an alumni mailing list. It’s called, I think there’s a name for it, actually. There’s a whole mailing list where people can post what they’re up to in their countries and say, we need support for this. There are people from ISOC who respond, there are young people who say, I can collaborate to work on it with you. So the idea is, we want to actually work the talk. And in the coffee chats, we try to make that support available through resource sharing, through sharing of best practices, and then the training to be able to engage in advocacy. The other part about how we rally support to advocate as a youth team, I think right now it started off from the country level and community level, where people are doing their individual work, customized for their region, right? Maybe looking forward, we can see how we can make efforts to do something like what we did around, say, go to an event and talk on a particular thing as alumni network. We can do that together. But for other angles where ISOC works with youth, the standing group has written position papers for global data compacts for different angles of WSIS and all of that. So that angle for ISOC and youth, it is as before the alumni network, we can do the projection for working together as an alumni network on a global level, pre-to-sun for what is happening with advocacy is pretty much for everybody in their own countries. And that’s what the coffee chat seeks to do. I’m just really excited that you are in this session, because I know how you’ve been asking, where do we start? How do we rally support? And so I’m happy you’re here and that you’re engaging and giving the right nudges for us to look in the right direction. So that’s what is happening. And we need all the expertise for you to help us enrich the conversations and to make sure that we are implementing some of the things that we’re speaking about in our sessions.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
Thank you. Thank you, Lily. Do we have any other questions? Please, Ashirwa. Thank you, Nico. So this is Ashirwa for the record. I’m an ISOC alumni in terms of I completed an online different internet course.

Audience:
I’m also in Internet Society, special interest group for education. Thank you so much for your hard work that you’ve been doing. And I could see you’ve made a lot of impact as well. So congratulations on that. I get still is still to be done. But my question is more related to kind of management and logistic issue. So you’d standing up as a global, we have members from all around the world, right? From Asia, Africa and all. Similar with our special interest group. So the problem we face while during the meetings is managing the time. It’s morning in somewhere, it’s day in sometimes. And if Europe and Asia can come, then it’s too much too late in America. And also, how do you manage that? Yes, I can answer those.

Nicolas Fiumarelli:
Yes, we have agreed that there is a universal hour that is 13 UTC. But yes, it’s not beneficial sometimes for the ones that are most in the East of Asia Pacific. So yes, we need to deal with that. But it’s a good point. And we could consider like having parallel meetings. In the past, we have had some activities that we have duplicated activities, right? Like at one hour and maybe 12 hours later, a similar activity. But yes, sometimes it’s difficult to have the speakers, the senior speakers that has a full day time occupied to have in both sessions. But yes, it’s a good idea, a good point. And it’s a good point for the future workshops and activities we could have. So now we have a very, we are coming to the end. It’s crucial to understand also that the Internet Alumni Network, while it’s a significant platform, doesn’t have like a singular voice like a traditional organization. As Lily says, it’s made up of individuals. These individuals working through their respective organizations are who amplify its voice and drive its mission. So thank you all for being a key part of today’s success. And I will ask for a big round of applause for everyone. And also, let’s capture this moment with a picture. Those here, please get it around. And for our online participants, Mauricia, could we get a snapshot as well? Would be great. Thank you all. Okay, let’s have a picture. Thank you. If you are in a position to open your camera, it would be lovely to see your beautiful faces. If not, we completely understand and would take the picture as well. Thank you so much for joining me at my launch today.