First Croatian Internet Governance Forum

The First Croatian Internet Governance Forum (Croatian IGF) will be held at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing on 6 May 2015. 

Until recently Internet was primarily used for searching for documents and information, while today it is increasingly becoming a medium of active interaction. Internet is changing and developing. How to ensure its stabile development and thus protect its value? What values are we trying to protect? How to ensure this protection?

Many of these questions are becoming louder and louder in global discussions stemming from the desire to raise awareness about the importance of the Internet phenomenon and its development in our society as well as about the manner Internet governance. In March 2014, the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) launched public consultation on the future of Internet governance and on the European Commission document Internet policy and governance , that is, on Europe’s role in the shaping of future of Internet governance.
The objective of public consultation was to initiate discussion on issues of Internet governance and to help develop the Republic of Croatia’s position on this important issue.

A round table on the future of Internet governance was organized at HAKOM’s initiative within the framework of the international conference MIPRO in 2014. The round table gathered representatives of state administration, academic and technical community, civil society and users and representatives of the private sector – operators and providers of opinions, solutions and services. The round table included presentations of results of public consultation and discussions on Internet governance models.

As a continuation of the above-mentioned activities, HAKOM initiated, in cooperation with the academic community, private sector and relevant state administration bodies, the establishment and organization of the Croatian Internet Governance Forum, (Croatian IGF). The first Croatian IGF will take place on 6 May 2015 at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb, Unska 3. The main topic of the forum will be an Internet Governance model or the multistakeholder model (MSM). The idea is that the forum, based on the model of similar platforms in other countries and regions, will create an environment for open discussions and thinking in the Republic of Croatia on important issues concerning the future of Internet. It is important to mention that the forum is not expected to provide final opinions or binding conclusions or documents but to encourage the establishment of an open and informal place for the exchange of opinions with a view to developing, on the basis of a model of all interested parties, a methodology for agreeing on joint positions and guidelines on issues important for the Internet that would serve as a basis for harmonized contributions of Croatian representatives in all relevant international bodies and organizations.

Contact: croigf@hakom.hr 
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