First Russian Internet Governance Forum co-sponsored by the Coordination Center for ccTLD .RU and the RF Ministry of Telecom and Mass Media will be held on 13-14 May 2010 at Expocenter at Krasnaya Presnia.
The concept of “Internet governance” is an uncharted territory for most Russian Internet users. Nevertheless, the issue of Internet regulation emerged in the late 20th century and was a hot potato even at the very onset. Today, it is understood as the development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programs that shape the evolution and use of the Internet. Internet governance both in global and national and regional terms suggests contribution of all the noted parties, since each of them has its own professional views and approaches to this sphere. Specialists in the field of telecommunications center on development of the technological infrastructure, software engineers focus on development of various types of standards, scripts and applications, while communication specialists’ schwerpunkt is simplification of information exchange. Policy makers accentuate the gravity of issues of societal progress boosted by the Internet development and such challenges as the combat for a safer Internet or protection of children therein.
The purpose of the Russian IGF is to unite all the stakeholders’ points of view and hold a debate in a search of consensus between government agencies, professional telecommunication and business community, and civil society on the future of the Internet in Russia. This IGF should serve as a starting point for fueling Russian representatives’ propensity for a vigorous engagement in the international organizations dealing with the Internet governance.
It is envisaged that representatives of the RF government, executives of major Russian corporations, telecom experts, renowned public figures and representatives of foreign Internet organizations will take part in the RIGF, including representatives of the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the ICANN, and the ITU, among others.
The organizers are hopeful the Russian IGF will lay the foundation for a broad public discussion on means and tools of Internet governance. The event will grow into a platform for a dialogue between Russian and foreign organizations on Internet governance. The RIGF agenda will provide for discussion on the following issues:
- Internet governance;
- security issues in the Internet;
- managing the critical infrastructure of the Internet;
- internationalized domain names (IDNs);
- legislation and government regulation in the Internet;
- liquidation of the digital divide; transparency and protection of private life in the Internet;
- diversity (cultural heritage) in the Internet;
- what’s up next: the future of the Internet взгляд в завтрашний день.
Plenary sessions, roundtables and panel discussions will be open for all the participants during two active days of the meeting. All meeting’s acts will be open for representatives of Russian and foreign mass media.
For detailed information on Russian IGF and accreditation for mass media please visit http://russia2010.intgov.net/
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History of the global Internet governance forums
The final document of the World Summit on the Information Society which took place in Tunisia in 2005 contained detailed information on the issue of Internet governance. Decision on the global Internet Governance Forum was taken at that summit. Internet governance Forum was a compromise among staunch opponents to any modifications in the Internet governance regime, which is based on ICANN’s principles and proponents of an intergovernmental Internet governance regime. There have been already four IGF meetings to date: in 2006 – in Athens, in 2007 – in Rio-De-Janeiro, in 2008 – in Hyderabad and in 2009 – in Sharm El Sheikh. The fifth annual IGF Meeting will be held in Vilnius in September 2010.
Nowadays the global IGF represents a new model of international discussion on the Internet governance issues. This is a multilateral institution established on initiative of the UN Secretary General. The recent trend has become holding regional and national IGFs to discuss technical, organizational and legal issues of the Internet use.
http://www.intgovforum.org
