The opening of the 18th Global Internet Governance Forum, IGF 2023, took place on October 9. The forum is being held in Kyoto, Japan, on October 8-12. The main theme of the Forum is “The internet we want: Empowering all people.” According to IGF organizers, more than 8,000 people from more than 170 countries have registered to attend this year, making it the largest and most geographically diverse forum in IGF history.
The main focus of IGF 2023 is the idea of taking advantage of the rapid progress in the field of artificial intelligence and digitalization while reducing the risks. While technology is advancing at incredible speeds in a select group of countries, the reality is that 2.6 billion people remain unconnected. With rapid technological progress, including in the field of artificial intelligence, existing inequalities may worsen.
In his opening remarks at the Forum, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need to work together to close the digital gap. “We need to continue to use the digital technologies enabled by the internet to help achieve our Sustainable Development Goals, take action on climate change and build a better world.”
The Secretary-General also stressed the importance of adopting the Global Digital Compact, which will be considered at the Future Summit next year. António Guterres noted the need to define the principles, goals and actions that will ensure a people-centered digital future: “Governments, the private sector and civil society must come together regularly to ensure that the obligations set out in the treaty are met.”
The UN Secretary-General's vision document, The Internet We Want, was also published on the opening day. It states that “internet governance is critical to economic, social and environmental development and is a critical enabler of sustainable development.” The document explains what it means for the internet to be whole and open, universal and inclusive, free and trustworthy, safe and secure, and respectful of human rights.
Highlighting the internet's integral role in addressing global challenges and moving towards a better and more sustainable future, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua warned:
“This requires responsive policies that harness the benefits of digital technologies while mitigating the risks. The IGF needs to further strengthen its role as a global digital policy forum in finding common ground and consensus, and in identifying digital solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda.”
The forum continues for two more days. On October 10, a workshop will be held, Defense Against the Dark Web Arts: The Youth Perspective, organized by the Center for Global IT Cooperation and the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ. During the workshop, participants will talk about regulating the darknet, discuss what role new technologies can play in the fight against it, and whether the dark internet has benefits for ordinary users.
On October 11, two sections with Coordination Center participation will be held at once: The International Legal Dimension of ICT, prepared by the CCTLD Youth Council together with the School of International Cybersecurity, and World Wide Web of Youth: Cooperation for Enlightenment, organized with the Center for Global IT Cooperation. We will cover these sections in the next report, so follow our updates.
