On November 5, Yerevan hosted the Armenian Internet Governance Forum (ArmIGF 2024). ArmIGF is an open, inclusive and transparent platform for dialogue and cooperation of all stakeholders, including government bodies, the private sector, the research community and non-governmental organizations. The forum was organized by the Ministry of High-Tech Industries of the Republic of Armenia, NGO Internet Society, Internet Society Armenia, and the Council on Internet Governance of the Republic of Armenia.
Among the guests at the ArmIGF 2024 opening ceremony were First Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia Gevorg Mantashyan, Board Chairman of ISOC AM Igor Mkrtumyan, British Ambassador to Armenia John Gallagher, Director of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ Andrey Vorobyev, representative of ICANN in Eastern Europe and Central Asia Mikhail Anisimov, RIPE NCC Director for Public Relations in Central Asia and the Caucasus Vaan Ovsepyan, Internet Society’s Regional Community Engagement Manager in Europe Nick Hyrka, and Ucom CEO Ralph Yirikian.
ISOC AM Board Chair Igor Mkrtumyan noted in his opening remarks that the 9th Armenian Internet Governance Forum has confirmed that this platform plays an important role in bringing together stakeholders to address internet governance issues. “At a stage when digital development has reached serious heights, the internet community and the .AM domain are marking their 30th anniversary, we are celebrating the numerous achievements that have made education, economic growth and social wellbeing more accessible to everybody. It is time to set our priorities for the coming decades,” he shared.
Director of the Coordination Center Andrey Vorobyev thanked his colleagues from Armenia for the invitation and praised the warm relations between the registries of Russia and Armenia:
“We have enjoyed extensive cooperation for many years. Representatives of the Armenian registry are permanent members of the Regional Working Group on Universal Acceptance. We are bound by both friendship and the age of our country-code domains as both .RU and .AM are marking their 30th anniversaries in 2024.”
Andrey Vorobyev also stressed the importance of youth engagement in internet governance:
“Today, internet has penetrated the very fabric of our everyday lives and plays a pivotal role as a development driver for both traditional and emerging sectors of the economy. Young people with their fresh views, original thinking and creative energy who constitute its biggest driving force.”
Mikhail Anisimov, ICANN representative in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, noted the registries’ special role in internet governance:
“As a technical organization, we are particularly interested in the voice of the technical community being fully represented in all discussions on internet governance. It is not a coincidence that we mark 30 years of the .AM domain during the 9th Armenian Internet Governance Forum. Country domain registries often stand in the center of discussion in this region. They are a big part of education and information campaigns when it comes to this sort of initiatives.”
This year, ArmIGF takes place for the ninth time. The Armenian Youth Internet Governance Forum is opening tomorrow. Live streams will be available on ISOC Armenia’s YouTube channel.
