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Agree with your points Jeremy, but I don't think we should assume
that the IGF, and discussions that happen in and around the IGF,
have not influenced this trajectory or other trajectories of change
that have taken place in IG since Tunis. I am pretty sure that it
has and I hope that people will do substantive research to look into
this.<br>
<br>
We need to reflect on what we really want from the IGF, and then
evaluate it accordingly. Not saying you, or the rest of us have not
done that, but it is worth doing it again, particularly now that we
have worked with its strengths and weaknesses for the last 7 years.
Willie Currie who used to be APC's policy manager during and after
Tunis (and was part of the final negotiations) used to talk about
the IGF as a soft power mechanism. He had great belief in soft power
based on his extensive political experience - in exiled political
organisations during Apartheid, in the trade union movement, in
government, in social movements and in civil society.<br>
<br>
Soft power mechanisms influence people, directly and /or indirectly.
They do not directly influence negotiated outcomes from
institutionalised processes, but people do influence those processes
and outcomes. The IGF is one of the more transparent and accessible
soft power mechanisms I have encountered. It is by no means the only
soft power platform civil society activists should use, nor should
we restrict our efforts to soft power processes, but I think we
would be very short sighted to abandon it at this point.<br>
<br>
Personality / individual driven political processes that are not
fully backed by their constituencies and institutions often implode,
or are redirected - even if some of those personalities and leaders
have the best of intentions. In the case of Dilma and Brazil their
position has been consistent (although as Carlos pointed out, not
all voices in the Brazilian government agree with this approach),
but this is the case with ICANN? <br>
<br>
We need to watch this process, and try to influence it. Often when
these kind of alliances between oppositional forces take place civil
society's influence is at its weakest because the
brokering/mediation role we often play is not needed, and as the
stakes are quite high, the players want only those who have power
and resources at the table. <br>
<br>
But this is a great opportunity. Rather than see this summit as
making the IGF irrelevant, I think we should link it to the IGF
process, and to UN processes (the speech was made at the GA after
all) and more broadly to institutionalising inclusive policy
processes rather than having them take place through the whims or
good graces of powerful individuals.<br>
<br>
Anriette<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/10/2013 11:15, matthew shears
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:5257C19E.6010609@cdt.org" type="cite">
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I agree. <br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/10/2013 04:14, Jeremy Malcolm
wrote:<br>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/10/13 00:00, Anriette
Esterhuysen wrote:<br>
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I cannot agree more.<br>
<br>
Not only do I share Rafik's skepticism, I also think we should
not fall into the trap of thinking of ICANN (and the ICANN DNS
gold rush) as being at the core of the policy-making processes
that matter to how people access, use, and develop the
internet. <br>
<br>
That ICANN is now setting broader agendas, along with
governments, reflects entirely what is problematic with how
power and influence plays out in IG and I find it alarming.<br>
<br>
Definitely agree with Anja and others who say that CS should
get involved in this debate. A critical perspective is needed
now more than ever. <br>
</blockquote>
<br>
My first thought too was that this was opportunism on ICANN's
part (and, heck, probably on Dilma's too), but so what? When
two top leaders have done more in one day to open the doors to
Internet governance reform than the IGF MAG has done in eight
years, hurrah for opportunism - let's make the most of it.<br>
<br>
But I also agree that the proposed letter is a bit light on, and
that we should develop more of an agenda for the event before
sending such a letter. This can, as Deborah said, be done
online and in person at the Best Bits meeting, and should be an
output of the meeting which we open for endorsements and IGC
consensus call then.<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
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</blockquote>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Matthew Shears
Director and Representative
Global Internet Policy and Human Rights
Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT)
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:mshears@cdt.org">mshears@cdt.org</a>
+44 (0) 771 247 2987
Skype: mshears
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
------------------------------------------------------
anriette esterhuysen <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:anriette@apc.org">anriette@apc.org</a>
executive director, association for progressive communications
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.apc.org">www.apc.org</a>
po box 29755, melville 2109
south africa
tel/fax +27 11 726 1692</pre>
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