Dear All,<div><br></div><div>I hope you are all well. I thought that I should mention that I am an Independent Contractor and from time to time accept instructions from the ITU as an International Cyber Legislation Expert. I am not an employee nor agent of the ITU. This involves working closely with countries (public sector, private sector and civil society) as they develop their Policies and Laws and running trainings. I am also a member of PICISOC which as a member of ISOC and am not an employee nor agent of ISOC. Whilst I am a member of the ALAC within ICANN, I am not an employee nor agent of ICANN. </div>
<div><br></div><div>When I stood for elections as co-coordinator, I had published the principles that I subscribed to and those have not changed.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Being from a region where internet penetration in some countries lie between 1.3% in some countries and others at 34%, I recognise the continued need to address barriers of trade and impediments and challenges that the developing world faces. What first attracted me about the Internet Governance Forum was its attraction power to draw diverse stakeholders around the table to discuss diverse issues from a plethora of dynamic and different contexts. It is awesome to see the wide range of panorama of perspectives and these perspectives has helped me to see the world better, to understand diverse issues and contexts and appreciate where perspectives are coming from. It has helped me to understand the diverse fears and diverse concerns.</div>
<div><br></div><div>In a world with continued and competing demands for resources, we see the diverse crises besetting our world whether they are energy, food or water, I begin to appreciate that the challenges that lie in our tomorrow cannot be addressed if we do not come around the table to dialogue. One of the interesting observations that I have made about the multistakeholder concept is that it is something that requires wisdom. </div>
<div><br></div><div>It was not too long ago when there was some discussion on diverse perspectives and the illustration of a picture where some would see an old woman, others would see a young girl. My favourite however is the poem by John Godfrey Saxe on the Blind Men and the Elephant, see:<a href="http://homepage.usask.ca/~wae123/misc/prose/hinustan.htm">http://homepage.usask.ca/~wae123/misc/prose/hinustan.htm</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>With the diverse complex and competing priorities and debates surrounding internet governance, it is absolutely natural to hear our voice (reasoning, intellect, intelligence). However, it is also important that we also take the time to "pause" to hear other voices. Recognising that there is room for everyone. Much wisdom will be needed to steer us into the days ahead and there is always room for dialogue.</div>
<div><br></div><div>With warm regards from Fiji,</div>
<div><br></div>-- <br><div>Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala</div><div>P.O. Box 17862</div><div>Suva</div><div>Fiji</div><div><br></div><div>Twitter: @SalanietaT</div><div>Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro</div><div>Fiji Cell: <a href="tel:%2B679%20998%202851" value="+6799982851" target="_blank">+679 998 2851</a></div>
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