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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Thanks Anriette, Nnenna and Nobert for the useful updates. It is encouraging to know that even with the arising challenges, the IGF will happen. <div><br></div><div>Kind Regards</div><div>GG<br><br><div>> Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 17:36:32 +0200<br>> From: anriette@apc.org<br>> To: governance@lists.igcaucus.org; nb@bollow.ch<br>> Subject: Re: [governance] Update from today's MAG call<br>> <br>> Thanks for the report Norbert.<br>> <br>> Here are a few other notes I thought would be interesting:<br>> <br>> The host country agreement includes basic non-negotiables such as the<br>> host country cannot refuse delegates entry or exit and immunity must be<br>> guaranteed for everything that is said inside meeting rooms. The<br>> representative from Indonesia indicated that they have not had any<br>> concerns with the HCA, other than something about policy protection<br>> which I could not hear that clearly. Host country agreements are<br>> generally not concluded until late in the process, and, they don't seem<br>> to relate to the funding of the event in any detail.<br>> <br>> The Indonesian organisers have raised $1 million and need about another<br>> $900,000. This amount could look different if certain in-kind<br>> contributions are taking into account. MAG members agreed that:<br>> <br>> - getting the funding is not the only concern, a clear commitment from<br>> the Indonesians is what is most needed at this point<br>> - the UN should be asked to be as flexible about its costs as possible<br>> - we should pursue a dual strategy: try to have IGF in Bali, but also<br>> pursue alternatives which Norbert outlines below.<br>> <br>> In addition to Norbert's confirmation that the IGF is not in direct<br>> danger of being commercialised here is a bit more feedback on the<br>> questions I asked about branding and sponsors:<br>> <br>> No logos allowed in conference space. Logos/branding allowed outside the<br>> venue, or in the exhibition space, and on material distributed inside<br>> IGF bags.<br>> <br>> In the past the UN enforced these rules, e.g. in Rio a commercial<br>> co-organiser was asked to take banners down and in Egypt local sponsors<br>> could put their banners outside the premises where they could be seen<br>> but where they were not in official UN space.<br>> <br>> Chengetai also said that if a sponsor is providing information about<br>> their IG activities, the promotion would be permissable. I assume this<br>> would apply to material placed in the bags, for example. Not just any<br>> material would be accepted.<br>> <br>> I did not get the impression that anything had been formally promised to<br>> sponsors of the Bali IGF that would violate these limits. It seemed the<br>> main problem was not getting more sponsors, but getting some agreement<br>> and support from the Indonesian ministry that deals with economic affairs.<br>> <br>> Anriette<br>> <br>> <br>> <br>> On 31/07/2013 15:02, Norbert Bollow wrote:<br>> > Here's a quick update from today's MAG call (I listened in as an<br>> > observer.)<br>> ><br>> > Almost all of the discussion was around how to proceed in regard to the<br>> > 2013 IGF meeting. Markus said that cancellation is not an option. There<br>> > are two serious expressions of interest from potential host countries<br>> > to step in on short notice if Bali doesn't work out. Failing that,<br>> > there's the option of having the meeting at the relevant UN HQ, which<br>> > for the IGF would mean Geneva, but since it might be difficult to get<br>> > so many rooms, that might mean that only a scaled down meeting could be<br>> > held. Also hotel rooms can be problematic in Geneva. Google/Vint Cerf is<br>> > willing to do a fundraising effort to try and save the Bali IGF. Some<br>> > preliminary news, on the basis of which the MAG might be able to<br>> > recommend something, is hoped for by the end of next week.<br>> ><br>> > The current recommendation is not to cancel flights to Bali that have<br>> > already been booked, but also not to book a flight to Bali if you have<br>> > not booked yet. <br>> ><br>> > The commercialization problem was only touched on briefly. Markus said<br>> > that the basic rules are fairly simple: UN meetings cannot be<br>> > commercialized, there can be no sponsor's logos on the premises of the<br>> > UN meeting (and this rule has been enforced, he gave an example where a<br>> > compromise had been made in which sponsor's banners were put up outside<br>> > the premises of the UN meeting but in a place where they were visible<br>> > from the meeting's cafeteria), the only thing that can be sold on the<br>> > premises of the UN meeting is food and that has to be at a reasonable<br>> > price.<br>> ><br>> > So it seems clear that the IGF is not in direct danger of getting<br>> > commercialized - that objectionable Indonesian fundraising strategy has<br>> > simply been declared dead.<br>> ><br>> > Greetings,<br>> > Norbert<br>> ><br>> <br>> -- <br>> ------------------------------------------------------<br>> anriette esterhuysen anriette@apc.org<br>> executive director, association for progressive communications<br>> www.apc.org<br>> po box 29755, melville 2109<br>> south africa<br>> tel/fax +27 11 726 1692<br>> <br>> <br></div></div> </div></body>
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