<div dir="ltr">In case anyone missed this message from Carolina yesterday ...<div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">
<span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Dear all,</span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px"></span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">
<span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">As some of you might have heard and also seen the leaked documents, the World Economic Forum, supported by ICANN</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">, will host the workshop "NetMundial Initiative"</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> on 28th of August, in Geneva. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><br>
</span></span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">Besides leaked documents, an "o</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">f</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">ficial" site is now up (as of yesterday) at </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><a href="http://www.weforum.org/issues/global-internet-governance" style="margin:0px;padding:0px" target="_blank">http://www.weforum.org/issues/global-internet-governance</a></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">, with list of participants, agenda, a short briefing and a FAQ. It worth reading it - the FAQ is a very "interesting" piece. See it here - </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_2NETmundialInitiativeFAQ.pdf" style="margin:0px;padding:0px" target="_blank">http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_2NETmundialInitiativeFAQ.pdf</a></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px">
</span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><i>Background regarding invitations and communication with NMI organizers: </i>None of the CS members invited to the workshop know exactly how the selection process happened. I</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">n my personal case, I heard I was being invited from colleagues in Brazil, b</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">ut y</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">ou can refer to Brett's previous email (I paste it below) regarding to some of our earlier concerns regarding </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><font color="#000000" face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">the lack of transparency related to the invitation process</span></font></span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><br>
</span></span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">Yesterday</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">, a group of CS members had a call with Fadi</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> and folks from the WEF</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> - the first of its kind</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">. Th</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">e</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> call was arranged in response to a request from</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> CS invited for the Geneva meeting. </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">Below are some key concerns </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">that were drafted ahead of</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> the call. </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">A primary theme on the call was lack of transparency and failure to adequately engage CS as part of the plannin</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">g process for this workshop and its follow-up processes</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">.</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">We also conveyed how problematic that it was about the lack of southern CS representation.</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">Besides the</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> issues</span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> below, and in regard to participation, we asked ICANN and WEF to let CS chose its own representatives and that the representation should rotate, so it is inclusive. We also asked for remote participation and that the WEF sets a platform for remote commentary, which should happen in advance, during and after the meeting.</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><font color="#000000" face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"> The initiative was presented to us as an experiment that will initially last for roughly 6 months. Nobody from CS who is attending the workshop has decided to publicly support or not the initiative. At the workshop, we will observe, understand what is still up in the air and what may have been decided in advance by the conveners, and then decide. But for that to happen, it would be very helpful to hear more in the main IG lists</span></font></span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap;margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px">
</span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px">So, the primary purpose of this email is to</b></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px"> reach out to you with a very practical ask</b></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px">:</b></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> The agenda </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">presents</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> a series of questions this "Initiative" wants to address. </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">T</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">hose </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">o</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">n the call thought it would be a good idea to ask in a series of CS lists involved in IG </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">for </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px">your views and</b></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px"> comments regardin</b></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px">g</b></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px"> those questions</b></span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">. Refer to the agenda here: </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_3NETmundialInitiativeLaunchAgenda.pdf" style="margin:0px;padding:0px" target="_blank">http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_3NETmundialInitiativeLaunchAgenda.pdf</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> </span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">It would be extremely helpful to those attending to get your input on the questions and issues presented in the agenda by Tuesday Aug 26, so we can incorporate your thoughts and comments into our interventions at the workshop. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.<br>
</div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> </span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> Cheers,</span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> </span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> C</span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px">
</span></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> </span></div>
<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px"><li style="margin:0px;padding:0px">
<span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Welcome the interest and desire of ICANN and the WEF to leverage and further build on the NETmundial outcomes</span></li></ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">
<ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px"><li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">Recognize that there have been some challenges in bringing this group together and </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">many</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> concerns as to the processes by which this occurred</span></span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">Convey broader civil society concerns that the convening process was inconsistent with the NETmundial principles - greater openness and transparency </span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px">is required in order to achieve any legitimacy</span><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"> </span></span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Insist that the process going forward be true to principles of openness, transparency and inclusivity and that there be mechanisms to ensure that fullest participation is facilitated</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Insist that the NMI support, underpin and strengthen the IGF and its work </span></li></ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap">
<ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px"><li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Insist that the NMI not duplicate or subsume work of existing entities to promote NETmundial outcomes but rather support and encourage such work and find new avenues</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Seek clarification and work to identify the medium to long term goals of NMI - what is the NMI's added value, specific purpose and what are (at most) the three clearly identifiable and achievable goals that it is going to set for itself</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Work to ensure that NMI is not operating in a vacuum and that it is appropriately linked to 1NET, the IGF, the various business and civil society platforms, etc., and to ensure that it is appropriately taking into account other processes such as the WSIS+10 review </span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Suggest that a meeting in January around the fringes of Davos may not be suitably accessible to the majority of interested parties given the costs, etc., of that particular event</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Seek to put "more meat on the bones" of the proposed actions, noting where such actions are already taking place (and their progress), and suggest that it may be wise to start with one action rather than multiple [encouraging the implementation of NETmundial outcomes - particularly governance principles and processes - at the national and regional levels, for example]</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Suggest an open brainstorming session at Aug meeting and an online process to solicit ideas for taking the NETmundial outcomes forward. (Perhaps the Initiative should be open to suggestions as to possible actions on an ongoing basis.)</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Better understand the role of the WEF and how the "host" is going to rotate and how the meetings will be structured so that they can encourage the greatest possible engagement and participation</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;white-space:pre-wrap"><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.5em;padding:0px">
<li style="margin:0px;padding:0px"><span style="margin:0px;padding:1px 0px"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Ensure that the steering committee going forward is put together through appropriately transparent and inclusive processes. </span><span style="background-color:rgb(238,148,60)"><br>
</span></span></li></ul></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Brett Solomon</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:brett@accessnow.org" target="_blank">brett@accessnow.org</a>></span><br>
Date: Thu, Aug 14, 2014 at 2:41 PM<br>Subject: [bestbits] NetMundial Initiative<br>To: "<,<a href="mailto:bestbits@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">bestbits@lists.bestbits.net</a>>," <<a href="mailto:bestbits@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">bestbits@lists.bestbits.net</a>></div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Hey there,<br>
<br><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">As many of you know there is a post-Sao Paolo process emerging, proposed by Fadi Chehadi at ICANN, called the Net Mundial Initiative. Various versions of the documents laying out this concept have been floating around and are now </span><a href="https://twitter.com/IGtransparency" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">leaked</span></a><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">A number of individuals including myself were alerted to this process before the documents were 'leaked' and have since communicated it more broadly amongst civil society. Clearly there are a number of </span><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">procedural and substantive questions about what the Net Mundial Initiative will seek to accomplish, who will be involved, and what the processes for inclusion and decision-making will be moving forward.<br>
</span></p><p style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">As the documents indicate, the next step of the Net Mundial Initiative will be a meeting in Geneva on August 28th. A number of members of civil society who have been invited to join the Net Mundial Initiative will attend this event, including Carolina Rossini (Public Knowledge), Eileen Donahoe (HRW), and Bill Drake (though perhaps more there as a representative of the academic community). </span></p>
<br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">I have not communicated this yet to the organizers, but I’m planning on going to the event to learn more, but Access has not decided yet whether we will accept the invitation to join the Steering Committee. Regardless, I personally will consult our global membership and other civil society partners to garner an array of perspectives before attending. <br>
</span></p><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br>From what I have been told, the process will be hosted by the World Economic Forum for a temporary period from August to February 2015. In addition to those listed above, a number of concerns have been raised about the Initiative including:</span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">
<span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><br></span></p><ul style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">
<li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;margin-left:15px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Participation: selection process, attendance, and representation from the global south</span></p>
</li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;margin-left:15px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">WEF as host: corporate nature of the host, perceptions of corporate capture, approach to development and elitism<br>
</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;margin-left:15px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Objectives: what is the NMI trying to achieve, and how does it relate to other key elements of the IG landscape, in particular the IGF.</span></p>
</li></ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">All of the people that Fadi and WEF reached out to that I’ve talked to have expressed pretty deep concerns back to the organizers, including pushing hard to make sure civil society is represented and for this process in general to be more open, transparent, and inclusive of those from the global south. It would be good if we could have as open lines of communication as possible, including at the event, so if people have any thoughts or concerns they can then share them on or off list. Those who are attending should be a conduit for communication. <br>
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"></span><br>
</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Additionally, we have requested a meeting between civil society representatives and Fadi and Klaus (of WEF), so there will be a further opportunity to voice concerns there, which those going to Geneva will report back on. <br>
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:13px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Best wishes<br>
</span></p><br></div><div>Brett<br><br></div><div>PS I am on Access team offsite so might be slow to respond. <br></div><div><br><div><div dir="ltr"><div>Brett Solomon<br>Executive Director <br>Access | <a href="http://accessnow.org" target="_blank">accessnow.org</a> <br>
<br><a href="tel:%2B1%20917%20969%206077" value="+19179696077" target="_blank">+1 917 969 6077</a> <br></div>@solomonbrett<br><div>Key ID: 0x4EDC17EB<br>Fingerprint: C02C A886 B0FC 3A25 FF9F ECE8 FCDF BA23 4EDC 17EB<i><br>
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