Best Bits update: new etherpad, funding status, and facilitators

[Jeremy Malcolm]

Here is another update on the planned Best Bits meeting in Baku - see http://igf-online.net/bestbits.

We still can't quite yet confirm who will receive travel assistance to attend.  So far only part of our funding is confirmed: Google has committed to contributing $12k (thank you, Google!), which is enough to confirm that the meeting will be going ahead, but not yet enough to be able to allocate travel assistance.  More is hoped to be on its way soon, and other donors are also sought.  If you have spare funds in your organisation's budget that could support the meeting, please consider whether this could include you.

We also don't yet have the exact venue, though I hope to have this confirmed soon too.  If you intend to attend regardless of the decision on any travel support you may have requested, please book your flights now (you can always be reimbursed later).  Hold off a few days on the hotel though, if you intend to stay at or near the venue.  (As another option, Michael Gurstein has asked me to pass on his offer to take a room in an apartment that he is renting for the week, at a very modest cost - contact gurstein at gmail.com to take him up on this.)

Meanwhile, I have copied the flier for the event into its own Etherpad page, so that others can edit it too: it is at http://igf-online.net/bestbits (a URL which currently redirects to the pad, but which in future may be a proper website for the event - any volunteers to make one?).  The page now includes a draft list of participants, including suggested moderators and panelists who may wish to lead the discussions, loosely based on your responses to the pre-registration document. Please check this page for your name, and edit if needed.

All three facilitators for the preparatory work have now also been confirmed: William Drake <william.drake at uzh.ch> will be coordinating work on a civil society statement to WCIT, Wolfgang Kleinwächter <wolfgang.kleinwaechter at medienkomm.uni-halle.de> a civil society statement of principles to the IGF, and Andrew Puddephatt <andrew at global-partners.co.uk> the briefing papers.  If you would like to contribute in any of these areas, please contact them or the list.

Thanks everyone - more news soon.

-- 
Dr Jeremy Malcolm
Senior Policy Officer
Consumers International | the global campaigning voice for consumers
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