[bestbits] UNESCO WSIS plus 10

[William Drake]

Hi

The process UNESCO is following is rather different from ITU's practice with its annual May WSIS Forums.  The good news there is that Janis and Co. should be fairly open to any formulation that doesn't cause problems for them.  So just as a starting point: are we wedded to the placemarker framing, "A public interest internet:  what can WSIS plus 10 deliver? A view from civil society" and should try to evolve something that maps with the current text, "The meeting will examine a range of views as to how WSIS plus 10 can tackle the Internet governance issues such as affordable and equitable access and net neutrality without compromising the development of a public interest internet"?  If so that takes us down one path.  

Or would people be open to a more fundamental reimagination of the thing?  Our Baku meeting was organized around two pillars, WCIT and principles.  Wolfgang has proposed a principles session, but there's nothing directly related to the other bit that brought us together.  It obviously wouldn't help UNESCO for us to propose something sensitive like why WCIT and/or the ITU imploded, but we could make a constructive contribution by taking stock of where the global dialogue and policy processes relating to IG and its contact points with telecom are today, post-WCIT, bridging to the WTPF's agenda in May (public participation and transparency there still unclear, BTW).  This would be very timely and attract more attention than a lot of the more obviously Action Line-oriented session.  Moreover, it would help those of us who will be involved in the IGF consultation and MAG meeting to follow, in that anything that frames clear and pressing questions could be drawn upon in pressing for a new and more vigorous IGF agenda (at long last, there seems to be a growing recognition of the need in the MAG).  So in short, CS could play an important role here in fostering some much needed dialogue on "hot button" items that link together what's just happened and what's coming next…

Best,

Bill

On Jan 7, 2013, at 11:35 AM, Andrew Puddephatt wrote:

> Hi everyone!
>  
> UNESCO have provisionally allocated us a session at the WSIS plus 10 meeting in Paris in late February.  At the moment I’ve kept it vague but I need to nail it down in the next few days.   UNESCO is in the process of merging sessions (from current 54, they are looking to have 50 max – the list is attached).   Ours is the only session that doesn't have a 'theme' - we should think about how it fits with the proposed sub-themes as UNESCO will be grouping the meetings.   There are two similar proposed sessions which refer to the 'Taking stock' meeting from Baku (proposal 4 by CIS; proposal 13 by ICC BASIS) - see overview of proposals in attachment. The ones with same/similar topics and participants might be approached by UNESCO in an effort to merge them. They haven't mentioned our session explicitly.  If you have any views on a merger or specific focus let me know.
>  
> As this is UNESCO and they are broke, there is absolutely no travel support offered for anyone.  I’ll have a go this week at seeing if there is interest in sponsoring any participation but can’t guarantee funding at this stage – I’ll do my best!
>  
> Could you let me know if:
> You are definitely planning to attend and have financial support
> Would like to attend but need financial support.
>  
> General:
> Registration is now open – all panellists and participants should register as soon as possible. If you’d like to come but need support it might be worth registering now anyway.
> For assistance with visas – send email to m.liouliou at unesco.org 
> If you could get back to me this week that would be helpful..
>  
> Andrew Puddephatt, Director      
> Global Partners & Associates
>  
> Direct: +44 (0)20 7549 0336
> Office: +44 (0)20 7549 0350
> Mobile: +44 (0)771 339 9597
> Email: andrew at global-partners.co.uk
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>  
> www.global-partners.co.uk
>  
> From: bestbits-request at lists.igcaucus.org [mailto:bestbits-request at lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of parminder
> Sent: 26 December 2012 07:19
> To: bestbits at lists.igcaucus.org
> Subject: Re: [bestbits] [governance] ISOC/USG WCIT Post Mortem
>  
>  
> On Wednesday 26 December 2012 09:41 AM, Jeremy Malcolm wrote:
> <snip>
>  
> But there are only so many resources that Best Bits members will want to continue to pour into telecommunications work, or into a negative agenda at the ITU just devoted to delineating the line between Internet and telecoms.
> 
> Unfortunately, behind delineating or blurring that line lies a sordid tale --- of huge implication to the governance of our communication realm
> 
> see for instance 'Internet Freedom'? AT&T's Verbal Jujitsu to Close Down Telecommunications in America'. and 
> 
> Shutting Down The Phone System Gets Real: The Implications of AT&T Upgrading To An All IP Network 
> 
> 
>  WCIT outcomes, whatever they may actually  be or not, will now be touted as having decisively sealed the issue that  Internet is not to be governed/ regulated by traditional telecom regulators in any way whatsoever (not even at the physical/ infrastructure level).... Such global norms are even more important in developing countries, which are still to see the net neutrality struggle begin... It may have been snuffed out even before in could begin. If telecom regulators dont enforce net neutrality, I dont see how it can be enforced at all.
> 
> Wishing a great 2013 to all! 
> 
> parminder
> 
> 
> 
>  
> -- 
> Dr Jeremy Malcolm
> Senior Policy Officer
> Consumers International | the global campaigning voice for consumers
> Office for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East
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>  
>  
> <UNESCO Proposals sorted by theme with description.docx>

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