[bestbits] IGF2017 Remote Hubs

[Renata Aquino Ribeiro]

This can be interesting for researcher centers and universities who
may want to join in the iGF discussions

https://www.intgovforum.org/multilingual/content/igf-2017-remote-hubs

If you are not able to attend the Twelfth IGF meeting in Geneva,
Switzerland, you can follow it remotely! Remote participation, and
specifically the hubs structure, has been successful in previous IGFs.
This time again you can follow the discussions from home or office;
watch the webcast of the event; follow real-time closed captioning ;
and participate live. Or you can also expand the discussions and
organize an IGF hub in your city!

Remote participants/hubs will be able to interact with the meeting by
sending text questions and/or video/audio interventions using the
remote participation platform. These questions will be forwarded to
the panel moderator when s/he opens the floor for questions from the
audience.

Hubs are local meetings that take place in parallel with the IGF.
People can watch the webcast of IGF sessions together and send
questions (via text, audio or video) that will be answered by
panelists in IGF. In addition, hub organizers can hold debates to
discuss the themes introduced at the IGF from their local perspective.
Several training sessions for Remote Panelists and Remote Hubs will be
held during November-December 2017.

There are several advantages in creating a hub:

It helps to raise awareness about Internet Governance issues.
It fosters networking among participants and community building.
It encourages follow-up activities.

How to organize a hub?  The requirements are very simple:

A room or auditorium. It can be held in a university classroom or any
other convenient place.
A computer with a broadband Internet connection and a projector
equipment, to enable the hub participants to watch the video.
A hub moderator, who will plan the dynamics of the local discussions
as well as transmit the hub participants’ questions or comments to the
IGF through the remote participation channels.
A general call in lists, forums etc, to invite the interested local community.

Stakeholders interested in organizing a remote hub were invited to
register online before 17 November 2017 with the following
information:

Country / City
Institution hosting the hub.
Possible area(s) of interest.
Number of expected participants within the hub.
Planned pre-meeting activities.
Hub Coordinator.
Contact email.
Hub Technical coordinator (IT).
Technical coordinator contact email.

Please note that the local hub and technical coordinators have to be
present at the hub site.