From mariliamaciel at gmail.com Tue Feb 5 04:22:12 2019 From: mariliamaciel at gmail.com (Marilia Maciel) Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2019 10:22:12 +0100 Subject: [bestbits] Report publication on AI and diplomacy In-Reply-To: <89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d.0d306d7c88.20190204150904.de49946357.7ffb640e@mail154.sea71.mcsv.net> References: <89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d.0d306d7c88.20190204150904.de49946357.7ffb640e@mail154.sea71.mcsv.net> Message-ID: Dear all, The current issue of Diplo news features the publication of a report on 'Mapping AI's challenges and opportunities for the conduct of diplomacy ', a study commissioned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and developed by Diplo's AI Lab. The report maps the relationship between AI and diplomacy, takes a comparative look at national AI strategies, explores the possibilities of AI as a tool for diplomacy, and highlights the impact of AI on human rights and the responsibilities of states. I believe it could be of interest for some colleagues on this list. All the best wishes, Marilia ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: DiploMail Date: Mon, Feb 4, 2019 at 4:12 PM Subject: DiploNews - Issue #364 - February 4, 2019 To: DiploNews - Issue #364 - February 4, 2019 Is this email not displaying correctly? View this email in your browser *Issue 364 - 4 February, 2019 * Contents: 1. Upcoming study opportunities 2. Report on mapping AI's challenges and opportunities for the conduct of diplomacy 3. [WebDebate] Arctic diplomacy: Approaches and lessons 4. [Event summary] The impact of AI on diplomacy and international relations 5. What's been happening in Diplo's blogosphere *» *Upcoming study opportunities *Introduction to Digital Policy and Diplomacy - Washington, DC* This course will assist professionals in Washington, DC to actively follow the increasingly relevant fields of digital policy and Internet governance. The course will benefit individuals directly working or engaging with Internet-related policy fields (e.g. telecommunications, human rights, cybersecurity, trade, development). In addition to building their knowledge of digital politics, course participants will gain in-demand practical skills for staying abreast of digital policy processes ranging from global Internet governance architecture to privacy and data protection to cybersecurity. All course content is tailored to the DC policy environment. The course is organised by Diplo US in co-operation with New America . Due to the blended learning course format which includes weekly face-to-face meetings, *registration for this course is open only to applicants available to meet weekly in Washington, DC. *The course starts *19 February 2019* and the application deadline is *10 February 2019*. Please visit the course webpage to read more and apply. *Capacity Development - last chance to apply* Capacity development has been emerging as a central approach within development for more than two decades. To help development professionals better understand and master this paradigm, this interactive online course introduces the key concepts, principles, and values of capacity development. The main focus is on building practical skills for better design, planning, implementation, and assessment of capacity development initiatives. The next session starts *18 February 2019* and the application deadline is *5 February 2019*. Please visit the course webpage to read more and apply. *February 2019 online diplomacy courses - last chance to apply* Start the new year with one of our most popular online courses: - Diplomatic Theory and Practice - Public Diplomacy - Introduction to Internet Governance Apply by *5 February 2019* for Diplo certificate courses . For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses listed, or visit our courses webpage . Register now to reserve your place. *May 2019 online diplomacy courses* Starting on 6 May 2019, we offer courses on diplomacy topics, both classic and contemporary: - Bilateral Diplomacy - Diplomacy of Small States - E-Diplomacy Apply by* 4 March 2019* for University of Malta accredited courses and by *1 April* for Diplo certificate courses . For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses listed, or visit our courses webpage . Register now to reserve your place. *Malta scholarships* Thanks to support from the government of Malta, partial scholarships are available for applicants from developing countries to attend upcoming Diplo online courses. These scholarships cover 30%–60% of course fees and can be applied to most online courses in 2019. Browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions at diplomacy.edu for further information. You can also sign up for our courses mailing list to be informed about upcoming courses. *» *Report on mapping AI's challenges and opportunities for the conduct of diplomacy Read DiploFoundation's recent report on Mapping the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence for the conduct of diplomacy . Commissioned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, it maps the relationship between AI and diplomacy, takes a comparative look at national AI strategies, explores the possibilities of AI as a tool for diplomacy, and highlights the impact of AI on human rights and the responsibilities of states. In addition, it makes concrete suggestions for how diplomats and ministries of foreign affairs can prepare to deal effectively with the challenges and opportunities posed by AI. *» *[WebDebate] Arctic diplomacy: Approaches and lessons Join us for our upcoming [WebDebate] Arctic diplomacy: Approaches and lessons on Tuesday, 5th February 2019, at *12:00 UTC / 13:00 CET. * The Arctic is a place and object of diplomacy. It is particularly interesting to use it as a lens through which to explore various diplomatic approaches and practices. The experts in this debate all focus on the Arctic but cover different topics and therefore give us different angles on the topic. For the discussion, we are joined by Prof. Paul Arthur Berkman (Professor of Practice in Science Diplomacy, Fletcher School, Tufts University), Dr Danita Catherine Burke (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow at the Center for War Studies at University of Southern Denmark), and Dr André Saramago (Assistant Professor of International Relations, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences University Beira Interior and School of Economics, Coimbra University). *» *[Event summary] The impact of AI on diplomacy and international relations The impact of AI on diplomacy and international relations , organised by the Center for Data Innovation and DiploFoundation, brought together over 150 people – diplomats, policymakers from EU institutions and member states, researchers, journalists, and others – with an interest in the relationship between AI, diplomacy, and foreign policy. The event served as a platform to launch and discuss DiploFoundation’s report on Mapping the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence for the conduct of diplomacy , which was commissioned by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The launch was followed by three panels of experts, which deepened the discussion on some of the key themes and allowed for a further exchange of ideas. Read the full summary . *» *What's been happening in Diplo's blogosphere In Digital literacy for digital natives , Natasa Perucica and Katarina Andjelkovic discuss their policy brief Digital literacy for digital natives: The role of educators in shaping competent and responsible digital citizens . Inspired by the 10-year challenge on social media, in On the gaydar: A 100-year challenge for facial recognition , Darija Medic explores AI used for facial recognition, and in particular, looks at a study in which AI was used to determine sexuality. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) together with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) held a workshop on *The Role of Regional Organizations in Strengthening Cybersecurity and Stability*. Read Natasa Perucica's summary of the event . In her blog post Digital identities: Issues and cases, Grace Mutungu discusses the rise of digital identification systems in low- and middle-income countries, and the various issues surrounding digital identities. Like us on FaceBook Follow us on Twitter Our website Our network You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in DiploFoundation's activities. Should you wish not to receive DiploNews please click on 'unsubscribe' at the bottom of this email. ------------------------------ [ unsubscribe from this list | update your subscription preferences | forward to a friend ] -- *Marília Maciel* Digital Policy Senior Researcher, DiploFoundation WMO Building *|* 7bis, Avenue de la Paix *| *1211 Geneva - Switzerland *Tel *+41 (0) 22 9073632 *| * *Email*: *MariliaM at diplomacy.edu * *|** Twitter: * *@MariliaM* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From amritachoudhury8 at gmail.com Tue Feb 5 23:25:41 2019 From: amritachoudhury8 at gmail.com (Amrita) Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2019 09:55:41 +0530 Subject: [bestbits] Policy and IG Updates of January 2019 Message-ID: <001e01d4bdd4$087e7a50$197b6ef0$@com> Hi, Apologies for cross posting. For those who may be interested, read about the IG events and policy developments in January, from the Indian perspective, curated by CCAOI using this link .: Regards Amrita -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dmitry.epstein at gmail.com Thu Feb 7 05:26:34 2019 From: dmitry.epstein at gmail.com (Dmitry Epstein) Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2019 12:26:34 +0200 Subject: [bestbits] Two CFPs for academic conference In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear BestBits community, This is just a quick reminder that there a few days left to submit your work to these two events: one on internet governance and another on privacy. Looking forward to your submissions! Best, Dmitry On Thu, Jan 17, 2019 at 11:21 AM Dmitry Epstein wrote: > Dear Best Bits community, > > I hope those of you engaged in research will find the following two > opportunities interesting. Both are for satellite events of the annual > meeting of the International Communication Association to be held in > Washington, DC in May this year (additional details in the links). > > - ICA Pre-Conference "Internet Governance and Communication beyond > Boundaries" - > https://www.giga-net.org/call-for-papers-ica-pre-conference-washington-dc-usa/ > - ICA Post-Conference "Privacy research across cultural, political, > and geographic boundaries" - http://www.thinkmacro.org/cprn/ica2019/ > > Please consider submitting your work. > > Best, > Dmitry > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sheetal at gp-digital.org Thu Feb 7 11:47:24 2019 From: sheetal at gp-digital.org (Sheetal Kumar) Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2019 16:47:24 +0000 Subject: [bestbits] [governance] IMPORTANT : Merging IGC with Best Bits In-Reply-To: References: <8D71D649-A51E-46AF-8D8B-AED60C36E200@gmail.com>

<8802be36445e41c89f014ac507e7cd5f@syr.edu>

<6bb74092-192b-8370-b0e8-1987dd61e8e2@malcolm.id.au>

Message-ID: Dear all, This is just a gentle reminder that the call on next steps is this coming Monday, 11 February from* 4- 6 PM UTC*. The full details are included in my previous email and I've updated the etherpad with those planning to attend. Looking forward to speaking to you then! Best Sheetal. On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 at 10:07, Sheetal Kumar wrote: > Dear all, > > Thank you for filling out the doodle! It seems the best time for the call > is* 4-6 PM UTC on February 11*. The full details of the call, including > how to join, are below. > > Thanks to Farzaneh for setting up the room. Looking forward to speaking to > as many of you as possible on the 11th! > > Best > Sheetal. > > *Bestbits call: Future pathways * > > > *Date and time: * > 11 February, 4:00-6:00 PM UTC > > *Online Meeting room: * > To join the Meeting: > https://bluejeans.com/819760256 > > To join via Room System: > Video Conferencing System: bjn.vc -or-199.48.152.152 > Meeting ID : 819760256 > > To join via phone : > 1) Dial: > +1.408.740.7256 (US (San Jose)) > +1.888.240.2560 (US Toll Free) > +1.408.317.9253 (US (Primary, San Jose)) > (see all numbers - http://bluejeans.com/numbers) > > 2) Enter Conference ID : 819760256 > > Please note that if you call in, your phone number will appear on the > Bluejeans room page. We would like to record and share the link with the > BestBits network on the mailing list. Please let us know if you do not want > the recording to be shared on an open mailing list if you call in. > > *Proposed agenda: * > *Aim: *to discuss the future of the Bestbits and IGC lists, including the > possibility of a merger + other options > 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each > network > 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of > new/maintenance of status quo - using lists as information sharing devices: > pros and cons of each > 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making > regarding future of the lists > > *RSVP on etherpad* > I've put the agenda in this pad > and I've also added > the names of those who indicated they were available for the call at this > time. Of course, as a Bestbits member you can join the call without > indicating that in the pad, this is just to have a vague idea of numbers. > > > On Fri, 18 Jan 2019 at 14:13, Sheetal Kumar > wrote: > >> Dear all >> >> It's been great to see the engagement on this topic, and thanks to those >> who have shared their perspectives and the relevant documents too. >> >> In December when we had the call we agreed to touch base again in the >> middle of January to agree a way forward. The discussions here provide rich >> ground for the discussion, and Farzaneh has kindly offered to set up a >> conference call space for us. >> >> I am circulating below a doodle for our second call to decide next steps. >> This is a suggested agenda: >> >> 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each >> network >> 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of >> new/maintenance of status quo, e.g using lists as information sharing >> devices: pros and cons of each approach >> 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making >> regarding future of Bestbits >> >> Having spoken to those who arranged the last call, we suggest only >> Bestbits members are invited but that we also reach out to some IGC folks >> to help provide some background and inform the discussion only. >> >> https://doodle.com/poll/yzmbvibwp6n4s976 >> >> If everyone could fill out the doodle by the end of next week (Friday, 25 >> Jan) we can set a time and send the conference room link too. >> >> Best >> Sheetal. >> >> >> On Fri, 11 Jan 2019 at 13:10, Deirdre Williams < >> williams.deirdre at gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> Please excuse the cross-posting. >>> I've been following this discussion with care, and have a couple of >>> questions which seem to fall in line with what Nnenna and Jeremy are saying. >>> 1. If we had more or less stopped sharing information/discussing things/ >>> working together within IGC and Bestbits separately, would merging the two >>> groups again really improve participation? >>> 2. Is there a way for us to look at what needs to be done, what we want >>> to do, how we want to do it? >>> 3. Who are "we"? Are we the same as the people who started IGC and >>> Bestbits - same objectives, same perceptions and perspectives, same >>> priorities? >>> Without answers to these questions it seems unlikely that we would make >>> much progress. >>> Purely as an illustration please consider IRPC (which many of us also >>> belong to) which is currently having some difficulty with identifying >>> volunteers to carry out management tasks for the group. >>> Civil society still needs a means to discuss issues and find a common >>> voice, but is this the right way to do that now or do we need to devise >>> something different? >>> Best wishes for 2019 >>> Deirdre >>> >>> On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 at 14:09, Jeremy Malcolm >>> wrote: >>> >>>> On 1/10/19 2:01 AM, Sheetal Kumar wrote: >>>> >>>> > For those who were part of the first Steering Committee of Bestbits - >>>> > could you share more information about how it was constituted and why? >>>> >>>> >>>> It was because IGC discourse had become toxic and dysfunctional, and >>>> people were dropping out. It had been a while since it had been able to >>>> agree on a joint statement. At the same time, the 2012 ITU WCIT was >>>> coming up, and being able to collaborate on joint action was important, >>>> so a few conversations between people both inside and outside of IGC >>>> resulted in them becoming the first volunteer steering committee. >>>> >>>> But then the same civil society politics that had driven the IGC into >>>> the ground started to disrupt Best Bits too. There were (misplaced but >>>> damaging) allegations about various participants having hidden agendas >>>> or not being transparent enough about their own funding. So whereas the >>>> original committee had been fairly lightweight and informal, pressure to >>>> adopt more formal mechanisms of accountability resulted in us investing >>>> a lot of time in creating a more elaborate set of rules and processes. >>>> As it turned out, this was too heavy and people weren't motivated to >>>> engage in these new processes, indicating that the more lightweight >>>> structure had probably been better. >>>> >>>> If there was a group of willing people who could resuscitate Best Bits, >>>> even without formal elections, I'd be all for that. But I don't think >>>> there is. I personally have given as much time to it as I'd like to >>>> give, because I'm focusing my energy on my new nonprofit Prostasia >>>> Foundation now. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Jeremy Malcolm PhD LLB (Hons) B Com >>>> Internet lawyer, ICT policy advocate, geek >>>> echo "9EEAi^^;6C6]>J^=^>6"|tr '\!-~' 'P-~\!-O'|wget -q -i - -O - >>>> >>>> >>>> ____________________________________________________________ >>>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list: >>>> bestbits at lists.bestbits.net. >>>> To unsubscribe or change your settings, visit: >>>> http://lists.bestbits.net/wws/info/bestbits >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir >>> William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979 >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> >> *Sheetal Kumar* >> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >> >> > > -- > > > *Sheetal Kumar* > Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL > Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL > T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | > PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 > DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| > > -- *Sheetal Kumar* Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sheetal at gp-digital.org Tue Feb 12 12:08:16 2019 From: sheetal at gp-digital.org (Sheetal Kumar) Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2019 17:08:16 +0000 Subject: [bestbits] [governance] IMPORTANT : Merging IGC with Best Bits In-Reply-To: References: <8D71D649-A51E-46AF-8D8B-AED60C36E200@gmail.com>

<8802be36445e41c89f014ac507e7cd5f@syr.edu>

<6bb74092-192b-8370-b0e8-1987dd61e8e2@malcolm.id.au>

Message-ID: Dear all, Thank you to those who participated in the call yesterday. For those who couldn't attend the call, you'll find the list of participants and notes here: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/Bestbitscallfuture We had a rich discussion about the possible ways forward for Bestbits, building on the previous conversation in December and the discussion on this thread since. In essence, there was general agreement that both Bestbits and IGC have been facing challenges in fulfilling their objectives, particularly when it comes to coordination and we agreed to circulate a survey to both lists to gather perspectives on four suggested ways forward which were discussed on the call. It was suggested that this survey with the broader communities feed into a decision on the future of the platforms. The survey will be circulated shortly to both lists shortly, and your participation would be greatly appreciated. Best Sheetal. On Thu, 7 Feb 2019 at 16:47, Sheetal Kumar wrote: > > Dear all, > > This is just a gentle reminder that the call on next steps is this coming > Monday, 11 February from* 4- 6 PM UTC*. The full details are included in > my previous email and I've updated the etherpad > with those planning > to attend. > > Looking forward to speaking to you then! > > Best > Sheetal. > > > On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 at 10:07, Sheetal Kumar > wrote: > >> Dear all, >> >> Thank you for filling out the doodle! It seems the best time for the call >> is* 4-6 PM UTC on February 11*. The full details of the call, including >> how to join, are below. >> >> Thanks to Farzaneh for setting up the room. Looking forward to speaking >> to as many of you as possible on the 11th! >> >> Best >> Sheetal. >> >> *Bestbits call: Future pathways * >> >> >> *Date and time: * >> 11 February, 4:00-6:00 PM UTC >> >> *Online Meeting room: * >> To join the Meeting: >> https://bluejeans.com/819760256 >> >> To join via Room System: >> Video Conferencing System: bjn.vc -or-199.48.152.152 >> Meeting ID : 819760256 >> >> To join via phone : >> 1) Dial: >> +1.408.740.7256 (US (San Jose)) >> +1.888.240.2560 (US Toll Free) >> +1.408.317.9253 (US (Primary, San Jose)) >> (see all numbers - http://bluejeans.com/numbers) >> >> 2) Enter Conference ID : 819760256 >> >> Please note that if you call in, your phone number will appear on the >> Bluejeans room page. We would like to record and share the link with the >> BestBits network on the mailing list. Please let us know if you do not want >> the recording to be shared on an open mailing list if you call in. >> >> *Proposed agenda: * >> *Aim: *to discuss the future of the Bestbits and IGC lists, including >> the possibility of a merger + other options >> 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each >> network >> 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of >> new/maintenance of status quo - using lists as information sharing devices: >> pros and cons of each >> 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making >> regarding future of the lists >> >> *RSVP on etherpad* >> I've put the agenda in this pad >> and I've also added >> the names of those who indicated they were available for the call at this >> time. Of course, as a Bestbits member you can join the call without >> indicating that in the pad, this is just to have a vague idea of numbers. >> >> >> On Fri, 18 Jan 2019 at 14:13, Sheetal Kumar >> wrote: >> >>> Dear all >>> >>> It's been great to see the engagement on this topic, and thanks to those >>> who have shared their perspectives and the relevant documents too. >>> >>> In December when we had the call we agreed to touch base again in the >>> middle of January to agree a way forward. The discussions here provide rich >>> ground for the discussion, and Farzaneh has kindly offered to set up a >>> conference call space for us. >>> >>> I am circulating below a doodle for our second call to decide next >>> steps. This is a suggested agenda: >>> >>> 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each >>> network >>> 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of >>> new/maintenance of status quo, e.g using lists as information sharing >>> devices: pros and cons of each approach >>> 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making >>> regarding future of Bestbits >>> >>> Having spoken to those who arranged the last call, we suggest only >>> Bestbits members are invited but that we also reach out to some IGC folks >>> to help provide some background and inform the discussion only. >>> >>> https://doodle.com/poll/yzmbvibwp6n4s976 >>> >>> If everyone could fill out the doodle by the end of next week (Friday, >>> 25 Jan) we can set a time and send the conference room link too. >>> >>> Best >>> Sheetal. >>> >>> >>> On Fri, 11 Jan 2019 at 13:10, Deirdre Williams < >>> williams.deirdre at gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Please excuse the cross-posting. >>>> I've been following this discussion with care, and have a couple of >>>> questions which seem to fall in line with what Nnenna and Jeremy are saying. >>>> 1. If we had more or less stopped sharing information/discussing >>>> things/ working together within IGC and Bestbits separately, would merging >>>> the two groups again really improve participation? >>>> 2. Is there a way for us to look at what needs to be done, what we want >>>> to do, how we want to do it? >>>> 3. Who are "we"? Are we the same as the people who started IGC and >>>> Bestbits - same objectives, same perceptions and perspectives, same >>>> priorities? >>>> Without answers to these questions it seems unlikely that we would make >>>> much progress. >>>> Purely as an illustration please consider IRPC (which many of us also >>>> belong to) which is currently having some difficulty with identifying >>>> volunteers to carry out management tasks for the group. >>>> Civil society still needs a means to discuss issues and find a common >>>> voice, but is this the right way to do that now or do we need to devise >>>> something different? >>>> Best wishes for 2019 >>>> Deirdre >>>> >>>> On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 at 14:09, Jeremy Malcolm >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> On 1/10/19 2:01 AM, Sheetal Kumar wrote: >>>>> >>>>> > For those who were part of the first Steering Committee of Bestbits - >>>>> > could you share more information about how it was constituted and >>>>> why? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> It was because IGC discourse had become toxic and dysfunctional, and >>>>> people were dropping out. It had been a while since it had been able to >>>>> agree on a joint statement. At the same time, the 2012 ITU WCIT was >>>>> coming up, and being able to collaborate on joint action was important, >>>>> so a few conversations between people both inside and outside of IGC >>>>> resulted in them becoming the first volunteer steering committee. >>>>> >>>>> But then the same civil society politics that had driven the IGC into >>>>> the ground started to disrupt Best Bits too. There were (misplaced but >>>>> damaging) allegations about various participants having hidden agendas >>>>> or not being transparent enough about their own funding. So whereas the >>>>> original committee had been fairly lightweight and informal, pressure >>>>> to >>>>> adopt more formal mechanisms of accountability resulted in us investing >>>>> a lot of time in creating a more elaborate set of rules and processes. >>>>> As it turned out, this was too heavy and people weren't motivated to >>>>> engage in these new processes, indicating that the more lightweight >>>>> structure had probably been better. >>>>> >>>>> If there was a group of willing people who could resuscitate Best Bits, >>>>> even without formal elections, I'd be all for that. But I don't think >>>>> there is. I personally have given as much time to it as I'd like to >>>>> give, because I'm focusing my energy on my new nonprofit Prostasia >>>>> Foundation now. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Jeremy Malcolm PhD LLB (Hons) B Com >>>>> Internet lawyer, ICT policy advocate, geek >>>>> echo "9EEAi^^;6C6]>J^=^>6"|tr '\!-~' 'P-~\!-O'|wget -q -i - -O - >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ____________________________________________________________ >>>>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list: >>>>> bestbits at lists.bestbits.net. >>>>> To unsubscribe or change your settings, visit: >>>>> http://lists.bestbits.net/wws/info/bestbits >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir >>>> William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979 >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> >>> *Sheetal Kumar* >>> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >>> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >>> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >>> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >>> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >>> >>> >> >> -- >> >> >> *Sheetal Kumar* >> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >> >> > > -- > > > *Sheetal Kumar* > Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL > Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL > T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | > PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 > DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| > > -- *Sheetal Kumar* Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sheetal at gp-digital.org Thu Feb 21 04:37:31 2019 From: sheetal at gp-digital.org (Sheetal Kumar) Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2019 12:37:31 +0300 Subject: [bestbits] Survey on the future of Bestbits: Have your say! (Previously "Important:Merging Bestbits with IGC")) In-Reply-To: References: <8D71D649-A51E-46AF-8D8B-AED60C36E200@gmail.com>

<8802be36445e41c89f014ac507e7cd5f@syr.edu>

<6bb74092-192b-8370-b0e8-1987dd61e8e2@malcolm.id.au>

Message-ID: Dear all, Following a call and discussion on this thread, please see a survey below to gather your views on the future of Bestbits. Following a call on February 11 with members of Bestbits, as well as members of IGC, it was agreed that a survey would be circulated to gather views of all members. The survey is preceded by a background information note which includes a summary of the discussions so far, and links to the summaries of calls. http://bestbits.net/limesurvey/index.php?r=survey/index&sid=528319&lang=en As a member of the Bestbits mailing list, you are invited to complete the survey. To inform future discussions in a timely way, please complete the survey *by 08 March*. Should you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing your views! Best Sheetal. On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 at 20:08, Sheetal Kumar wrote: > Dear all, > > Thank you to those who participated in the call yesterday. For those who > couldn't attend the call, you'll find the list of participants and notes > here: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/Bestbitscallfuture > > We had a rich discussion about the possible ways forward for Bestbits, > building on the previous conversation in December and the discussion on > this thread since. > > In essence, there was general agreement that both Bestbits and IGC have > been facing challenges in fulfilling their objectives, particularly when it > comes to coordination and we agreed to circulate a survey to both lists to > gather perspectives on four suggested ways forward which were discussed on > the call. It was suggested that this survey with the broader communities > feed into a decision on the future of the platforms. The survey will be > circulated shortly to both lists shortly, and your participation would be > greatly appreciated. > > Best > Sheetal. > > On Thu, 7 Feb 2019 at 16:47, Sheetal Kumar wrote: > >> >> Dear all, >> >> This is just a gentle reminder that the call on next steps is this coming >> Monday, 11 February from* 4- 6 PM UTC*. The full details are included in >> my previous email and I've updated the etherpad >> with those >> planning to attend. >> >> Looking forward to speaking to you then! >> >> Best >> Sheetal. >> >> >> On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 at 10:07, Sheetal Kumar >> wrote: >> >>> Dear all, >>> >>> Thank you for filling out the doodle! It seems the best time for the >>> call is* 4-6 PM UTC on February 11*. The full details of the call, >>> including how to join, are below. >>> >>> Thanks to Farzaneh for setting up the room. Looking forward to speaking >>> to as many of you as possible on the 11th! >>> >>> Best >>> Sheetal. >>> >>> *Bestbits call: Future pathways * >>> >>> >>> *Date and time: * >>> 11 February, 4:00-6:00 PM UTC >>> >>> *Online Meeting room: * >>> To join the Meeting: >>> https://bluejeans.com/819760256 >>> >>> To join via Room System: >>> Video Conferencing System: bjn.vc -or-199.48.152.152 >>> Meeting ID : 819760256 >>> >>> To join via phone : >>> 1) Dial: >>> +1.408.740.7256 (US (San Jose)) >>> +1.888.240.2560 (US Toll Free) >>> +1.408.317.9253 (US (Primary, San Jose)) >>> (see all numbers - http://bluejeans.com/numbers) >>> >>> 2) Enter Conference ID : 819760256 >>> >>> Please note that if you call in, your phone number will appear on the >>> Bluejeans room page. We would like to record and share the link with the >>> BestBits network on the mailing list. Please let us know if you do not want >>> the recording to be shared on an open mailing list if you call in. >>> >>> *Proposed agenda: * >>> *Aim: *to discuss the future of the Bestbits and IGC lists, including >>> the possibility of a merger + other options >>> 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each >>> network >>> 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of >>> new/maintenance of status quo - using lists as information sharing devices: >>> pros and cons of each >>> 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making >>> regarding future of the lists >>> >>> *RSVP on etherpad* >>> I've put the agenda in this pad >>> and I've also >>> added the names of those who indicated they were available for the call at >>> this time. Of course, as a Bestbits member you can join the call without >>> indicating that in the pad, this is just to have a vague idea of numbers. >>> >>> >>> On Fri, 18 Jan 2019 at 14:13, Sheetal Kumar >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Dear all >>>> >>>> It's been great to see the engagement on this topic, and thanks to >>>> those who have shared their perspectives and the relevant documents too. >>>> >>>> In December when we had the call we agreed to touch base again in the >>>> middle of January to agree a way forward. The discussions here provide rich >>>> ground for the discussion, and Farzaneh has kindly offered to set up a >>>> conference call space for us. >>>> >>>> I am circulating below a doodle for our second call to decide next >>>> steps. This is a suggested agenda: >>>> >>>> 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each >>>> network >>>> 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of >>>> new/maintenance of status quo, e.g using lists as information sharing >>>> devices: pros and cons of each approach >>>> 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making >>>> regarding future of Bestbits >>>> >>>> Having spoken to those who arranged the last call, we suggest only >>>> Bestbits members are invited but that we also reach out to some IGC folks >>>> to help provide some background and inform the discussion only. >>>> >>>> https://doodle.com/poll/yzmbvibwp6n4s976 >>>> >>>> If everyone could fill out the doodle by the end of next week (Friday, >>>> 25 Jan) we can set a time and send the conference room link too. >>>> >>>> Best >>>> Sheetal. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, 11 Jan 2019 at 13:10, Deirdre Williams < >>>> williams.deirdre at gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Please excuse the cross-posting. >>>>> I've been following this discussion with care, and have a couple of >>>>> questions which seem to fall in line with what Nnenna and Jeremy are saying. >>>>> 1. If we had more or less stopped sharing information/discussing >>>>> things/ working together within IGC and Bestbits separately, would merging >>>>> the two groups again really improve participation? >>>>> 2. Is there a way for us to look at what needs to be done, what we >>>>> want to do, how we want to do it? >>>>> 3. Who are "we"? Are we the same as the people who started IGC and >>>>> Bestbits - same objectives, same perceptions and perspectives, same >>>>> priorities? >>>>> Without answers to these questions it seems unlikely that we would >>>>> make much progress. >>>>> Purely as an illustration please consider IRPC (which many of us also >>>>> belong to) which is currently having some difficulty with identifying >>>>> volunteers to carry out management tasks for the group. >>>>> Civil society still needs a means to discuss issues and find a common >>>>> voice, but is this the right way to do that now or do we need to devise >>>>> something different? >>>>> Best wishes for 2019 >>>>> Deirdre >>>>> >>>>> On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 at 14:09, Jeremy Malcolm >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> On 1/10/19 2:01 AM, Sheetal Kumar wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> > For those who were part of the first Steering Committee of Bestbits >>>>>> - >>>>>> > could you share more information about how it was constituted and >>>>>> why? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> It was because IGC discourse had become toxic and dysfunctional, and >>>>>> people were dropping out. It had been a while since it had been able >>>>>> to >>>>>> agree on a joint statement. At the same time, the 2012 ITU WCIT was >>>>>> coming up, and being able to collaborate on joint action was >>>>>> important, >>>>>> so a few conversations between people both inside and outside of IGC >>>>>> resulted in them becoming the first volunteer steering committee. >>>>>> >>>>>> But then the same civil society politics that had driven the IGC into >>>>>> the ground started to disrupt Best Bits too. There were (misplaced but >>>>>> damaging) allegations about various participants having hidden agendas >>>>>> or not being transparent enough about their own funding. So whereas >>>>>> the >>>>>> original committee had been fairly lightweight and informal, pressure >>>>>> to >>>>>> adopt more formal mechanisms of accountability resulted in us >>>>>> investing >>>>>> a lot of time in creating a more elaborate set of rules and processes. >>>>>> As it turned out, this was too heavy and people weren't motivated to >>>>>> engage in these new processes, indicating that the more lightweight >>>>>> structure had probably been better. >>>>>> >>>>>> If there was a group of willing people who could resuscitate Best >>>>>> Bits, >>>>>> even without formal elections, I'd be all for that. But I don't think >>>>>> there is. I personally have given as much time to it as I'd like to >>>>>> give, because I'm focusing my energy on my new nonprofit Prostasia >>>>>> Foundation now. >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Jeremy Malcolm PhD LLB (Hons) B Com >>>>>> Internet lawyer, ICT policy advocate, geek >>>>>> echo "9EEAi^^;6C6]>J^=^>6"|tr '\!-~' 'P-~\!-O'|wget -q -i - -O - >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> ____________________________________________________________ >>>>>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list: >>>>>> bestbits at lists.bestbits.net. >>>>>> To unsubscribe or change your settings, visit: >>>>>> http://lists.bestbits.net/wws/info/bestbits >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir >>>>> William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979 >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> >>>> *Sheetal Kumar* >>>> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >>>> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >>>> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >>>> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >>>> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >>>> >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> >>> *Sheetal Kumar* >>> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >>> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >>> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >>> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >>> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >>> >>> >> >> -- >> >> >> *Sheetal Kumar* >> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >> >> > > -- > > > *Sheetal Kumar* > Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL > Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL > T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | > PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 > DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| > > -- *Sheetal Kumar* Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From yannis at registry.asia Wed Feb 27 05:23:18 2019 From: yannis at registry.asia (Yannis Li) Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2019 18:23:18 +0800 Subject: [bestbits] Reminder: APrIGF Vladivostok 2019 - Open Call for Workshop Proposals [Deadline: 18 Mar] References: Message-ID: <00FEC954-4535-46E3-8DAA-A108C16D8DD5@registry.asia> Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum APrIGF Vladivostok 2019 16 July - 19 July 2019 Far Eastern University, Vladivostok http://2019.aprigf.asia Open Call for Workshop Proposals Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) is one of the key regional initiatives on Internet governance which provides an open platform for multi-stakeholders to discuss and identify issues and priorities, and ultimately advances the development of Internet governance in the Asia Pacific region as well as bring forward and contribute to the wider global Internet community. The 2019 meeting will be held at the Far Eastern University on Russky Island hosted by Coordination Center for TLD RU. Our Multi-Stakeholder Steering Group(MSG) now would like to call upon the community to contribute to the program development process and suggest any workshop proposals for 2019. Overarching Theme: Ensuring a Safe, Secure, and Universal Internet for All in Asia Pacific Online Submission Form: https://www.aprigf.asia/news/2019/call-for-workshop-proposals.html Workshop Proposal Submission Deadline: 18 Mar 2018 (Mon), 24:00 UTC **Kindly read through the CFP guideline and the 2019 sub-themes before you submit a proposal! Sign up as a Potential Speaker If you are planning to participate in APrIGF whether in-person or remotely and are open to sharing your expertise as a speaker, we encourage you to sign up as a potential speaker. Person who is providing information to this Potential Speaker Form will be listed publicly as a directory where you may be invited by workshop organizers to be speaker/penalist on workshop relating to his/her field of expertise and experiences. Sign up Instructions and List: https://igf.asia/2019speakers If you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact the secretariat at sec at aprigf.asia . If you are interested to join the APrIGF community to share and discuss relevant issues or seek collaborators for a workshop, you may subscribe to the mailing list discuss at aprigf.asia by sending in subscription request to the secretariat. We also welcome any organisation to become a sponsor. Please contact the secretariat for more information. Best Regards, Secretariat of APrIGF http://www.aprigf.asia -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From paoperezc14 at gmail.com Wed Feb 27 19:25:25 2019 From: paoperezc14 at gmail.com (Paola Perez) Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2019 20:25:25 -0400 Subject: [bestbits] =?UTF-8?Q?Fwd=3A_=5BCommunity-il=5D_APPLICATIONS_OPEN?= =?UTF-8?Q?=3A_Shaping_the_Internet_-_History_=26_Futures_//_APLICACIONES_?= =?UTF-8?Q?ABIERTA=3A_Dando_forma_a_Internet_-_Historia_y_Futuro_//_APPLIC?= =?UTF-8?Q?ATIONS_OUVERTES=3A_Fa=C3=A7onner_l=27Internet_-_Histoire_et_Ave?= =?UTF-8?Q?nir?= References: <119CBDC9-4D7D-459B-8C67-3ADC1460CB7E@isoc.org> Message-ID: <721418F5-56B0-45EA-A8A9-9270500D5B82@gmail.com> Begin forwarded message: > From: Niel Harper > Date: February 27, 2019 at 7:16:02 AM GMT-4 > To: "community-il at elists.isoc.org" > Subject: [Community-il] APPLICATIONS OPEN: Shaping the Internet - History & Futures // APLICACIONES ABIERTA: Dando forma a Internet - Historia y Futuro // APPLICATIONS OUVERTES: Façonner l'Internet - Histoire et Avenir > > English: > > Dear All, > > The Internet Society is inviting applications for the online course "Shaping the Internet - History & Futures". > > The e-Learning course will be delivered through our learning portal Inforum. This online course covers essential topics for effective interactions and relationships within the Internet ecosystem and key concepts and emerging issues in Internet governance. > > The course will be delivered in English, Spanish and French. Below are the links to the applications. > > English: https://goo.gl/fTsJb2 > Spanish: https://goo.gl/S3PbTD > French: https://goo.gl/GsSNz7 > > Please see below schedule for applications and selections: > > 27-Feb-2019 Applications Open > 10-Mar-2019 Applications Close > 15-Mar-2019 Selected Applicants Notified > 18-Mar-2019 Course Begins > > We encourage you to share information about this course with people in your network who have an interest in Internet governance and policy. > > If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact us at learning at isoc.org. > > Regards, > > Internet Leadership Team > > ========================================================== > > Español: > > Estimados, > > Internet Society abre las aplicaciones para el curso en línea "Dando forma a Internet – historia y futuro". > > El curso de e-Learning se impartirá a través de nuestro portal de aprendizaje Inforum. Este curso en línea cubre temas esenciales para una interacción y relación en el ecosistema de Internet, así como conceptos clave y temas emergentes en gobernanza de Internet. > > El curso se impartirá en inglés, español y francés. > > A continuación, se encuentran los enlaces a las aplicaciones: > > Inglés: https://goo.gl/fTsJb2 > Español: https://goo.gl/S3PbTD > Francés: https://goo.gl/GsSNz7 > > Por favor, vea abajo el calendario de solicitudes y selecciones: > > 27-Feb-2019 Aplicaciones abiertas > 10-Mar-2019 Aplicaciones Cerrar > 15-Mar-2019 Solicitantes seleccionados notificados > 18-Mar-2019 Comienza el curso > > Le recomendamos que comparta la información sobre este curso con personas de su red que estén interesadas en la gobernanza y la política de Internet. > > Si tiene preguntas, no dude en contactarnos en learning at isoc.org. > > Saludos, > > El Equipo de Liderazgo de Internet > > ========================================================== > > Français: > > Chers tous, > > L'Internet Society ouvre les applications pour le cours en ligne « Façonner l'Internet - Histoire et Avenir ». > > Le cours e-Learning sera diffusé via notre portail d'apprentissage Inforum. Cette formation en ligne traite de sujets essentiels concernant l’efficacité des interactions et des relations au sein de l’écosystème Internet, des concepts clés et des questions émergentes concernant la gouvernance d’Internet. > > Le cours sera donné en anglais, espagnol et français. Voici les liens vers les applications. > > Anglais: https://goo.gl/fTsJb2 > Espagnol: https://goo.gl/S3PbTD > Français: https://goo.gl/GsSNz7 > > Veuillez consulter le calendrier ci-dessous pour les applications et les sélections: > > 27 Févr. 2019 Ouverture des candidatures > 10 Mars 2019 Applications Fermer > 15 Mars 2019 Candidats sélectionnés notifiés > 18 Mars 2019 Début du cours > > Nous vous encourageons à partager les informations sur ce cours avec des personnes de votre réseau qui s'intéressent à la gouvernance et aux politiques Internet. > > Si vous avez des questions, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter par email: learning at isoc.org. > > Cordialement, > > L’équipe du Leadership d’Internet > > Regards, > > ----------------------------- > Niel Harper > Director, NGL & Fellowships > Internet Society > 11710 Plaza America Drive > Reston, VA 20190 > Email: harper at isoc.org > Skype: OlokunBB > > Follow us on Twitter @ISOC_NextGen > -- Paola Pérez Computer Systems Engineer +584147344963 Linkedin Twitter > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sheetal at gp-digital.org Thu Feb 28 06:58:56 2019 From: sheetal at gp-digital.org (Sheetal Kumar) Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:58:56 +0000 Subject: [bestbits] Survey on the future of Bestbits: Have your say! (Previously "Important:Merging Bestbits with IGC")) In-Reply-To: References: <8D71D649-A51E-46AF-8D8B-AED60C36E200@gmail.com>

<8802be36445e41c89f014ac507e7cd5f@syr.edu>

<6bb74092-192b-8370-b0e8-1987dd61e8e2@malcolm.id.au>

Message-ID: Dear all, We've got some great responses to the survey so thank you to those who have responded already. The survey is still open so please do lend your views if you can, by using the link below. The survey responses will feed into the next set of discussions on the future of Bestbits. http://bestbits.net/ limesurvey/index.php?r=survey/ index&sid=528319 Best Sheetal. On Thu, 21 Feb 2019 at 09:37, Sheetal Kumar wrote: > Dear all, > > Following a call and discussion on this thread, please see a survey below > to gather your views on the future of Bestbits. Following a call on > February 11 with members of Bestbits, as well as members of IGC, it was > agreed that a survey would be circulated to gather views of all members. > > The survey is preceded by a background information note which includes a > summary of the discussions so far, and links to the summaries of calls. > > http://bestbits.net/limesurvey/index.php?r=survey/index&sid=528319&lang=en > > As a member of the Bestbits mailing list, you are invited to complete the > survey. To inform future discussions in a timely way, please complete the > survey *by 08 March*. Should you have any questions at all, don't > hesitate to get in touch. > > Looking forward to hearing your views! > > Best > > Sheetal. > > On Tue, 12 Feb 2019 at 20:08, Sheetal Kumar > wrote: > >> Dear all, >> >> Thank you to those who participated in the call yesterday. For those who >> couldn't attend the call, you'll find the list of participants and notes >> here: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/Bestbitscallfuture >> >> We had a rich discussion about the possible ways forward for Bestbits, >> building on the previous conversation in December and the discussion on >> this thread since. >> >> In essence, there was general agreement that both Bestbits and IGC have >> been facing challenges in fulfilling their objectives, particularly when it >> comes to coordination and we agreed to circulate a survey to both lists to >> gather perspectives on four suggested ways forward which were discussed on >> the call. It was suggested that this survey with the broader communities >> feed into a decision on the future of the platforms. The survey will be >> circulated shortly to both lists shortly, and your participation would be >> greatly appreciated. >> >> Best >> Sheetal. >> >> On Thu, 7 Feb 2019 at 16:47, Sheetal Kumar >> wrote: >> >>> >>> Dear all, >>> >>> This is just a gentle reminder that the call on next steps is this >>> coming Monday, 11 February from* 4- 6 PM UTC*. The full details are >>> included in my previous email and I've updated the etherpad >>> with those >>> planning to attend. >>> >>> Looking forward to speaking to you then! >>> >>> Best >>> Sheetal. >>> >>> >>> On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 at 10:07, Sheetal Kumar >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Dear all, >>>> >>>> Thank you for filling out the doodle! It seems the best time for the >>>> call is* 4-6 PM UTC on February 11*. The full details of the call, >>>> including how to join, are below. >>>> >>>> Thanks to Farzaneh for setting up the room. Looking forward to speaking >>>> to as many of you as possible on the 11th! >>>> >>>> Best >>>> Sheetal. >>>> >>>> *Bestbits call: Future pathways * >>>> >>>> >>>> *Date and time: * >>>> 11 February, 4:00-6:00 PM UTC >>>> >>>> *Online Meeting room: * >>>> To join the Meeting: >>>> https://bluejeans.com/819760256 >>>> >>>> To join via Room System: >>>> Video Conferencing System: bjn.vc -or-199.48.152.152 >>>> Meeting ID : 819760256 >>>> >>>> To join via phone : >>>> 1) Dial: >>>> +1.408.740.7256 (US (San Jose)) >>>> +1.888.240.2560 (US Toll Free) >>>> +1.408.317.9253 (US (Primary, San Jose)) >>>> (see all numbers - http://bluejeans.com/numbers) >>>> >>>> 2) Enter Conference ID : 819760256 >>>> >>>> Please note that if you call in, your phone number will appear on the >>>> Bluejeans room page. We would like to record and share the link with the >>>> BestBits network on the mailing list. Please let us know if you do not want >>>> the recording to be shared on an open mailing list if you call in. >>>> >>>> *Proposed agenda: * >>>> *Aim: *to discuss the future of the Bestbits and IGC lists, including >>>> the possibility of a merger + other options >>>> 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each >>>> network >>>> 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of >>>> new/maintenance of status quo - using lists as information sharing devices: >>>> pros and cons of each >>>> 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making >>>> regarding future of the lists >>>> >>>> *RSVP on etherpad* >>>> I've put the agenda in this pad >>>> and I've also >>>> added the names of those who indicated they were available for the call at >>>> this time. Of course, as a Bestbits member you can join the call without >>>> indicating that in the pad, this is just to have a vague idea of numbers. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, 18 Jan 2019 at 14:13, Sheetal Kumar >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Dear all >>>>> >>>>> It's been great to see the engagement on this topic, and thanks to >>>>> those who have shared their perspectives and the relevant documents too. >>>>> >>>>> In December when we had the call we agreed to touch base again in the >>>>> middle of January to agree a way forward. The discussions here provide rich >>>>> ground for the discussion, and Farzaneh has kindly offered to set up a >>>>> conference call space for us. >>>>> >>>>> I am circulating below a doodle for our second call to decide next >>>>> steps. This is a suggested agenda: >>>>> >>>>> 1) Identification/agreement of challenges and issues faced in each >>>>> network >>>>> 2) Discussion of options, e.g merger of lists/establishment of >>>>> new/maintenance of status quo, e.g using lists as information sharing >>>>> devices: pros and cons of each approach >>>>> 3) Discussion of next steps/agreement on process for decision making >>>>> regarding future of Bestbits >>>>> >>>>> Having spoken to those who arranged the last call, we suggest only >>>>> Bestbits members are invited but that we also reach out to some IGC folks >>>>> to help provide some background and inform the discussion only. >>>>> >>>>> https://doodle.com/poll/yzmbvibwp6n4s976 >>>>> >>>>> If everyone could fill out the doodle by the end of next week (Friday, >>>>> 25 Jan) we can set a time and send the conference room link too. >>>>> >>>>> Best >>>>> Sheetal. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Fri, 11 Jan 2019 at 13:10, Deirdre Williams < >>>>> williams.deirdre at gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Please excuse the cross-posting. >>>>>> I've been following this discussion with care, and have a couple of >>>>>> questions which seem to fall in line with what Nnenna and Jeremy are saying. >>>>>> 1. If we had more or less stopped sharing information/discussing >>>>>> things/ working together within IGC and Bestbits separately, would merging >>>>>> the two groups again really improve participation? >>>>>> 2. Is there a way for us to look at what needs to be done, what we >>>>>> want to do, how we want to do it? >>>>>> 3. Who are "we"? Are we the same as the people who started IGC and >>>>>> Bestbits - same objectives, same perceptions and perspectives, same >>>>>> priorities? >>>>>> Without answers to these questions it seems unlikely that we would >>>>>> make much progress. >>>>>> Purely as an illustration please consider IRPC (which many of us also >>>>>> belong to) which is currently having some difficulty with identifying >>>>>> volunteers to carry out management tasks for the group. >>>>>> Civil society still needs a means to discuss issues and find a common >>>>>> voice, but is this the right way to do that now or do we need to devise >>>>>> something different? >>>>>> Best wishes for 2019 >>>>>> Deirdre >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 at 14:09, Jeremy Malcolm >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> On 1/10/19 2:01 AM, Sheetal Kumar wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> > For those who were part of the first Steering Committee of >>>>>>> Bestbits - >>>>>>> > could you share more information about how it was constituted and >>>>>>> why? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> It was because IGC discourse had become toxic and dysfunctional, and >>>>>>> people were dropping out. It had been a while since it had been able >>>>>>> to >>>>>>> agree on a joint statement. At the same time, the 2012 ITU WCIT was >>>>>>> coming up, and being able to collaborate on joint action was >>>>>>> important, >>>>>>> so a few conversations between people both inside and outside of IGC >>>>>>> resulted in them becoming the first volunteer steering committee. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> But then the same civil society politics that had driven the IGC into >>>>>>> the ground started to disrupt Best Bits too. There were (misplaced >>>>>>> but >>>>>>> damaging) allegations about various participants having hidden >>>>>>> agendas >>>>>>> or not being transparent enough about their own funding. So whereas >>>>>>> the >>>>>>> original committee had been fairly lightweight and informal, >>>>>>> pressure to >>>>>>> adopt more formal mechanisms of accountability resulted in us >>>>>>> investing >>>>>>> a lot of time in creating a more elaborate set of rules and >>>>>>> processes. >>>>>>> As it turned out, this was too heavy and people weren't motivated to >>>>>>> engage in these new processes, indicating that the more lightweight >>>>>>> structure had probably been better. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> If there was a group of willing people who could resuscitate Best >>>>>>> Bits, >>>>>>> even without formal elections, I'd be all for that. But I don't think >>>>>>> there is. I personally have given as much time to it as I'd like to >>>>>>> give, because I'm focusing my energy on my new nonprofit Prostasia >>>>>>> Foundation now. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> Jeremy Malcolm PhD LLB (Hons) B Com >>>>>>> Internet lawyer, ICT policy advocate, geek >>>>>>> echo "9EEAi^^;6C6]>J^=^>6"|tr '\!-~' 'P-~\!-O'|wget -q -i - -O - >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ____________________________________________________________ >>>>>>> You received this message as a subscriber on the list: >>>>>>> bestbits at lists.bestbits.net. >>>>>>> To unsubscribe or change your settings, visit: >>>>>>> http://lists.bestbits.net/wws/info/bestbits >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir >>>>>> William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979 >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> *Sheetal Kumar* >>>>> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >>>>> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >>>>> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >>>>> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >>>>> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> >>>> *Sheetal Kumar* >>>> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >>>> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >>>> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >>>> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >>>> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >>>> >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> >>> *Sheetal Kumar* >>> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >>> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >>> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >>> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >>> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >>> >>> >> >> -- >> >> >> *Sheetal Kumar* >> Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL >> Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL >> T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | >> PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 >> DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| >> >> > > -- > > > *Sheetal Kumar* > Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL > Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL > T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | > PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 > DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| > > -- *Sheetal Kumar* Programme Lead | GLOBAL PARTNERS DIGITAL Second Home, 68-80 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL T: +44 (0)20 3 818 3258| M: +44 (0)7739569514 | PGP ID: E592EFBBEAB1CF31 | PGP Fingerprint: F5D5 114D 173B E9E2 0603 DD7F E592 EFBB EAB1 CF31| -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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