[governance] Remote Participation

Deirdre Williams williams.deirdre at gmail.com
Wed Feb 22 07:32:11 EST 2012


I'm seeing two issues - or perhaps two different types of meeting. The
first type is the smaller Open Consultations and most particularly the MAG
meetings.

Meeting chairs should formally welcoming remote
> participants, naming them so that everyone who is physically present is
> aware that they are part of the meeting, and actively encouraging them
> to participate.


For a MAG meeting particularly where participants are individually
identified by name before the meeting as entitled to be present then what
Anriette suggests should be an automatic part of the opening of the meeting.

At the IGF things might be a bit different. At large sessions - the
plenaries and the very popular workshops - the name introductions are
limited to the panel and the moderators. According to my rather faulty
memory, from 'attending' the IGF in Nairobi online and from being
physically present before, the 'presence' of remote participants has been
mentioned fairly routinely from the Vilnius meeting. A useful principle
might be to refer to the participation of people not in the room in the
introduction, and in any meeting where there is a more formal introduction
of those physically present then those remotely present should be
introduced as well. In some cases at the IGF a remote participant can
actually be physically present but in a different workshop.

About the budgeting - yes and yes - and alongside the budgeting there is a
need for an ample supply of remote moderators to facilitate interventions
from remote participants.

And it is important that remote participants should register. It would be
VERY nice if the initial general invitation could formally include remote
participants in its wording - but I don't expect that to happen.

Deirdre


On 22 February 2012 03:47, Anriette Esterhuysen <anriette at apc.org> wrote:

> Hi all
>
> Based on my observation at the meetings here in Geneva in the last week
> I think one of the main problems is that meeting chairs need to play a
> central role.
>
>
> This is partly covered by this text that is in the document below:
> > Preparing a clear comprehensive guideline for remote participation
> > and its moderation and post session or meeting reporting for meeting
> > hosts, facilitators and chairs.
>
> We do need the guidelines.. but we also need more formality to elevate
> the status of RM. Meeting chairs should formally welcoming remote
> participants, naming them so that everyone who is physically present is
> aware that they are part of the meeting, and actively encouraging them
> to participate.
>
> Budgeting is also key. Does the RM working group have a draft budget
> that can be given to meeting organisers?  They need to plan in advance
> for the additional expense involved.
>
> Anriette
>
>
>
>
> On 21/02/12 23:10, Deirdre Williams wrote:
> > Dear Sala and everyone,
> >
> > I would suggest one change to smooth the argument - move the fifth
> > paragraph to follow the second - see below.
> >
> > Otherwise I still believe that we need to make the "we must have remote
> > participation" argument as forcefully as possible, and with that in mind
> > I would put the suggestions - the paragraphs that say 'how' in a
> > separate statement. In this case the statement would close at paragraph
> > 8, with paragraph 15 moved up as the conclusion. I haven't done that to
> > the document because no one seems to agree with me :-)
> >
> > Best wishes to all and good luck to those on the front line in Geneva
> > De
> >
> > 1. We would like to reiterate that remote participation is a crucial
> > part of organizing the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and we appreciate
> > the effort to provide remote participation for the Open Consultation,
> > the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) meetings, and the MAG meeting
> > this month – February 2012 – which was opened to observers.
> >
> > 2. The IGC believes that Remote Participation (RP) should be an integral
> > part of Internet Governance and IGF Policy Processes. It is impossible
> > to sustain an inclusive global policy process without effective remote
> > participation.
> >
> > 3 was 5. The  MAG and IGF Secretariats should start working with the
> > host to ensure that real time transcriptions are available for all
> > sessions and not just the Main Sessions.
> >
> > 4 was 3. We would like to commend the excellent work of the technical
> > team from Politecnico di Torino, (The Polytechnic University of Turin)
> > which was originally brought by our colleague and former IGC Civil
> > Society Coordinator Vittorio Bertola.
> >
> > 5 was 4. However, we would like to point out some difficulties that
> > occurred with the system during the open MAG meeting. On the third day,
> > morning session, (the second day of the open MAG meeting), remote
> > observers were effectively excluded because they had no access to live
> > transcript.
> >
> > 6. Also MAG members trying to participate online had difficulty in
> > contacting moderators, partly because the moderators were serving more
> > than one function.
> >
> > 7. We strongly urge MAG and IGF Secretariats and ourselves to consider
> > the following for the future IGF organizing work and the IGF itself, and
> > work together to bring them about:
> >
> > ·   Ensuring equal participation between online and offline participants
> > through planning meetings to give online and offline participants an
> > equal opportunity to participate and contribute to meetings.
> >
> > ·   Ensuring that there is sufficient capacity and appropriate bandwidth
> > to sustain remote participation by liaising with hosts well in advance
> > to enable greater interactions from offline participants.
> >
> > ·   Preparing a clear comprehensive guideline for remote participation
> > and its moderation and post session or meeting reporting for meeting
> > hosts, facilitators and chairs.
> >
> > ·   Clearly advertising opportunities for RP in advance of all meetings,
> > with clear guidance for participants on the opportunities to engage
> > through RP that will be available.
> >
> > ·   Always assigning exclusive remote participation
> > coordinator/moderators (who do not have other jobs at the same time, and
> > are responsible for interactions between the meeting’s physical
> > participants/current speaker, the Chair and the remote participants).
> >
> > ·   Establishing a clear procedure that would encourage remote
> > participants to intervene. Such a system is desirable both for those
> > physically present in Geneva and those observing the meeting remotely.
> >
> > ·   Providing as much interactivity as possible  by giving remote
> > participants to interact and engage in meetings.
> >
> > ·   Providing multiple methods – video, voice and text channel, as well
> > as real-time transcription and video streaming – of coverage of the
> meeting
> >
> > ·   Enabling the meeting and remote participation through interactive
> > presentations access through RP.
> >
> > ·   Creating a select Task force or Working Group created that has
> > representatives from the Government, Private Sector and Civil Society
> > that is dedicated to seeing improvements of Remote Participation  and to
> > ensure the incorporation of critical elements that have been highlighted
> > to ensure improved remote participation processes.
> >
> > 8. Because only limited funds are available for face- to -face
> > participation, this issue is crucially important to all stakeholders
> > from all constituencies who are entitled to participate in the meetings,
> > and who wish to do so from a remote location.
> >
> > 9. We also encourage greater partnership between the governments and
> > private sector in enhancing remote participation.
> >
> > 10. We have to move beyond advocacy to listing and creating tangible
> > outcomes to make improved, stable and sustainable remote participation a
> > reality.
> >
> > 11. There are regions around the world where transportation is extremely
> > expensive and one such region is the Pacific which has 22 countries and
> > territories. Remote participation was the only way that any of these
> > countries could access the IGF.
> >
> > 12. However there is room to improve processes and create an IGF culture
> > where remote participation is prioritised through exploring tested
> > methodology.
> >
> > 13. The appropriate technical solutions need also to be explored as well
> > bandwidth and ensuring that there is uninterrupted power supply and
> > redundancy options where back up generators are critical to maintain a
> > consistent and seamless flow. The MAG and IGF Secretariats should also
> > ensure that there is sufficient and dedicated bandwidth capacity to
> > sustain the volume of traffic from remote participation.
> >
> > 14. Aside from having the appropriate technical solutions and should
> > also include the following:-
> >
> > · Outreach;
> >
> > · Mapping local and regional stakeholders;
> >
> > · Coordinating with people on the ground significantly before the IGF in
> > a series of strategic roll out;
> >
> > · Identifying how the private sector, civil society and governments can
> > be better involved in the remote hubs etc
> >
> > 15. We also express our support of the IGF RPWG which published
> > guidelines and recommendations for remote participation and IGF 2011
> > WS-67 participants prepared a draft of e-participation principles
> > <http://discuss.diplomacy.edu/e-participation/?p=1>.
> > <http://discuss.diplomacy.edu/e-participation/?p=1>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 21 February 2012 15:46, Salanieta T. Tamanikaiwaimaro
> > <salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com
> > <mailto:salanieta.tamanikaiwaimaro at gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> >     Dear All,
> >
> >     Thank you for your contributions and comments. As you can imagine,
> >     more than 48 hours has passed since putting the Statement to the
> >     list for feedback and rough consensus. We have tried as best as
> >     possible to include your comments into the Statement on the
> >     Workspace. Thank you Izumi for initiating the process and De for
> >     consolidating the text and numerous others who have contributed.
> >
> >     http://www.igcaucus.org/digressit/archives/32
> >
> >     The Civil Society members of the CSTD can alert others to the IGC
> >     statement. Whilst we are wrapping up the Statement to enable Izumi
> >     and Marilia to take our perspectives, we should encourage dialogue
> >     on how we can actively contribute in this area.
> >
> >     If there are volunteers who want to be more involved perhaps you
> >     could engage in further dialogue on how to help out. I have copied
> >     the text below.
> >
> >     Warm Regards,
> >     Sala
> >
> >     URL: http://www.igcaucus.org/digressit/archives/32
> >
> >     We would like to reiterate that remote participation is a crucial
> >     part of organizing the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and we
> >     appreciate the effort to provide remote participation for the Open
> >     Consultation, the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) meetings,
> >     and the MAG meeting this month – February 2012 – which was opened to
> >     observers.
> >
> >     The IGC believes that Remote Participation should be an integral
> >     part of Internet Governance and IGF Policy Processes. It is
> >     impossible to sustain an inclusive global policy process without
> >     effective remote participation.
> >
> >     We would like to commend the excellent work of the technical team
> >     from Politecnico di Torino, (The Polytechnic University of Turin)
> >     which was originally brought by our colleague and former IGC Civil
> >     Society Coordinator Vittorio Bertola.
> >
> >     However, we would like to point out some difficulties that occurred
> >     with the system during the open MAG meeting. On the third day,
> >     morning session, (the second day of the open MAG meeting), remote
> >     observers were effectively excluded because they had no access to
> >     live transcript.
> >
> >     The  MAG and IGF Secretariats should start working with the host to
> >     ensure that real time transcriptions are available for all sessions
> >     and not just the Main Sessions.
> >
> >     Also MAG members trying to participate online had difficulty in
> >     contacting moderators, partly because the moderators were serving
> >     more than one function.
> >
> >     We strongly urge MAG and IGF Secretariats and ourselves to consider
> >     the following for the future IGF organizing work and the IGF itself,
> >     and work together to bring them about:
> >
> >         * Ensuring equal participation between online and offline
> >           participants through planning meetings to give online and
> >           offline participants an equal opportunity to participate and
> >           contribute to meetings.
> >
> >         * Ensuring that there is sufficient capacity and appropriate
> >           bandwidth to sustain remote participation by liaising with
> >           hosts well in advance to enable greater interactions from
> >           offline participants.
> >
> >         * Preparing a clear comprehensive guideline for remote
> >           participation and its moderation and post session or meeting
> >           reporting for meeting hosts, facilitators and chairs.
> >
> >         * Clearly advertising opportunities for RP in advance of all
> >           meetings, with clear guidance for participants on the
> >           opportunities to engage through RP that will be available.
> >
> >         * Always assigning exclusive remote participation
> >           coordinator/moderators (who do not have other jobs at the same
> >           time, and are responsible for interactions between the
> >           meeting’s physical participants/current speaker, the Chair and
> >           the remote participants).
> >
> >         * Establishing a clear procedure that would encourage remote
> >           participants to intervene. Such a system is desirable both for
> >           those physically present in Geneva and those observing the
> >           meeting remotely.
> >
> >         * Providing as much interactivity as possible  by giving remote
> >           participants to interact and engage in meetings.
> >
> >         * Providing multiple methods – video, voice and text channel, as
> >           well as real-time transcription and video streaming – of
> >           coverage of the meeting
> >
> >         * Enabling the meeting and remote participation through
> >           interactive presentations access through RP.
> >
> >         * Creating a select Task force or Working Group created that has
> >           representatives from the Government, Private Sector and Civil
> >           Society that is dedicated to seeing improvements of Remote
> >           Participation  and to ensure the incorporation of critical
> >           elements that have been highlighted to ensure improved remote
> >           participation processes.
> >
> >     Because only limited funds are available for face- to -face
> >     participation, this issue is crucially important to all stakeholders
> >     from all constituencies who are entitled to participate in the
> >     meetings, and who wish to do so from a remote location.
> >
> >     We also encourage greater partnership between the governments and
> >     private sector in enhancing remote participation.
> >
> >     We have to move beyond advocacy to listing and creating tangible
> >     outcomes to make improved, stable and sustainable remote
> >     participation a reality.
> >
> >     There are regions around the world where transportation is extremely
> >     expensive and one such region is the Pacific which has 22 countries
> >     and territories. Remote participation was the only way that any of
> >     these countries could access the IGF.
> >
> >     However there is room to improve processes and create an IGF culture
> >     where remote participation is prioritised through exploring tested
> >     methodology.
> >
> >     The appropriate technical solutions need also to be explored as well
> >     bandwidth and ensuring that there is uninterrupted power supply and
> >     redundancy options where back up generators are critical to maintain
> >     a consistent and seamless flow. The MAG and IGF Secretariats should
> >     also ensure that there is sufficient and dedicated bandwidth
> >     capacity to sustain the volume of traffic from remote participation.
> >
> >     Aside from having the appropriate technical solutions and should
> >     also include the following:-
> >
> >     · Outreach;
> >
> >     · Mapping local and regional stakeholders;
> >
> >     · Coordinating with people on the ground significantly before the
> >     IGF in a series of strategic roll out;
> >
> >     · Identifying how the private sector, civil society and governments
> >     can be better involved in the remote hubs etc
> >
> >     We also express our support of the IGF RPWG which published
> >     guidelines and recommendations for remote participation and IGF 2011
> >     WS-67 participants prepared a draft of e-participation principles
> >     <http://discuss.diplomacy.edu/e-participation/?p=1>.
> >     <http://discuss.diplomacy.edu/e-participation/?p=1>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >     On Tue, Feb 21, 2012 at 1:08 AM, Roland Perry
> >     <roland at internetpolicyagency.com
> >     <mailto:roland at internetpolicyagency.com>> wrote:
> >
> >         In message <46B69E1D-CF91-4E31-A9CC- 4DD306D57CB0 at privaterra.org
> >         <mailto:46B69E1D-CF91-4E31-A9CC-4DD306D57CB0 at privaterra.org>>,
> >         at 11:21:13 on Sun, 19 Feb 2012, Robert Guerra
> >         <rguerra at privaterra.org <mailto:rguerra at privaterra.org>> writes
> >
> >             What type of assistance and/or support will be provided -
> >             well, hopefully we'll find out soon from the Secretariat
> >             and/or Google
> >
> >
> >         Do they have a product which competes with the current market
> >         leaders from Cisco and Adobe? What the IGF needs is something
> >         which works, of course - historically their tools have been
> >         allegedly very fussy about exactly what version of 'flash' or
> >         whatever you have installed, and that sort of thing is half the
> >         battle.
> >         --
> >         Roland Perry
> >
> >
> >         ____________________________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >     --
> >     Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala
> >
> >     Tweeter: @SalanietaT
> >     Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro
> >     Cell: +679 998 2851 <tel:%2B679%20998%202851>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >     ____________________________________________________________
> >     You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
> >         governance at lists.igcaucus.org <mailto:
> governance at lists.igcaucus.org>
> >     To be removed from the list, visit:
> >         http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
> >
> >     For all other list information and functions, see:
> >         http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> >     To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
> >         http://www.igcaucus.org/
> >
> >     Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir
> > William Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979
>
> --
> ------------------------------------------------------
> anriette esterhuysen anriette at apc.org
> executive director, association for progressive communications
> www.apc.org
> po box 29755, melville 2109
> south africa
> tel/fax +27 11 726 1692
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________
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>


-- 
“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir William
Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979
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