Summary of the meeting/hubs doc
Marilia Maciel
Hello guys,
I write to you with a summary of our last meeting (Thursday 08/07)
There are some points that we need your feedback (hubs doc, site) so, please, send your comments to the list as soon as you can.
Summary
Agenda:
-Discussion of the hubs document, which will be used to get in touch with our partners (I enclose it below for you all to take a look)
- Strategy for getting in touch with partners
- News from the organization
Other points discussed:
- The deadline for hubs inscription will be the end of October
- Inscription should be done by e-mail. We should create a special address for this
- Reformulation of the site. This is urgent! Please send your comments/critiques here to the list as soon as possible (Raquel, I know you wrote Rafik about that, can you send your comments to the list to avoid repetition?)
- We should have, from now on, short weekly meetings to check our progress
Strategy to find partners to create hubs (regional volunteers):
- DiploFoundation offered to give us support to spread the idea, on Diplo community, by mails and on their blog
- Brazil (Marília and Raquel)
- UK (Marília and Max(?))
- Egypt (Rafik)
- US and Germany (Max)
- Costa Rica (Jaco)
Things we need to find out (Ginger, can you discover this?)
- Is it possible to webcast parallel meetings?
- Will we use Diplo platform to provide forums of remote discussion?
- Is it possible for the organization of the IGF to give technical support to the hubs and arrange test connections prior to the IGF?
IGF Remote Participation Project
Presenting the hubs initiative
1) Introduction:
The IGF Remote Participation Project was created by a group of interested IGF participants, who has joined together with the common concern to foster the possibility of more complete remote attendance at the upcoming IGF in Hyderabad, 2008. Our idea is to help to provide a service that will benefit the people who are unable to attend the IGF, which means that our work is based on a very practical approach.
Our desire is to join forces with the initiatives from the Secretariat and from the Civil Society, especially, with the Online Collaboration Dynamic Coalition, seeking the convergence of similar ideas and helping to take them further.
Some of our past and ongoing activities:
- Test and evaluation of strong points and shortcomings of different interaction platforms
- Publicization of the tools of remote participation offered in the Open Consultations
- Evaluation of quality of webcast of Open Consultations (made from people in different regions of the world) and of the remote participation tools
- Evaluation and systematization of best practices regarding other remote participation initiatives: ICANN meetings, Lacnic meeting, Aids Conference, Singularity.
Our main focus is:
To develop partnerships with regional organizations and communities with the aim to create local IGF hubs. These hubs would be local meetings, which would exhibit the webcast of the IGF as well as hold panels and roundtables, to discuss the themes of the IGF from a local perspective. The hubs were primarily put forth by the AIDS Conference and they have successfully spread all over the world. Based on exchanges of information with the organizers of these hubs, we adapted this idea to the IGF context.
2) Some reasons that support the creation of hubs
The hubs are local meetings where the participants are able not only to watch the webcast of the IGF and send comments and questions, but also, and more importantly, to discuss the themes covered by the IGF from a local perspective. This forum serves as a stimulus or a starting point for the debate of local issues and implications and for the development of a network of interested people. Some of the advantages of creating hubs are:
2.1. Increases the visibility of the meeting. The local press will more likely cover a local event than one that takes place overseas. In addition to that, the engagement of civil society in organizing the hubs is a natural publicity and promotion that reaches all the
larger local and regional community gathered around it.
2.2. Raises awareness. As a consequence of an increased visibility, the society in general becomes more aware of the importance of the subjects discussed at the IGF. The civil society plays an important role in getting in touch with possible stakeholders (NGO's, politicians, government representatives, economic sector, academics, etc) and convincing them of the importance of the subject and of their presence by being involved on the process.
2.3. Favors commitment. When a person solitarily watches a broadcasted meeting he/she feels free to drop it anytime and may never be involved with the subject again. When he's on the company of others and discusses the subject with them a sense of commitment with the group may flourish.
2.4. Favors community building. This sense of commitment can evolve into a structured relationship among stakeholders .
2.5. Provides networking. People can identify common interests and establish different kinds of partnerships. The hubs fully accomplish the second reason appointed here for people to be engaged on this experience.
2.6. Favors follow-up initiatives. People may feel motivated not only to follow the measures taken in the global sphere, but also to develop local actions. Through local discussion, people can agree on measures to take and share tasks and responsibility.This experience encourages collaboration and rises local initiatives.
3) What is necessary to create a local hub?
The hubs can be held by any group of interested people. Each local group can propose and develop a methodology for the meeting, according to its needs. In general, the organization of the hubs does not demand high investments. We suggest:
3.1) A room or auditorium. It can be held at an university class or any other convenient place in the city
3.2) a broadband Internet connection and a video-conference (or projector) equipment.
3.3) A server
3.4) A modederator, who will plan the dynamics of the discussion
3.5) A general call in lists, forums, etc, to invite the local community interested in Information Society and Internet Governance
4) Support provided to the local hubs
4.1) Publicity for the hub in the organization homepage, in the project homepage as well as in preparatory meetings and discussion forums
5) Interaction between the hubs and the IGF
5.1) Projection of a 2 minutes statement from remote hubs during each session
5.2) People attending the hubs will be able to benefit from the regular channels of participation:
a) Incorporated link for making an interactive recording of audio or video similar to "Youtube", "Seesmic" or "Quik", for broadcast in IGF sessions as comments or questions (In discussion with the IGF organization)
b) Chat
c) Open channel for discussions (fora) including theme-specific and moderated help forum for newcomers to the IGF
d) Open channel social media such as Twitter or Facebook to foster awareness and contributions around the IGF process.
Max Senges
first of all thanks for coordinating all this!! in general i feel the doc (esp. the first part) seems to be targeted more towards the IGF organizers than towards hub organizers (They dont want to know about us, they want to know What are the benefits and What are the costs/investments in time etc.).
some points e.g. "3.3) A server" are a bit generic ;-)
what potential hub organizers want to know is - how many meetings will be web-casted --> how many sessions need to be organized? What will be the quality of the stream? and what are the modes of participation from the hub?
we dont need to give precise answers to all questions, but we should address them (saying video will be high quality / we will inform you, etc.)
hope my comments are useful
max
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"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; ... so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
- THEODORE ROOSEVELT
(Paris Sorbonne,1910)
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Dr. Max Senges
Stanford Post-Doc Visiting Scholar
UOC Research Associate
Freelance Consultant
98 Loyola Ave., Menlo Park, California 94025
US-Phone: (001) 650 714 9826
www.maxsenges.com
www.knowledgeentrepreneur.com
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Marilia Maciel
Marilia Maciel
IGF Remote Participation Project
Presenting the hubs initiative
1) Objective:
To develop partnerships with regional organizations and communities with the aim to create local IGF hubs. These hubs would be local meetings, which would exhibit the webcast of the IGF as well as hold panels and roundtables, to discuss the themes of the IGF from a local perspective. This forum should serve as a stimulus or a starting point for the debate of local issues and implications and for the development of a network of interested people.
2) Some reasons that support the creation of hubs
2.1. Increases the visibility of the meeting. The local press will more likely cover a local event than one that takes place overseas. In addition to that, the engagement of civil society in organizing the hubs is a natural publicity and promotion that reaches all the larger local and regional community gathered around it.
2.2. Raises awareness. As a consequence of an increased visibility, the society in general becomes more aware of the importance of the subjects discussed at the IGF. The civil society plays an important role in getting in touch with possible stakeholders (NGO's, politicians, government representatives, economic sector, academics, etc) and convincing them of the importance of the subject and of their presence by being involved on the process.
2.3. Favors commitment. When a person solitarily watches a broadcasted meeting he/she feels free to drop it anytime and may never be involved with the subject again. When he's on the company of others and discusses the subject with them a sense of commitment with the group may flourish.
2.4. Favors community building. This sense of commitment can evolve into a structured relationship among stakeholders .
2.5. Provides networking. People can identify common interests and establish different kinds of partnerships. The hubs fully accomplish the second reason appointed here for people to be engaged on this experience.
2.6. Favors follow-up initiatives. People may feel motivated not only to follow the measures taken in the global sphere, but also to develop local actions. Through local discussion, people can agree on measures to take and share tasks and responsibility.This experience encourages collaboration and rises local initiatives.
3) Support provided to the local hubs
3.1) High quality webcast, with assistance from the company in charge of it.
3.2) Webcast of the main sessions of the IGF (the hub can organize activities for every session webcasted or can choose only some of them)
3.3) Publicity for the hub in the organization homepage, in the project homepage as well as in preparatory meetings and discussion forums
4) What is necessary to create a local hub?
The hubs can be held by any group of interested people. Each local group can propose and develop a methodology for the meeting, according to its needs. In general, the organization of the hubs does not demand high investments of time and resources. We suggest:
4.1) A four day activity (3-6 of December), on flexible hours (but the hubs are free to adjust this to their needs. See point 3.2 above)
4.2) A room or auditorium. It can be held at an university class or any other convenient place in the city
4.3) a broadband Internet connection and a video-conference (or projector) equipment.
4.4) A server (COMPLETE THIS ITEM)
4.5) A moderator, who will plan the dynamics of the discussion
4.6) A general call in lists, forums, etc, to invite the local community interested in Information Society and Internet Governance
5) What are the modes of participation from the hub?
5.1) Projection of a 2 minutes statement from remote hubs in the main session at the IGF.
Ginger Paque
Just some quick ideas, thoughts, not “corrections”
1) Objective:
To develop partnerships with regional organizations and communities for the creation of local IGF hubs. These hubs will be local IGF meetings, which will project the webcast of the IGF as well as hold panels and roundtables, to discuss the themes of the IGF from a local perspective. This forum will serve as a stimulus or a starting point for the debate of local issues and their regional implications and for the development of a network of interested people to implement Internet Governance and Information Society goals.
2) Reasons to create a regional IGF hub
2.1. Increase the visibility of the IGF meeting and goals. The local press will more likely cover a local event than one that takes place overseas. In addition to that, the engagement of Civil Society in organizing the hubs is a natural publicity and promotion event that will reach all the larger local and regional community gathered around it.
2.2. Raise awareness. As a consequence of an increased visibility, the society in general becomes more aware of the importance of the subjects discussed at the IGF. Civil Society plays an important role in getting in touch with possible stakeholders (NGO's, politicians, government representatives, economic sector, academics, etc) and convincing them of the importance of the subject and of their presence by being involved on the process.
2.3. Foster commitment. When a person watches a webcast meeting alone, he/she feels free to drop it anytime and may never be involved with the subject again. When she's in the company of others and discusses the subject with them a sense of commitment with the group may flourish.
2.4. Support community-building. This sense of commitment can evolve into a structured relationship among stakeholders .
2.5. Provide networking. People can identify common interests and establish different kinds of partnerships. The hubs fully accomplish the second reason appointed[gp1] here for people to be engaged on this experience.
2.6. Favor follow-up initiatives. People may feel motivated not only to follow the measures taken in the global sphere, but also to develop local and regional actions. Through local discussion, people can agree on measures to take and share tasks and responsibility for their implementation. This experience encourages collaboration and promotes local initiatives.
3) Support provided to the local hubs
3.1) High quality webcast, with assistance from the provider.
3.2) Webcast of the main sessions of the IGF (the hub can organize activities for every session webcast or can choose those of particular interest to them)
3.3) Publicity for the regional hub on the IGF page, the remote participation homepage, in[gp2] the project homepage as well as in preparatory meetings and discussion forums
4) What is necessary to create a local hub? [gp3]
The hubs can be held by any group of interested people. Each local group can propose and develop a methodology for their meeting, according to its needs. In general, the organization of the hubs does not demand high investments of time and resources. We suggest:
4.1) A four day activity (3-6 of December), on flexible hours (but the hubs are free to adjust this to their needs. See point 3.2 above)
4.2) A room or auditorium. It can be held at an university class or any other convenient place in the city
4.3) a broadband Internet connection and a video-conference (or projector) equipment.
4.4) A server (COMPLETE THIS ITEM)
4.5) A moderator, who will plan the dynamics of the discussion
4.6) A general call in lists, forums, etc, to invite the local community interested in Information Society and Internet Governance
5) What are the specific channels of participation will be available from the hub to the Hyderabad IGF venue?
5.1) Projection of a 2 minutes statement from remote hubs in the main session at the IGF.
5.2) People attending the hubs will be able to benefit from the regular channels of participation:
a) Incorporated link for making an interactive recording of audio or video similar to "Youtube", "Seesmic" or "Quik", for broadcast in IGF sessions as comments or questions (In discussion with the IGF organization)
b) Chat
c) Open channel for discussions (fora) including theme-specific and moderated help forum for newcomers to the IGF
d) Other channels as requested and developed.