Summary Report MAG Virtual Meeting October 18 2016

IGF Virtual Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) Meeting VIII

 18 October 2016
 

Summary Report

1.         The eighth IGF Virtual MAG Meeting of the 2016 IGF preparatory cycle took place on 18 October. Ms. Lynn St. Amour moderated the meeting as Chair of the MAG and Mr. Chengetai Masango represented the IGF Secretariat. The webex recording of the meeting can be accessed here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-d-EIIQWsUiemNhVGwxbFRBeGc/view?usp=sharing

2.         The meeting opened with a short briefing from a representative of the Host Country organizing team. MAG members participating in the African regional IGF in South Africa reported that some potential delegates particularly from the African region had noted some problems obtaining visas for participating in the annual meeting. It was reported that the organizing team was working with the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry to ensure that participants would be able to obtain Visa’s as easily as possible, and new information is being sent to relevant Consulates and Embassies. All information on how to obtain an entry Visa will be updated and made available on the IGF Mexico Host Country website here: http://www.igf2016.mx. It was also noted that up-to-date information about hotels and the bus schedule/route for participants during the meeting will also be made available on the host country website.

3.         In regards to Host Country events on day-zero, it was reported that the high-level event will be multistakeholder in nature and open to all participants, and that further details on the agenda for the host country led day-zero activities would be circulated to the MAG via email. It was also reported that invitations to speakers for the high-level event on day-zero have already been sent. The IGF Secretariat is also working with the Mexican organizing team to ensure that invitations are being sent to appropriate high-level participants.

4.          The IGF Secretariat noted that an initial version of the annual meeting schedule[1] had been published on the IGF website. Registration has also been opened and it was reported that nearly 1,000 participants had registered to-date and that 40 remote hubs have already registered. The MAG was encouraged to carry out outreach to encourage both individual participants to register as well as additional remote hubs[2]. If MAG members have requests for specific schedule changes, they should contact the Secretariat.

5.         The 2016 Newcomers track was then discussed. It was noted by the Chair that the proposal from some MAG members and the IGF Secretariat had been welcomed and was approved. MAG organizers of the Newcomers track should work with the IGF Secretariat to implement the proposal. It was noted that the track should preserve the ability of newcomers to opt in (or not) to such identification and activities, and 2 - take into account the already full schedule of MAG members (especially those coordinating the Main Sessions). All MAG members were also asked to do what they can to support this initiative and help identify additional resources as needed. It was also noted that previous MAG members are a very good resource. The MAG will be updated via the mailing list in regards to progress and calls for volunteers to support the track. The MAG WG on outreach and communications will also be engaged to support newcomers.

6.         It was noted that the Working Group on New Session Formats had worked with the IGF Secretariat over the past weeks to update the proposal and to find the appropriate time and space to include new innovative formats and some ‘un-conference’ space. A further update on this work will be circulated to the MAG mailing list shortly. In regards to the MAG Working Group on Improving the Workshop Evaluation Process, MAG members leading that group were asked to revisit this work and to circulate updates to the MAG moving forward.  MAG members were reminded that they could request specific topical MAG virtual meetings with the IGF Secretariat and that such meetings could be scheduled on an as needed basis.

7.         Some written updates were circulated to the MAG prior to the meeting in regards to updates on Main Session[3] planning and on other intersessional work planning/progress updates. It was generally noted that this work was going well and all MAG members were encouraged to ramp up planning/work on main sessions planning and other intersessional work in the final weeks leading up to the annual meeting. The MAG was reminded that draft versions of the outputs for the IGF BPFs[4] and CENB[5] will be made available on the public review platform in early November for additional comments, etc. in the month leading up to the annual meeting where the outputs will be further presented and reviewed.

8.         Finally, the IGF Secretariat noted that the MAG renewal process would get started in the coming weeks, to try and ensure that the 2017 MAG was in place as early as possible. There was also a short discussion about whether or not names of MAG nominations should be made public or not.  The Secretariat was asked to bring this question to the MAG list for discussion amongst the stakeholder groups as this is an important and quite nuanced point. Another suggestion that was made in regards to the MAG renewal process was that the Secretariat could update public information on the MAG, specifically the amount of years that each MAG member have served, their stakeholder group and geographical region, etc. Further information on updates to the MAG renewal process will be circulated to the MAG and wider community in the coming weeks, and the Secretariat, together with UNDESA, will make every effort to be as transparent as possible in regards to the nomination and selection process. The next MAG virtual meeting is scheduled[6] for 8 November at 14:00 UTC.