This document discusses remote participation in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and its benefits for inclusion. It notes that the IGF aims to discuss Internet governance issues to foster sustainability and development of the Internet. Remote participation allows for 365-day participation, global and regional discussions, and lower costs compared to only in-person meetings. While it lacks some social benefits, remote participation facilitates inclusion and local/regional input to influence global processes. When combined with in-person meetings, it can discuss local issues and solutions that then feed into the global dialogue.

1. IGF Remote Participation:
Opportunities in a unique
application of inclusion
Ginger Paque, Director IG Programmes
DiploFoundation
E-Participation Day
19 June 2013
Geneva and Online

2. ‘Discuss public policy issues related to key elements of
Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability,
robustness, security, stability and development of the
Internet’ (Para 72 of the Tunis Agenda).
The IGF is a UN forum process to discuss, facilitate
interface, facilitate, advise: in other words, to talk 
(ok, to discuss, to communicate).
If we ‘only talk’ how can that help? If we make the
process inclusive, multistakeholder, transparent, and
complete enough to achieve communication that fosters
solutions on local, regional and global level.
DiploFoundation
Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

3. --365 days a year remote
--16 days a year in situ and remote
--Calls for contributions and synthesis
paper
--Summaries of meetings
--Meeting transcripts
--Online discussion lists
--IGF Website design RFC
DiploFoundation
The IGF Global Online Voice

4. Inclusion gives us a
regional voice within a
global process
Remote participation
not
Remote observation
DiploFoundation
The IGF Regional Voice

5. Regional meetings discuss issues of
significance for:
The region :)
• Apply theory to real life
• Virtual becomes real
• Words become action
• Regional decisions influence global
processes
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Regional meetings are important

6. Remote is not measured in distance
Remote is defined by difficulty to attend
Remote participation is actually
LOCAL participation
REGIONAL participation
DiploFoundation
Remote isn't very far away

7. Important Advantages:
• Avoid the global to local disconnect
• Ease of attendance from home or office
• Lower cost in $ and hours
• Lower carbon footprint
• Weather/travel inconveniences are minimized
• Good moderation can enhance RP
DiploFoundation
E-participation

8. MORE Important Advantages:
• E-participation fosters inclusion
• Almost anyone determined to attend can attend
• E-participants are generally more interested—it
is a different kind of commitment
• More likely to be involved in the preparation
process, which is often remote as well
• Focus of attention is clear
• Online chat simulates corridor discussions and
audience murmur
• Good organization pays off exponentially in low
cost increase in attendance and participation
DiploFoundation
Local E-participation

9. Disadvantages:
• In-person impression and contact is missing
• Personal networking is more difficult
• Low investment/low commitment to attend
• Breaks/social meetings are missed
• Time zone differences may be inconvenient
• Language difficulties may be more complex
• Dependent on good organization
• Requires excellent moderator and remote
moderator
• Harder to ‘control’ ?
DiploFoundation
Local E-participation

10. • Allow both local and regional meetings
held parallel to global meetings
• Combine advantages of remote/local
• Discuss local and regional
• Solve locally and regionally
• Intervene globally
• Adds weight to 'regional' interventions
• Adds value to global meetings
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/remote-participation/hubs-
instructions
DiploFoundation
IGF Remote local hubs

11. DiploFoundation
IGF Remote local hubs

12. Discuss the important issues of e-participation
IGF 2013 Bali Workshop 68
E-participation in IG processes
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/wks2013/workshop
_2013_list_view.php?xpsltipq_je=68
DiploFoundation
Remote Participation: Reality and Principles

13. IGF Remote Participation:
Opportunities for Regional Input and Inclusion
Thank you! Gracias
Ginger Paque, Director IG Programmes
DiploFoundation
VirginiaP@diplomacy.edu
E-Participation Day - 19 June 2013 – Geneva & Online