View source for Why the WSIS+20 Review Matters and How National and Regional IGFs Can Enhance Stakeholder Participation – MT 01 2025

13 May 2025 | 09:00 - 10:30 CEST | Hemicycle <br />
[[Consolidated_programme_2025#mt01-input_25|'''Consolidated programme 2025''']]<br /><br />
Proposals: #13, #16, #27, #29, #36, #42<br /><br />
== <span class="dateline">Get involved!</span> == 
You are invited to become a member of the Session Org Team by simply subscribing to the [https://list.eurodig.org/mailman/listinfo/mt01_2025 '''mailing list''']. By doing so, you agree that your name and affiliation will be published at the relevant session wiki page. Please reply to the email send to you to confirm your subscription.

Kindly note that it may take a while until the Org Team is formed and starts working.

To follow the current discussion on this topic, see the [[{{TALKPAGENAME}} | discussion]] tab on the upper left side of this page.

== Session teaser ==
This year’s review of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society agreed in Tunis in 2005 - the WSIS+20 Review - will conclude with a high level meeting of the UN General Assembly on 16-17 December. This process will reflect on the progress of implementation of the original WSIS outcomes and is expected to set the course of global Internet governance and digital cooperation for the next decade, including the future of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). 
Following the 28th annual session of the UN’s Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) on 7-11 April which agreed a comprehensive report on the implementation of WSIS outcomes, the next key milestones in the review process include the 20th annual IGF in Lillestrøm on 23-27 June and the annual WSIS Forum which is rebranded this year as the WSIS+20 High Level Event, on 7-11 July in Geneva. 
EuroDIG will also have the opportunity to submit an input into the stakeholder consultations during the coming months which the Co-facilitators of the review -  the Permanent Representatives of Albania and Kenya – are expected to announce shortly.  
EuroDIG’s messages from its session on WSIS+20 in Vilnius in June 2024 recommended that the review a) should enhance the existing processes of Internet governance, global digital policy and cooperation, and b) renew the IGF's mandate. 

The aims of the plenary session in Strasbourg are: 
*to agree new consensus-based messages concerning the modalities for stakeholders – assisted by the platforms of the national and regional IGFs – to engage in the WSIS+20 process. 
*to consider what would be desirable outcomes from the WSIS+20 Review.

== Session description == 

As the global community prepares for the WSIS+20 Review, this session can serve as a platform for European stakeholders to align their perspectives on the WSIS objectives and deliver a unified message to the United Nations. The discussion will explore practical ways for non-governmental actors to effectively engage in implementing WSIS commitments, examine how the WSIS objectives align with the Global Digital Compact (GDC), and how National and Regional Initiatives (NRIs) can contribute to both initiatives at their levels. The session seeks to identify concrete actions while maintaining a strong commitment to independent, multi-stakeholder Internet governance.

'''The Guiding Questions:'''

*''How can non-governmental stakeholders be effectively engaged in the WSIS+20 Review process in the lead up to the intergovernmental phase?''
*''How can NRIs be more involved in the WSIS+20 Review process? How can stakeholder inputs be integrated into national WSIS positions and priorities? What mechanisms would be useful at the country and EU levels?''
*''How can alignment between the WSIS+20 Review and other global initiatives and processes, such as the GDC and SDGs 2030 Agenda, be achieved?''

== Format ==
We introduce a new format for all Main Sessions. They are NOT panel discussion and conducted as follows:
*30 min input (2 x 15' or 3 x 10' VIP / expert presentation)
*45 min moderated discussion with the entire audience along a set of guiding questions
*15 min agreeing on the messages

Interpretation in English and French.

== Further reading == 
*Role of the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) in the WSIS+20 Review: https://unctad.org/topic/commission-on-science-and-technology-for-development/wsis-20-year-review
*Report on the progress made in the implementation of the outcomes of the WSIS during the past 20 years: https://unctad.org/report-progress-made-implementation-outcomes-wsis-during-past-20-years
*WSIS+20 Review updates from the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) https://publicadministration.desa.un.org/wsis20
*The ITU’s WSIS+20 High Level Event: https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2025/
*EuroDIG Messages from Vilnius (2024) on the WSIS+20 Review: https://www.eurodig.org/eurodig-2024/messages-from-vilnius/

== People == 
'''Please provide name and institution for all people you list here.'''

'''Programme Committee member(s)''' 
*Mark Carvell, Independent consultant on Internet governance policy
*Vlad Ivanets, Journalist and media researcher

The Programme Committee supports the programme planning process and works closely with the Secretariat. Members of the committee give advice on the topics, cluster the proposals and assist session organisers in their work. They also ensure that session principles are followed and overlook the complete programme to avoid repetition among sessions. 

'''Focal Point''' 

*Akriti Bopanna, Global Partners Digital

Focal Points take over the responsibility and lead of the session organisation. They work in close cooperation with the respective member of the Programme Committee and the EuroDIG Secretariat and are kindly requested to follow [https://www.eurodig.org/get-involved/planning-process/#tab-organising-a-session EuroDIG’s session principles].

'''Organising Team (Org Team)''' ''List Org Team members here as they sign up.''
*Craig Stanley-Adamson, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, UK Government
*Alena Muravska, Ripe NCC
*Nebojša Regoje
*Mariam Chaladze, ISET
*Tatiana Tropina, Internet Society
*Oksana Prykhodko, iNGO European Media Platform
*Henry Wang, SmartMesh
*Titti Cassa, AGID | Agenzia per l’Italia Digitale 
*Akriti Bopanna, Global Partners Digital
*Bruna Martins dos Santos, WITNESS Inc
The Org Team is shaping the session. Org Teams are open, and every interested individual can become a member by subscribing to the mailing list. 

'''Key Participants'''

*H.E. Ms. Suela Janina, Permanent Representative of Albania to the UN, WSIS+20 Co-facilitator (online)
*[https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/miscellaneous/thibaut-kleiner Thibaut Kleiner], Director Future Networks Directorate of DG CONNECT at the European Commission (online)
*[https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/david-souter/ David Souter], Independent Expert on Digital Society (online), lead consultant for the UN Commission on Science, Tech for Development's report looking at the implementation of WSIS outcomes over the last 20 years (online)
*Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO (video message)
Key Participants (also speakers) are experts willing to provide their knowledge during a session. Key Participants should contribute to the session planning process and keep statements short and punchy during the session. They will be selected and assigned by the Org Team, ensuring a stakeholder balanced dialogue also considering gender and geographical balance. Please provide short CV’s of the Key Participants at the Wiki or link to another source. 

'''Moderator'''
*Ana Cristina F. Amoroso das Neves<br />Ana is a member of the UN IGF 2025 Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) and Head of the Internet Governance Office at FCT-FCCN/MECI in Portugal. In 2024, she chaired the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), working closely with ECOSOC and UN Member States in New York to help shape the Global Digital Compact and lay the foundation for the WSIS+20 review, culminating in key contributions at the CSTD’s 27th session. A founding member of both the Portugal IGF and EuroDIG, Ana has long championed inclusive digital governance. She represents Portugal on ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee and serves on the European Commission’s High-Level Group on Internet Governance. With over 30 years of experience, Ana was recognized as Portuguese CIO/Public Sector of the Year and named European Digital Leader by CIONET in 2018.
The moderator is the facilitator of the session at the event they must attend on-site. Moderators are responsible for including the audience and encouraging a lively interaction among all session attendants. Please make sure the moderator takes a neutral role and can balance between all speakers. Please provide short CV of the moderator of your session at the Wiki or link to another source. 

'''Remote Moderator'''

Trained remote moderators will be assigned by the EuroDIG secretariat to each session. 

'''Reporter'''

The members of the Programme Committee report on the session and formulate messages that are agreed with the audience by consensus.  

Through a cooperation with the [https://www.giplatform.org/ Geneva Internet Platform] AI generated session reports and stats will be available after EuroDIG.

== Current discussion, conference calls, schedules and minutes ==
See the [[{{TALKPAGENAME}} | discussion]] tab on the upper left side of this page. Please use this page to publish:
*dates for virtual meetings or coordination calls
*short summary of calls or email exchange
Please be as open and transparent as possible in order to allow others to get involved and contact you. Use the wiki not only as the place to publish results but also to summarize the discussion process.


'''Agenda for the First Org Team meeting on March 3:'''
#Introductions of Programme Committee and Org Team members
#Summary by Programme Committee members of session’s format, content and objectives
#Next steps for the Org Team  
#Appointment of session Focal Point
#Keynote speaker agreement/suggestions
#Drafting questions for the 45-min interactive discussion and the 15-min messaging approach agreement
#Timeline for agreed actions and scheduling of the next meeting

The summary of the calls and all preparatory details are available [https://docs.google.com/document/d/14QqIya4_W-Sou9XM_LQ8BgQ4UJP11H2mxAhfCtsvnxk/edit?usp=sharing via the public link]

== Messages ==  
*are summarised on a slide and presented to the audience at the end of each session
*relate to the session and to European Internet governance policy
*are forward looking and propose goals and activities that can be initiated after EuroDIG (recommendations)
*are in (rough) consensus with the audience

== Video record ==
Will be provided here after the event.

== Transcript ==
'''''Disclaimer:''' This is not an official record of the session. The DiploAI system automatically generates these resources from the audiovisual recording. Resources are presented in their original format, as provided by the AI (e.g. including any spelling mistakes). The accuracy of these resources cannot be guaranteed.''

[https://dig.watch/event/eurodig2025/main-topic-1-why-the-wsis20-review-matters-and-how-national-and-regional-igfs-can-enhance-stakeholder-participation '''The Geneva Internet Platform will provide transcript, session report and additional details shortly after the session.''']

[[Category:2025]][[Category:Sessions 2025]][[Category:Sessions]][[Category:Main Topic 2025]]