Diplo fellows at the Internet Governance Forum

I’m reflecting on the annual IGF meeting which took place two weeks ago, thinking about all the discussions that took place during workshops, the conversations that followed, and the new initiatives that will break ground as a result.

Every year, hundreds of delegates swarm to this meeting. For some, the conference is a regular event; for others, it’s a first-time experience.

It was also a first-time experience for most of the Diplo fellows who participated in this year’s IGF. Thanks to our sponsors, VeriSign and the Central European Initiative, Diplo was able to award fellowships to some of the best IGCBP and IG workshops participants this year.

In Baku, our fellows participated in workshops, listened to key stakeholders, and talked about issues they felt were a priority to their region or country. They then wrote about their experiences, discussions, and lessons learned, and shared their blog posts with the online IG community. For example, Sarah Kiden looks at the key challenges and best practices on freedom of expression online; Grace Githaiga talks about women and technology, economic and societal opportunities; Trevor Phipps takes a look into the future following the IGF; Aida Mahmutović talks about access and online freedom of expression in light of what was said during the IGF closing ceremony; and Thomas Kizito Mayengo talks about the multiplier effect principle for sustainable Internet governance capacity building. Read more blog posts here.

In the video interviews that follow, our fellows talk about their experience, what they have learnt, and the top issues that were raised during this year’s IGF.

Delegates attend the IGF to discuss important issues that affect the Internet and its users. We are especially proud of the Diplo fellows who made the most of the conference and took home lessons, experiences, and new ideas, which they are now sharing with their colleagues and organisations.