DiploNews – Issue 251 – 6 May 2014

Webinar – Geneva Briefing on Internet Governance

The Geneva Briefing on Internet Governance takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. If you would like to get a regular zoomed-out update on global IG and digital policies developments, join us online for the next webinar briefing from Geneva within the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP): Tuesday, 6th May 2014 at 13.00 CET. We will reflect on April’s ‘minefield’ of IG developments, including:

• Net neutrality: The European Parliament adopted the Regulation on the Single Telecoms Market, with strong net neutrality provisions. How will this impact global net neutrality debates?
• The IANA transition: The NTIA announced a call for public input and provided more information on the transition process within.
• NETmundial: What were the main outcomes and what is the expected follow-up? *
• The ITU: The outcomes of the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2014 which took place in Dubai, and the Open Consultation meeting in Geneva for the WSIS+10 High Level Event.
• Freedom Online Conference: What were the main issues raised?
• The GIP: Highlights from the official launch of the GIP that took place in Geneva, updates on the just-in-time online course in IG, and results of the data-mining analysis of NETmundial contributions along with the potential of this approach.

Geneva Workshop on Diplomatic Reporting in the Internet Era

Close to 100 international meetings, negotiations, and discussions are held every working day in Geneva. These are attended by diplomats, experts and representatives of civil society, and business people, all of whom must report back to their governments, organisations, or companies. The volume of person-hours and reporting is enormous. This workshop aims to increase the quality and efficiency of such reporting and help communities and individuals worldwide to follow Geneva-based meetings and negotiations.

The workshop focusses on the critical skills required for both traditional and Internet-based reporting to ensure effective, user-friendly communication. It includes exercises on conscious listening, language use, structure and style of written reports, preparing concise summaries, and new media. The workshop takes place 15 – 16 May, 2014, in Geneva. Please register online as soon as possible to reserve your place.

Small and Developing Country Scholarship Fund: We need your help!

Diplo is launching a crowdfunding campaign to establish a scholarship fund for small and developing countries. You know the value of our work in helping to strengthen the voices of small and developing states at international conferences and negotiations, to enable them to better represent national needs and interests. We want to build this fund because we know the impact of scholarships for many people who couldn’t otherwise participate in Diplo’s programmes. Yet the financial resources available to provide this support are reducing, as donor priorities change. You can help:

• Make a donation. Donations do not have to be large – even 10 USD will make a difference.
• Help us share the news about our campaign widely. You can share it on Facebook or Twitter, and through any other networks. If you know people who share our vision, and can us to establish this fund, please tell them about Diplo and our campaign.

For more information or to make a donation please visit our fundraising campaign page. Thank you for your participation!

Book presentation: Peacetime Regime for State Activities in Cyberspace

The Geneva Internet Platform and the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence invite you to the presentation of a new publication: Peacetime Regime for State Activities in Cyberspace. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the publication covers the technical, legal, policy, and diplomacy aspects of state activities in cyberspace during peacetime. It consists of 23 chapters of an academic nature, elaborated by 24 authors specialising in their respective areas of expertise.

Discussing Internet governance

After months of preparation, the Global Multistakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance, also known as NETmundial, took place in São Paulo on 23-24 April. Diplo’s IG expert Vladimir Radunovic summarised the findings of Diplo’s data-mining analysis in Predicting NETmundial: What does data-mining the contributions tell us? and compiled a list of commonly used terms during the NETmundial debate in Watch out for the wording: a NETmundial vocabulary. In What links Fernand Braudel, NETmundial, and São Paulo? Diplo director Dr Jovan Kurbalija makes a connection between the NETmundial meeting and the host country through Fernand Braudel, a French historian and one of founders of the Universidade de São Paulo.

In Day 1 at NETmundial: Rejecting mass surveillance, fostering net neutrality, Pete Cranston shares insights from Dr Kurbalija and Mr Radunovic who reported live from Brazil, as well as speeches and reports by others who were present. In Why NETmundial mattered and what was achieved, he rounds up the meeting’s outcomes.

A roundup of reflections on the NETmundial meeting is available here, while exclusive coverage, analysis and full reports are available on a NETmundial-dedicated webpage of the recently launched Geneva Internet Platform.

On Diplo’s IG community platform, in What does your country/language group know about NETmundial? Deirdre Williams calls on the community for links to local media reports, while Javier Rodriguez writes about the outcomes of NETmundial in Stop the presses! No consensus at NetMundial!

Follow more IG-related news and discussions on Diplo’s Internet governance channel, and on Diplo’s IG community blog roll.

Geneva Internet Platform: Exclusive coverage of NETmundial

The NETmundial meeting (São Paulo, 23-24 April 2014) focused on crafting IG principles and proposing a roadmap for the further evolution of  IG. The GIP provided just-in-time analytical coverage of the NETmundial.

Summer online courses

The summer is a great time to focus on professional development with our online courses starting the week of 21 July:

• Diplomatic Law: Privileges and Immunities
• Multilateral Diplomacy
• 21st Century Diplomacy
• Infrastructure and Critical Internet Resources

Apply by 19 May for University of Malta accredited courses and by 16 June for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses above, or visit our courses website. Register now to reserve your place.

Sign up for our courses mailing list to be informed about upcoming courses.

Capacity development consultancy

The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) is seeking a Capacity Development Specialist for a short term consultancy in Rome, Italy. The Capacity Development Specialist will conduct an audit of IDLO’s Capacity Development Approach in its programmatic work and provide recommendations for the future. To read more and apply please visit the IDLO employment opportunites page.