Date: 6–10 December
A number of Diplo and Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) team members will participate in sessions of the 2021 Internet Governance Forum (IGF). IGF 2021, which is hosted by the Government of Poland at the International Congress Center in Katowice, will be held 6–10 December 2021. Additionally, as in previous years, Diplo and the the GIP will be reporting from IGF 2021. Read the reports on the dedicated page.
1. Cyber Stability Games: Learning the Complexities of Technical Attribution (Day 0, Event #41)
Monday, 6th December, 08:30–09:45 UTC (09:30–10:45 CET)
Cyber Stability Games is a capacity-building exercise organised by Diplo and Kaspersky to help professionals who do not have a technical background to learn the complexities of technical attribution. At the beginning of the session, moderators will place players into a simulated fictional reality and provide all the necessary tools: a separate software application for the game/training where action cards and messages are built in, cards with profiles of possible threat actors, and a glossary with technical terms used in the game/training. At the end, moderators will unveil the scenario and, through explaining what actually happened, teach players about the complexities of technical attribution. Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Vladimir Radunovic (Director, Cybersecurity and E-diplomacy, Diplo)
2. Online Knowledge Portals for National Cyber Capacity (Open Forum #28)
Wednesday, 8th December, 08:30–09:30 UTC (09:30–10:30 CET)
Access to knowledge and information on good practices is seen as one of the keys to helping countries strengthen their capacity to tackle cybercrime and cybersecurity risks and protect the benefits of information and communication technology (ICT). In this session, participants and a panel of experts will discuss what is working well, what lessons the community of portals can learn, and what should be done in the future to help users and portal managers. Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Stephanie Borg Psaila (Director, Digital Policy, Diplo; Editor, Digital Watch Observatory, Diplo; Chair, Cybil Steering Committee)
3. Cyber Diplomacy in Africa and Digital Transformation (Workshop #18)
Wednesday, 8th December, 10:15–11:45 UTC (11:15–12:45 CET)
The session will focus on cyber diplomacy for Africa’s senior leadership. This workshop will be a forum to discuss cyber diplomacy in the context of emerging technologies and how well Africa is positioned to adverse her course in addressing global challenges and opportunities in cyberspace. Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Vladimir Radunovic (Director, Cybersecurity and E-diplomacy, Diplo)
4. Strengthening Global Digital Capacity Development (Open Forum #65)
Wednesday, 8th December, 15:20–16:20 UTC (16:20–17:20 CET)
This session will convene high-level subject experts and stakeholders to engage in an interactive discussion with participants on the key actions that have been taken to strengthen global digital capacity-development efforts. In particular, the session will feature the launch of the global Multi-Stakeholder Network (MSN) which will promote holistic and inclusive approaches to digital capacity development for sustainable development, and discuss opportunities for stakeholder engagement. Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Tereza Horejsova (Director, Projects and Partnerships, Diplo)
5. Access to the Open Internet: Benefits, Challenges and Policy Approaches (Open Forum #67)
Wednesday, 8th December, 16:30–17:30 UTC (17:30–18:30 CET)
Access to the Open Internet (OI), not only telecom connectivity, is a key challenge to ensure meaningful connectivity and to bridging the digital divide. Why does access to the OI matter? What are the challenges operators, governments, and end-users face in rolling out and accessing the OI, and how to overcome them? What infrastructures and technologies do we need to boost access to the OI? What are the policy approaches and digital cooperation mechanisms to promote the OI globally? Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Tereza Horejsova (Director, Projects and Partnerships, Diplo)
6. Security of Digital Products: A Coordinated Approach (Workshop #200)
Thursday, 9th December, 09:45–11:15 UTC (10:45–12:15 CET)
The discussion is expected to clarify challenges various stakeholders face in their work related to the security of digital products, and the existing gaps among their efforts. Hopefully, good examples of how certain actors are addressing the identified challenges will also emerge, serving as guidelines to others. At minimum, the discussion will connect various interested actors and ongoing processes. Ideally, it would also suggest a venue for further dialogue between companies and tech communities, standard-setting organisations, national regulators, diplomats, regional and international organisations, as well as academic and civil society groups. Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Vladimir Radunovic (Director, Cybersecurity and E-diplomacy, Diplo)
7. Regulation and the Open, Interoperable, and Interconnected Internet –Challenges and Approaches (Main session)
Thursday, 9th December, 10:15–11:45 UTC (11:15–12:45 CET)
Policymakers at the local, regional, and global level should work to maintain this unique nature of the internet as highlighted also by the UN secretary general in his recent report Our Common Agenda. This main session will highlight regulatory experiences under three main layers of the internet: infrastructure, content, and data aiming to promote collaborative global approaches and best practices. Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Jovan Kurbalija (Executive Director, Diplo; Head, Geneva Internet Platform (GIP))
8. Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (Open Forum #64)
Friday, 10th December, 14:15–15:15 UTC (15:15–16:15 CET)
Global coordination is important to amplify capacity-building efforts and ensure greater effectiveness and efficiency. What are the good cybersecurity practices and international mechanisms that already exist? Where do those mechanisms fall short, and what can be done to strengthen security and reinforce trust? Event link on IGF website.
Participating: Katarina Anđelković (Head, Knowledge Ecology, Diplo)
