[Icann-see] (Deadline extended: 31 July) Future of SEEDIG: call for comments

[Sorina Teleanu]

Dear all,

I would like to start by thanking all those who have responded to the call for input of the future of SEEDIG. In total, we have received comments from nine members of this list. In all these nine comments there was strong support for a SEEDIG 2016 meeting, as well as for continuing to have strong connections between SEEDIG and EuroDIG, irrespective of whether SEEDIG 2016 is organised in conjunction with EuroDIG 2016 or as a stand-alone event (there seems to be a balanced support for both options at this point).

While this input is encouraging and valuable, we consider it is hardly sufficient for us to make a decision on how SEEDIG 2016 should look like, given that the list now has 70 members.

Therefore, we are extending the deadline for comments until Friday, 31 July. And we would like to reinforce our kind request to all members of this list to share your views on the email below and help us shape the future of SEEDIG. Your input will be much appreciated.

Thank you!

Best regards,

Sorina
(on behalf of the executive committee)


________________________________
De la: Sorina Teleanu
Trimis: 6 iulie 2015 09:28
Către: icann-see at rnids.rs
Cc: see at intgovforum.org
Subiect: Future of SEEDIG: call for comments

Dear all,

On behalf of the SEEDIG executive committee, I am writing to you with regards to the future of SEEDIG, and, more specifically, a potential SEEDIG 2016 meeting.

As you know, SEEDIG 2015 was organised in conjunction with the eighth EuroDIG, for several reasons. The most important ones were related to the fact that EuroDIG itself was held in the SEE region, and that we had an opportunity to create some connections between SEE Internet governance-related realities and the pan-European debates. The funds allocated from the EuroDIG budget (for logistics, catering, travel support, as detailed in our report), as well as the general support from EuroDIG Secretariat for a first SEEDIG meeting have been equally important.

I. Key questions
As there seems to be at least a majority of views that SEEDIG should continue (and not remain a one time event), we need to determine how this moving forward should/could actually happen.
The two main questions that we now need to ask ourselves are the following:

A. Should a SEEDIG 2016 meeting be held again in conjunction with the EuroDIG meeting to be hosted in Brussels?
OR
B. Should a SEEDIG 2016 meeting be held in the SEE region, as a stand-alone event?

II. Issues to consider
However, determining how SEEDIG 2016 would look like is not just a matter of picking a location, as there are several important issues that need to be considered before making a decision:

  1.  participation (attendance at the meeting) and influencing factors (travel costs, travel funds, etc.);

  2.  financial resources /sponsors;

  3.  host for the meeting (including broad-based stakeholder conditions in the host country);

  4.  partners/supporters;

  5.  maintaining linkages between SEE and the wider Europe.


III. Possible approach
Drawing on several informal discussions held with some of you in the weeks following SEEDIG (including the ICANN meeting in Buenos Aires), one possible approach for SEEDIG 2016 could be to:

  *   keep the SEEDIG and EuroDIG preparatory processes together, but have the SEEDIG meeting organised somewhere in the region, at a time that precedes the EuroDIG meeting.

III.1. Implications
In practical terms, the approach above would mean that:

  1.  The call for proposals for topics for SEEDIG and EuroDIG 2016 are launched at the same time (October until December 2015), as part of a single process.

  2.  SEEDIG is represented at the EuroDIG preparatory meeting. A preparatory meeting for SEEDIG is also intended to be held in the host country (for the purpose of checking the logistics and related issues).

  3.  SEEDIG-related content continues to be hosted on the EuroDIG website and wiki.

  4.  SEEDIG takes place in a country within SEE and the neighbouring area, some time before the EuroDIG meeting, and becomes an integrated milestone in the EuroDIG preparatory process. Results should feed directly into the EuroDIG session planning process and become an inclusive part of the EuroDIG programme. SEEDIG could actually be the place to prepare, inter alia, a SEE-focused session at EuroDIG.

III.2. Advantages
Such an approach would have several advantages, among which:

  1.  SEEDIG, as a meeting, remains in the region. This would respond to the concerns raised by some of you with regards to both the difficulty for most stakeholders in SEE to attend an event outside the region, as well as to a potentially limited relevance of having a SEE event held in Western Europe. And it could/should encourage significant participation from within the region, given that the travel costs involved are expected to be self-manageable by many potential participants.

  2.  SEEDIG and EuroDIG remain interlinked, thus responding to the need to ensure that the voices of SEE stakeholders go beyond the SEE region and that the pan-European debates on Internet governance are also considering SEE concerns.

  3.  SEEDIG continues to benefit from support from EuroDIG (in terms of preparatory process, hosting content and funding for some SEE attendees to participate in the EuroDIG meeting), and, possibly, its partners, thus gaining more recognition within the Internet governance ecosystem.


III.3. Challenges
There are, of course, a number of challenges that would need to be dealt with, in the case of this approach being taken forward:

  1.  Financial resources. SEEDIG will need to have its own budget, and, thus engage in fund raising activities, including within the region. Additionally, legal issues will have to be considered, such as: setting up a bank account, responsibility and liability in terms of managing contracts, invoices, reporting on the finances (i.e. what entity would do this?), etc.

  2.  Keeping the SEEDIG 2015 supporters as partners. We would need to finding a way to enhance such partnerships, as they would demonstrate that SEEDIG is backed by others and does not try to isolate itself from other entities and processes in the Internet governance ecosystem. Having this kind of institutional support would also help us when approaching possible sponsors.

  3.  Ensuring that the linkages with EuroDIG mean more than just having SEEDIG messages presented at EuroDIG. Finding a way to bring a significant number of SEE participants to EuroDIG (in addition to them participating in SEEDIG) and to actively involve them in the EuroDIG process and meeting is an important aspect to consider. (More travel and time resources will be needed.)

  4.  Identifying a host. During the discussions in Buenos Aires, Serbia/Belgrade was mentioned as a possible location, given that the country has a working multistakeholder Internet governance model in place and this can be useful as an example for participants in SEEDIG. In addition, another argument invoked for having the next SEEDIG meeting in Serbia was related to the experience the various entities in the country have in organising/hosting Internet governance events (EuroDIG 2011, DIDS, etc.).

  5.  Human resources to run the preparatory process. Organising SEEDIG as a stand-alone event would require more efforts, both in terms of logistics and programme. The organising group would, therefore, need to be reinforced, and more volunteers would have to be involved in the process.


IV. Call for comments
Given all of the above, you are all kindly invited to provide your input with regards to the future of SEEDIG, in the form of comments, suggestions, support for or disagreement with the aforementioned possible approach, etc., until Friday, 31 July 2015. Please send your input to this mailing list and to see at intgovforum.org.

All input will be compiled by the executive committee, shared with the list, and further discussed at a virtual meeting, to be held after the above-mentioned deadline (details to be communicated later). It is expected that a final decision  regarding the approach for a SEEDIG 2016 meeting (questions at point I.A and B above) will be taken at this virtual meeting. Once this decision is made, further discussions will be held with regards to the preparatory process for SEEDIG 2016.

Thank you and we are looking forward to your feedback.

Best regards,

Sorina
(on behalf of the executive committee)


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Sorina Teleanu
Parliamentary assistant
Chamber of Deputies
Parliament of Romania
2-4 Izvor Street, Bucharest, Romania
Tel: +40 21 414 1842