UNESCO is organising an international multistakeholder conference to discuss the first draft of the Comprehensive Study on Internet-related issues. This major global study will capture and explore global perspectives on the new and emerging trends that are shaping the Internet space and our future. The meeting will propose recommendations for responses to Internet-related issues in UNESCO’s fields of competence.

The conference is a multistakeholder event attracting participants from governments, civil society, academia, private sector, the technical community, inter-governmental and thought leaders in the Internet Governance space.

Anja Kovacs is a panelist in break-out session 15, ​‘Options for Future Action — 1’, which will take place on 4 March 2015, 11.15−12.30 am.

The session is moderated by Guy Berger, Director, Freedom of Expression and Media Development, UNESCO. Fellow panelists include:

• Izumi Aizu, Executive Director, The Institute for HyperNetwork Society

• Eileen Donahoe, Director of Global Affairs, Human Rights Watch

• Frank La Rue, Director, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center

• Maryant Fernández, Advocacy Manager, European Digital Rights

Xianhong Hu, Programme Specialist, Freedom of Expression and Media Development, UNESCO, is the rapporteur for the session.

About the study 

The transnational and multi-dimensional nature of Cyberspace and its growing importance presents new frontiers with unparalleled opportunities and challenges for access to information and knowledge, freedom of expression, privacy and ethics.

The Internet Study being undertaken by UNESCO is seeking to provide the necessary clarity to support holistic approaches to addressing this broad range of interrelated issues as well as their short and long-term effects.

Background

The conference is part of UNESCO’s response in support of the decision taken by its 195 Member States. Through Resolution 52, adopted in 2013 at the 37^th session of UNESCO’s General Conference, Member States called for a comprehensive and consultative multi-stakeholder study on Internet-related issues within UNESCO’s fields of competence.

The broad reflections and recommendations that will emerge from the conference will also inform the work of the 196^th session of UNESCO’s Executive Board during its April 2015 meetings. The final outcomes of the entire study process will be presented to the 38^th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in November 2015.

This UNESCO study, its findings, recommendations and the partnerships mobilized represent an important contribution to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) +10 Review process and the post-2015 international development agenda.