[WSIS CS-Plenary] Invitation: CoE/UNECE/APC Stakeholder Consultation, 23 May 2008

[karen banks]

Dear all,

Please find below an announcement about a 
workshop co-hosted by the Council of Europe, the 
UNECE and APC - on public participation in 
internet governance - to be held during the WSIS 
series of events on May 23rd at the ITU

We are particuarly interested to hear from people 
outside the UNECE region who might contribute as speakers or discussants.

Many thanks

karen
====

Dear Sir/Madam:

On behalf of the organizers, the UNECE ICT Group 
for Development is pleased to invite you to 
participate in the following event, being held 
within the context of the Cluster of World Summit 
on the Information Society-related events, 13-30 May 2008, in Geneva.

Stakeholder Consultation on Public Participation in Internet Governance:
Towards a code of good practice building on the 
principles of WSIS and the Aarhus Convention
23 May 2008, 14:00-17:00, Room C2 – International 
Telecommuniications Union Headquarters, Geneva

The Stakeholder Consultation is being jointly 
organized by the Council of Europe, United 
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 
and the Association for Progressive 
Communications (APC). Attached please find an 
information note concerning this event. [included below also as text]

Please note that due to limited resources, the 
United Nations would not be able to fund your participation.

To register online for the event, please see 
http://www.itu.int/wtisd/2008/events/index.html. 
For more information, see 
http://www.unece.org/env/pp/related.htm or 
contact public.participation at unece.org.

====

The Stakeholder Consultation on Public 
Participation in Internet Governance will discuss 
the results of the exploratory research into a 
“Code of good practice on public participation, 
access to information and transparency in 
Internet governance”, undertaken through a 
trilateral initiative of the Council of Europe, 
the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 
(UNECE) and the Association for Progressive 
Communications (APC), initiated at the 2nd 
Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janeiro in November 2007.

The aim of the proposed “Code of good practice on 
public participation, access to information and 
transparency in Internet governance” would be to 
enable all the institutions which play a role in 
some aspect of governing the Internet to commit 
to ensuring transparency, public participation 
(of all stakeholders) and access to information in Internet governance.

The objective of the consultation is to present 
some initial research, consider the purpose and 
scope of the proposed instrument and discuss with 
panellists and participants its possible 
opportunities, limitations and risks. Any related 
initiatives in the field of Internet governance, 
such as on participatory issues, human rights 
including freedom of expression, content control, 
as well as the proposed Internet Bill of Rights, 
should be discussed and analysed with respect to 
their compatibility or complementarity with the proposed instrument.

The consultation also aims to identify other 
interested stakeholders from different 
stakeholder groups with a view to associating 
them with the initiative. It will lay the 
groundwork for a proposed workshop to be held at 
the 3rd Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in 
Hyderabad, India, 3-6 December 2008, which will 
present a concrete proposal for the envisaged Code of Good Practice.

Programme:

Chairperson:

Ms. Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director, 
Association for Progressive Communications (APC)

Speakers:

Prof. David Souter, Department of Communication 
and Media, London School of Economics (Consultant expert)

Dr. Michael Remmert, Project Manager, “Good 
Governance in the Information Society”, 
Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs, Council of Europe

Mr. Michael Stanley-Jones, Environmental Affairs 
Officer, UNECE secretariat to the Convention on 
Access to Information, Public Participation in 
Decision-making and Access to Justice in 
Environmental Matters (“Aarhus Convention”)

Discussants:

Ms. Karen Banks, Network Development Manager, 
Association for Progressive Communications (APC)

Dr. William Drake, Director, Project on the 
Information Revolution and Global Governance/PSIO, Graduate Institute
of International and Development Studies, Geneva

Ms. Donata Rugarabamu, Senior Legal Officer, 
Secretariat of the Basel Convention, United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) (invited)

Additional speakers and discussants are being 
sought from outside the UNECE region. Please 
contact Michael Stanley-Jones (e-mail: 
michael.stanley-jones at unece.org) for further details.

For more information, please see the Council of 
Europe press release 782 (2007) of 13 November 2007.
https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1210975&Site=DC&ShowBanner=no&Target=_self&BackColorInternet=F5CA75&BackColorIntranet=F5CA75&BackColorLogged=A9BACE

See also the Aarhus Convention website.
http://www.unece.org/env/pp/related.htm
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