Open Consultation Process on Shaping the Themes and Format of the WSIS Forum 2018

The annual WSIS Forum is a global multi-stakeholder platform facilitating the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines for advancing sustainable development. The Forum is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line co-/facilitators and other UN organizations (UNDESA, FAO, UNEP, WHO, UN Women, WIPO, WFP, ILO, WMO, ITC, UPU, UNODC, UNICEF, UNIDO,UNHCR and UN Regional Commissions). It provides an opportunity for information exchange, knowledge creation and sharing of best practices, while identifying emerging trends and fostering partnerships, taking into account the evolving Information and Knowledge Societies.

In follow up to the outcomes of the UN General Assembly Overall Review of the Implementation of WSIS Outcomes (Res. A/70/125) and with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Res. A/70/1), the WSIS Forum is constantly evolving and strengthening the alignment between the WSIS Action Lines and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The WSIS Forum is the only event of its kind where the programme and agenda are completely crowdsourced. Therefore, as organizers, ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP, are pleased to announce the Open Consultation Process on thematic aspects and innovations on the format of the WSIS Forum 2018. The process aims at ensuring a participatory and inclusive spirit of the Forum, scheduled to be held from 19-23 March at ITU in Geneva. This process actively engages governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, the technical community and intergovernmental organizations in the preparatory process to ensure broad ownership and further improvements of the Forum.

The Open Consultation Process will include a collection of inputs from regional and national WSIS related events and the physical meetings of the Open Consultation Process will benefit from remote participation.

Open Consultation Phases

The Open Consultation Process for the WSIS Forum 2018 is structured in five phases as follows:

Invitation

Invitation Letter

Phase I

Launch of the OCP

19 September 2017

Phase II

1st Physical Meeting

20 December 2017

Phase III

2nd Physical Meeting

24 January 2018

Phase IV

Deadline for Submissions

30 January 2018

Phase V

Final Brief

19 February 2018

Outcomes

Outcomes and Analysis of OCP

Phase I: Launch of the open consultations

19 September 2017

The launch of the open consultations will take place on Tuesday 19 September 2017, 17:00–18:00 in Room H at the ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. Remote participation facilities will be available for this meeting.

Online dialogues

Launch of online dialogues on the WSIS Knowledge Communities

Official submissions

Stakeholders are invited to make official submissions to the WSIS Secretariat for the Open Consultation Process. | Deadline: 30 January 2018

  • Share your views the thematic aspects and innovations on the format of the forum
  • Recommend speakers
  • Request thematic workshops
  • Request exhibition stalls
Open Call for High-Level Track Facilitators

Call for Major Stakeholder Coordination Mechanisms following the WSIS Process to Identify and Nominate High-Level Track Facilitators (HLTF) for the WSIS Forum 2018. | Deadline: 30 January 2018

Launch of the WSIS Photo Contest 2018

Participate in building a collage of photographs from around the world demonstrating how ICTs are playing an enabling role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Three winning entries will be awarded and presented at the WSIS Forum 2018. | Deadline: 9 February 2018

Phase II: 1st Physical Meeting

20 December 2017

The 1st Physical Meeting of the open consultations will take place on Wednesday 20 December 2017, 10:10–11:10 in Room XII at United Nations Office at Geneva, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. Remote participation facilities will be available for this meeting.

Phase III: 2nd Physical Meeting

24 January 2018

The 2nd Physical Meeting of the open consultations will took place on Wednesday 24 January 2018, 17:00–18:00 in Room H at the ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. Remote participation facilities were available for this meeting.

Phase V: Final Brief

19 February 2018

The Final Brief meeting of the open consultations will take place on Monday 19 February 2018, 15:00–16:00 in Room H at the ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. Remote participation facilities will be available for this meeting.

Outcomes and Analysis of Open Consultations

All stakeholders were invited to contribute their inputs towards shaping the themes and format of the WSIS Forum 2018 through the online official submission form and physical meetings. The ITU-WSIS Secretariat received more than 250 submissions containing proposals on the thematic aspects and innovations on the format of the WSIS Forum 2018, including requests for partnerships, workshops, exhibition spaces and so on.

Submissions by Stakeholder Type

Submissions by Stakeholder Type

Submissions by Region

Submissions by Region

*Please note that about half of submissions from Western Europe came from the headquarters of International Organizations.