Open Consultation Process on Shaping the Themes and Format of WSIS Forum 2019

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 2019. The process aims at ensuring a participatory and inclusive spirit of the Forum, scheduled to be held from 8-12 April 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 for the WSIS Forum 2019 is structured in five phases and will include a collection of inputs from regional and national WSIS related events. The physical meetings of the Open Consultation Process will benefit from remote participation.

Open Consultation Phases

The Open Consultation Process for the WSIS Forum 2019 is structured in five phases as follows:

Outcomes and Analysis of Open Consultations

All stakeholders were invited to contribute their inputs towards shaping the themes and format of the WSIS Forum 2019 through the online official submission form and physical meetings. The ITU-WSIS Secretariat received more than 300 submissions containing proposals on the thematic aspects and innovations on the format of the WSIS Forum 2019, including requests for partnerships, workshops, exhibition spaces and so on.

Phase V: Final Brief

8 March 2019

The Final Brief meeting of the open consultations took place on Friday 8 March 2019, 14h00 – 16h00 at ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. Remote participation facilities were made available for this meeting.

Phase III: 2nd Physical Meeting

31 January 2019

The 2nd Physical Meeting of the open consultations took place on Thursday 31 January 2019, 16h00 – 17h30 at ITU Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. Remote participation facilities were made available for this meeting.

Phase II: 1st Physical Meeting

12 November 2018

The 1st Physical Meeting of the open consultations took place on Monday 12 November 2018, 12h20 – 13h20 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France. Remote participation facilities were made available for this meeting.

Phase I: Virtual launch of the open consultations

2 July 2018

The virtual launch of the open consultations took place on Monday 2 July 2018, 14:30–15:30 CEST. Stakeholders were invited to participate remotely through the remote participation facilities for this meeting listed below.