The Generation Connect European Youth Envoys João Pedro Martins from Portugal, Marko Paloski from North Macedonia, Natálie Terčová from Czechia, and Emilia Zalewska-Czajczyńska from Poland attended and represent the youth voice at the IGF 2023 conference.
The 18th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum was hosted by the Government of Japan in Kyoto from 8 to 12 October 2023. The Forum's overarching theme was: The Internet We Want - Empowering All People. The IGF is a global multistakeholder platform that facilitates the discussion of public policy issues pertaining to the Internet. More information to be found here: https://www.intgovforum.org/en.
The experience of GC-EUR youth envoys at the event was enriching, as they engaged in discussions on various topics related to internet governance and the role of youth in shaping the digital future.
João Pedro Martins as co-moderator of "Youth participation: co-creating the Insafe network" and "YCIG Advancing Youth Participation in IG: results from the case study”, played an important role in promoting the importance of youth voices and sharing valuable insights about the IGF youth-led session proposal process that he coordinated. During his involvement as a speaker at "European Parliament Delegation to the IGF & the Youth IGF" and "Youth-Driven Tech: Empowering Next-Gen Innovators" he emphasized the global significance of youth engagement in shaping the digital future. As the session organizer of the "IGF Youth Summit" and coordinator of the "Youth Social Event to the IGF," he demonstrated leadership in providing platforms for youth to collaborate, share ideas, and foster a sense of community. Furthermore, his podcast participation for the Youth IGF movement expanded the reach of the message.
"As a young representative at Internet Governance forums, I know that our participation is vital for shaping a better internet. We bring the youth perspective, ensuring our unique concerns are heard and addressed. By engaging, we gain the knowledge to be responsible digital citizens and the power to influence policies, advocate for digital rights, and foster innovation. Through collaboration with diverse stakeholders, we're bridging gaps and demanding for digital inclusion. These experiences have not only empowered us but also fueled a sense of responsibility for the digital age. Together, we're connecting the dots, creating synergies, and advancing the development of a more inclusive, secure, and innovative internet."
- João Pedro Martins
Marko Paloski spoke at the session on “Worldwide Web of Youth: Cooperation for Enlightenment”, where he highlighted youth opportunities, such as ITU Generation Connect program. He then took part at the “Internet Society’s Collaborative Leadership Exchange” and “Building Bridges: ISOC Youth and Alumni Networking” from the position as a mentor of the new ISOC Youth Ambassadors group, and last but not least he was part of the IGF NRI main collaboration session as Coordinator of IGF MKD where discussion was “What is the future of IGF?”, alongside with the IGF secretariat.
“IGF is a platform for discussion, but the best part is outside the sessions where the networking and the real discussion and collaboration happens. With that being said, youths are very important to be present from all regions! We can see that over the years the IGF secretariat is listening to the youths and improving the mechanism to bring and include more youths, not just to be present but also to participate actively in the processes and sessions. Now that we are included, we need to work more on in the following years to add more meaningful contributions and engagements where youths can bring and lead many discussions to the table. It is always a pleasure to be part of IGF especially to represent the youths from Europe.”
Natálie Terčová served as a rapporteur at the high-level panel „The Declaration for the Future of the Internet: Principles to Action'' and at the panel session „Digital Sovereignty: Regulation, Protectionism, and Fragmentation.“ She then participated alongside João Pedro Martins as a panellist at “Open Forum: European Parliament Delegation to the IGF & the Youth IGF'' where she spoke about the need for strengthening the digital skills of children and adolescent and highlighted that we should aim for multistakeholder approach and youth involvement in decision-making processes and research. Natálie also appeared live on the conference's official YouthIGF podcast alongside Christopher Painter, President of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation. They discussed the development of AI, the digital skills of youth and their overall impressions of the impact of this year's IGF.
“It is a great pleasure for me to participate in a conference like the IGF alongside experts, academics, policymakers and especially inspiring young people. I believe it is important that youth voices are actively heard in such environments and no less directly in the decision-making process. At the same time, as someone who works in academia, I find it highly beneficial to delve into policymaking processes and look at certain phenomena and variables from a different angle than just data in statistical models. My aspiration is to continue to bridge the worlds of academic science and policymaking as I believe that only through effective collaboration can we reach the best outcomes.”
Emilia Zalewska-Czajczyńska moderated a session on ”AI governance and competition: a research presentation.” It was focused on the explanation of the main conclusions from the research conducted by Veronica Piccolo, PhD. The session consisted of the presentation and Q&A part.
“The IGF has played a special role in my professional development - it has taught me more about the policymaking processes and digital affairs than any university or course could. Not to mention the networking and public speaking skills it helped me to gain. The influence of the IGF on my career makes me believe that it is crucial to allow as many youth as possible to have this chance to participate meaningfully in this event. The Internet needs the next generation of leaders to become more open and sustainable than ever. I am very glad that this year I had the opportunity to meet youths who are already “veterans” and have impressive experience and knowledge of the IGF, as well as newcomers who brought enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. From year to year the youth engagement in the IG community flourishes and it is a wonderful thing to observe.”
- Emilia Zalewska-Czajczyńska
Generation Connect Europe youth envoys with this activity have showcased and underscored the significance of youth engagement within global events such as the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the importance of the youth voices in shaping our digital future.
