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IGF 2024 WS #157 Driving MS Engagement: Lessons from Lebanon and Canada

    Organizer 1: Chafic Chaya, Lebanon IGF
    Organizer 2: Sabrina Wilkinson, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
    Organizer 3: David Bedard, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    Organizer 4: Dana Cramer, Individual

    Speaker 1: Maha Zouwayhed, Academic, Asia-Pacific Group
    Speaker 2: Mirna El Hajj Barbar, Intergovernmental Organization
    Speaker 3: Charles Noir, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Speaker 4: David Bedard, Government, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
    Speaker 5: Dana Cramer, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Moderator

    Chafic Caya, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Online Moderator

    Dana Cramer, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Rapporteur

    Sabrina Wilkinson, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Format

    Classroom
    Duration (minutes): 90
    Format description: It will be a 90-minute roundtable. This highly engaging and interactive session format promotes open discussions and facilitates the exchange of ideas among speakers, onsite and online moderators, speakers, and participants. This roundtable provides a meaningful opportunity for stakeholders to come together and share their knowledge, experiences, and insights.

    Policy Question(s)

    1. What are the key factors that contribute to successful multistakeholder (MS) engagement in Internet governance?
    2. How can lessons from Lebanon and Canada be applied to other regions to enhance MS collaboration?
    3. What are the primary challenges in implementing MS engagement, and how can they be addressed?
    4. How can MS engagement contribute to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs)?

    What will participants gain from attending this session?

    1. Insights and Knowledge: Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategies and practices that have been successful in Lebanon and Canada for driving MS engagement.
    2. Best Practices and Recommendations: Attendees will learn actionable strategies and best practices that they can implement in their own regions or organisations to enhance MS collaboration.
    3. Networking Opportunities: The session will provide a platform for participants to connect with experts and stakeholders in the field of Internet governance, fostering potential partnerships and collaborations.
    4. Tools for Overcoming Challenges: By discussing the challenges and opportunities in MS engagement, participants will be better equipped to address similar issues in their contexts.

    Description:
    With speakers drawing on experiences from their respective stakeholder groups, this workshop will bring together insights from Lebanon and Canada to explore how multistakeholder (MS) engagement can shape our digital future. By examining Lebanon's Internet governance path and Canadian lessons with global applications, we aim to highlight effective strategies and best practices for fostering collaboration and innovation in Internet governance. 

    Expected Outcomes

    - A comprehensive understanding of how Lebanon and Canada have successfully driven MS engagement.
    - A set of best practices and recommendations for other regions and countries to enhance their MS engagement.
    - Strengthened networks and partnerships among stakeholders in the field of Internet governance.

    Hybrid Format: Moderators and speakers will actively engage with both the in-person and online audience members.  Moderators and speakers will use various online interactive tools such as real-time question and answers, and presentations to ensure equal attention is given to both virtual and physical participants.

    Agenda

    1. Introduction and Welcome (5 minutes)
    2. Setting the Scene: Lebanon and Canada’s multistakeholder paths to the Internet We Want (30 minutes)
    3. Interactive Panel Discussion (online and onsite): Challenges, opportunities and best practices for MS Engagement (50 minutes)
    4. Closing remarks (5 minutes)

    Key Takeaways (* deadline at the end of the session day)

    Studying multistakeholder initiatives in different regional and local contexts can help us develop best practices to better drive engagement. Lessons can be learned from the complexities of fostering multistakeholder engagement in a diverse, nonstable and politically sensitive environment. We can also learn from well-established multistakeholder processes.

    Technology can play a key role in leveraging enhancing multistakeholder engagement and has specific uses to different stakeholder groups. In particular, research and education can inform multistakeholder dialogues, and technology can bridge gaps in knowledge and access.

    Call to Action (* deadline at the end of the session day)

    Among other initiatives, we should build trust and create open communication channels between stakeholders and build capacity to empower smaller or less experienced groups to participate effectively.