The 18th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will be hosted by the Government of Japan in Kyoto from 8 to 12 October 2023. The Commission will be participating in a number of panels on key internet policy issues, and Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová will attend the forum and deliver opening remarks for the Commission at its event on the Declaration for the Future of the Internet.
The overarching theme this year IGF is ”The Internet We Want — Empowering All People.”
As the host country, Japan aims to strengthen the connection between the G7 and the IGF by simultaneously taking on the G7 Presidency and hosting the forum.
18th annual IGF programme will develop around the following sub-themes:
- AI & Emerging Technologies
- Avoiding Internet Fragmentation
- Cybersecurity, Cybercrime & Online Safety
- Data Governance & Trust
- Digital Divides & Inclusion
- Global Digital Governance & Cooperation
- Human Rights & Freedoms
- Sustainability & Environment
On 8 and 9 October, the programme will feature a high-level track focused on today’s most pressing digital topics. These include:
- Evolving Trends in Mis- & Dis-Information
- Looking ahead to WSIS+20: Accelerating the Multistakeholder Process
- Access & Innovation for Revitalising the SDGs
- Understanding ‘Data Free Flow with Trust’
The high-level sessions will bring together leaders from governments, the private sector, the technical community and civil society to discuss the opportunities, risks and governance implications of a rapidly changing digital environment.
The IGF’s traditional high-level opening ceremony will also take place on October 9.
The European Commission at the IGF
The European Commission is planning a robust presence at IGF 2023 as a strong supporter of the multistakeholder dialogue on Internet Governance.
It is organising the following events:
Day 0: Sunday 8 October 2023
- The Declaration for the Future of the Internet: Principles to Action Host Country - (09:00 - 12:30 JST)
This Day 0 event is co-organised by the US, the EU, Japan and Kenya and will feature high-level introductory remarks followed by breakout sessions. It is aimed at identifying how governments can work with the multistakeholder community to bring about the Declaration for the Future of the Internet's 5 principles. Commission Vice-President Vera Jourova will deliver opening remarks for the session on-site.
Day 1: Monday 9 October 2023
- Cooperation for a Green Digital Future (17:15 - 18:15 JST)
Day 2: Tuesday 10 October 2023
- INTPA Open Forum: How to enhance participation and cooperation of CSOs in/with multistakeholder IG forums (14:45 - 16:15 JST)
Day 3: Wednesday 11 October 2023
- The Virtual Worlds we want: Governance of the future web (15:15 - 16:45 JST)
These interactive panel sessions are designed to allowof different stakeholders to participate and share their perspectives on the key issues discussed in each of the sessions. The sessions will welcome stakeholders representing both the public and the private sectors from different geographic regions, including developed and developing countries. The main objective is thus to provide a platform for a multistakeholder constructive dialogue.