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Modern international relations has shown that traditional diplomatic processes are not sufficient for addressing complex new issues such as health, environmental protection and trade. Increasingly, other actors are becoming involved, beyond the traditional national states and international organisations. One of the most complex issues on the international agenda today is ICT and the Information Society, as demonstrated by the recent World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and related events. This issue is both
multi-disciplinary (encompassing various fields including technology, economy, impact on society, regulatory and legal issues and governance) and
multistakeholder (involving various actors including states, international organisations, civil society and the private sector).
This conference will examine the multistakeholder approach to diplomacy in general, with particular focus on the role and impact of various stakeholders in the WSIS process. The conference will aim at contributing to the World Summit on the Information Society and Internet Governance processes by providing policy and practical recommendations.
The main objectives of the conference are:
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to map the current situation in the field of multistakeholder diplomacy, with particular emphasis on learning from previous experience in multilateral negotiations (particularly from Rio 1992 onwards);
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to provide a necessary “stock-taking” of experience developed in the international ICT-sector over the last decade (G-8, UN, etc.);
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to develop a “Directory of International ICT Management” by identifying the main international and national players;
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to analyse different aspects of the multistakeholder approach in the context of WSIS and Internet Governance processes (procedure, intercultural communication, legal frameworks);
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to share current academic research and practical experience in the field of multistakeholder diplomacy;
- to provide opportunities for participants to network with experienced professionals and academic researchers.
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