The Italian meeting of the Internet Governance Forum

The next Italian meeting of the Internet Governance Forum will be hold in Trento on 10-12 November 2011. The <ahref Foundation is one of the event organizers, along with the Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Informatica Trentina, Trentino Network, CNR’s Institute of Informatics and Telematics, NEXA Center for Internet & Society, ISOC Italy.

This meeting is free and open to all Internet stakeholders, including citizens, companies, and public institutions. It will focus on future policies regarding Internet use and governance that could foster free speech, job opportunities, knowledge spreading and deeper relationships.

The just-launched official website (http://www.igfitalia2011.it/) provides a general overview of such issues and will publish more stories authored by IGF speakers and Internet users. The goal is to stimulate a broader dialogue and to also refine the discussion agenda at the event itself. The website will also be the main platform to follow the three-day event for people unable to attend the Trento meeting. Real-time updates about IGF Italia 2011 will also be available via Facebook, Twitter and RSS Feeds.

The final program, currently underway, will examine the major issues related to the Internet governance, such as technical regulations, access rights and the whole innovation ecosystem. Other areas clearly influenced by today’s digital revolution will also be addressed, such as culture, environment, economy, and more.

Among other topics, the discussion will focus in particular on Internet access as a fundamental right for every citizen, a right to be introduced in the Italian Constitution; info-tech innovation for Public Administration; how online tools can increase citizen participation at both local and National level; projects to improve scientific research and dissemination; new job opportunities created by the knowledge economy and related relationship models; how use the web as a shared tool for democracy well-being, environment protection, and more.

(Bernardo Parrella)