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background-size: auto; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat
repeat;">Great summary, Robin.</div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
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<div style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
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background-size: auto; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat
repeat;">This isn't a black and white issue. From a philosophical
standpoint I doubt many of us are comfortable with participation in an
institution created by the nice folks who run the WEF. I also question what
ICANN is doing pushing this project, one that goes far beyond ICANN's
responsibility for names and numbers. We all are aware of Fadi's
love of all things Davos, but raising his profile there should not be done
at the expense of maintaining ICANN's limited remit.</div>
<div style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
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<div style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; background-image: none;
background-attachment: scroll; background-origin: padding-box;
background-clip: border-box; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
background-size: auto; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat
repeat;">That said, if it is going to happen anyway it's probably best
to be involved (while, conversely, opposing ICANN's role in creating the
NMI) provided CS is allowed to select its own representatives. In no way
should we participate if the NMI secretariat is involved in the selection of
specific stakeholders. Bottom up is something the WEF will have trouble
with. If they can cut against their elitist instincts and accept a more
egalitarian selection process for CS reps that we can accept then I'd be
inclined to participate. It would be a good chance to push our agenda to
elites who may, in fact, be receptive to our ideas but are only now involved
in IG due to the nature of those who are organising the forum. </div>
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<div style="font-size: 13px; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
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repeat;">Ed</div>
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<blockquote style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px;
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">-----Original
Message-----<br />
From: Robin Gross <robin@IPJUSTICE.ORG><br />
To: NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU<br />
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 10:15:29 -0800<br />
Subject: Re: UPDATE ON CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN NET MUNDIAL
INITIATIVE<br />
<br />
Folks,
<div> </div>
<div>Should NCSG participate in the NetMundial Initiative? We are
still waiting for confirmation from its secretariat as to whether or not
civil society will be allowed to select all of its own representatives to
the "coordination council" or if the secretariat will reserve the
right to select some of civil society's representatives for us.
(The NMI secretariat have civil society orgs in mind who will be bring
publicity and good PR to their project, but don't actually engage on
these issues).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In my mind this is a critical question, and since the secretariat has
been unwilling to confirm this yet, I remain skeptical of the initiative and
our "legitimization" of it; however if the response from the
secretariat is that they will play a "hands off" role in terms of
civil society representatives, I'll be happy to change my mind.
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It is important that this initiative, in practice, live up the
Netmundial principles (including stakeholders select their own
representatives). If the NMI organizers cannot confirm that much, then
it is just an appropriation of the NetMundial label without the principles
that we worked very hard in Sao Paulo to achieve.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>At this point, while we wait for clarification from NMI's
secretariat, each of the groups in the CSCG are asked to consider if they
believe they should participate in the initiative. So I ask this of
NCSG. JustNet Coalition has already decided against it.
Importantly, ISOC has said it will not participate in the initiative
or its coordination council because it lacks openness, bottom-up
orientation, accountability, and transparency in its structure and
operations. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>We've heard that Fadi is touting CSCG's letter to the
secretariat asking to select the civil society representatives as evidence
of civil society's support for his initiative and as
"legitimizing" the NMI. What Fadi doesn't understand
yet, however, is that our sending the letter requesting to be involved is
not what "legitimizes" NMI. It is whether NMI actually
"walks the talk" and permits civil society to, in fact, make our
own determinations for who should represent us - and <b><i>in practice</i>
</b> - not just words - live up the NetMundial principles of bottom-up
governance, openness, transparency, accountability, etc.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>A few Pro & Con arguments below. Please send your thoughts.
I'll update as soon as we have some news one way or the other from
the NMI secretariat.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks,</div>
<div>Robin</div>
<div> </div>
<div><br />
FOR INVOLVEMENT<br />
<br />
With ITU a governments only forum and no real will to change, and IGF as a
forum with no power to make recommendations or take decisions and again no
will to change, there is no credible venue to initiate action on non
technical issues or issues not within the remit of Istar organisations These
would include surveillance issues, human rights issues, net neutrality
issues, to name a few.<br />
<br />
The solid commitment to NetMundial principles promised, if carried out in
practice, would create a credible and open initiative<br />
<br />
There is a need for a representative forum capable of moving us forward on a
range of issues not covered by existing institutions<br />
<br />
Participation is strongly supported by some sections of civil society<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
AGAINST INVOLVEMENT<br />
<br />
The last thing we need is a corporate takeover of internet governance and
this could become that<br />
<br />
ISOC has withdrawn<br />
<br />
Participation is strongly opposed by some sections of civil society<br />
<br />
This initiative has a track record of poor communication</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Not bottom-up or transparent so far</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>
<div>On Nov 17, 2014, at 3:22 PM, Robin Gross wrote:</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space;
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Statement from the Civil Society
Coordination Group (CSCG) from today. CSCG is comprised of the
Internet Governance civil society networks of NCSG, APC, Best Bits, JustNet,
Diplo Foundation, Internet Governance Caucus, and Civicus. - Robin
<div>
<div><span><b>UPDATE ON CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN NET MUNDIAL
INITIATIVE.</b></span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Please note that Internet Governance Civil Society Coordination
Group (CSCG) participation in the new Net Mundial initiative is still under
consideration. CSCG has written to the NMI Secretariat and Transitional
Council suggesting that it play a co-ordinating role in the selection of
civil society representatives in a coordinated bottom up manner, rather than
these decisions being made by the Transitional Council (which has no civil
society representation). This is still under discussion; however, we do not
yet have a proposal with sufficient clarity for member coalitions to be able
to decide on participation or not. While Just Net Coalition (JNC) has
already determined it will not participate, other members are waiting for
clarity on our proposal for a bottom up and inclusive procedure for
determining civil society representatives before making any final decisions
on participation.</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; ">Our letter to the
NMI Secretariat and Transitional Council in no way signifies that any or all
CS organisations have made a final decision on whether to engage with the
NMI in a formal selection process or to participate in the NMI process.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; "> </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; "> </div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
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