An open consultation on the venue for WSIS Forum 2011 (16-20 May) is taking place from 10 August to 15 September. Organized by UNESCO together with ITU, UNCTAD and UNDP, it consists of an online discussion, a submission of written contributions and an announcement of the decision. All institutions, companies, networks and individuals interested in the question are invited to participate in this process.
2015 is the deadline for achieving the internationally agreed development goals. The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum aims at facilitating the implementation of WSIS Action Lines through the exchange of experiences and the establishment of partnerships among stakeholders. The 2010 Forum attracted more than 600 physical and 1500 remote participants from around the world. In order to give further momentum to this coordination process and to enhance its impact, the organizers are considering the possibility of holding the next Forum in New York.
This choice could:
- enlarge the geographic reach of the discussions on the implementation of the WSIS decisions
- enhance visibility of ICT debates in the United Nations diplomatic circles, which may result in a better reflection of this aspect in the relevant General Assembly resolutions concerning economic, social, educational and cultural development, particularly in the least developed and landlocked countries;
- attract new stakeholders, including international organizations, private sector and civil society;
- enhance participation of New-York based organizations, such as UNDP, UNDESA, UNICEF, UNOCHA and others, in the WSIS implementation and follow-up process.
On the other hand, moving the event to New York could mean:
- lost of some of the traditional participants;
- logistical challenges both for organizers and participants; •additional costs (e.g. travel expenses) to be born by organizers and some stakeholders;
- impact on planning of the next annual session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (assisting ECOSOC as the focal point in the WSIS follow-up);
- less flexibility for organizers in catering to last-minute requests by stakeholders, e.g. setting-up rooms, etc.
These are just few of the numerous considerations expressed by stakeholders until now. Everyone concerned is invited to communicate his/her views on moving the venue of the Forum from Geneva to New York in 2011.
The multi-stakeholder online consultation will take place in three phases:
Your views are important. Please seize this opportunity and advise the organizers on the venue of WSIS Forum 2011 through the WSIS Community platform.