IGF 2024- DAY 4- Plenary-Open Microphone Taking Stock

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We will now start our Open Microphone Taking Stock. I would like to first of all, thank you all very much for sticking it out and being here. I hope you all had a very good meeting.

I would also like to thank our gracious host of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting us in this fabulous place.

Just a few points is that we're here in a listening mode on what worked well, what you think we want to keep, and what we should take into consideration for next year as well.

So what we'll do is that we'll have just one line, on this podium over here. And we ask people to line up and speak. We will only have two minutes for each person. And we'll also be taking online interventions as well.

I would like to remind everybody, please to keep to the subject at hand. And only about logistical, room arrangements, issues that we have discussed here, and also keep in mind the code of conduct, which is also very important.

And with that, I would also introduce myself. So my name is Chengetai Masango, and I'm head of the IGF Secretariat. And on my right is Ms. Carol Roach, the Chair of the 2024 MAG, which helped organize this meeting. And on my left we have Mr. Ole‑Martin Martinsen, the 2025 host country Chair, and is going to be listening intently. Because he'll be the host representative on the MAG and also leading the organisational team for IGF 2025.

I would like to ask our current Chair if she would like to say a few words, please?

>> CAROL ROACH: Thank you, Chengetai. I want to add my welcome and thank you to Chengetai's opening. It is a pleasure meeting many of you. I hope you had a lot of takeaways and had an opportunity to share your views and to also give us some kind of input on the way forward. We look forward to you helping us to organize a 2025 IGF.

So I won't go on much longer so we can hear from you. Thank you.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you, Carol. Please, Ole.

>> OLE‑MARTIN MARTINSEN: I want to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting this year's IGF. The hospitality has been exceptional. Grateful for that. And I want to thank everyone for being here. It is not much time for the next IGF, and we need every one of you to participate and help us in arranging that.

And we are here to listen now. Norway has a strong commitment to ensure the 20th IGF will be as successful as this one has been. Thank you.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: I would like to introduce Vint Cerf, the Chair of the Leadership Panel.  He is online. He's right behind me. Yes. He'll also be listening from the Leadership Panel.

Vint, would you like to say a few words before we start? 

>> VINT CERF: That's very kind of you to let me do that. I realize the way this is set up, I look like a ghost sort of hovering on the stage.

I actually have a concrete suggestion to make, if I could make it now, if that is all right with you? 

>> CAROL ROACH: Go ahead. Go ahead, Vint.

>> VINT CERF: This is specifically with regard to the operation of the IGF here in Saudi. First, huge thanks to our Saudi hosts for putting this together. This is by no means an easy process. And I know our Norwegian host must be increasingly aware of that.

I do want to suggest two specific things that we might do.

First of all, we should have a post meeting analysis of the audio problems that have popped up from time to time. Mixing online and in‑person audio and translation, captioning, and signing services is really hard.

And so any insights that the Saudi team can provide would be helpful to our Norwegian colleagues. I would recommend a post‑meeting analysis.

The second thing is that I believe in accommodation.  Expert team should visit the Norwegian site as early as possible in the planning. In order to assure that support for people ‑‑ (background noise)

It was even suggested that people with bona fide accommodation needs might even have a different coloured badge so that we know that they might require additional assistance.

Those are two just very concrete things that might be considered. Thank you.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: When you make an intervention, please say your name quickly for the audience and record, for the stakeholder Group. My eyesight isn't that great. For the first one, please come up. Two minutes, the clock starts when you start speaking.

>> ATTENDEE: Good afternoon, my name is Dr. Khouzeifi Issakha from Chad. Yesterday was the International Planning Day. Kindly allow me to share my closing remarks in Arabic.

Ladies and gentlemen, today we are convened at IGF, hosted by Saudi Arabia in the 2024 IGF.

I take this opportunity to underscore that this Forum should serve as a platform to resolve any issue, and therefore, the Governance of the uses.  We need integration of AI and Internet of Things and technology to ensure our connectivity and assess in a suitable manner and promote economic growth and Sustainable Development.

However, this Forum faces a lot of challenges related to the conflict of interests between the UN agencies regarding the new UN Secretary‑General that is called upon to intervene and mobilize efforts to promote IGF.

So we should have this Forum to be a Permanent Forum, and to have a budget and the financial resources to ensure the sustainability of such efforts.

We should work together to ensure that the Forum will be an effective tool for development and peace. Thank you.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Next please.

>> ATTENDEE: Peace be upon you all. I'm Khaled Alhazmi at IGF 2024 in Riyadh. I had the pleasure to attend the last version in Japan, and I'm happy to be part of it. Allow me to speak in Arabic.

At the outset, I would like to express my deep thanks and appreciation to UN, and the leadership for the sound organisation of IGF for 2024. This Forum is a strategic platform to unify efforts and sharing experience and expertise and enhance international cooperation and digital challenges, bringing experts and decision‑making that can contribute to Roadmapping for sustainable digital world in the framework of the computing. We cannot ignore the computing technology and enhancing the services to our citizens and provide innovative solutions to face the challenges.

Computing technologies is instrumental in enhancing the responsiveness of Governments to meet the needs of the society, especially at the time of crisis, and eventual crisis.

However, computing weighs on a lot of opportunities that the Developing Countries can leverage to enhance the digital capabilities including reducing the cost and enhancing the ‑‑

(Silenced)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you.  Make sure that we only have one microphone. I do see people lining up for the other one, which we are not using. So would the first one please, you can move over to the next one. Yes. But the first person who is there, please walk over to the other microphone, please.

Or let's say, for now ... why don't the people in the front there of that line, make another line there and we will go one by one, back and forth, the few people that are there now. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: I'm Fahad Al Thuballi here in Saudi Arabia. It is a pleasure to be here in IGF 2024. 

I would like to highlight one really important subject, which was in one of the subjects in the Riyadh Declaration that has been announced recently in the beginning ceremony.

It was about the digital idea.  And allow me just to speak in Arabic on this subject.

Today, establishing reliable digital identity, which can be operationalized, it is important for equitable access for economic development in the light of the digital economy. And the heavy relying on the methodology anchored on the digital technologies and the digital identities, internationally recognized for individuals and businesses and Governments for the inclusivity in the economy.

And to respond to such challenges, the international community should focus on such pressing issues. And today, it is not a secret, designing international digital identity is of paramount importance for the large benefits that can be generated for closing the gaps for inequality and to reaching the access to resources.  This identity is sure.

(Silenced)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. Next please.

>> ATTENDEE: My name is Dhaa Albalaui, it is an honour to stand before you. It has been an incredible time over the past week. This showed the youth track representatives had over the past few months. I'm happy to say the participation over the last IGF sessions is nothing short of incredible.  Having worked relentlessly day and night to support us and allowed us to shed light on the Saudi Arabia trajectory in the digital space.

I hope in Norway the youth track continues to receive the level it has ensuring we have opportunity to participate in the building the stakeholder future. Thank you so much.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you. Next. We can just do it automatically.

Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Hello, I'm Ruy Fammima.  I'm here from the youth Delegation.  I am here to research protecting children online. It is my first time at IGF. I just want to say that I'm very happy to be here. All the Brazilian Delegation are happy to participate in this year's IGF to the Saudi location and to attend the sessions. Thank you to the IGF organizers and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this incredible opportunity.

And if I can say anything, the youths are not the future, we are the present. And we are building a beautiful Internet for everyone. So thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Hello, my name is Joao Moreno. I'm here as Vice‑Chair of the Youth Standing Group. I would like to first start thanking the host country for his hospitality. And so I have a couple of things here. I believe the Visa issues we had last year were almost all solved. Although for some people it arrived dangerously close to the date of the event. So they almost didn't manage to get here. But it was a great improvement.

I also recognize that the Dynamic Coalitions didn't have much space to present their year‑long discussions and outcomes. So we had several sessions intended to present outcomes that were not accepted. And I believe this takes a huge and important part of the event.

Putting the workshops around the Village is a great idea. We could really integrate them to the event that did not happen in past events.

And we need to find a way to unify the queue for online and onsite participants, because it is difficult to manage both ends, while you are organizing your session.

And yeah, that's it. Thank you.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you for those insights. We'll keep them in touch. After this speaker we'll have an online speaker, Nnenna. Please go ahead.

>> ATTENDEE: Hello, everyone. I'm called Jolenta Rose.  I'm from Cameroon. I'm a DC AD Fellow. This is my first IGF. I wish to say thank you for the opportunity. I wish to make a suggestion that countries, there should be like a measuring where all countries should have a stable floor of the growth in technology.

So that some countries, like some countries in Africa, are not completely behind while others are going ahead too fast. Thank you.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. Nnenna?

>> ATTENDEE: Thank you very much, Chengetai. Hello, everyone. I have five points. I will speak slowly. The first point is that we need to put more emphasis, more engagement, and more financing into the Internet Governance Schools, because they bring us the most holistic and the most open and engaging stakeholders. The second is that for the sustainability of the IGF, we really need to engage more with the National and Regional initiatives. I believe these give us the best opportunity for sustainability in the Internet Governance system.

I want to congratulate Saudi Arabia for hosting us, and for kicking off their National IGF. But I would like to plead that we have more women in the Internet Governance Forum in Saudi Arabia.

Vint Cerf has raised the audio issues. I think we will work on them.

I would like to join my voice to say that the Visa processes were very fast. And I want to thank you all for it. We will be back in exactly 10 years in Saudi Arabia to join the FIFA World Cup. Thank you very much. My name is Nnenna, I come from the Internet. I have done 15 sessions online. It has been wonderful.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Next, please.

>> ATTENDEE: Well, hello, everyone. My name is Sabrina Itzel Hamida from Mexico.  I come from the Dynamic Coalition of accessibility and disability. It was a great opportunity to be here. I want to invite you and make a suggestion to involve people with disabilities and our organisations on the planning of the IGF. In order to ensure that all necessities are covered, complied with the accessibility guidelines and leave no one behind. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Hello. As‑salamu alaykum. I'm Umar Khan from Pakistan. First of all I want to thank Saudi Arabia for organizing this amazing event. I'm happy to share for the first time we were having a session on judges on human rights and one of the judge from high court Tanzania was present. I'm happy, being from the legal side. I'm hopeful next year we might have other judges from other parts of the globe.

So because judiciary is one of the important part of the society, and I believe that technology can help them to give quick justice.

I would like to raise my concern regarding the young voices. Although this year Pakistan had a lot of participants, some of my friends, young guys, didn't make it to IGF because of the Visa issues.

So I believe that for the next IGF, the IGF Secretariat would really work hard. Because for a country like us, especially from the Asia, there is a lot of issues in terms of the Visa for the Norway.

I believe that the young guys will be heard, will be participating, I hope we don't have Visa issues for the next year. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening. My name is Ghayoor Bawary.  I'm from Afghanistan. I live in Kabul, Afghanistan. I arrived here as the coordinator of Afghanistan IGF and youth‑led initiatives like the youth of Afghanistan, Afghanistan Operators Group, and the School of Internet Governance.

I'm so happy to be here, not alone, but I have Delegates with me as well. As in IGF 2022 in Addis Ababa, I was the only Afghan at the IGF. I was feeling alone. I'm happy this year.  I have a few Afghans, and I have Delegates with me. Thank you very much.

And today, I'm here to ‑‑ I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude to several case supporters who have made our presence at the IGF 2024 possible.

First and foremost, a special thank you to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously granting us Visas. Your support has been instrumental in enabling our participation here. Thank you. I would like also to express our sense of appreciation to the APNIC Foundation for the gracious sponsorship of Afghan Delegates, your fostering inclusion is truly commendable. Thank you for your strengthening Afghan community through your digital lead project.  When most of the international organisations turned their back to Afghan people after the political changes, you are the one that ‑‑

(Silenced)

>> ATTENDEE: My name is Yusuf Abdul‑Qadir. I want to thank the hosting of the IGF by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Having come here for the last several quarterly bases, I hope others can see how impactful this new era is of Saudi Arabia and for the world. I want to thank the IGF Secretariat, the floor and the staff who cleaned the bathrooms, cooked the food and served us across this past week. These folks are often underappreciated, unrecognized, and unthanked. I would be remiss if we didn't take a moment to thank them.

I am Yusef, from Syracuse University and part of the Africa Internet Data Foundation wherein we create an organisation called the African community Internet Programme. I will not talk about us, you can find out about us at AGCRP.org.

My intervention is how might the Norwegian IGF build off this convening. The multistakeholder framework that the IGF is rooted in, is more important than ever, efforts that fragment the Internet may hinder access to the 2.5 billion that lack the Internet. It is rooted in multistakeholder engagements over the Civil Society.

More formal avenues for accelerating access for Sustainable Development and ensuring innovation and creativity language and cultural preservation and history of those often overlooked are more needed now to be integrated in our development of emerging technologies, particularly as we see what is happening in the development and advancement of artificial intelligence.

By this, I specifically mean that we need to move beyond a more multistakeholder voluntary engagement to more ‑‑

(Silenced)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. I heard you came from a great University.

(Chuckling)
Next we have online Thomas Olsen.

>> ATTENDEE: First of all, I would like to say to welcome everyone here in Saudi Arabia. I hope you enjoyed your time in staying in Riyadh. My name is Atheer Alotaibi.  I hold a degree in Cybersecurity. So I'm so glad to host this great Internet Governance Forum and this great event to knowledge transfer and to share our idea and our thoughts and focus on our digital future which is addressing many, many various topics such as AI Governance, data Governance, Cybersecurity regulations, and how to put the regulations and unify our efforts to increase efficiency and technology usage and ethical usage.

So let me please use the other minute to speak in Arabic.

I was honoured that the Kingdom has hosted the IGF for 2024.  And I would like to address the most prominent topics discussed here on the Forum, which is the AI Governance, which is the topic of the hour.

I would like also to focus and say that we must have concerted efforts on having regulations, policies, and processes for the use policies on too many teams. The first of which is the ethical consideration and ethical aspect of AI.

The second is how do you prevent biases in algorithms of AI and issues where misuse takes place.

Generally speaking we would like concerted efforts for IGFs to come.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Let us hear one person from online. Thomas Olsen, if I am saying your name correctly. Please.
(Baby in background)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Okay. Maybe not. Get the next person.

>> ATTENDEE: Hello, everyone. My name is Ananda Gautam, I'm from Nepal. I represent Youth IGF Nepal, Internet Society youth Standing Group and youth Internet Governance here. I'm proud to be here, and I'm very ‑‑ I'm raising the issues of young people that couldn't be here. I'm sorry for the young people and teen guys who were working so hard to be here, but like due to constraints, they couldn't be here.

I came here on my own expenses but Riyadh was really expensive for me. I'm sorry. Thank you to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Visa issue, it was swift for me.

We are working collaboratively to enhance the IGF ecosystem with 170 analysis, and when we go back to our communities, even the UN Agency doesn't recognize what IGF is. We need a serious collaboration so they know the issues of IGF. When we go back to the community, it is about not only about the analysis but I think it is a protocol that we will enhance our impact.

Another thing is many youth coordinators are putting their hands on hands to bring the growth to Youth Summit. This year we started the youth mentorship Programme, which I'm thankful for. To bring them here, we need a broad collaboration. It is not always equal when people participate online and be on‑site. They are missing so much of things that we have when we participate onsite. I request a broader collaboration to bring the people contributing to the processes without whom the instance of IGF would lose.

Thank you for the young people that made it out to here. And have collaborated on a lot of sessions and looking forward for the Norway IGF.

(Silenced)

>> ATTENDEE: Good afternoon. My name is Adbullah Al Ajaji. It is truly a great pleasure to be here at IGF Riyadh Forum surrounded by an esteemed Group of leaders, innovators, and collaborators. I have a few suggestions for next iteration of IGF Forum.

As we look ahead to the future of technology and particularly with the rapid advancements in AI, automation, and data sciences, it is clear that the technologies are holding significant potential to revolutionize efficiencies. It is crucial for the future IGF sessions to explore how they can be developed, implemented, and regulated to ensure they deliver benefits responsibly and effectively across all borders. Another key area for future discussions is how to ensure that emerging technologies, particularly in AI are designed to implement and achieve the best possible outcomes. As AI systems are more widely adopted across industry, healthcare, transportation, finance, how to ensure they are maximizing a positive impact while minimizing unintended consequences. What strategies can be employed to make sure they're robust, reliable, and aligned with broader economic goals? 

Also, additionally as data plays an essential role in driving technological progress, future IGF sessions should consider how data privacy, security, and integrity can be safeguarded in the strategic development, of the evolving landscape. Also as development of emerging technologies across National borders, international cooperation and regulatory frameworks are vital.

Moving forward, how can countries, corporations, and organisations establish standards and regulations to govern the technologies? 

Finally, as we continue to push the boundaries of technological progress, it will be important to strike a balance.

(Silenced)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Sorry, it cuts off at two minutes.

>> ATTENDEE: Hello, everyone. My name is Alhanouf Alsaif. As a Saudi, please allow me to start by welcoming attendees from different countries around the world. Allow me please to share my feedback and input in Arabic.

IGF, it was a valuable opportunity to understand the challenges and the benefits of using the Internet. One of the key experiences for me is the international experience which has been shared. And at the sessions and workshops. And this this was, for me, a golden chance for me to be equipped and familiar with the business, praxis and I noticed the key challenges around the Cybersecurity and the privacy protection and the keenness to have digital infrastructure, despite the disparity among countries in this regard.

What I have concluded is that in ways of such experiences that is the importance of focusing on the beneficiaries, children, women, and to build and to centre and have people‑centred approach. And to enhance the multistakeholder approach for the future. I hope the discussion will include emerging technologies which can be leveraged to provide optimal services and how can the organisation build the Foundations for safe benefits from such technologies.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Good afternoon.  I'm Jordan Carter, a technology community participant and outgoing MAG member and here from the Australian Domain Administration.

On the logistics, thank you to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting us this week. And thank you to Norway for having us next. Please have your Zoom team practice this thing. Have the team practice more in advance so it is smoother from the beginning. That would be good.

One observation, I want to note the broad support for the Internet Governance Forum and its continuation as the world's premier Internet Governance in the policy Forum as many speakers said in the opening ceremony.

Let's make the mandate permanent in 2025. Not just for principled reasons, but practical ones. The collaboration and sharing of ideas at the IGF is the best way to make Internet Governance and digital policy as workable, as inclusive, and supportive of human rights, human development, and human potential as it can be.

There is broad support for extension from countries, the technical community, Civil Society, business, all around the environment that we have got here at the IGF. So in 2025, let's renew the mandate, let's make it permanent. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: My name is Meznah Alturaila.  I'm honoured to address you on behalf of the Saudi Green Building Forum, an NGO with a status with Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. First and foremost, I would like to express our deep gratitude and appreciation to my country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously hosting this year's IGF.

We also extend our sincere thanks to the IGF organisation for organizing this gathering.

As a young leader promoting sustainable Green Building practices, our Mission is to foster environmental stewardship, advance renewable energy,and great materials, and champion green Internet technology for buildings, neighbourhoods, and cities. Honorable guests, at the Saudi Green Building Forum, we're leading by example. However, this is not a journey we can undertake alone. The Global collaboration is essential to bridging the gaps between sustainability and digital innovation.

We urge Member States, UN agencies, Civil Society and IGF to take the following steps. First, invest in digital tools that seamlessly integrate sustainability with innovation, driving efficiency and resilience in all Sectors. Also, establish a Global Platform for collaboration to scale green technologies and close the gaps between innovation and sustainability.

Together, we can transform the way we build, live, and interact with our planet, creating a future where Digital Governance, power and sustainability ensures a thriving world for the generations to come. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Hi, hello, warm welcome. My name is Torsten Krause. I'm a researcher and a political scientist from the Digital Opportunities Foundation based in Germany. I would like to share three thoughts with you. First, last Tuesday was like a dream come true. We discussed child rights here at the main stage in the high‑level session in the Plenary Hall.

It was a really great experience, and we have come a long way to reach this. And I hope that it was not a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment.

Second, as a member of the DC, it first felt like a duty when we were asked to merge our proposal to create joint workshops. While doing so, it becomes a pleasure and joy. It was meaningful and has a lot of sense. Thanks for Martin from DCTIOC and Jetterman for support and contribution.

Third, I want to thank the United Nations and Saudi Arabia for hosting this IGF here. It was incredible and a special thanks I would like to direct to all the population and inhabitants of Riyadh. Everyone we met in the last days was so kind, friendly, open‑minded. So polite. It was a pleasure to meet you, to be here, and thanks, everyone.

>> ATTENDEE: Dear all, thank you for having me, this is Jasmine Yee Man Ko from Hong Kong. I'm very excited to be here.  This is my second IGF. And despite of a lot of privilege and gratitude to the host and everything that is happening here, I want to share of my personal disappointment.

One thing that I observe ‑‑ this is my second IGF, but I already seen that we are missing something in this IGF. The one thing is the music nights. I'm talking about this because it is a tradition, the tradition that IGF has been having for years. And we're missing this tradition.

You know, also, official social occasion is not just things for fun, but also creating more scenario and platform for people to meet and have dialogue, besides just the formal session we're having now and the others.

It is a very important occasion people treasure. It is important platform that we exchange our culture and celebrate our diversity in other means.

So I hope that in next year we can have this in Norway.

And my worries come because even as a small tradition like this is missing here, I really hope that ‑‑ and I really emphasize that we're able to keep the entire IGF as a whole. So from small thing that we keep, and then to expanding to the whole IGF mandate to renew, it is very critical.

I really appreciate the effort of people here. Different stakeholders and everyone. Thank you very much.

>> ATTENDEE: Good afternoon.  My name is Josephina.  It is a privilege to address you. I am from Progressive Communication. This is our insights when it comes to the reflections for this year's IGF. Clear messages have emerged from the multiple sessions and discussions in Riyadh during the IGF. During the IGF, is that the Global Digital Compact must be integrated into the next version of the WSIS. And the IGF has to continue and to be strengthened. The burden on countries from the Global South to comply with and support Global processes is already immense. Increasing it through duplication of efforts might serve the interest of international digital bureaucrats, but it might not help to bridge the digital, social, and economic divides.

In relation to the IGF, it is essential that in our view to grant the IGF a long‑term or permanent mandate and strengthen its institutional capacity, building on its achievement and continue its evolution to respond to the multiple imperatives of the countries' emerging and future digital societies.

The IGF's evolution needs to be shaped.
Sorry. The IGF evolution needs to be shaped by a strategic vision, rather than by Ad Hoc partnerships or initiatives to establish new tracks or themes. These are valuable, but unless the IGF has the institutional capacity to interact effectively and consistently with Governments and key institutions from non‑State actors, expanding its range will dilute its impact.

This ‑‑

(Silenced)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Sorry. To note, if you don't finish your intervention and not enough time to go through everybody's intervention, please send them to the IGF Secretariat. And we'll take note of them. So you can email [email protected].

>> ATTENDEE: Hello, everyone. My name is Amessinou Kossi.  I am from the Ministry of Finance and Economy from Benin. I would like to actually benefit from this opportunity and have the opportunity to thank you all, the goodwill international organisation for ensuring access to Internet. It should be affordable and accessible to Developing Countries. During this IGF, two important points, actually, I saw one positive, one negative. The access to this country was very easy, thanks to the Visa issuing. And the Visa also should be available to everyone.

The negative point is that I was not able to share my number. I invite ... sorry. Our personal information should not be collected. I call on the hosting country next year not to collect our personal information. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Good afternoon, Adam Peake from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN. I would like to thank Saudi Arabia as our host from ICANN. Thank you Minister of Information Communication Technology, Excellency, Abdullah Al Saba and your team and all that made the 19th IGF an exceptional success. ICANN will support our support for IGF, continue our participation and support for the multistakeholder approach for Internet Governance. Chengetai Masango, thank you so much to you, your team who is skillful, dedicated, and extremely important and patient, to the MAG. 

Carol, thank you. Without you, there is no Programme and many of the excellent sessions we have enjoyed this week. Thank you for all of your work throughout the year. Thank you to the Kingdom of Norway, we're looking forward to visiting you in ‑‑ it is only June. As someone that lives in Northern Europe, midsummer seems a long way away. It is not, it is about six months. We have much work to do.

Thank you and look forward to seeing you in about six months' time. Safe travels home. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Good afternoon everyone. My name is Dr. Andres Bass. I am the representative of the Institute of Research and hub for the IGF in Dominican Republic. IGF is one of the best multilateral Forums out there. I feel like we have missed representation, certainly the one from South America and Latin America.

The youth‑led company, they want me to address questions. They say they want the Visa approval and the letter of approval to be faster. Like the CSW, within 48 hours they have the letters. The reason why, some countries take up to six months for them to have the appointment. That will help them to come faster. Also, when you get the letter close to the date, the ticket becomes twice as expensive.

And also, they want the Regional representative to do a better job to reach the Universities.  I'm in the U.S., if you talk to a lot of Universities, probably like one or two understand about IGF, what IGF is.  Inside the UN, a lot of people in the UN don't know about IGF.

The youth also want to have more visitation on the planning. They said when they plan, if they are the future of tomorrow, they don't want to hear about that. They want to know the future of tomorrow is today.

I'm giving IGF accountability.  For the one IGF I was in Germany, they said one planet, one Internet, one people.

For us to be one planet, one Internet, we have to be inclusive. That means all of us have to be here. Thank you for the surpassing marvelous Saudi Arabia for their hospitality. Everything was wonderful. Thank you so much.

(Applause)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you. I'm sorry. I have to call the last speaker. You are the last speaker. And then, we have to prepare for the Closing Session because there is a schedule they have to keep in this venue as well. And also people have planes, et cetera, to catch. Thank you.

>> ATTENDEE: Thank you for the opportunity, good evening, everyone. My name is Noura Alsobhau.  First, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the organizer of this very insightful Forum. Everyone's dedication and effort has made this gathering truly impactful. It is an honour to stand here in this open mic session today. This moment represents a power of connection and collaboration across borders with all.

In a world that grows more interconnected every day, it is inspiring to share ideas and perspective that contributes to building a better, more inclusive future for all. As we gather here in the final Day of IGF 2024, I would like to propose that we take a significant step forward by developing a clear and unified strategy of the IGF to maximize our collective impact by establishing a shared vision and well‑defined objectives that address the dynamic challenges and opportunities of the rapid digital age. To ensure that this Forum, not only keeps pace with the change, but also to lead it. Thank you for your attention, and looking forward to the idea of IGF 2025.

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you very much. Now, to end the session, and thank you very much for all your interventions. We have taken good notes, and I can attest for both the Chair and the co‑Chair, they have taken good note of it. And we will also be launching a taking stock. So you will be able to send us your comments, and we'll compile them into a report. And that will be given to next year's MAG to look at as well. So they keep in mind your thoughts and your ideas.

So to end the session, first of all, I would like to ask our Chair Carol Roach to say a few quick words.

>> CAROL ROACH: Well, I actually want you to do something. I want everybody to stand and just give yourselves and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a rousing hand applause. Thank you very much.

(Applause)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: And I'll ask our co‑Chair for next year to say a few quick words.

>> OLE‑MARTIN MARTINSEN: I noted judging by the applause, most important are Visas and music night. We'll take that with us. Thank you.

(Applause)

>> CAROL ROACH: Apologies, outgoing MAG, fantastic job. Thank you for the support.

(Applause)

>> CHENGETAI MASANGO: Thank you.  We'll change the stage around, and have the Closing Session. And ask the speakers for the Closing Session to please sit in the first rows in front. Thank you.