Workshops are designed to explore detailed issues related to the main themes from different perspectives. As in previous years, workshops must include a balance of stakeholders and viewpoints in order to be accepted into the programme.
The aim of the best practice sessions is to demonstrate, in a multi-stakeholder environment, some of the best practices that have been adopted with regard to the key IGF themes in general and to the development and deployment of the Internet in particular. The sessions can have either a thematic or a country focus. The presentations should be based on a common template. Presentations should not only cover practices that were successful, but also focus on challenges and mistakes. Thus, ‘lessons learned’ are an important output of these sessions. The aim is to provide a space to discuss what constitutes a ‘best practice’ and share relevant information that can be transferred to other situations and strengthen capacity-building activities.
To the extent possible, workshops topics that are closely related will be scheduled as a single collaborative workshop. Willingness to cooperate is a prerequisite for selection. Preference will be given to focused workshops relating to the IGF main themes and cross-cutting priorities.
The following suggestions were made regarding workshops:
• A workshop wiki to facilitate rapid reporting should be set up;
• At least one young person should be included on each panel;
• Moderators should be experts in their fields with some skill in organizing a debate;
• Young people should be asked to moderate remote participation for workshops.
Some of the contributions submitted to the open consultations suggested revisiting the concept of Round Table discussions, but there was limited support for this proposal. However, the set-up of two workshop rooms will be in the form of a hollow square, as was the case in Sharm El Sheikh, thus allowing a round table format. Organizers who would like to hold their workshop in form of a round table are requested to indicate this when submitting their workshop proposal. This format could be particularly conducive to result oriented discussions on issues where there is a reasonable chance of participants agreeing to take action together.
The scheduling of all workshops will be determined by the IGF Secretariat on the basis of maintaining a balance across the issues, efficient use of meeting space and an attempt to avoid conflicts in topic or speakers.
An online form for submitting proposals will be made available in due course.
• Duration of workshops and best practice forums: two hours.
• Each workshop and best practice forums will be required to produce a background paper and report on the event.
• Deadline for providing proposals for workshops/best practice forums: 15 April.
• Deadline for providing speakers list: 30 May 2010.