IGF 2024 WS #223 Communities of the Practice- NOGs Driving the local Internet

    Organizer 1: Ansari Omar, APNIC Foundation
    Organizer 2: Lima Madomi, 🔒UNIGe

    Speaker 1: Osama Al-Dosary 
    Speaker 2: Vahan Hovsepyan, Technical Community
    Speaker 3: Mohibullah Utmankhil
    Speaker 4: Rupesh Shrestha, Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group
    Speaker 5: Harisa Shahid
    Speaker 6: Niuma Faiz

    Additional Speakers

    Session facilitation team: 

     

    Additional speakers/ contributors:

     

    Moderator

    Raj Singh

    Online Moderator

    Abdul Ghayoor Bawary

    Rapporteur

    Mirwais Khan

    Format

    Roundtable
    Duration (minutes): 90
    Format description: - This layout will make the session highly interactive as it puts speakers and audiences at the same level, as everyone seated in a circle facing each other and also being able to see presentations easily. - This layout can accommodate people better, allowing them to attend the session. - The session involves speakers delivering presentations and this layout will provide a clear view of the speaker and presentation materials. - It will also provide a more structured environment to our session where we primarily focus on information dissemination and discussion.

    Policy Question(s)

    1) How can NOGs contribute to enhancing Internet network development and infrastructure sustainability? 2) How can NOGs foster greater collaboration and knowledge exchange within the technical community? 3) How can NOGs contribute to bridging the digital divide and promoting digital inclusion?

    What will participants gain from attending this session? - Valuable insights into the multifaceted challenges hindering network operation groups while developing and sustaining their networks and communities. - Deepen understanding of infrastructure limitations, skills gapes, and resource issues. - Learn about the effectiveness of current policy frameworks in promoting digital inclusion, NOG participation. - Discover the importance of public-private partnerships and regional cooperation initiatives in Internet infrastructure development and sustainment. - Identify opportunities for stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization. - Learn best practices and successful initiatives and be equipped with new knowledge, insights, and tools to drive efforts towards universal Internet access and digital inclusion in the regions.

    Description:

    Network Operator Groups (NOGs) play a crucial role in driving local Internet development and fostering connectivity within communities worldwide. Often supported by the six Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), NOGs serve as essential platforms for innovation, collaboration and knowledge exchange. In APNIC region alone, there are currently 25 active NOGs, with recent addition of Afghanistan NOG (APNIC), while the RIPE NCC region has 36 NOGs, AFRINIC region 12 NOGs, LACNIC region 5 NOGs and ARIN region 6 NOGs (RIPE Labs), Beyond facilitating technical discussions, NOGs play a crucial role in sustaining infrastructure and driving collaboration across diverse Internet communities. Bringing together NOG leaders from across the world, this diverse session will discuss their roles, challenges, and opportunities. Exploring how NOGs are evolving into the change agents, the session will exchange practices, highlight collaborative avenues, and learn from diverse NOGs. In addition, the session will showcase successful NOGs to inspire technical communities to leverage their collective expertise for digital transformation across the developing economies. The session is expected to highlight the following discussions and insights: - Explore how NOGs foster community engagement and address local challenges. - Highlight NOG events as platforms for knowledge exchange and propose improvements. - Recognize the need for innovative engagement strategies for participants. - Explore variations in NOG size, structure, and operational dynamics and propose recommendations. - Identify barriers to attendance and propose strategies for improvement. The target audience of the session includes NOG leaders, network operators, technical experts, policy makers, industry players, and researchers and academics. The session will create a cross regional ongoing dialogue among the NOG leadership where stakeholders are expected to support and enrich the NOG ecosystem. This through active participation, contribution, and community engagement to empower NOGs to realize their full potential as catalysts for change in the digital landscape.

    Expected Outcomes

    - Increased understanding of the pivotal role NOGs play in fostering community engagement and addressing local Internet development challenges. - Recognition of NOG events as crucial platforms for knowledge exchange, with proposed strategies for enhancing their effectiveness. - Identification of innovative engagement strategies to enhance participation and collaboration within NOG communities. - Insights into the diverse landscape of NOGs, including variations in size, structure, and operational dynamics, with proposed recommendations for improvement. - Proposal of strategies to overcome barriers to attendance, thereby promoting inclusivity and broadening participation within NOG events.

    Hybrid Format: To ensure an engaging hybrid session, we will employ several strategies: - Our main moderator will be participating on site. - We will designate a skilled remote moderator to facilitate seamless interaction between onsite and online speakers and attendees. - The moderator will actively manage discussions, ensuring all voices are heard and questions are addressed. - We will design the session with a balanced focus on both onsite and online participants, utilizing visual aids and clear communication to maintain engagement across both platforms. - We will leverage online tools/platforms such as interactives, chat features, and collaborative document sharing to enhance participation and interaction. - We will prioritize accessibility and interactivity to create a cohesive and inclusive experience for all participants, regardless of their location.