IIS is actively participating in organizing this event.

The WSIS Multi-stakeholder Family web site is maintained by IIS and its partner - the Russian e-Development Foundation.

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) has placed the "multi-stakeholder approach" on the official Information and Knowledge Society agenda. On the basis of UN GA Resolution 56/183 and following arrangements WSIS has witnessed interesting and innovative practices, as well as shortcomings and critical aspects. There is growing awareness of the need to develop more participatory and inclusive governance practices in information and communication policies, in order to make those policies more effective and, at the same time, more democratic. There is also a need to develop a sound reflection on multi-stakeholderism, its potential and challenges, learning from past experiences in different areas.

This event will offer to opportunity to revise the WSIS experience from the point of view of the different stakeholders who have been involved, as a way to look forward towards the post-Tunis phase, focusing on the role and relevance multi-stakeholder practices may play in the follow up of WSIS.

It will furthermore be the occasion to introduce and discuss an initiative which aims at monitoring participatory practices in communication governance at different levels, from the national to the global, through the adoption of a methodology and a framework reflective of the WSIS outcome.

Part I - WSIS and the multi-stakeholder agenda

• Adama Samassekou (African Association for Human Rights Education, Mali)
• Giandomenico Magliano (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy)
• Wolfgang Kleinwachter (Civil Society Bureau, Germany)
• Bertrand de la Chapelle (WSIS-online, France)
• Vittorio Bertola (WGIG, Italy)

Part II - Promises beyond Tunis: introducing the MuSt Initiative

• Claudia Padovani (University of Padova - MSP family at WSIS, Italy)
• Michael Gurstein (CIRN, USA)
• Harold Wesso (Center for Innovation, South Africa)
• Olga Drossou (HBF, Germany)
• Pietro Varaldo (General Director Federcomin, Italy)
• Matilde Ferraro (Italian delegation to WSIS, Italy)

Communications and debate

Chairs:

• Tatiana Ershova (General Director and Head of PRIOR Directorate, Institute for the Information Society - MSP family at WSIS, Russia)
• Claudia Padovani (University of Padova - MSP family at WSIS, Italy)

Contacts:

For further information, working documents and updates visit the MSP family website http://www.wsis-msp.org, and the event organizers: Claudia Padovani (Claudia.padovani@unipd.it) & Tatiana Ershova (ershova@iis.ru).