The role of ICANN is a hot topic in the current geopolitical context. Representatives from academia, the technical community, the private sector, governments and civil society as well as from the IGF-D Youth Chapter exchanged their views on the latest developments at the Jimmy Schulz IGF Dinner. Guest of honour was Christopher Mondini, Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement & Managing Director, Europe, von ICANN.
When the Internet was born, freedom was the guiding principle. Nothing should constrain the emerging medium that promised unprecedented opportunities for all. With the evolution of the World Wide Web it became clear that we cannot stick to this principle without reservations. Rules and regulations are needed to ensure safe and reliable access to the net for all.
Multistakeholder Meeting with a Special Focus on Current Topic
Several times a year, the Internet Governance Forum Germany and its Secretariat, which is chaired by DENIC, invite to the Jimmy Schulz Dinner. In an informal atmosphere, the participants of the multi-stakeholder meeting are brought up to date about what has been happening in the field of Internet governance and what is planned to deal with the new developments. The meeting always has a current focal topic.
On 19 October 2023, representatives of the various stakeholder groups met at the German Parliamentary Society. Christopher Mondini, Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement & Managing Director, Europe, of ICANN, attended as a special guest and spoke about ICANN's role in Internet governance and the challenges in the current geopolitical context. Representing their respective stakeholder group, Friederike von Franqué for civil society, Dr. Irina Soeffky for the Federal Government, Prof. Wolfgang Kleinwächter for academia and Mirja Kühlewind and DENIC Board member Thomas Keller for the technical community commented on Christopher Mondini’s speech and reinforced the importance of the multistakeholder model.
DENIC Board members Thomas Keller and Andreas Musielak were also present. "We appreciate these meetings very much. It's a wonderful setting for a casual exchange and we're glad we could be there."
Jimmy Schulz – Digital Politician of Great Commitment
The Jimmy Schulz IGF Dinner is held in honour of Jimmy Schulz, the former chairman of the Bundestag's Digital Agenda Committee. Jimmy Schulz was a dedicated advocate of digital enlightenment and self-determination. The Digital Agenda was his life's work. Jimmy Schulz was the first German parliamentarian to participate in a UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF). He was the driving force to bring the 14th IGF to Berlin in 2019 and to initiate the so-called "Parliamentarian Track" of the IGF. Jimmy Schulz himself could not attend the conference anymore. He passed away on the eve of the Berlin IGF.
The two DENIC Board members and some of the other guests continued their journey on the day after the Jimmy Schulz Dinner to the ICANN78 Annual General Meeting in Hamburg, another event that will set the course for the future of Internet governance.
