The Dominican Republic is hosting the First Regional Meeting of experts, legislators and representatives of civil society in Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss the Internet: “The Challenges of the Internet: governance and ethnical dimensions of the society of information. On the way to a comprehensive agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean.”
The event is being held on Friday, 27 November 2015 following the launch of the Unesco Internet Study presented at the 38th Unesco General Conference that ended on 18 November 2015. The study title is “Keystones to Foster Inclusive Knowledge Societies: Access to Information and Knowledge, Freedom of Expression, Privacy and Ethics on a Global Internet”.
Delegations from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Grenada, Paraguay, Peru and St. Kitts and Nevis will be taking part.
Deputy Director General of the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) Getachew Engida is in the Dominican Republic for the event that will take place from 8:30am to 6:30pm at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Santo Domingo.
Engida’s visit follows that of Irina Bokova, UNESCO director who visited in January 2015, says Dominican Ambassador to the Unesco Laura Faxas. Engida is accompanied by Boyan Radoykov, head of Unesco’s Communication and Information Sector (CI).
Discussion panels will debate societal, ethical and legal challenges posed by the Internet such as civil rights, the digital divide, copyright, freedom of expression, privacy and “darknet.” Issues to be tackled also include the challenges for integration processes in Latin America and the Caribbean through the Internet and the Internet Telecommunications Industry. The participants will be studying the regulatory landscape of the Internet in Latin America and the Caribbean.
A Statement of Santo Domingo on the Governance of the Internet and Ethical Dimensions of the Society of Information will be produced at the end of the discussions. Likewise, a set of guidelines for a possible action plan is expected to result from the discussions.
The Ministry for Regional Integration Policies, the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel), the Presidential Office of ITC (OPTI) and the Dominican National Commission for UNESCO (CNDU) are coordinating the meeting, with support from the Dominican delegation at UNESCO.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/internetstudy