[DC3] Session Proposal for RightsCon Silicon Valley

Dear all, As some of you may know, until Friday it will be possible to submit session proposals for RightsCon Silicon Valley. Is anyone on the list interested in submitting a session on community connectivity? FYI RightsCon is a conference debating Internet and huma rights, organised by the NGO Access and will be held in San Francisco, on 30 March and 1 April 2016. I participated to RighsCon 2014 and 2015 and I can frankly say that it is an excellent occasion to meet smart people with good ideas and find partners for new projects. Funding opportunities may also be availble (particularly for evelopping countires). Feel free to modify the draft proposal and to add your name to the speakers list, if you are interested https://public.etherpad-mozilla.org/p/RightsCon_Session_Proposal All the best Luca PROPOSAL for a RightsCon Session TITLE Do It Yourself! Can the Next Billion Build Its Own Internet Connectivity? DESCRIPTION All individuals have the potential to create community networks in a collaborative mode, fostering digital inclusion and digital literacy as well as empowering users and local communities alike. To date, community networks have been successfully deployed in several countries going from India to Latin America, passing through Europe. This session will analyse the main regulatory, economic, social, and organisational aspects of the community connectivity debate, from different stakeholders’ perspectives. Participants will discuss concrete cases of community networks around the world, trying to find out how to overcome common difficulties, and identifying best practices that facilitate the deployment of community networks as well as worst practices that can hinder their expansion. Particularly, such exercise will consider both technical solutions and (inter)national policies that can play an instrumental role in fostering Internet connectivity in a sustainable and democratic fashion. So far, the deployment and diffusion community connectivity has relied on the relentless efforts of ingenious and expert engineers. But what if every individual had the possibility of creating its ‘own’ connectivity? EXPECTED OUTCOMES The case studies discussed during the session, as well as the best/worst practices, will be compiled and published on the website of the newly created IGF Dynamic Coalition on Community Connectivity (DC3), with the aim of developing ‘Community Network Guidelines’. The Guidelines will aim at making the deployment of community connectivity easily understandable and implementable to any interested individual. The outcomes of the RightsCon session will be published on the DC3 website and, subsequently, will be presented at the IGF 2016. SPEAKERS ......