Internet Society (ISOC): Bringing people together around the world

Event report

The Open Forum started with a summary of the work the Internet Society (ISOC) has been involved in since 1992. Vinton Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist for Google, reminded the attendees that their mission was to make the Internet for everyone, and they have largely succeeded in this as currently the Internet is for everything, everyone, everywhere. He supported this with the exaample that ISOC currently boasts more than 800 000 members, 146 organizations, and 112 chapters throughout the world.

Kathy Brown, ISOC CEO, highlighted the presence of the 21 ISOC IGF Ambassadors, who come from 11 developing countries. She stressed the need to deeply think about how to deploy and not fragment the networks created by the Internet.

Raul Echeverria pointed out that there remains a real challenge to be addressed: connecting the next billion people in the world to the Internet. He expressed his view that the only way this can be addressed is by getting people to become committed to this mission and getting involved in ISOC’s chapters.

ISOC are already currently engaged in building 19 new IXPs, in 33 countries, with the commitment of governments and civil society.

ISOC is also working on capability building. Focusing on the intersection of technical, policy and development issues, to create a new way of e-learning aiming to reach more people, specifically in Africa.  

By Maureen Hernandez