Last month TENET’s Specialist Administrative Officer Richard Jonathan was in attendance at South Africa’s leading annual Internet Industry Conference, iWeek.
iWeek has been successfully held each year since its inception back in 2001. It brings together all of South Africa’s major Internet organisations over a span of one week for a series of panel discussions, workshops, training sessions and social events.
Out of all the workshops held, Richard said he particularly focused on South Africa’s National Internet Governance Forum (IGF). This forum brings together all stakeholders in the Internet governance debate, whether they represent governments, the private sector or civil society, including the technical and academic community, on an equal basis and through an open and inclusive process.
iWeek is an event which aids in the discourse of many global issues such as Internet Provision. Richard explained that a conference such as this is of high importance as it allows one to keep track and possibly even influence the dialogue around the factors that shape Internet Provision.
Talking about the speakers that stood out for him at the event Richard mentioned Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive director and Emilar Gandhi African, Policy Project Coordinator, along with the rest of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) delegation. He noted that their passion and commitment to their Mission: “All people have easy and affordable access to free and open internet to improve their lives and create a more just world” was admirable.
A key message Richard took away from this event was that the rights that South Africans have offline should be enjoyed and protected in the same way online, this includes equal access to the internet.
For more information about future iWeek conferences, please visit http://www.iweek.org.za
