Internet Society of Sri Lanka to discuss cyber security and safer internet

The Internet Society of Sri Lanka (ISocLK) will hold the second National Internet Governance Forum (IGF) from 16 to 18 May at the BMICH.

This year’s focus will be on Cyber Security and Safer Internet. Other subtopics at IGF will be Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Internet and Digital Rights and Multi-stakeholderism in Sri Lanka. A special feature this year will be the parallel IGF sessions for youth, women and differently-abled, as well as the School of Internet Governance (SIG Sri Lanka), and the Safer Internet Workshop and Forum. These will be held on 16 and 17 May.

Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando will be the Chief Guest at the inaugural session on 18 May and Secretary to the Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Wasantha Deshapriya will be the Guest of Honour.

Internet Governance is a key issue of vital importance to Sri Lanka. The UN-sponsored World Summit on the Information Society 2005 defined it as ‘the development and application by Governments, the Private Sector and Civil Society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programs that shape the evolution and use of the internet’. 

Thus, in the global, multi-stakeholder Internet Governance model, the Internet is seen as a borderless resource belonging to no single entity. A global community of governments, corporations, technologists, academics, civil society and individual end users, manage it.

Sri Lanka successfully conducted first ever IGF on 8 March 2016. It was organised and conducted in accordance with IGF’s core values of open, transparent, non-commercial inclusive, multi-stakeholder participation. This year too, the IGF will include the participation of a wide range of multi-stakeholders including regional technology experts, businessmen, government officials and students. They will share and discuss insights on global Internet Governance issues, from a Sri Lankan perspective. 

ISocLK hopes that the participant’s voices will shape the way internet develops in Sri Lanka to best suit the needs of Sri Lankans. Contact Maheeshwara B. Kirindigoda, Secretary – ISOC – Sri Lanka Chapter Tel: 0716109809; email: [email protected].