On Tuesday – Thursday September 16-18, 2025, the Indigenous Connectivity Institute (ICI) will host the 9th Indigenous Connectivity Summit (ICS 2025) in Algonquin territory in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada This community-led forum is a focal point for Indigenous leadership and their partners to gather and collaborate on building a digital future on their terms.
10:00 Plenary – Welcome and Opening Ceremony Elder Karen MacInnis Fred McGregor – Emcee 10:30 Lightning Talk – Introducing the ICS Calls to Action Natalie Campbell – Internet Society, ICI 10:45 Case Study – Rapid Lynx Telecommunications Sherry McCuller – Rapid Lynx Telecommunications 11:00 Panel – What Role Can AI Play in Digital Equity? Norman Valdez – CERIC, BrainTrainr Jeff Doctor – Animikii Olivia Cragg – FNIGC Dan Clouston – FNTC
Moderator: Katlia Lafferty 12:00 LUNCH 13:00 Panel – LEOS: the good, the bad, and the ugly Brenda Norris – First Mile Lyle Fabian – Katlotech Communications Madeleine Redfern – CanArctic Inuit Networks
Moderator: Gordon Gow – University of Alberta 14:00 Panel – Data Center Opportunities for Indigenous Communities Sharayah Lane – Internet Society (virtual) Michael McCormick and Marcia Trudeau-Bomberry – Wiikwenkoong Unceded Territory Skylee-Storm Hogan Stacey – FNIGC
Moderator: Asennaienton Frank Horn 15:00 BREAK 15:15 Information Session – KatloTech Communications Lyle Fabian – CEO, KatloTech Communications 15:30 Information Session – Sustainability and Efficiency in Networks Joaquin Wray – Equitable Origin 16:00 Plenary Discussion – Thoughts on Day 1, looking ahead to Day 2
Moderator: Fred McGregor
10:45 Plenary Check-in Fred McGregor 11:00 Panel – Engaging in Youth Policy Advocacy ILPA Alumini – Youth Scholarship Recipients
Moderator: Majedah Hawk 13:00 Panel – Changing Political Landscapes in Canada and the US: What Does It Means for Digital Equity? John Perrino – Internet Society Danae Wilson – Nez Perce Davida Delmar – Navajo Nation, NDIA 14:00 Panel – Spectrum Advocacy: Are We Headed in the Right Direction? Lope Trjillo-Perdomo – Not2Far, IEEE Jonathan Fleury – Norway House Red Spectrum – Coeur D’Alene Tribe 15:00 BREAK 15:15 Workshop Breakouts (may not be streamed) 16:15 Plenary – Thoughts on Day 2, looking ahead to Day 3
Moderator: Fred McGregor
10:00 Plenary Check-in Fred McGregor 10:15 Panel – Have we made progress in building an Indigneous workforce in networking? Peter Leaton – Sichuun Nikki Muswaggon – Manitoba SchoolNet
Moderator: Frank Horn – ICI 11:45 Lightning Talk – First Mile Connectivity Consortium Update Tim Whiteduck – FMCC 12:00 LUNCH 13:00 Plenary – Info Session: Mentoring 13:30 Plenary Discussion – Indigenous Connectivity Institute Town Hall 14:15 Plenary Discussion – Calls to Action
Moderator: Natalie Campbell – Internet Society ICI 14:45 Wrap up Fred McGregor
On September 6, 2025, BetaNYC hosted CityCamp NYC at the CUNY School of Law. This was the first such civic tech unconference in the city since 2014. Only the initial plenary session was a/v recorded, but scribes were assigned to every session. The event was sponsored by Reinvent Albanyand Database Tycoon.
On 2 September 2025, the Internet Society held its Q3 Chapters Call for the Middle East region, with the theme ‘Internet Infrastructure ‘Challenges in the MENA Region‘. A panel discussion explored key areas such as: the high cost and affordability of Internet services; persistent infrastructure gaps, particularly in rural and underserved areas; and outdated regulatory and policy hurdles. It was kicked off by a fun quiz on the functioning of the Chapters Advisory Council (ChAC).
SPEAKERS Christine Saegesser Baethge – Senior Director, Chapters and Special Interest Groups Flavio Wagner – Chair, Chapters Advisory Council Steering Committee Nermine El Saadany – Regional Vice President – Middle East, Internet Society Jad El Cham – Regional Manager, Public Policy, RIPE NCC Maher Alahmad – ISOC Palestine Ahmad Alsadeh – ISOC Palestine Heba Sayed – Vice Chair, Chapters Advisory Council Steering Committee Jack Bakaev – ISOC Lebanon Rami Elshaheibi – ISOC Libya Tarik Merghani – ISOC Sudan Hanna Kreitem – Director, Internet Technology and Development, Internet Society Abdulrahman Abotaleb – ISOC Yemen Rehab Alamour – President, Cooperation for Community Development Association, Palestine
Moderator / Host: Hanna Sabbagh – Community Engagement Manager, ME & Africa, , Internet Society
INTRODUCTION Chris Freeland – Internet Archive Brewster Kahle – Founder ,Internet Archive Dave Hansen – Executive Director, Authors Alliance
SPEAKERS James Jacobs – U.S. Government Information Librarian, Stanford University Librar y/ Co-founder, FreeGovInfo.info Jim Jacobs – Librarian Emeritus, UC San Diego / Co-founder, FreeGovInfo.info
MODERATOR Shari Laster – Head of Open Collections Curation & Access, Arizona State University Library
On 20th – 22nd August 2025, the Ministry of Communications of Cuba (MINCOM) and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) presented the 21st Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF) in Varadero, Cuba. The Forum addressed various facets of Internet Governance of current import to the Caribbean including the adoption of the Global Digital Compact and WSIS+20 Review; enhancing the reach, resiliency and sustainability of critical digital infrastructure in the Caribbean; fostering adoption and growth of the region’s digital economies in a trusted and secure manner; harnessing the benefits of emergent technologies (e.g. AI) while minimising attendant risks; and digital rights, privacy and protection for children. The 4th Caribbean Youth Internet Governance Forum(CYIGF) was included in the 21st CIGF, on the afternoon of Day 1.
01 Opening Remarks Dayron Chang Arranz – Host of Ceremonies Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson – Host of Ceremonies YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
02 Capacity Building Session 1 – Introduction to Internet Governance – Current Issues, Status and Outlook Juan Fernández González – Member, UN IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), Advisor at the Ministry of Communications of Cuba (MINCOM) Chengetai Masango – Head of Office, UN IGF Secretariat YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
03 Capacity Building Session 2 – e-Commerce Logistics, Data Governance, Digital Governance Tracy F. Hackshaw – Chef d’entreprise, .POST, Universal Postal Union (UPU) Abdullah Ali and Kevin Baboolal – Researchers Prof. Maurice McNaughton – Remote Moderator: Shanea Lewis – CTU YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
CARIBBEAN YOUTH INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM (CYIGF)
04 CYIGF – Introduction and Welcome Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson – Host of Ceremonies Tariq Mohammed – 4th CYIGF Chair Jose Carlos Cruz Sandoval – Vice President, GEIC, Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
05 CYIGF Panel 1: Development and use of Artificial Intelligence in the Caribbean for Digital Transformation and Innovation Christopher Derrell – Youth Can Do I.T. (YCDI) Shergaun Roserie – Co-CEO, RifBid, Saint Lucia Roberto Marti Cedeño – Vice Dean of Research and Digital Transformation, University of Havana, Cuba Orlando Gabriel Toledano López – Professor of Data Structures and Algorithms, University of Informatics Sciences (UCI), Cuba Moderator: Ailyn Febles Estrada – Vice Minister of Communications, Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
06 CYIGF Panel 2: Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Resilience: Protecting the Caribbean’s Digital Future Federica Tortorella – Youth Advisory Board Member, SubOptic Foundation, Dominican Republic Muriyana McPherson – National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Guyana Daniel Perea Núñez – Director General, Computer Network Security Office, Cuba (OSRI) Moderator: Tariq Mohammed – Chair, Caribbean ICT Youth Network YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
07 CYIGF Panel 3: Women Empowerment in ICTs Jael Goddard – ICT External Relations Associate, Ministry of Digital Transformation, Trinidad and Tobago Jennifer Boodoo – Guyana Maidelys Pupo Torres – General Director, JCCE, Cuba Suany Leyva Hernández – Cuban Network of Empowered Women, UIC Analaisy González Prieto – Director of Institutional Communication, ETECSA Moderator: Gabrielle Johnson – CIYN Vice Chair YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
08 CYIGF Panel 4: Youth Perspectives on Global Fora: GDC, WSIS, IGF, etc. Anja Gengo – UN IGF Secretariat, Geneva Shergaun Roserie – CIYN Elaine Grenet Albernas – Specialist on Foreign Relations, MINCOM Leysdel Emil Hernández – Specialist in International Organizations and Bilateral Collaboration, ETECSA Moderator: Jael Goddard – ICT External Relations Associate, Trinidad and Tobago (Remote) YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
09 Vote of Thanks and Closing of the CYIGF Gabrielle Johnson – CIYN Vice Chair Ailyn Febles Estrada – Vice Minister of Communications of Cuba Rodney Taylor – Secretary General, CTU YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
CARIBBEAN INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM (CIGF)
10 National Anthem and Opening Remarks Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson – Host of Ceremonies Dayron Chang Arranz – Host of Ceremonies YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
12 Greetings from Partner Organizations Paula Oteguy – Head, Multistakeholder Engagement, LACNIC Bevil Wooding – Director of Caribbean Affairs, ARIN & Caribbean Agency for Justice Solutions (CAJS) Albert Daniels – Stakeholder Engagement Senior Manager for the Caribbean, ICANN Sebastián Bellagamba – Senior Director, Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, Internet Society Chengetai Masango – Head of Office, UN IGF Secretariat YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
13 Feature Address – Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández – First Deputy Minister of Communications of Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
16 Reflections on CIGF @ 21 – Shanea Lewis Shanea Lewis – Policy Advisor, CTU YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
17 National, Regional and Global IG Contexts Maria Esther Alfonso – Cuba IGF Jacqueline Morris – Trinidad and Tobago MAG Max-Larson Henry – Haiti IGF Marcellus Constance – SVG IGF Aggrey Marsh – Guyana IGF Lilian Chamorro Rojas – Coordinator, LACIGF Anja Gengo – UN IGF Secretariat Moderator: Shanea Lewis – Policy Advisor, CTU YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
POLICY FORUM
18 Policy Forum Introduction Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson – Host of Ceremonies Dayron Chang Arranz – Host of Ceremonies YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
19 ARIN/LACNIC/CTU Policy Forum – Global Digital Governance at a Crossroads; WSIS+20; Global Digital Compact; ICP-2, ICANN gTLDs Bevil Wooding – ARIN Paula Oteguy – LACNIC Chengetai Masango / Anja Gengo – UN IGF Secretariat Michael Abejuela – ARIN Jorge Villa / Esteban Tescano – LACNIC Sybel Alonso Baldor – VP Net Op, ETECSA Albert Daniels – ICANN Moderator: Shanea Lewis – CTU YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
20 Workshop/Facilitated Discussion: Mainstreaming AI in Caribbean Internet Governance Rodney Taylor – Secretary General – CTU Juan Fernández González – MINCOM Moderator: Shergaun Roserie – Caribbean ICT Youth Network YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
21 DAY 3 Opening Remarks Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson – Host of Ceremonies Dayron Chang Arranz – Host of Ceremonies YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
22 Panel Discussion: Navigating Digital Harms in a Fragmented World Cleveland Thomas – ITU Lourdes Gutierrez – UNODC Shannique Bowden – Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network Omar Gutiérrez Granela – Havana Youth Computer and Electronics Club Facilitator: Shiva Bissessar – Pinaka Consulting YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN CUBA
23 Digital Transformation in Cuba – Introduction Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández – First Deputy Minister of Communications of Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
24 Data Governance – A Perspective from Cuba Omara Aldama López – Director of Infocommunications, Revolution Palace María Esther Alfonso Suárez – Vice-President, UIC Tatiana Delgado Fernández – Professor, Technological University of Havana Laymi Puente Falcón – Director of Business Intelligence, ETECSA Moderator: Yarina Amoroso Fernández – Unión de Juristas de Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
25 Panel 2: Digital Transformation and Local Development Aurora Fernández González – Advisor to CNI and Higher Education Minister Dariel de León García – Senior Researcher, Sustainable Municipalities Program Denys Buedo Hidalgo – Director of Informatization, MES Moderator: Jorge Núñez Jover – Havana University Advisor YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
26 Panel 3: Enterprises in Digital Transformation Dennis Meriño Menadier – Chairman, Z17 Allan Pierra Fuente – UCI Abduly Díaz García – Director General, SOFTEL Yudivian Almeida Cruz – University of Havana Moderator: Ernesto Vallín Martínez – MINCOM YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
27 Panel 4: The Role of Government in Digital Transformation Anaisa Hernández González – Vice-President, UIC Dr. Nayma Cepero Pérez – Technical University of Havana Wilfredo González Vidal – Coordinator, Sovereignty Project Dr. Alain Lamadrid Vallina – Director of Informatization, Ministry of Higher Education Moderator: Ailyn Febles Estrada – Deputy Minister of Communications of Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
29 Digital Transformation in Cuba – Closure Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández – First Deputy Minister of Communications of Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
CONCLUDING SESSION
30 Policy Synthesis and Strategic Priorities Rodney Taylor – Secretary-General, CTU Gabrielle Johnson – Vice Chair, Caribbean ICT Youth Network YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
32 Conclusions and Next Steps Rodney Taylor – Secretary-General, CTU Mayra Arevich Marín – Minister of Communications of Cuba YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
33 Closing Remarks of the CIGF Dayron Chang Arranz – Host of Ceremonies Dr. Terri-Karelle Johnson – Host of Ceremonies YOUTUBE | AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT | SUMMARY
On August 15-17 2025 the 16th Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) conference will be held at St John’s University in Queens NY. The entire event will be webcast by ISOC.LIVE
On 11 August 2025 the Internet Society held its 2025 Q3 call for the Asia Pacific (APAC) community. The call highlighted training and e-learning achievements across the region, with chapter members from India sharing transformative experiences from technical courses and hands-on bootcamps. The meeting also featured a DotAsiapresentation on new gTLD opportunities for ISOC chapters, offering financial and operational support to help them develop sustainable, mission-driven domain registries.
SPEAKERS Hafsa Anjum – ISOC India Bengaluru Chapter Chetanraj Jakanur – ISOC India Bengaluru Chapter Keerthana S – ISOC India Chennai Chapter Hriesheec VA – SOC India Chennai Chapter Evin Erdogdu – DotAsia Edmon Chung – DotAsia / ISOC Hong Kong Chapter
HOST / MODERATOR Sohini Rajiyung – Internet Society
On Tuesday – Thursday September 16-18, 2025, the Indigenous Connectivity Institute (ICI) will host the 9th Indigenous Connectivity Summit (ICS 2025) in Algonquin territory in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada This community-led forum is a focal point for Indigenous leadership and their partners to gather and collaborate on building a digital future on their terms.
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