Hello, everyone and welcome to my blog. My name is Rithiya, and I am one of the Cambodian joining the 18th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) that happened in Kyoto in October.

It has been more than 2 months since my participation in the 18th IGF and I cannot  contain how happy I was being able to have such a wonderful experience in Japan. Here is my post-IGF blog written about my feelings and experiences participating in this global event.

IGF’s daily activities

During the IGF in Kyoto, the activities were organized in a day-by-day schedule. On the first day, there was an opening ceremonies which included performances and speeches from key speakers, UN representative and the Prime Minister of Japan. There were plenary sessions where high-level speakers addressed the importance of internet governance. 

The second day focused on workshops and panel discussions, covering a wide range of topics such as digital rights, cybersecurity, and access to the internet.

On the third day, there were more interactive sessions, including roundtable discussions and working group meetings, where participants had the opportunity to engage in in-depth conversations and share their expertise. 

The fourth day included a series of capacity-building sessions and training workshops, aimed at empowering participants with necessary skills and knowledge to address internet governance challenges. 

The final day of the IGF was dedicated to the closing ceremony where the outcomes of the conference were summarized and future plans for internet governance were discussed. Overall, the IGF in Kyoto provided a platform for stakeholders from around the world to come together, exchange ideas, and collaborate on shaping the future of internet governance.

My Favorite part about IGF

Among all the sessions and activities in the IGF, I enjoyed the high-level sessions and roundtable discussions. In these, I was able to learn from key speakers about their experiences  and gain knowledge which some were very new to me and our country. Roundtable discussions allowed me to explore different perspectives on discussed topics with some relevant evidence and examples.

Once again, I would like to thank Open Development Cambodia Organization  for this amazing opportunity that allowed me to learn more about internet governance. And do not forget to join the 19th IGF next year.