Internet governance is 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 programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.

The Internet is a major opportunity to improve free flow of information and ideas throughout the world. Internet governance mechanisms should be based on the principle of “openness”, encompassing interoperability, freedom of expression in Knowledge Societies and measures to resist any attempt to censor content.

For UNESCO, Internet Governance is a core concern. The Organization advocates an open, transparent and inclusive approach to Internet Governance based on the principle of openness encompassings the free flow of information, freedom of expression and technical interoperability.

The main areas of relevance to UNESCO are the concern for ethical dimensions, the realization of multilingualism in Cyberspace and capacity-building.

UNESCO Workshops at First meeting of Internet Governance Forum (Athens, Greece, 31 October - 2 November 2006)

31 October 2006 - “Towards a multilingual global Internet: Avoiding the risk of fragmentation” (Together with ICANN and Government of Egypt) 31 October 2006 - “Free expression” (As co-sponsor) 1 November 2006 - “Free flow of information in cyberspace”

11-10-2010 (Vilnius) 

Renforcer le multilinguisme dans le cyberespace

21-09-2010 (Vilnius) 

FGI 2010 : l’UNESCO participe à la session plénière sur la sécurité, la transparence et la protection de la vie privée

20-09-2010 (Vilnius) 

Atelier de l’UNESCO sur la protection de la vie privée et les réseaux sociaux au FGI

16-09-2010 (Vilnius) 

Janis Karklins réitère l’engagement de l’UNESCO à la cérémonie d’ouverture du Forum sur la gouvernance de l’Internet

16-09-2010 (Vilnius) 

Atelier de l’UNESCO sur la liberté d’expression au FGI

10-09-2010 (Vilnius) 

Accès, diversité et liberté d’expression : l’UNESCO au Forum sur la gouvernance de l’Internet

07-09-2010 (Paris) 

L’UNESCO organise un atelier sur la protection de la vie privée et les réseaux sociaux au FGI

06-09-2010 (Paris) 

Présentation du rapport “Freedom of Connection – Freedom of Expression: The Changing Legal and Regulatory Ecology Shaping the Internet” au FGI