INET Geneva, April 2012

Report on the Geneva INET from Emani Fakaotimanava-Lui, Niue.

Hello from the ISOC workshop in Geneva (21/04/12, Ellen Strickland, NZ)

We arrived here yesterday, in time for registration and meeting some of the other chapter representatives in the evening. We both met some key ISOC HQ staff, including ISOC’s COO Walda Roseman who told us about her coming to Fiji in the 1980s about satelittes (when working for INTELSAT) and her interest and enthusiasm for the Pacific Islands… very cool 🙂

After a good (somwhat jetlagged) sleep, we arrived at the conference centre in the morning and saw the many Global INET stalls being set up already… Looks like it’s going to be a very big conference! There are nearly 150 chapter representatives and ISOC staff here for the ISOC workshop, which runs today and tomorrow, and then many more will join for GlobalINET which will be Monday and Tuesday.

For the ISOC chapter workshop we have been sat in tables of ten, with a mix of regions on each, for sessions which involve discussing lots of different topics. Emani and I are on different tables so we can spread the Pacific Island chapter voice and hear even more and meet more people! 🙂
Todays topics were Public Policy & Human Rights, IPv6 & DNNSec, and Networking Confidence, Security & Trust. Each session had a speaker or speaker, briefly and then lots of roundtable discussion… Tomorrow is the day for ‘Planning and Action’ so we look forward to brainstorming ideas for plans of action for PICISOC with all the other chapter reps. If you are on Twitter you can check our our streams at @picisoc @rocketsystems and @ellenstrickland
Cheers! Ellen and Emani

Global INET 2012, Workshop Day 2 (Emani)

Before the Day 2 report I’d like to share our cultural experience with you all. Last night we were treated to a dinner in a traditional restaraunt. Entre was either slices of cold meat or veges. Main course was “Fondue” which is hot boiling cheese that had alcohol in it and you use pieces of bread to dip into the cheese and that was it! So it was all about cheese! If you haven’t had Fondue then perhaps boil some cheese and dip bread into it and have that as your dinner and enjoy!

Now for the report/review of Day 2 at the Workshop:

You can follow some updates on FB if you search on “ISOC Chapters Workshop in Geneva – April 2012” One of the interesting presentations was by Anne Lord on ISOC’s Shared Tools, Resources and Learning. The slides can be found at http://www.anuntul.eu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/group-documents/23/1335090550-day2-SessionI-chapter-tools.pdf

There were other sessions on:

– What is success? How do we get there?

– Volunteers? How do you get them and how do you keep them?

– Getting the message out about ISOC and individual chapters!

– Using Social Media presented by Dan Graham and Lia Kiessling with Peggy Hoffman. Trying to reach members and potential members and figuring out ways to translate them to active members. Tools used like www.hootsuite.com

– Grants:

Top 5 Grant-Seeking Pointers presented by Peter Houstle & Connie Kendig:

1. Research, Research, Research

2. Follow Directions

3. Demonstrate Unique fit

4. Plan for Success

5. Meet Reporting Deadlines

This is in relation to the Grants provided by ISOC like the Community Grant and other Grants available that Chapters or members could apply for. Paul Brooks of ISOC Australia presented their successful model and you can refer to it at http://isoc-au.org.au/Membership/. Also a presentation by Puerto Rico about their chapter.

Tomorrow, Monday will be the start of the official INET and will report as we go. This evening the PICISOC members will meet for dinner arranged by Keith Davidson and looking forward to real food that an islander can call – kai!

Fakaaue lahi, Emani & Ellen at Global INET 2012