By Klea Xhaferi, alumna of SEEDIG Youth School – Class of 2020
Nowadays the world is connected in invisible wires with visible consequences. The technology has evolved in a way that 60 years ago the inventors of Internet would have never imagined; its power and its unlimited uses have been unprecedented. While the use of the Internet expanded, solutions to the issues arising with it were much needed in the cyberspace. The overall framework for such solution was named Internet governance.
What intrigued me on entering the SEEDIG Youth School was the need to find an answer on these questions: “Who governs the Internet? Is there a private or a public institution who manages the use of internet? Is it a global mechanism implemented locally? Are there a set of rules, and if so who decides what is right and wrong?” All these answers and more were given during the SEEDIG Youth School, by recognised academics and representatives of international organisations of the field. The topic of this Youth School was quite new for nearly all the participants, including myself, and proved to be of a great value and significance. Our generation has the most intensive users of electronic gadgets and the Internet, therefore has the responsibility to actively participate, share and cooperate in the resolution of conflicts that rise with the Internet`s use. In the near future, we may find ourselves in different positions, either as a representative of the public or private sector, or as a stakeholder group in the Internet governance field.
What I strongly believe is that this experience has been a concrete expression of our efforts towards the ideal of a fairer and more peaceful cyber world, as we all benefited from each other`s richness by exchanging our knowledge and local experience on Internet governance. The final product of this Youth School showed us how much we need well informed and active people, who are willing to negotiate and make policies bearing in mind the need to protect public interest.
Taking this opportunity that we were given, I would to like to reiterate my gratitude to all those who organised and contributed to the training programme, and I would strongly recommend it to everyone with an interest in the Internet world, and not only. All the information I have received in this school I intend to use it in order to raise awareness in my local community over Internet governance and its significance.
I am convinced that in the near future, we will meet again, in other circumstances hopefully.
Greeting you all from the cyber world!
Klea Xhaferi
Klea is pursuing her master degree in Criminal Law at the University of Tirana, while working at the District Court of Tirana. Her main interests are related to international public law and human rights; she has been actively participating in different projects on these topics at the local local and international levels, as a member of CSOs and as a research assistant.