SEEDIG Youth School 2024

Transforming SEE Region Through Youth Empowerment

What Is Youth School?

SEEDIG Youth School is a dynamic capacity-building initiative designed specifically for university students and young professionals from South Eastern Europe (SEE) who are eager to dive into Internet governance and digital policies.

Participants will engage in a one-day event filled with interactive sessions, expert-led workshops, and collaborative activities. By joining the Youth School, you’re not just attending a program – you’re stepping into a community that offers continuous opportunities for growth, networking, and leadership in the Internet governance space.

Partners

Date & Venue

24 November 2024

OSCE Mission to Serbia
Španskih boraca 1
Belgrade, Serbia

Who Can Apply?

Age: 18-30 years old

Background: university students and young professionals

Language: Fluency in English

Place of Origin or Residence: Must be from within South Eastern Europe (SEE) region

Motivation: Demonstrated interest in Internet governance, digital policies, and related fields

Commitment: Available to travel to Belgrade and actively participate in Youth School on November 24 and SEEDIG 9 Annual Meeting on November 25-26

Participation Costs

Meals, travel, and accommodation costs will be covered for selected participants for both the Youth School and the SEEDIG 9 Annual Meeting.

Process & Deadlines

Application: Submit your application by September 30.

Selection: SEEDIG Youth School organizing team will review all applications and announce selected participants on October 7.

Attendance: Up to 20 applicants from SEE region and 10 from host country will be invited to the in-person Youth School event on November 24 and SEEDIG 9 Annual Meeting on November 25-26.

Pre-Meeting: Before arriving in Belgrade, selected participants will be invited to an obligatory introductory call in early November and will receive their first networking task.

Certificates: Participants who attend the full program and actively engage in the discussions will receive a certificate of participation.

What Extra Benefits To Expect?

SEEDIG Community Membership: Become a member of the largest Internet governance community in the SEE region.

SEEDIG 9 Annual Meeting: Get the chance to attend the SEEDIG 9 Annual Meeting and engage with key stakeholders and policymakers.

Engagement Tips: Learn about regional and global opportunities for active involvement in Internet governance, and prepare to become an influential voice.

Selfie with Umka: SEEDIG mascot Umka will make selfies with the most active participants, boosting your Instagram profiles with new followers.

Programme

9:00 – 9:15 | Welcome & Official Kickoff

SEEDIG Executive Committee

Official start of the SEEDIG Youth School & Icebreaker.

9:15 – 10:15 | Interactive workshop

AI, Society & Content Policy: From Deep Fakes and Data Centres to Media Ethics and Electoral Impacts

Michael J. Oghia, Founder, Oghia Advising

Artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere, but how is it really impacting Internet policy? In this interactive workshop, participants will explore how technology, society, and policy intersect through the lens of AI. They will also gain insight into what policy and technology developments are guiding the future of the Internet.

10:15 – 11:00 | Internet Governance – What Is It & Why Does It Matter?

Anja Gengo, Associate Programme Expert and Focal Point for National, Regional, and Youth IGF Initiatives, United Nations Secretariat for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Understanding basic concepts and frameworks
Key stakeholders and multistakeholder model

11:00 – 11:15 | Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:00 | How to Engage with the Technical Community: Insights from RIPE NCC

Alena Muravska, Programme Management Officer at Community & Engagement Team, RIPE NCC

Introduction to RIPE NCC
How youth can engage and contribute to Internet governance initiatives
Opportunities for training, fellowships, and networking

12:00 – 12:45 | Why Cybersecurity Matters Beyond IT Professionals: Insights for Media and End Users

Dijana Milutinović, Communications Manager, Serbian National Internet Domain Registry Foundation – RNIDS

Basic cybersecurity principles for everyone
The role of non-IT professionals in enhancing cybersecurity
Practical tips for online safety

12:45 – 13:45 | Lunch Break

13:45 – 14:30 | Enhancing Your Digital Footprint with Internationalized Domain Names (IDN)

Regina Filipová Fuchsová, Industry Relations Manager, EURid

14:30 – 14:55 | Council of Europe Digital Agenda: Opportunities for Youth

Octavian Șofransky, Digital Governance Advisor, Council of Europe

14:55 – 15:15 | Navigating Internet Governance: Where to Engage and How to Succeed

SEEDIG Executive Committee

Understanding key Internet governance spaces
Effective engagement strategies
Maximizing your impact at SEEDIG 9

15:15 – 15:30 | Coffee Break

15:30 – 16:15 | Youth, Peace, and Security: Exploring the Intersection with Internet Governance

Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO)

Exploring the connection between Internet governance and global peace/security
Role of youth in advocating for safe and inclusive digital spaces
Initiatives and programs promoting youth engagement in peacebuilding through Internet governance

16:15 – 17:00 | Digital Privacy 101: What You Need to Know

Arben Gudachi, ,

Understanding data collection
Protecting your online identity
Navigating privacy laws

19:00 | Social Networking Event

Previous editions

Class of 2020

17 graduating students

Class of 2019

17 graduating students

Class of 2018

12 graduating students

Class of 2017

19 graduating students

Alumni testimonials

I’ve been a tech enthusiast for quite a while now, but my first acquaintance with the realm of Internet governance was at SEEDIG YS this year, and it has opened a whole new range of horizons for me. It has made me more aware of all the stakeholders that are involved in the Internet ecosystem, their respective roles and responsibilities, and all the ways in which Internet governance impacts various aspects of our daily lives.

For me, the SEEDIG Youth School proved that efficient online education is possible and maybe even better! While I was tired of trying hard to focus on 2-hours-long monologues of my professors at the university to not to miss anything, the YS enabled us to learn well-curated content at our own pace and dive deeper into the new concepts that we’ve learned with a multinational and multidisciplinary team of participants. Besides successfully covering the basic knowledge and terminology of Internet governance, the programme also encouraged us to develop and share ideas about the most pressing issues around it.

To me, the SEEDIG Youth School was the beginning of a journey and a continuous learning experience in the field of Internet governance. Going through rigorous yet exciting online & onsite activities made me gain enough momentum to keep getting involved in other events. The fact that I’m still in touch with the participants and I occasionally meet other SEEDIG members in international Internet governance activities shows how connected and carrying this community is. If you want to learn more about Internet governance, make new friendships or professional connections, SEEDIG Youth School is the perfect place to kickstart.

The SEEDIG Youth School was an amazing experience, which helped me learn a lot about many Internet governance-related issues. Meeting different people with all sorts of interests made me think more about the intersections of Internet governance and other fields. Moreover, we had awesome discussions and struck up lasting friendships.

The SEEDIG Youth School it is one of my best workshops, the initiative is awesome, and the experience is priceless. I met a lot of interesting people and experts on different topics with different perspectives and opinions. I learned a lot about Internet governance and the activities in this region, where I plan to get more involved thanks to this programme.

I enjoyed the fact that despite coming from a social sciences background, I was able to get actively involved and share roles and responsibilities with all the other peers at the 2018 SEEDIG Youth School. Round tables and informal talks on the topic of Internet governance and artificial intelligence were particularly interesting for me. SEEDIG’s willingness to engage with individuals and organisations representing various stakeholders with a diverse level of involvement and skills was an important precondition for the productive dialogue in Ljubljana.

Being part of SEEDIG was a very interesting experience for me. I learned a lot of new things regarding cybersecurity and its future. The most important thing is that thanks to SEEDIG I would love to work and have a career in this field. I really hope that in a near future I will have the opportunity to meet again with experts of cybersecurity.