Internet – limitless development space

First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko delivered remarks at the close of the Youth RIGF 2021. He noted that it was actually the young people themselves that had come up with the idea of holding the first youth forum on internet governance and they enjoyed active support of the UN leaders.

“Today, the internet is a limitless development space. It offers people an opportunity to implement their business ideas and social projects. It’s also one of the main conditions for every person’s successful development of competitiveness as well as the country as a whole. Today, a number of contests backing young IT specialists have been organized under the instruction of the President. This shows that the state gives them priority. It is very important for us to win the right to host the 20th UN Internet Governance Forum in 2025 and we really hope that the participants at this gathering will take an active part in its preparations,” said Sergei Kiriyenko.

He paid special attention to the initiative to institute a position of the Youth Digital Ombudsman: “We hope that the Ombudsman will become a real leader, an example for the young people. We also hope that the Ombudsman will actively protect the rights of children and teenagers in the virtual environment, take part in the education of the younger generation, especially as regards digital literacy and hygiene, and actively implement the ideas of our youth,” Kiriyenko said.

Promotion of youth initiatives and education of young people is an important part of the activities being carried out by the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ. Its stand was open throughout the day during the forum, allowing speakers and other participants to learn about the center’s youth initiatives: the Summer Internet Governance School, the Youth Council and the Digital Reality Discussion Club, to name just a few things.

“The Summer Internet Governance School has evoked a tremendous interest. In May 2021 we will start receiving applications for it. It’s wonderful that more and more young people are becoming interested in everything to do with internet governance and digital cooperation,” said curator of the Coordination Center’s youth projects Ilona Stadnik. “ We were pleased to see the graduates of our Summer School 2020 among the participants of the forum,” she added.

And that’s it this time. The Youth RIGF 2021 has completed its work. See you at the next RIGF!