The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward

Press Conference
Prague, 11 May 2009
Hotel Clarion Congress

Objective of The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward conference

The international conference The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward is a highly significant meeting of leading personalities from the global sphere of Internet research and development, which is being convened within the framework of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union. With the support of the European Commission, it is organised by CESNET – the association uniting all Czech universities and the Czech Academy of Sciences, and will take place 11 to 13 May 2009 in Prague. The event was already formally opened with the official tape-cutting ceremony, which was performed by Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media.

The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward conference will focus on reviewing the strategic direction and trends that will ultimately determine the future development of the Internet and a mobile information society. Thanks to the makeup of the guests and the critical nature of the topics that will be brought to the table, this will be a prestigious professional forum, which, from the perspective of its significance, is without compare in the Czech Republic. The conclusions from the conference will be of fundamental importance for future development in the field.

The purpose behind the conference is to assess the strategic focus and trends that foretell the future societal and economic evolution of Internet and mobile societies and submit stimulating ideas and projects within this area.

The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward conference is a continuation of two official meetings that were organised by France within the framework of their EU Presidency, specifically the conference on the i20010 Directive and the conference Internet of Things – Internet of the Future. It was specifically the French presidency that introduced a new driving force within the entire sector. On 31 March 2008, the Bled Declaration initiated a coordinated European approach with regard to the future of the Internet and the Bled Conference culminated in the establishment of the Future Internet Assembly. The Prague event will take place in accordance with the ministerial-level Seoul Declaration, which called upon nations to seize the economic and social opportunities available thanks to widespread access to Internet applications and expand them even further.

The official language of the conference The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward will be English. You can find more information on the event, including the programme, at www.fi-prague.eu.

Notable Guests

Almost three hundred delegates from all over the world have accepted an invitation to this event. The most notable names amongst these delegates include:

Within the framework of the press conference, the press will also be introduced to representatives of the main partners of the conference, such as:

The Future Internet Forum

The Future Internet Forum of the European Union member states will convene within the framework of the conference The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward on 12 May. This meeting is the first step towards charting out European initiatives with regard to the future development of the Internet. The Future Internet Forum (FIF) comprises representatives of various initiatives that are aimed at the future of the Internet in the EU member states, who are either highly-placed officials from the competent ministries or professionals from public and private institutions, who are authorised to represent national initiatives focused on future Internet development. As of this time, eighteen of the European Union s member states have joined the FIF initiative.

FIF is an informal group, which provides member states with the opportunity to share their experiences and best procedures, as well as to designate key national players, activities and institutions, with the goal of finding a common approach in this particular area. The forum joins those member states in which a national initiative focused on the future of the Internet is already underway or is being planned. Other member states can however participate as well.

FIF s main goal is to unify the next steps that will be taken towards a common internet not only in the form of basic technological development, but also with the objective of attaining better interconnectivity between knowledge, people, skills, and users throughout Europe. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the specifics of the individual member states – their strong points and ambitions, all against the backdrop of the current global economic crisis, which casts doubts on already implemented business and innovation models. As a result, one of the key questions that FIF faces is: How do we propose Internet-related research, development and innovation policy focused on the future in a way that will make it possible to overcome outdated structures and activate new economic opportunities?

After introduction of the background by the Commission, Prof Leonard Waverman will present outcomes of his work on the Connectivity Scorecard (www.connectivityscorecard.org). The Connectivity Scorecard is a unique global research program that links increased national connectivity with socio-economic transformation. The program maps the current connectivity levels of 50 countries and proposes practical ways forward for governments, businesses and regulators. It also includes expert opinion and advice from one of the world's leading network communications companies, Nokia Siemens Networks. Leonard Waverman is Fellow of the London Business School and Profesor and Dean at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary.

CESNET

The host of the conference The Future of the Internet: Europe moving forward is the CESNET academic association, which – amongst other things – is developing the CESNET2 national research network.

CESNET is active in the field of research and development for advanced network technologies and applications, both at national as well as at international levels. It was established in 1996 by universities and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Currently, it is financed primarily by resources provided by the Government s Council for Research and Development and its own members. The association represents the Czech Republic in the project that is building the pan-European GÉANT infrastructure and is participating actively in its implementation. Since 1996, it has progressively become involved in research programs within the European Union s Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Framework Programmes. CESNET is a member of the following notable international and national organisations: TERENA, DANTE, GLIF, Internet2, PlanetLab, NIX.CZ, CZ.NIC, and others.

The association s primary goal is to create and develop national multi-gigabit optical networks, designed for science, research, development, and education. The current generation of this infrastructure goes by the name of CESNET2. The national CESNET2 network is creating an integrated information and communications environment for its users, which includes optical and IP networks, computational grids, mobility support, multimedia services, and solutions for End-to-End services. The CESNET2 backbone network links the Czech Republic s largest university towns using high-speed data transmission circuits and mediates connectivity with analogue networks located abroad (GÉANT2/3). The network users consist primarily of universities, the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, and other research and educational organizations, but there are also some secondary schools, hospitals, and libraries amongst them.

The association s long-term goal is for CESNET2 to be a transparent integrated communications environment, which meets the specific requirements of the scientific research community. For this reason, the association is devoting intense attention to developing an optical transport infrastructure, its integration with the IP layer of the network, authentication and authorisation mechanisms (which are gradually becoming federalised), and additional activities – such as monitoring and ensuring defined performance characteristics, IPv6 unicast, multicast, and the creation of virtual private networks and private optical transmission channels.

The following will appear at the press conference:

First Section

After the end of the press conference, event partner representatives will be available to the press, including, amongst others:

The role of press conference moderator will be assumed by Jiří Peterka, a leading Internet consultant and publicist, who, amongst other things, also conducts lectures on issues related to computer networks and communications at the Mathematics and Physics Faculty of Charles University in Prague.

Media Contact:
Gabriela Krčmařová, CESNET
Tel.: 724-152-819
E-mail: Gabriela.Krcmarova@cesnet.cz

Press Release, Prague, May 11, 2009

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