Freedom Online Conference
Previous Conferences
Periodically, the FOC holds a multistakeholder Conference that aims to deepen the discussion on how freedom of expression on the Internet is helping to promote social, cultural and economic development.
The Conference offers an open platform for discussion among all stakeholders – governments, civil society, the private sector, and others – to share relevant information, develop joint strategies and combine efforts towards their mutual goal of a human rights based Internet.
The multistakeholder Conferences provide a space for civil society to discuss issues of concern and share their perspectives on an equal footing with key governments. This is encouraged through funding packages provided by the Coalition and aimed especially at civil society participants from the global South, and the region in which the respective conference is taking place. In Tunis, an NGO steering committee assisted in setting the Conference agenda and was able to suggest topics, moderators and speakers for the Conference sessions. In Tallinn, a multistakeholder group drafted a set of recommendations for Freedom Online that were subsequently approved by the FOC governments as the Tallinn Agenda – Recommendations for Freedom Online.
Previous Conferences
The 10th Anniversary Freedom Online Conference took place from 30 November to 3 December 2021 in a virtual format under the theme “Openness, Accessibility and Inclusion – Human Rights Online in the 2020’s”.
Read more about the Conference here.
The 8th Freedom Online Conference took place from 6-7 February at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra, Ghana, under the theme “Achieving a Common Vision for Internet Freedom”.
Read more about the Conference here.
The 7th Freedom Online Conference took place from 28-30 November at the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, under the theme “Internet Freedom at a Crossroads – Common Paths towards Strengthening Human Rights Online.”
Read more about the Conference here.
The 6th Freedom Online Conference took place from 17-18 October in San Jose, under the theme “Enhancing an open, active and constructive online community for the enjoyment of an effective citizenship online.”
Read more about the Conference here.
The 5th Freedom Online Conference took place from 4-5 May in Ulaanbaatar, under the theme “Internet Policy Making – Best Practices for Promoting Online Freedom.”
Read more about the Conference here.
In April 2014, the 4th Freedom Online Conference was held in Tallinn under the theme “Free and Secure Internet For All.”
Read more about the Conference here.
The 3rd Freedom Online Conference took place in June 2013 in Tunis, in which the central themes of the first Freedom Online Conference were built upon. The Conference aimed to provide a multistakeholder platform to discuss issues of Internet freedom with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa.
Read more about the Conference here.
The second Freedom Online Conference was hosted by the Kenyan Government in Nairobi on September 6-7 2012, which focused on the importance of Internet freedom in fostering development.
Read more about the Conference here.
During the first Freedom Online Conference held in The Hague in December 2011, the Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal launched the Freedom Online Coalition with the clear vision to promote Internet freedom worldwide.
Read more about the Conference here.
