By Paula Oteguy, Head of Multistakeholder Engagement at LACNIC
National and Regional Internet Governance Initiatives (NRIs) have become essential spaces for building an open, inclusive, and resilient Internet in Latin America and the Caribbean. Unlike centralized or exclusively state-led processes, NRIs encourage dialogue among civil society, the private sector, academia, the technical community, and governments, promoting the multistakeholder cooperation model that has been central to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) since its inception and which is now undergoing global review with the WSIS+20 Review agenda.
These initiatives can adopt different forms, including national or regional Internet Governance Forums, youth initiatives, or Internet Governance Schools. They allow various sectors of society to come together to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and priorities for Internet development.
What Are NRIs and in What Formats Are They Implemented?
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In our region, NRIs take on various forms:
National Internet Governance Forums (national IGFs)
Regional forums such as the Latin American and Caribbean IGF (LACIGF) or the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF)
Youth initiatives (Youth IGFs), both regional (e.g., YouthLACIGF) and local, such as those in Panama or Colombia.
National and regional Internet Governance Schools, including the Diploma in Internet Governance (DIGI), the South School on Internet Governance (SSIG), and the Virtual School on Internet Governance (VSIG), as well as local schools recently consolidated in countries such as Chile or are emerging in Haiti.
These spaces allow participants to address a wide range of topics, from connectivity and digital inclusion policies to resource regulation, IPv6, security, data protection, and the emerging challenges arising from new technologies.
LACNIC’s Support for NRIs: A Key Program for Strengthening Regional Governance
In our region, NRIs take on various forms:
National Internet Governance Forums (national IGFs)
Regional forums such as the Latin American and Caribbean IGF (LACIGF) or the Caribbean Internet Governance Forum (CIGF)
Youth initiatives (Youth IGFs), both regional (e.g., YouthLACIGF) and local, such as those in Panama or Colombia.
National and regional Internet Governance Schools, including the Diploma in Internet Governance (DIGI), the South School on Internet Governance (SSIG), and the Virtual School on Internet Governance (VSIG), as well as local schools recently consolidated in countries such as Chile or are emerging in Haiti.
These spaces allow participants to address a wide range of topics, from connectivity and digital inclusion policies to resource regulation, IPv6, security, data protection, and the emerging challenges arising from new technologies.
LACNIC’s Support for NRIs: A Key Program for Strengthening Regional Governance
At LACNIC, we recognize the transformative impact these spaces have in strengthening the multistakeholder governance model in our region. Through our program Support for Latin American and Caribbean Internet Governance Initiatives, we assist various initiatives in organizing their forums, meetings, and training activities. This support translates into technical assistance, dissemination, and direct funding for carrying out the activities. Additional information about the program is available here.
In 2025 alone, more than 15 initiatives received support from LACNIC. Highlights included:
Relaunching IGF Argentina after several years of inactivity, which has created a new opportunity for national dialogue.
Strengthening Youth IGF in Panama and Colombia, which has helped generate meaning spaces for young people to discuss topics related to the Internet and its governance.
Promoting Internet Governance Schools, such as the one in Chile and others in emerging countries like Haiti.
The Caribbean IGF and LACIGF meetings, where LACNIC actively participated, addressed critical issues such as IPv6, inclusive connectivity, website blocking, and resource regulation (ICP-2).
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, CGI.br, during the 15th edition of IGF Brazil, which demonstrated the vitality of technical governance in the region.
Additionally, the participation of researchers trained through programs such as LACNIC Líderes has allowed for the addition of specialized technical analyses into the agendas of these forums.
This year, we held the second edition of the Internet Governance Workshop during LACNIC 44 in El Salvador. There, the regional community received intensive training and engaged in discussions within a technical and political environment about the current challenges of the digital ecosystem. Led by LACNIC, this initiative seeks to expand regional capabilities and strengthen the multistakeholder approach.
A Key Context: WSIS+20 and the Future of Global Governance
The year 2025 marks a decisive milestone: two decades since the adoption of the Tunis Agenda, which laid the foundations for the multistakeholder governance model.
In this context, NIRs have gained even more relevance. These spaces are crucial for articulating local and regional voices, ensuring that global solutions respond to diverse realities and benefit from both technical and social expertise. One of the main demands emerging from this process is the need to renew the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and ensure its continuity, as well as to reinforce participatory and inclusive processes.
Why Are NRIs Essential for Our Region?
Internet Governance Initiatives (NRIs) are essential for our region because they allow us to adapt global debates to local contexts, considering the cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and technical realities of each country or subregion.
These initiatives also play a key role in capacity building. By offering schools, workshops, forums, and training programs, they promote the development of a new generation of leaders and role models.
Furthermore, NRIs promote a rich diversity of voices and approaches by bringing together youth, civil society, academia, the private sector, governments, and the technical community in a dialogue that helps inform decision-making. They also play an important role in connecting local agendas with regional and global processes, helping articulate efforts that allow Latin America and the Caribbean to have an active, informed, and relevant presence in the global Internet governance ecosystem.
A Call to Action: Let’s Create More Spaces, Add Your Voice
At LACNIC, we value the work of all NRIs and reaffirm our commitment to continue supporting them. If you are considering launching a new initiative in your country, city, or community, or if you already coordinate a local forum and need technical, logistical, or outreach support, we invite you to contact us.
Dialogue spaces are maintained and continue to grow, but an active, diverse, and participatory community remains essential. Strengthening them requires innovation, participation, and cooperation.
Join us. Let’s build the future of the Internet together in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The views expressed by the authors of this blog are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LACNIC.
