VIETNAM INTERNET FORUM

Welcoming remarks by H.E. Pereric Högberg, Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam
Speech by H.E. Pham Hong Hai, Vice Minister of Information and Communications
Video greeting by H.E. Margot Wallström, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs

Access to Internet has become a critical component in our ability to engage fully in modern day society. Through Internet we indulge in activities such as online dating and mobile gaming, we can also participate in discussions, find information and read news. However, access to Internet goes further than technical solutions – openness, communication and access to information are also vital aspects.

The technological development has changed and shaped the way we think and act in relation to society, business, privacy and transparency. In the first main session we will address some of the opportunities that digital access brings to peoples’ lives.

Moderator: Marcin De Kaminski, Policy Specialist, Freedom of Expression/ICT, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)

Panellists:
Guy Berger, Director of Division Freedom of Expression and Media Development, UNESCO
Mai Liem Truc, Former Vice Minister of Post and Telecommunication
To Nam Phuong,Chief Executive of FPT Television Center - FPT Telecom, Vietnam
Denis Brunetti, President of Ericsson Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia
Malavika Jayaram, Executive Director, Digital Asia Hub
Jeremy Showalter, Scale Leader, Technology for Social Impact Group, Microsoft Philanthropies

UNDP Viet Nam will launch the Vietnamese translation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The Guiding Principles seek to provide an authoritative global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse human rights impacts linked to business activity. Businesses also play a vital role in ensuring protection of rights through transparency and access to information.
Presenter:

Akiko Fujii, Deputy Country Director UNDP Vietnam
Nguyen Quang Vinh, Deputy Secretary General, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)
 

Using digital technologies to advance social and environmental development

Central to the modern start-up is their utilization of new and innovative technologies. Online services, mobile phone apps, 3D printing and Virtual Reality are all examples of new technologies that have been used by start-ups to build and grow their business. Innovation and technology are also central in discovering the new development solutions to the new global development challenges we face, including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 (SDGs). We have already seen significant social and environmental impact through technological innovations in areas such as SMS distributed food stamps in times of famine, reforestation of isolated regions of the rainforest by drones, manufacturing of affordable prosthetics through 3D-printing, and crowd funding platforms which have revolutionized global development efforts. This session will explore how digital technologies can, and are, being used for good, to advance global sustainable development and help us achieve the SDGs.

This session is co-chaired with UNDP.

Moderator: Pham Quoc Dat, Founder & CEO of HATCH! VENTURES

Panellists:
Johannes Schildt, Co-founder and CEO, KRY
Helen Bui, Founder of Planet 9 and Co-Founder of Women in FinTech
Shuyin Tang, Principal Patamar Capital
Lai Xuan Thanh, ICT Manager, SOS Children's Villages Vietnam

Open data is information from public organizations that is available for everyone to use, recycle or distribute – the only requirement is that you present the source. Open data is an asset which contributes to transparency and accessibility for its users. In the digital society we need new innovative solutions to produce, administer and disperse open data.

In this session we will discuss a few examples of how open data can be created and used freely.

Moderator: Malavika Jayaram, Executive Director, Digital Asia Hub

Panellists:
Le Trung Nghia, Development Co-ordination Agency for Environment of Science and Technology (DCA), Ministry of Science and Technology
Nguyen Thi Kieu Vien, Executive Director, Towards Transparency
Glenn Maail, Researcher manager at the Open Data Lab, World Wide Web Foundation
Arthit Suriyawongkul, Co-Founder of Foundation for Internet and Civic Culture

UNESCO will present its concept of Internet Universality and engage with participants for their inputs in defining the indicators for Internet. The concept of Internet Universality is at the heart of UNESCO’s work to promote an Internet that works for all and is based on four fundamental principles known as ROAM: Rights (R), Openness (O), Accessibility (A) and Multi-stakeholder (M) participation.

Elaborating Internet indicators serves multiple purposes: assessing country’s Internet development and environment, broaden international consensus on Internet norms and principles, and foster digital rights for sustainable development. Special attention will be paid to gender equality and to the needs and interests of young people.

UNESCO invites all stakeholders to complete a questionnaire for defining Internet Universality indicators.

This session is co-chaired with UNESCO.

Moderator: Jaldeep Katwala, Project Manager for Southeast Asia, Fojo Media Institute

Panellists:
Guy Berger, Director of Division Freedom of Expression and Media Development, UNESCO
Szeming Tan, Programme Manager, Sinar Project
Hong Phuc Dang, Founder, FOSSASIA
Arthit Suriyawongkul, Co-founder of Foundation for Internet and Civic Culture
Nguyen Nhung, Communication Researcher

Social media plays an important role in society by changing how we communicate, behave and do business. Through social media everyone can express themselves and their ideas in words, images and through video content. New ways of interacting and sharing information bring new opportunities and challenges.

In this session we will discuss the potential of social media in Vietnam as well as how the challenges could be approached.

Moderator: Pham Hai Chung, Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Academy of Journalism and Communication

Panellists:
Anne Senior, Lecturer, City University of London
Dang Hoang Giang, Deputy Director, CECODES
Michael L. Gray, Programme Manager, The SecDev Foundation
Chau Doan, Writer, Journalist & Social Media Profile

Moderators:
Pham Hai Chung, Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Academy of Journalism and Communication
Nguyen Kim Ngan, Journalist and Communication Specialist
Marcin De Kaminski, Policy Specialist, Freedom of Expression/ICT, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)

Three shortlisted candidates for the #InnovationForGood-award will present their projects.

Presenters:
Måns Svensson, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer, Lund University
Vu The Binh, Secretary General of Vietnam Internet Association