Annual Report 2022 by DiploFoundation

IMPRESSUM Annual Report 2022 Published by DiploFoundation (2023) Malta DiploFoundation Anutruf, Ground Floor Hriereb Street, Msida MSD 1675 Malta Switzerland WMO Building (2nd floor) 7 bis, Avenue de la Paix CH-1202 Geneva Switzerland Serbia DiploCentar Branicevska 12a/12 11000 Belgrade Serbia USA Diplo US 1100 15th Street NW, FL 4 Washington, DC 20005 USA Visit us at www.diplomacy.edu Write to us at diplo@diplomacy.edu

The online version of this report is available at https://www.diplomacy.edu/ar2022

Table of contents 1. Introduction 5 1.1 Message from the executive director 5 1.2 The year we turned 20 6 1.2.1 Diplo Week in Geneva 6 1.2.2 Malta Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance 7 2. Our capacity development programmes and partnerships 8 2.1 Our certificate and accredited courses 10 2.2 Master’s Degree in Contemporary Diplomacy with the University of Malta 11 2.3 Scholarships offered by Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade (MFET) 13 2.4 Executive courses for diplomats, in partnership with Malta’s MFET 14 2.5 Training Mexican diplomats, in cooperation with the MFA’s Instituto Matias Romero 14 2.6 Training African parliamentarians, in cooperation with the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG) 14 2.7 Marking ten years of cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) 15 2.8 Delivering the 10th Asia-Europe Foundation Public Diplomacy Training 15 2.9 Cybersecurity Diplomacy with the Organization of American States (OAS) 16 2.10 Training for Internet Society fellows 16 2.11 Development of knowledge modules with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) 16 2.12 Cybersecurity Diplomacy training for Women in Cyber fellows 16 2.13 WebDebates in collaboration with the International Forum on Diplomatic Training (IFDT) 16 2.14 Our alumni network 17 3. Our research projects, policy dialogues, and other initiatives 18 3.1 The Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) 18 3.1.1 The Digital Watch Observatory 18 3.1.2 The GIP’s capacity development in Geneva 21 3.1.3 The annual Geneva Engage Awards 21 3.1.4 The Geneva Digital Atlas 2.0 22 3.1.5 Other initiatives 22 3.2 Cooperating with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC): Developing capacities for achieving Agenda 2030 24 3.3 Cooperating with the Ford Foundation: Strengthening civil society’s participation in digital policy processes 25 3.4 Continuing the Geneva Dialogue: Paving the way for responsible behaviour in cyberspace 25 3.5 Study: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy 25 3.6 Study: Digital technologies and the environment 26 3.7 Study: Stepping up the engagement of ARIN stakeholders in standardisation processes 26 3.8 Study: Children and the metaverse 26 3.9 Other activities: Our speaking and writing activities in 2022 27 4. Our communications strategies 29 4.1 Websites 29 3

4.1.1 Diplo’s website: www.diplomacy.edu 4.1.2 The Geneva Internet Platform’s (GIP) website: www.giplatform.org 4.1.3 The Digital Watch Observatory’s website: dig.watch 4.1.4 Other websites 4.2 Mailing lists 4.2.1 DiploNews 4.2.2 The ConfTech Digest 4.2.3 The Geneva Internet Platform mailing list 4.2.4 Other mailing lists 4.3 Social media networks 4.4 Multimedia 4.4.1 Videos and podcasts 4.4.2 Data visualisation and illustrations 4.5 Diplo in the media: Interviews and feature articles 5. Our people 5.1 The Board of Administrators 5.2 The coordination team 5.3 Senior fellows 5.4 Staff 5.5 Lecturers, guest lecturers, workshop speakers, tutors, research fellows, and course coordinators 5.6 Digital Watch Knowledge Fellows 6. Financial report

30 30 30 30 30 30 31 31 31 31 32 32 33 35 37 37 37 37 38 39 40 42

1. Introduction 1.1 Message from the executive director In Diplo’s history books, the year 2022 will go down as a memorable one. It’s the year we celebrated Diplo’s 20th anniversary and expressed our deep appreciation to all those who helped Diplo reach this milestone – not least, our two founding partners – the Governments of Malta and Switzerland – and the many other governments, organisations, and individuals who entrusted their capacity development needs to our hands. The 20th-anniversary summit, held in Malta in November, also served as a reunion for our team members. Our ambitious goal over two decades was to lead innovative professional capacity development, helping hundreds of diplomats and other professionals enhance their skills. Our initiatives included training, research, dialogues, and other projects. We embraced new technologies and showed how technology can strengthen diplomatic practice around the world. Our mission remained steadfast through it all: to serve small and developing countries, enabling them to realise their potential and contribute to regional and global policy processes. We pursued the same mission in Geneva, home to the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP), a Swiss initiative we’ve been implementing for over eight years. We continued to advance the position of International Geneva as a digital hub by publishing the second version of the Geneva Digital Atlas, the most comprehensive mapping of digital policy actors available to date. We leveraged the vibrancy of International Geneva to organise dialogues, training, and many other initiatives. Throughout 2022, we made it a priority to advance Africa's digital development needs. Our landmark study, Stronger digital voices from Africa: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy, which we published in collaboration with the Swiss Government, showed how Africa's digital dynamism demands an amplified representation in global digital policy. We also started capacity building in digital diplomacy for African countries. With the assistance of the government of Malta, we delivered online training for Rwanda’s diplomatic service. When it comes to digital policy, one of our priority concentrations for research and analysis, 2022 was marked by a significant development which took the world by storm. Within a few weeks of its launch, the generative AI tool ChatGPT – and similar tools – shook the educational, research, and professional sectors to their core. It was perceived as a threat to a wide range of jobs. The developments that ensued demonstrated that society needs to start dismantling the widely-perceived myth that the only way to develop AI is by using massive amounts of data. On the contrary, our AI tools like the Data Sandbox show that reliable tools can be built with fewer data, as long as it’s good quality data. Diplo strongly believes that AI should be developed from the ground up. This is not only technically possible, but economically profitable and ethically desirable. This approach will be our backdrop in 2023 as we walk the talk on digital policy and diplomacy. Thank you for your support and interest in our work. Dr Jovan Kurbalija Executive Director, DiploFoundation

1.2 The year we turned 20 1.2.1 Diplo Week in Geneva One of the best moments of 2022 was undoubtedly the celebration of our 20th anniversary. We started the celebrations with Diplo Week in Geneva on 7–11 November, which featured a series of open-door events to share the cutting-edge AI applications and data analysis tools that we have developed, as well as other exciting findings from our research priorities. Our programme for the week included: ● A Digital Development and Inclusion Day focused on Africa, which included the pre-release of our landmark study Stronger African Digital Voices and a press conference ● A Geneva Digital Atlas and Arts Day, where we launched another major report, the Geneva Digital Atlas 2.0. We also opened an exhibition, Diplomacy through the eyes of the artist, featuring 50 illustrations by our illustrator, Prof. Vladimir Veljasevic, which he created for our courses and research in the span of two decades. ● An AI and Data Day featured our AI experts, who explained the basics of AI and data management and showcased the practical AI tools they developed during the year. ● A Humanitarian Diplomacy Day marked our ten years of cooperation with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in delivering the Humanitarian Diplomacy online course. ● A Cybersecurity Day featured a discussion on some of the leading cybersecurity concerns.

Watch the video highlights from Diplo Week In Geneva

1.2.2 Malta Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance After our Geneva highlights, we moved to Malta for our high-level Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance on 17–19 November. We organised the summit in cooperation with our founding partners, the Governments of Malta and Switzerland, who expressed their commitment to usher the organisation into the next decade. The summit gave us – and the hundreds of participants who took part in it – the opportunity to take stock of the past developments in digital diplomacy and governance and propel the work of diplomats and policy specialists into the next decade. Our high-level speakers included Swiss President Ignazio Cassis, Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela, Malta’s Foreign Minister Ian Borg, Mauritanian Minister of Digital Transformation Moctar Yedaly, the UN Secretary-General’s Tech Envoy Amandeep Singh Gill and many more. Together with diplomats, tech envoys, digital policy experts, and other officials from the private and public sectors, the discussions offered a multidisciplinary approach that moved away from traditional narrative and hype.

Watch the video highlights from the Malta Summit

2. Our capacity development programmes and partnerships

Number of countries represented

Number of participants in online and blended courses

Number of lecturers, tutors, and course team members

Number of online and blended courses

Demographics of origin by development status

Number of participants in 2022 by region

Gender (main groups)

Sectors by group and quantity

Course completion rate

2.1 Our certificate and accredited courses We provide a diverse range of online courses focused on diplomacy and digital policy, customised for professionals in the domains of international relations (diplomats, civil servants, NGO and governmental officials), academics, journalists, students and more. We offer four modes of study: ● ● ●

Certificate courses, where participants enrol with us and receive a Diplo certificate on successful completion Our Advanced Diploma in Internet Governance, for completion of a series courses with a digital policy focus with stricter requirements University of Malta accredited courses where participants enrol through the University of Malta and receive credits as part of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS,) which provides a universal framework to compare academic credits. This standardised system aids in simplifying credit transfer and helps ensure the transparency, quality, and coherence of academic programmes throughout Europe.

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Courses as part of the Postgraduate Diploma and Master’s in Contemporary Diplomacy programme offered in cooperation with the University of Malta

Participants in our interactive online courses learn in small groups of 12 to 30, led by an expert lecturer or lecturing team. Learning takes place in an online classroom where participants find course readings, learning activities, assignments, and other resources and tools for online learning. Each week, participants read and discuss the lecture text for that week, adding comments, questions, arguments, references, and other contributions using annotations. Lecturers and other participants read and respond to these comments, creating dynamic discussion interactions based on the text, often as they relate to current trends and controversies. Throughout the week, participants in our courses engage in further activities like online discussions, group tasks, quizzes, and simulations. Participants and lecturers meet at the end of the week in a text- or video-based chat room to explore the interconnected relevance and importance of specific critical elements of the topic at hand. Our courses require at least five to seven hours of weekly study time to ensure the best possible results. In 2022, we expanded the course catalogue, adding shorter courses that dive deeper into particular topics. These courses retain the same pedagogy and level of interaction, but typically run for four weeks. Furthermore, we began providing executive courses with short course readings in dedicated classrooms, with a primary emphasis on Zoom-based interaction. In total, we offered 28 certificate courses last year: ● 21st Century Diplomacy ● Artificial Intelligence: Technology, Governance, and Policy Frameworks ● Bilateral Diplomacy ● Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (New!) ● Cybersecurity ● Cybersecurity Diplomacy (a six-week course, which we ran twice) ● Data Governance in the Digital Economy (New!) ● Diplomatic Law: Privileges and Immunities ● Diplomatic Theory and Practice 10

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Digital Diplomacy (an executive-level course which we ran twice) Economic Diplomacy E-diplomacy Emerging Digital Diplomacy and Foreign Policy (an executive-level course which we ran once) Humanitarian Diplomacy (two iterations) Internet Technology and Policy: Challenges and Solutions Introduction to Internet Governance (with two additional iterations in French) Introduction to Digital Policy and Diplomacy (for Geneva-based diplomats) Multilateral Diplomacy Nexus: Breaking the silos between humanitarian, development, and peace activities (New!) Public Diplomacy (two iterations) Science Diplomacy Sustainable Development Diplomacy

A number of these courses took place in cooperation with partners, which we explore later in this section; the Geneva-based courses are described as part of the Geneva Internet Platform project (Section 3.1.2). In addition, the Advanced Diploma in Internet Governance, launched in 2016, equips current and future internet policymakers with the practical and diplomatic and technical knowledge they need to engage effectively in international policy processes. To earn the diploma, participants must complete three of the five available digital-technology-related courses within a three-year timeframe, with stricter achievement level and research (essay) requirements. In 2022, 2 participants were awarded the Advanced Diploma, while four other participants were actively pursuing the Diploma. As in previous years, some course participants registered in our courses directly, while others enrolled through their ministry of foreign affairs (MFA). Regarding our online learning platform, the development of a new learning management system (LMS) had been in the pipeline for a few years, and was tested internally in 2021 thanks to dedicated support from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In 2022, our focus was to implement and improve the new LMS we developed in 2021. The beta version of the new platform was successfully piloted in February 2022 with the launch of five online courses with approximately 120 users. The team continually updates the platform by introducing the latest user-friendly tools for both students and the team working on the back end of the classroom. The new platform allows us to develop just-in-time, timely, and custom courses faster and to continue improving the range of courses we provide. The work on new formats for our standard courses will continue in 2023.

2.2 Master’s Degree in Contemporary Diplomacy with the University of Malta The Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) and Master in Contemporary Diplomacy, offered in cooperation with the University of Malta, is a 16–20-month blended-learning programme including an online 11

workshop and courses, and a Master’s dissertation. Participants in this programme can select a specialisation in internet governance by attending several required courses and writing their dissertation on an internet-governance-related topic. In 2022, 8 participants – diplomats and other international relations professionals, 6 of whom hailed from Africa, one from Asia, and one from the Caribbean – were accepted to the programme. These included 3 participants who selected the internet governance specialisation. With the support of the Government of Malta (see Section 2.3), we offered partial scholarships (ranging from a 20% to a 50% reduction in programme fees) to participants from developing countries in Africa. Embracing our innovative blended-learning strategy, participants initiated their programme with a three-week online workshop. The workshop focused on the practical skills required for diplomacy, such as language and influence, diplomatic protocol and etiquette, internet governance, e-diplomacy, negotiation, public diplomacy, and public speaking. Additionally, participants familiarised themselves with online classroom methodologies and polished their academic study skills. During the online-learning phase, participants complete five courses from our MA catalogue. They are then eligible for the PGD in Contemporary Diplomacy or to embark on writing their Master's dissertation in the second year of the programme. With a supervisor’s guidance, the dissertation entails research and academic writing and is expected to result in a submission of a 25,000-word dissertation. The dissertation phase extends over five months (full-time) or nine months (part-time). In 2022, we had 11 participants who had started the Master/PGD programme in 2021 or earlier who began to write their dissertations: Name

Dissertation Title

Andre Xuereb (Malta)

The small-state science diplomat

Emily Mokoena (South Africa)

How can psychology assist in the achievement of the SDG3: Good Health and Well-Being (GH and WB) in the SADC region, a mixed method study.

Frank John Mhina (Tanzania)

The role of economic diplomacy in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and its impacts in industrial development in Tanzania.

John Hipsley (USA)

Graphic Diplomacy – Using Argument Maps to Improve Critical Thinking in Negotiations

Juan Carlos Pomareda (Peru)

The relevance of the international water management in contemporary diplomacy

MacOswald Curtz Jumali (Malawi)

Evaluation of Malawi Diaspora Engagement Policy

Omphile Sethunya (Botswana)

Economic diplomacy for developing countries in the age of the 4th industrial revolution (the case of Botswana)

Tarniem Showery Iskandar (Egypt)

EU - African Continents: The relations between the European Union and the African Continents 12

Simataa Matali (Namibia)

An investigation of the impact of sports as a tool for diplomacy: a case study for Namibia

Marie Betts-Johnson (USA)

Are entry-level diplomatic training programmes meeting the needs of the new Career Diplomat?

Shantal Sasha Marin

Language Barriers within an International Organisation: A case study of SICA.

Six of the candidates who started writing their dissertations in 2022 submitted their work and graduated in 2022. One other candidate submitted her work in 2023 and will graduate in 2024. The remaining candidates are currently finalising their dissertations or waiting for examination results. These will graduate in 2024, following approval of their dissertations.

2.3 Scholarships offered by Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade (MFET) The Government of Malta is one of our most important partners in online learning. In 2022, we distributed the funds from the Maltese government to support scholarships for applicants from developing countries to attend our courses in the following way: ●

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Through the Small States Fellowship Programme, 49 participants from the Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kiribati, Maldives, Mauritius, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu attended different courses throughout 2022. Through the Malta Scholarships programme, full or partial support enabled 66 participants from 36 developing countries to attend online courses. In addition, 4 participants from Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, and Lesotho were supported through partial scholarships to participate in the Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy programmes.

Funding from the government of Malta also supported updates and improvements to online course materials, research and development for new courses, and maintenance of the technological infrastructure to support our online learning structure.

2.4 Executive courses for diplomats, in partnership with Malta’s MFET In 2022, we began offering executive courses that offer immersive short-format learning in a dedicated virtual classroom, with precisely-targeted course readings and a primary emphasis on Zoom-based interaction. These two to three-week courses allow busy diplomats to upskill while on the job. More than 80 Namibian ambassadors took part in the pilot course Digital Diplomacy in 2022, which we ran in January. The training, supported by Namibia’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, partnered with Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade (MFET). The 10-day intensive training in digital diplomacy tackled a broad range of issues, from cybersecurity and human rights to geopolitics and emerging technologies. More than 45 Maltese diplomats and government officials successfully completed our executive course on Digital Diplomacy for Maltese Diplomats in June. The training included 7 online Zoom sessions and covered geopolitics and geoeconomics; development; security; human rights; and digital tools for diplomatic activities. More than 50 participants, consisting of Rwandan diplomats and government officials, successfully completed a course dedicated to the Rwandan diplomatic corps in October. The training, sponsored by Malta’s MFET and supported by Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, looked at the impact of digitalisation on diplomacy and analysed the main trends in geopolitics, major negotiations, and the use of practical tools.

2.5 Training Mexican diplomats, in cooperation with the MFA’s Instituto Matias Romero Our cooperation with the Mexican MFA’s Instituto Matias Romero (IMR) began in 2004, when the institute first enrolled participants in Diplo’s online courses. The memorandum of understanding between Mexico, Malta, and Switzerland on diplomatic training, which provides a framework for this cooperation, was renewed in 2021. This agreement facilitates IMR's enrolment of diplomats in Diplo's online courses and cooperation on other educational initiatives. Since 2004, over 700 diplomats from Mexico have attended Diplo’s online training courses, with 60 participants enrolled in 2022.

2.6 Training African parliamentarians, in cooperation with the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG) On 24-25 November 2022, in the run-up to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) meeting hosted by the Government of Ethiopia, we delivered a two-day in-situ training to members of parliaments from across Africa.

The training included presentations and deep-dive, highly-interactive discussions on a range of digital policy issues: digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and cybercrime, and the digital economy. Also included was an overview of the global digital governance landscape and a debate on how MPs could help strengthen the engagement of African actors in such processes. The training was delivered to 25 MPs as part of the Pan-African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance.

2.7 Marking ten years of cooperation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) In 2022, we continued to run the bi-annual 12-week Online Diploma Course in Humanitarian Diplomacy with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), marking our 10th year of cooperation. The course consists of an 8-week interactive online learning phase that introduces participants to humanitarian diplomacy concepts, actors, and tools, including persuasion and negotiation, and a four-week research phase during which participants prepare a 5,000-word paper on a topic of relevance to their professional development or interests. In 2022, the course was offered to groups of 20 and 32 participants, starting in February and September, respectively. In 2022, we also celebrated our ten years of cooperation with an event during Diplo Week in Geneva (see section 1.2.1), during which we promoted a collection of the best research papers produced by the course participants during the past ten years in a booklet titled Humanitarian Diplomacy Course: Reports on Action.

2.8 Delivering the 10th Asia-Europe Foundation Public Diplomacy Training In September–October 2022, we delivered the 10th Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Public Diplomacy Training (formerly the Asia-Europe Public Training Initiative) in cooperation with ASEF. The training used a 6-week online course methodology and was offered to a group of 26 participants. The programme was set up by ASEF in 2013 in partnership with Diplo and the National Centre for Research on Europe at the University of Canterbury. It promotes and facilitates skills training for diplomats and civil society actors in improving public diplomacy efforts among the countries participating in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) process. Training sessions have been offered annually from 2014 to 2022, with ten tutored online courses and eight face-to-face training sessions in various locations around the world. Participants had the opportunity to learn from experts in Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, The Hague, Jakarta, Vienna, Siem Reap, and Budapest.

2.9 Cybersecurity Diplomacy with the Organization of American States (OAS) Through Diplo’s office in the USA, we initiated a new partnership with the OAS, contributing to their capacity-building efforts in digital policy for member states. After a successful run of the first course on Digital Policy and Diplomacy 2020, and following positive feedback from course participants, the course on cybersecurity diplomacy was offered in 2022 to a group of 20 participants from 13 OAS member states. The cooperation will continue in the future.

2.10 Training for Internet Society fellows In 2022, Diplo delivered training sessions to the Internet Society’s vibrant network of youth champions – Early Career Fellows and IGF Youth Ambassadors – who especially learned how to engage in policy processes at their local or regional levels. The training equipped participants with knowledge about the actors and processes in digital policy and skills for enhancing their cognitive toolbox to analyse policy issues. The training also included a simulation of a real-life scenario which helped them apply their knowledge and skills in a practical environment.

2.11 Development of knowledge modules with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) We also worked with the GFCE on developing knowledge modules for capacity development for policymakers in cybersecurity. The knowledge modules – which can be followed in the format of a self-paced course – cover (but are not limited to) key areas aligned with the GFCE Global Agenda for Cyber Capacity Building. The knowledge modules and their components can be used for self-paced online courses, repositories, face-to-face events, and webinars.

2.12 Cybersecurity Diplomacy training for Women in Cyber fellows In 2022, we also collaborated with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) to deliver the Cybersecurity Diplomacy online course to 30 participants as part of the Women in International Security and Cyberspace (WIC) Fellowship. The fellowship supports attendance at the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and delivers negotiation skills training to women diplomats from all regions in UN cyber negotiations. The fellowship is a joint initiative of the governments of Australia, the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

2.13 WebDebates in collaboration with the International Forum on Diplomatic Training (IFDT) Throughout 2022, Diplo continued to collaborate with the International Forum on Diplomatic Training, by managing the IFDT's online portal and promoting training programmes and hosting events organised by the IFDT and its members.

WebDebates are a vital part of the IFDT framework. They unite diplomats, diplomacy professionals, and researchers worldwide to discuss critical subjects related to the future of diplomacy. In 2022, we hosted three WebDebates: ● ● ●

1 March – [WebDebate #53] Science diplomacy: The road ahead in 2022 5 April – [WebDebate #54] Science diplomacy in 2022: More cooperation or more division? 14 July – [WebDebate #55] Science diplomacy capacity development: Where do we go from here?

2.14 Our alumni network As 2022 drew to a close, Diplo’s alumni network was enriched by over 7,200 members hailing from 208 countries and territories worldwide. Regular engagement keeps alumni up-to-date on our latest initiatives, projects, study opportunities, publications, and more. Membership in our closed Facebook group, formed in 2017 as a casual platform for alumni to share updates, exchange ideas, and network, continues to flourish. The group is home to over 520 members as of the end of 2022.

3. Our research projects, policy dialogues, and other initiatives Diplo's projects include research and policy dialogues that focus on crucial topics like digital transformation, cybersecurity, and international cooperation. Our largest project is the Geneva Internet Platform, a platform that ensures an inclusive dialogue for the advancement of public policy in the digital world.

3.1 The Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) The Geneva Internet Platform, which is supported by the Swiss authorities and operated by Diplo, successfully concluded its ninth year of operation. The project strengthens Geneva's role in digital policymaking and advances the realisation of Swiss foreign policy priorities in the digital field. As a neutral and inclusive space for policy discussions, the GIP facilitates Geneva-based collaboration among diverse communities, including diplomacy, academia, policy, technology, non-governmental entities, and business. It also provides global digital policy monitoring and analysis, conducts evidence-based research and delivers timely analysis of complex developments in the field. In addition, the platform promotes capacity-building programmes that make digital policy more inclusive and effective, focusing on strengthening the participation of small and developing countries in Geneva-based digital policy processes. As part of the GIP, we also operate the Digital Watch Observatory, a research and analysis initiative that produces monthly briefings and newsletters on topics related to digital policy. Additionally, we host the annual Geneva Engage Awards and the Tech Attachés Community. A highlight in 2022 was the publication of the Geneva Digital Atlas 2.0.

3.1.1 The Digital Watch Observatory

Since its inception in 2015 through the Geneva Internet Platform, the Digital Watch Observatory has been a go-to resource for comprehensive internet governance and digital policy. The platform serves as a one-stop-shop that objectively collates the latest developments, overviews, explainers, events, resources, and related content for digital policy. Recognising the need to report more effectively on digital policy, we opened a call for Knowledge Fellows (trained contributors) to expand its Digital Watch Observatory curating team. The call for contributors was launched on the dig.watch website and promoted on social media. It was accompanied by a comprehensive description of the role, responsibilities, and expectations for potential Knowledge Fellows. The response to the call for contributors surpassed expectations, with a record number of 180 applicants expressing their interest in joining the Knowledge Fellows team. Even after the call for applications was officially closed, we continued to receive expressions of interest from individuals who had missed the initial deadline. After the selection process, the candidates were trained and integrated into the existing Digital Watch Observatory curating team. During 2022, the observatory gradually evolved into a fully functional WordPress website, bolstered by plug-ins to enhance and optimise its performance. Ongoing content updates ensured that the latest policy developments were reflected on the site, while search engine optimisation (SEO) remained a key focus to improve the website's search engine positioning. Thanks to significant improvements and streamlined communication efforts built on previous years' work, the dig.watch website saw a significant surge in page views in 2022. Since the observatory's launch, the majority of its users outside Switzerland hail from leading internet countries – USA, India, UK, and China. In addition, growing nations have maintained a consistent presence among the top ten communities for its users.

Comparison of page views in 2022 vs 2021

○ Our monthly briefings The monthly briefings on internet governance and digital policy were highly anticipated events that took place on the last Tuesday of every month until June 2022. The briefings, which had been running since the inception of the GIP project, covered the major trends and policy developments of the month. ● ● ● ● ● ●

26 January – [Briefing #81] What’s in store for digital policy in 2022? 22 February – [Briefing #82] Standards in digital policy | Cybersecurity and humanitarian work 29 March – [Briefing #83] The digital side of conflict: sanctions, freedoms, and the global internet 26 April – [Briefing #84] The making and breaking of cyber relations: USA-Russia and UN OEWG 31 May – [Briefing #85] Content policy & policing | Crypto in danger 28 June – [Briefing #86] Africa at the forefront | AI sentience & social challenges

Due to the increasing demand by Geneva-based diplomatic missions for more targeted and intimate events addressing digital developments, in June 2022 we decided to shift the monthly briefings from an online platform to in situ events. This move provided more opportunities for Geneva-based diplomats to engage with their peers and build an even deeper understanding of the developments in the digital landscape.

○ Our newsletters The Digital Watch Monthly encompasses a summary of primary digital policy trends, key developments per thematic area, meticulous analysis of current issues, and major dialogues. We published French translations in collaboration with the Organisation de la Francophonie (OIF), and also included news from the organisation. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Issue 66, February 2022 | Also available in French Issue 67, March 2022 | Also available in French Issue 68, April 2022 | Also available in French Issue 69, May 2022 | Also available in French Issue 70, June 2022 | Also available in French Issue 71, July 2022 | Also available in French Issue 72, September 2022 | Also available in French Issue 73, October 2022 | Also available in French Issue 74, November 2022 | Also available in French Issue 75, December 2022 | Also available in French

In 2020, we launched our Digital Watch Weekly to keep readers informed with updates sent straight to their inboxes every Friday. The series comprised a total of 27 issues in 2022. Weekly #67 - 7 January 2022

Weekly #76 - 12 March 2022

Weekly #85 - 13 May 2022

Weekly #68 - 14 January 2022

Weekly #77 - 18 March 2022

Weekly #86 - 20 May 2022

Weekly #69 - 22 January 2022

Weekly #78 - 25 March 2022

Weekly #87 - 27 May 2022

Weekly #70 - 28 January 2022

Weekly #79 - 1 April 2022

Weekly #88 - 3 June 2022

Weekly #71 - 5 February 2022

Weekly #80 - 9 April 2022

Weekly #89 - 10 June 2022

Weekly #72 - 11 February 2022

Weekly #81 - 15 April 2022

Weekly #90 - 17 June 2022

Weekly #73 - 18 February 2022

Weekly #82 - 22 April 2022

Weekly #91 - 24 June 2022

Weekly #74 - 26 February 2022

Weekly #83 - 29 April 2022

Weekly #92 - 1 July 2022

Weekly #75 - 5 March 2022

Weekly #84 - 6 May 2022

Weekly #93 - 8 July 2022

The meeting between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, on 16 June 2021, was touted as a milestone in the relations between the two countries and marked the start of a cyber detente between Russia and the USA. The Digital Watch Observatory continued to monitor the state of the cyber detente through the monthly Cyber Detente Barometer, which was sent to subscribers on the 16th of each month from January through April 2022:

● Cyber Detente Barometer 7–16 January 2022 ● Cyber Detente Barometer 8–16 February 2022

● Cyber Detente Barometer 9–16 March 2022 ● Cyber Detente Barometer 10–16 April 2022 After the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, we suspended the publication of the Cyber Detente Barometer issue to focus on a wider range of issues.

3.1.2 The GIP’s capacity development in Geneva The GIP delivered the Introduction to Digital Policy and Diplomacy course for Geneva-based diplomats, in a blended format, in February–April 2022. The course covered emerging technologies; broadband and infrastructure policy; network neutrality; jurisdiction, intellectual property rights, and privacy protection; data governance; cybersecurity; digital rights; and more, with space for regional and other issues. In 2022, we continued our partnership with Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) that began the previous year. Our goal was to enhance the meaningful participation of francophone communities from developing economies in global and regional digital policy processes. This partnership bore fruit with the delivery of the Introduction to Internet Governance course in French. The course featured case studies related to francophone countries and was delivered by French-speaking experts. Through this cooperation, we also published the Digital Watch Monthly newsletters in French (see more in section 3.11). Together with our partners, the International Trade Center and CUTS International, we took stock of the successful five-year experience on capacity building on digital commerce. We met regularly to discuss the future of this initiative and agreed to offer the Digital Commerce course again in 2023.

3.1.3 The annual Geneva Engage Awards The annual Geneva Engage Awards have become synonymous with International Geneva. They celebrate the efforts of Geneva-based actors in their social media outreach, online engagement, and more inclusive online meetings. The three categories recognised by the Geneva Engage Awards are International Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and Associations, and Permanent Representations to the UN in Geneva. The seventh edition of the awards, held on 1 February 2022, celebrated best practices for engagement and new trends in using digital tools to share the decisions and knowledge developed in Geneva with the world. An innovative feature launched during the awards was the Digital Footprint of International Geneva. This analytical tool ranks Geneva actors in Google searches across over 300 policy, governance, and diplomatic topics. The Geneva Engage Awards have introduced and highlighted new digital tools and online channels in an agile spirit since 2015.

A representative from GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance, winner of the NGOs and Associations category during the 7th Geneva Engage Awards, 1 February 2022

3.1.4 The Geneva Digital Atlas 2.0 Since its launch in November 2020, the GIP has made great strides in improving the Geneva Digital Atlas. Version 2.0, published in November 2022, is now the most comprehensive mapping available of digital policy actors and the internet governance scene in Geneva. With detailed insights into 46 different Geneva-based actors, the atlas analyses digital policy processes and catalogues core digital policy instruments and featured events. The findings of the Geneva Digital Atlas 2.0 were presented during the event Digital Cooperation Day: Discussion on the Global Digital Compact, and officially launched during Diplo Week in Geneva. The Geneva Digital Atlas is an innovative publication that addresses the challenges of publishing and technology. It merges traditional storytelling with layered information, giving readers the best of both worlds. The atlas is continually updated online; it retains the value of a newly-published atlas.

3.1.5 Other initiatives ○ The Tech Attachés Circle for Geneva-based diplomats In response to increasing requests for ad-hoc briefings on the latest digital policy developments, we expanded our Tech Attachés Circle, an informal network of diplomats who cover digital policy at permanent missions based in Geneva. Since 2022, this group has grown to almost 60 members, with a particular focus on enhancing the representation of developing countries. To fully support the tech attachés, we also took the initiative of adding monthly briefing sessions. Topics included UN-led digital governance-related processes, e-commerce, navigating ITU, and digital standards. At these sessions, participants had the opportunity to network with other professionals in the digital policy 22

space. In these ways, the GIP is strengthening the diplomatic community's knowledge and capacity to deal with the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.

○ Just-in-time reporting from global events Our team of rapporteurs continued publishing reports from different digital policy events. The just-in-time nature of most of our reporting initiatives guaranteed that we published reports within hours of the conclusion of each session, ensuring the timely delivery of insightful summaries. In March 2022, we reported from the 49th Human Rights Council session, focusing on the Interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy. We reported from the UN OEWG 2021-2025 2nd substantive session (28 March–1 April 2022), the Launch of the Datasphere Initiative (5 April 2022), and UNCTAD’s eCommerce week (25–29 April 2022), where we also published four newsletters, summarising the second, third, fourth and fifth days of the conference. As the official reporting partner of EuroDIG 2022 (20–22 June), where we also provided key messages and reports from all focus areas and subtopics. These messages were delivered at the end of each conference day by GIP staff on the ground, and could immediately (and still can) be accessed on EuroDIG’s website. In September, we followed the high-level General Debate of the 77th UN General Assembly (UNGA 77), publishing daily reports detailing the digital-related topics covered in national statements delivered during the day’s debate. Our final report served as a retrospective, summarising the digital-related topics covered in national statements, divided into three main categories: (a) cybersecurity, (b) digital economy and governance, and (c) digital rights. Additionally, the report evaluated the support expressed by national statements for the UN Secretary-General’s initiative Our Common Agenda. Our AI and Data team also collated a section on pertinent statistics titled: UNGA in Numbers. In November, we covered the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2022 extensively, publishing a total of 96 reports from the forum’s sessions, 3 daily newsletters, and a final summary report highlighting the forum’s top discussions, accompanied by extensive data analysis from 188 session transcripts.

○ Unpacking the EU regulations on digital markets and services Together with the Permanent Representation of France to the UN in Geneva and the Delegation of the European Union to the UN in Geneva, we organised a webinar to unpack the EU’s latest rules on digital markets and services – the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA).

○ Digital Cooperation Day: A discussion on the Global Digital Compact We organised a Digital Cooperation Day in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva and the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). We presented the second edition of the Geneva Digital Atlas, and held discussions with the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, the key driver of the process UN Secretary-General’s Global Digital Compact initiative.

○ Participating at international events Diplo participated in the XVIII Summit of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, in Djerba, Tunisia on 14–20 November 2022, where we presented our landmark report Stronger digital voice from 23

Africa: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy during the roundtable Afrique continent numérique. We also participated extensively in the IGF 2022 (28 November–2 December 2022) by hosting sessions and participating as speakers and moderators.

Diplo’s Mwende Njiraini speaking at IGF 2022

3.2 Cooperating with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC): Developing capacities for achieving Agenda 2030 In 2022, Diplo maintained its collaboration with the SDC. The project, initiated in 2020, facilitated our work towards key objectives, under the umbrella of this partnership: ●

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Developing and strengthening the capacity of small and developing countries to facilitate their participation in global (digital) policy and development processes, with a special focus on SDC priority countries Increasing Diplo's contribution to the 2030 Agenda and global support to UN reform, including contributing to the implementation of the report of the UN High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation Assisting the SDC with internal capacity building, with a particular focus on the Global Cooperation Department and the SDC network’s ability to maximise the benefits of digitalisation Strengthening Diplo’s institutional effectiveness and framework, thus strengthening its global impact

Our project work had a strong focus on Agenda 2030, reinforced by integrating new SDG-related modules into courses and encouraging students to tackle related issues in their work and studies. To better align with the 2030 Agenda, we also prioritised the SDGs in our private-sector collaborations.

3.3 Cooperating with the Ford Foundation: Strengthening civil society’s participation in digital policy processes During 2022, the Ford Foundation continued to support our efforts in empowering civil society actors to participate in digital policy and internet governance. Recognising that governments of small and developing countries still face challenges in navigating complex digital environments, we focused on assisting stakeholders, especially NGOs, the technical community, academia, and the media, to participate meaningfully in policy shaping and impactful decision-making. In practice, we continued to expand the engagement of civil society organisations as our partners in delivering capacity development programmes, engaging at relevant events, and participating in capacity development courses. We prioritised gender issues both as a topic and to support gender inclusion among these participants from small and developing countries. At the heart of our work is the creation of secure spaces for discussions and the exchange of diverse opinions to facilitate understanding and open dialogue between groups. Due to rising geopolitical tensions, it became evident that digital forums for discussing digital rights were shrinking, leaving fewer opportunities for constructive discourse in a neutral space. To help give civil society a stronger balancing voice throughout the year, we made a concerted effort to include as many diverse civil society actors as possible in our events and activities.

3.4 Continuing the Geneva Dialogue: Paving the way for responsible behaviour in cyberspace In 2022, the Geneva Dialogue on Responsible Behaviour in Cyberspace – an initiative led by the Swiss FDFA and implemented by Diplo – entered its fourth phase. Continuing from our past work, our work in Phase IV included ● Evaluating the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders regarding existing norms, taking into account the evolving geopolitical climate in which dialogue is needed more than ever, and maximising the potential of International Geneva ● Producing the initial Geneva Manual by mapping out roles and responsibilities, and identifying best practices for reducing vulnerabilities ● Elevating the awareness and capabilities of stakeholders taking part in the Geneva Dialogue process This phase started in late 2022 and continues in 2023.

3.5 Study: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy As Africa experiences a digital revolution, it is crucial that the continent play an increasingly prominent role in global digital policy. As the transition unfolds, African nations must navigate the current geopolitical climate. To provide an overview of Africa's digital diplomacy, our study titled Stronger digital voices from Africa: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy

(also available in French) offered a holistic examination of national, regional, and continental interests in the digital realm and the extent to which these are represented in global digital policy processes. We also investigated the impact of tech developers, businesses, local communities, and other experts on international digital policy. The study was funded by the Swiss FDFA. We presented the report during the Organisation de la Francophonie’s summit in November 2022 in Djerba.

3.6 Study: Digital technologies and the environment Together with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung USA, we mapped the intersections between digital developments and the environment. The resulting report evaluates current regulations and channels of cooperation among Germany, the USA, and the EU, and focuses on greenhouse gas emissions, rare earths, and e-waste. The report was presented during the event Digital Technologies and the Environment: a Synergy for the Future on 17 February 2022.

3.7 Study: Stepping up the engagement of ARIN stakeholders in standardisation processes The ARIN Community Grant Program financed a project to promote greater awareness of the importance of international digital standards across the ARIN region, emphasising developing countries. The Raising awareness on digital standards for ARIN region countries project, which we ran in 2022, included research and awareness campaigns. This collaboration bore fruit in the form of a report titled International Digital Standards: Stepping up the engagement of stakeholders from the ARIN Region (available also in Spanish); two events (International digital standards: Stepping up the engagement of stakeholders from the ARIN region, on 22 February 2022, and Towards a more diverse international standardisation landscape – Motivations and actions for stakeholders in the ARIN region, on 15 March 2022); and a dedicated article, Involvement of the ARIN Service Region in international digital standardisation.

3.8 Study: Children and the metaverse In 2022, we collaborated with UNICEF Innocenti (UNICEF’s research and analysis arm) on a study titled Rapid analysis: Metaverse, XR, and children. Our findings were based on our expert analysis and insights gathered from a roundtable that included experts from government, the private sector, and academia. In the report, we examined the potential opportunities and risks associated with emerging technologies, particularly the metaverse and extended reality (XR) and their impact on children's rights and well-being.

3.9 Other activities: Our speaking and writing activities in 2022 In 2022, we organised (and co-organised) a number of other events, covering different topics, including: ● 17 May – AI as a tool for diplomacy and mediation, a hybrid event organised as part of Science Diplomacy Week ● 26 May – Serbia IGF 2022, which we co-organised ● 9–10 June – The @DataGovHub XR Conference, organised by the Digital Trade & Data Governance Hub which we supported as partners to the event ● 2 September – The public webinar Data governance in the context of emerging technologies: Promoting human-centred and development-oriented societies, which was also the opening lecture of our Data governance in the digital economy online course ● 19 September – Promoting and protecting human rights in the digital era, organised by the Core Group on New and Emerging Digital Technologies and Human Rights (Republic of Korea, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Morocco, Singapore) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which we supported ● 10–13 October – The AI Policy Summit 2022, organised by RegHorizon and ETH Zurich’s Center for Law and Economics, which we supported ● 7 November – The session on Trustworthy Data Spaces: A Dialogue Between North and South, which we co-organised with the OFCOM as part of the WTO Public Forum 2022 ● 7 November – A lecture on E-commerce and the digital economy, which we organised as part of the training programme Pioneers of digitalisation: Capacity building for the African missions to the UN Office in Geneva, delivered with Microsoft and the CyberPeace Institute ● 24 November – Digital Diplomacy in practice: How knowledge sharing happens throughout the UN system, organised in collaboration with the UN Geneva Library and Archives ● 7 December – The launch of Ambassador Kishan S. Rana’s (a Diplo senior fellow) book, Churchill and India: Manipulation or Betrayal?, which focuses on the complex relationship between Winston Churchill and India in the context of the later phase of the British Empire Our experts were invited to speak at events on a range of topics in 2022. What follows is a partial list of resulting engagements: ● 27 January – New regular cyber-dialogue at the UN: Mapping our expectations with reality, organised by Kaspersky; our speaker was Vladimir Radunović ● 9 March – Breaking cycles, organised by the Malta Model UN Society (MaltMUN); our speaker was Stephanie Borg Psaila ● 16 March – The trade and digital diplomacy nexus: Markets, connectivity and technology, organised by Friends of Europe; our speaker was Marília Maciel ● 17 March – Official Geneva presentation of special UNDP report on human security, organised by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the UN Development Programme’s (UNDP) Geneva office; our speaker was Jovan Kurbalija ● 28 March – Global communications and audiences: Propaganda, fake news & AI censorship, organised by Data to Power. Our speaker was Katharina Höne ● 15 June – Digitalization and e-commerce: New prospects for tackling inequality?, organised by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and CUTS International; our speaker was Marília Maciel ● 24 August – Small Nations Regulators’ Forum 2022, organised by the International Institute of Communications (IIC); our speaker was Vladimir Radunović

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15 September – AI: A threat or a chance for humanity?, organised by the Centre International John Knox; our speaker was Jovan Kurbalija 22 November – Cyber peace: Cooperating for the stability and security of the cyber domain, organised by the School of Transnational Governance; our speaker was Vladimir Radunović

Diplo's blogosphere has thrived over time: We published 57 on-trend posts in 2022 alone. Their topics covered a gamut of insights: from digital politics and cybersecurity to online learning, knowledge management and contemporary diplomacy. These posts, authored by our team, and guest experts, open avenues for further musing on contemporary internet governance and diplomacy issues. Notable posts, for instance, from the Diplo Wisdom Circle, promote thought-provoking discussions among eminent thinkers, alumni, diplomats, activists and business representatives in Diplo's vast network. See also our appearances in the media in Section 4.5

4. Our communications strategies Highlights in 2022 180+ emails to different mailing lists 941 tweets from Diplo and GIP channels 993 new users following Diplo’s Instagram 2,005 new users following Diplo’s LinkedIn page 31,400 video views on YouTube Clear and effective communication lies at the core of all areas of Diplo's work, from courses and events to publications, research and projects. To ensure maximum impact and outreach, we leveraged a range of channels and tools, including websites, social media, email newsletters, community networks and bilateral contacts, to promote Diplo's initiatives, such as the Digital Watch Observatory. Moreover, in 2022, we established a dedicated team to focus on regular, high-quality social media content that aligns with Diplo's communication goals. We anticipate that the impact of this change will be fully realised in 2023.

4.1 Websites Throughout 2022, our technical team built upon the significant overhaul of our websites from the previous year. By integrating additional elements of Diplo's knowledge ecology, visitors now have access to resources that provide a more user-friendly and useful experience and include considerable work improving accessibility, such as descriptive, useful alternative text for screen readers. We are also working on improving our websites’ readability and contract for the visually impaired. Accessibility is an ongoing priority for Diplo. To improve search engine visibility (also known as search engine optimisation (SEO), we focused on updating the meta information on our content pages for better SEO positioning. Our strategy ensured that the transition to WordPress would offer a more efficient user experience, particularly by updating the appearance and structure, resulting in a smoother, more navigable journey for the user. Our ongoing visibility strategy has included targeting a variety of SEO activities and leveraging the Diplo website domain authority. As a result, we have seen significant improvements in our visibility across the web. In addition, our team continued to enhance the now-established WordPress-based websites throughout the year by migrating all of Diplo's websites from Drupal. The platform offers a more flexible system, and our objective remains to enable the seamless integration of Diplo's content and resources into a more accessible, robust and useful experience for visitors.

4.1.1 Diplo’s website: www.diplomacy.edu In 2022, Diplo's website continued to show a positive number of users and page views. It remained instrumental in serving our mission by promoting the array of activities and capabilities that Diplo has to offer, including courses, research, partnerships, events, publications and much more. The top ten countries’ visitors to the website were the USA, India, the Philippines, the UK, Pakistan, Kenya, Nigeria, China, Indonesia, and Ethiopia. We also continued to showcase our work in the USA on our Washington office’s website, https://diplo.us.

4.1.2 The Geneva Internet Platform’s (GIP) website: www.giplatform.org We also updated the GIP's institutional website with fresh and relevant content. The website serves as a key platform for us, promoting Geneva-based events and stakeholders, as well as GIP-related news. Our team ensured that it remained formal and institutional, while showcasing and linking to other initiatives, including the Digital Watch Observatory, just-in-time reporting, and newsletters.

4.1.3 The Digital Watch Observatory’s website: dig.watch The revamped design and layout of the Digital Watch Observatory gave users a seamless and navigable experience, contributing to a remarkable 55% surge in page views compared to the previous year. This progress drew users from across the globe, with the largest traffic coming from India, the United States, the Philippines, the UK, Seychelles, Czechia, the Netherlands, Germany, Pakistan, and Russia.

4.1.4 Other websites In 2022, we continued hosting two other websites. The first was humainism.ai, presenting a project that, since 2018, has been exploring what AI can do for society and how society can best be served by it. It is now being revamped and redirected to https://www.diplomacy.edu/humainism/ and it will be further developed. The second was the website of the International Forum for Diplomatic Training (IFDT) at forum.diplomacy.edu. The site promotes the annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Academies and Institutes of International Relations and offers various training opportunities, events, and resources.

4.2 Mailing lists Throughout 2022, we devoted considerable effort towards maintaining and refining Diplo's mailing database. Our tasks entailed attracting fresh subscribers, consolidating Diplo's many branches of work, pruning inactive subscribers from the database, enhancing the accuracy and quality of data, and sorting data to improve user experiences. (You can subscribe to our mailing lists by filling out your details on our subscription form, available at https://www.diplomacy.edu/subscribe/)

4.2.1 DiploNews We continued to publish our fortnightly newsletter, DiploNews, which keeps our readers – including partners, alumni, and faculty -- in the loop about upcoming and previous events, new programmes, activities, courses, and other initiatives. In 2022, we published 24 editions of DiploNews, disseminated through a dedicated mailing list, our website, and shared with funders and online through our social media outreach.

4.2.2 The ConfTech Digest We received overwhelmingly positive feedback for Diplo's ConfTech initiative in 2021, which prompted us to continue the monthly ConfTech Digest throughout 2022. This helps subscribers stay updated on the latest trends and happenings in the world of online meetings and conference technology. The digests we published in 2022 are still available as resources: ● ConfTech Digest #12 ● ConfTech Digest #13 ● ConfTech Digest #14 ● ConfTech Digest #15 ● ConfTech Digest #16 ● ConfTech Digest #17 ● ConfTech Digest #18 ● ConfTech Digest #19 ● ConfTech Digest #20

4.2.3 The Geneva Internet Platform mailing list Our Geneva Internet Platform mailing list serves as a vital bridge between our digital policy activities carried out as part of the GIP project, and the policy community based in Geneva and beyond. Notably, our Digital Watch Weekly newsletter, which presents a concise rundown of current digital policy highlights, continued to gain traction among readers, while our long-standing Digital Watch Monthly newsletter provided in-depth analysis of global digital policy issues, further strengthening its readership (see more in section 3.1.1).

4.2.4 Other mailing lists We created a new mailing list for the Geneva Digital Atlas community comprising 46 organisations. Our African community mailing list, with 340 subscribers, updated readers on a quarterly basis on the latest Diplo developments in Africa. We also amplified our activities via our alumni network and other targeted mailing lists. Dedicated mailing lists, such as those intended for Diplo's courses, webinars, and blogs, remained effective throughout 2022.

4.3 Social media networks Diplo recognises the power of social media as an essential channel in the online space. Throughout 2022, we pursued different communication methods to promote activities and align with our community. This included the expansion and enhancement of our social media outreach. In light of the pandemic and the increase in virtual events, the significance of social media for connecting with our audiences was more crucial than ever before. 31

During 2022, Twitter continued to be one of our primary channels for engagement. By year’s-end, @diplomacyedu had garnered a total of nearly 14,500 followers; @ediplomat had approximately 16,000 followers; and @igcbp (renamed as @DigWatchWorld in 2023), had about 13,400 followers. @GenevaGIP, the GIP’s Twitter account, wrapped up the year with over 4,150 followers. Facebook remains a popular resource, and in 2022, several of our pages surged in popularity. Closing with 8,240 likes, our primary channel, DiploFoundation, was a significant contributor to this trend. It also provided an alternate means of broadcasting live events. Additionally, GIP's Facebook page accrued over 2,230 page likes, affirming its rising popularity as well. As LinkedIn's popularity increased in recent years, we expanded our efforts to capitalise on the platform for outreach. For the third consecutive year, our LinkedIn profile witnessed a surge of upwards of 30%. In 2020, our profile added over 1,000 new followers, with 1,400 new followers in 2021. By the end of 2022, our LinkedIn handle boasted almost 7,350 followers – an impressive increase of 2,000 (+37%) compared to the previous year. Among the younger demographic in our target audience, Instagram is a favoured tool. In 2022, we expanded our social media outreach to this platform, which led to significant growth: Our followers increased from 654 to 1,647. Our YouTube channel featured recordings of webinars, WebDebates, events, interviews with Diplo’s experts, course reviews from alumni, and educational and promotional videos. The channel gathers a wide audience, particularly digital policy practitioners tuning in to live broadcasts or recordings of our GIP briefings on internet governance. In 2022, our YouTube channel had over 2,000 subscribers joining us since 2007.

4.4 Multimedia 4.4.1 Videos and podcasts As people increasingly consume content on the go, we continued to produce engaging podcasts in 2022 to keep up with the trend. This included initiatives such as Diving into Digital, Diplomacy Light, and DigitalDots Talks, developed in collaboration with the Mission of the Netherlands in Geneva. In 2022, our Creative Lab produced numerous videos to enhance online meetings and conferences. They also created standalone videos imbued with relevant and timely content. For instance, in the 20th Diploversary Stories, the Diplo team and friends shared their experiences working with or in conjunction with Diplo. During the Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance, our multimedia team captured the positive energy in the Summit in 32

a minute series, where participants spoke about their experience and how the summit impacted them. The video clips were then shared on social media. A YouTube playlist summarising the summit was also created. In Diplo Experts Explain, our experts discussed ongoing digital policy issues in concise, easy-to-digest videos, while The Diplomat’s Sofa series featured talks with diplomats describing their craft. Our team also developed flyover videos to promote the 12 Tours to Navigate Digital Geneva series of events, and various other videos to promote and support our capacity development programmes.

4.4.2 Data visualisation and illustrations Diplo’s Creative Lab developed a new series of illustrations in 2022. These were used in publications, research projects, websites, and social media accounts managed by Diplo,

4.5 Diplo in the media: Interviews and feature articles Our team was often interviewed by media outlets. For instance, in Sansad TV’s Diplomatic Dispatch | The rise of e-Diplomacy (May 2022), Jovan Kurbalija discussed the rise of e-diplomacy. Vladimir Radunović was interviewed on TRT World’s programme NewsHour, Should cyberattacks be regarded as warfare?. In a podcast by the Media and Information Literacy Expert Network (MILEN) titled Cybercrime – Nowhere to hide– Digital Rights Explored: Local Fights, global perspectives, Andrijana Gavrilović explained options for solutions to combating cybercrime, including some tips and tricks that users can implement in private or work spheres. In the podcast, WITcast -- Regulação do Comércio Digital nos Acordos Regionais e na OMC, by Women Inside Trade, Marília Maciel discusses digital trade. PRVA’s Da li će nas veštačka inteligencija 35

zameniti? (Can AI replace us?) includes an interview with Jovan Njegic in which he discusses the impact of ChatGPT on future AI developments. We also contributed articles to other media. The article The Crypto Giants Have Fallen: What Comes Next After the FTX Bankruptcy, published by TheRecursive.com, discusses the collapse of crypto markets and includes comments by Arvin Kamberi. The article An Algorithm for Peace? AI in International Peace Mediation, published by the Israel Public Policy Institute, was penned by Katharina Höne. Diplo was frequently highlighted and quoted by news outlets. Here is a selection of notable mentions from 2022. Diplo’s training for Namibian diplomats and officials was covered by Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs, Economist.com.na, New Era Live, AllAfrica.com and others. In A basic survival kit for the 21st century, from The Malta Independent, former Foreign Minister of Malta Evarist Bartolo also refers to the training, emphasising the importance of digital diplomacy for peace and security, and hence, for similar training in other countries. In WCC Honoured with Geneva Engage Award, from the Bible Media News, the World Council of Churches (WCC) wrote about the Geneva Engage Awards and the third place award in the NGOs and Associations category. French journal L’Illustré wrote about Richard Werly’s move from Le Temps to Blick (in French) and referred to Werly joining Diplo as Senior Strategic Advisor. In Tech-Diplomatie zwischen Konzernen und Politik (Tech diplomacy between corporations and politics), from Austria Presse Agentur (APA) (in German), Diplo Senior Fellow Martin Rauchbauer discusses digital diplomacy and refers to Diplo's Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance, held in November 2022. Another article by the APA was published in Kronen Zeitung and News.AT, among others. The Summit on Digital Diplomacy and Governance was covered extensively, particularly in Maltese and Swiss journals: ● A Malta il presidente della Confederazione firma un accordo sull’attuazione del secondo contributo svizzero, Ticino-Politica.ch ● Malta to increase scholarships in digital diplomacy and governance areas – Minister Ian Borg, Government of Malta ● Malta to increase scholarships in digital diplomacy and governance areas – Minister Ian Borg, TvmNews.mt ● Il-Ministru Ian Borg jghid li Malta se zzid il-boroz ta’ studju fil-qasam tad-diplomazija digitali u l-governanza, One.com.mt ● Digital Diplomacy – from anticipation to action, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs ● The Maltese Government and the Swiss Federal Council with an agreement to contribute €3.5 million in funds to our country, Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade ● €3.5m grant to Malta from Switzerland for the health sector, TvmNews.mt ● Malta, Swiss Federal Council sign €3.5 million agreement, The Malta Independent ● Pour Ignazio Cassis, la Suisse doit être un acteur numérique majeur (For Ignazio Cassis, Switzerland must be a major digital player), Blick.ch ● Swiss president puts spotlight on digital diplomacy in visit to Malta, SwissInfo.com ● ‫صور‬ ‎ |‫( السفير الجويلي يطرح السياق العالمي للدبلوماسية في عصر المعلومات واالتصاالت‬Ambassador Aljowaily presents the global context of diplomacy in the age of information and communication), Al Ahram ● We need to build digital diplomacy for a sustainable and inclusive future, UNECE

5. Our people Diplo’s staff and associates form a dynamic and diverse team operating from four offices (Malta, Geneva, Belgrade, and Washington, DC) and many other locations worldwide. Our Board of Administrators include representatives of our founding governments and partner institutions; our coordination team has extensive project management experience and expertise in their respective fields; our senior fellows support our activities with their years of high-level experience in government and academia; our faculty includes diplomats, academics, and policy experts who provide capacity development and training in their respective areas of expertise. Diplo’s staff consists of topic experts, academics, learning specialists, programmers, and course coordinators trained and certified by Diplo to provide effective facilitation for online learning. The Digital Watch Knowledge Fellows are part of our extended network of experts.

5.1 The Board of Administrators ● ● ● ● ● ●

Amb. Victor Camilleri – President; Former Permanent Ambassador of Malta to the UN in New York and Geneva Amb. Jürg Lauber – Vice-President; Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN and the other international organisations in Geneva Amb. Albert Friggieri – Member; Ambassador of Malta to Switzerland Amb. Maud Vuyelwa Dlomo – Member; Ambassador of South Africa to Madagascar Dr Isabelle Ragonesi – Member; Senior Lecturer, Department of International Relations, University of Malta Dr Jovan Kurbalija – Secretary of the Board; Executive Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform

5.2 The coordination team ●

Dr Jovan Kurbalija – Executive Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform* ● Mr Patrick Borg, Director of Operations and Finance, and Master in Contemporary Diplomacy Coordinator* ● Dr Stephanie Borg Psaila – Digital Policy Director* ● Dr Katharina Höne, Director of Research* ● Dr Tereza Horejsova – Project Development Director* (resigned in March 2022) ● Mr Vladimir Radunović – Cybersecurity and E-diplomacy Programmes Director* ● Mr Andrej Škrinjarić – Director of Education and Training* * Also part of Diplo’s lecturing team

5.3 Senior fellows ● ●

Prof. Geoff Berridge, Emeritus Professor of International Politics, University of Leicester Amb. Petru Dumitriu, Former Ambassador of the Council of Europe and Inspector of the UN System* 37

● ● ● ● ●

Mrs Liz Galvez, former Senior British Diplomat* Mr Ljupčo Gjorgjinski, Senior Fellow for Science and Technology Diplomacy, DiploFoundation* Mr Lee Hibbard, Administrator, Bioethics Unit, Council of Europe* Ms Anne-Rachel Inné, Director, ITU Regional Office for Africa Prof. Dr Milan Jazbec, Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia and Professor of Diplomacy* ● Prof. Dietrich Kappeler, Former Director, Diplomatic Studies Programme, Graduate Institute of International Studies Geneva ● Prof. Yolanda Kemp Spies, Director of the Diplomatic Studies Programme, the University of Oxford ● Amb. Christopher Lamb, former Australian Ambassador and Humanitarian Diplomacy Head, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)* ● Amb. Asoke Mukerji, Former Indian Ambassador* ● Mr Aldo Matteucci, former Deputy Secretary General of EFTA ● Amb. Kishan Rana, Professor Emeritus, former Indian Ambassador, and a joint secretary to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi* ● Mr Martin Rauchbauer, Former Austrian Tech Ambassador in Silicon Valley; Founder and Co-Director, Tech Diplomacy Network* ● Dr Alex Sceberras Trigona, Special Envoy for the Prime Minister of Malta* ● Dr Biljana Scott, Associate of the China Centre, University of Oxford* ● Mr Richard Werly, Columnist, Swiss Media ‘Blick’ * Also part of Diplo’s lecturing team

5.4 Staff ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Mr Robert Aquilina, Finance Manager Ms Maja Bačlić, Editor Mr Miodrag Badnjar, Multimedia Developer Mr Boris Begović, Researcher Ms Katarina Bojović, Head of Knowledge Ecology* Mr Nikola Bozić, Science educator and communicator Ms Daliborka Ćirić, Tech Team Ms Anja Đajić, AI and Data Team Mr Nikola Darinković, Developer of Web and AI Applications Ms Cécile Desjours, Administrative and Event Coordinator Mr Dylan Farrell, Communications Manager Ms Danica Filipović, Tech Team (resigned in May 2022) Mr Aleksandar Firevski, Online participation, Webinars, Multimedia Ms Andrijana Gavrilović, Editor, Digital Watch, and Head of Diplomatic and Policy Reporting* Ms Nataša Grba Sing, Editor Ms Su Sonia Herring, Digital Media and Communications Editor Ms Pavlina Ittelson, Executive Director, Diplo US* Mr Vladimir Ivaz, Tech Team Mr Srđan Ivković, Motion Designer Dr Slavica Karajičić, Research Analyst Mr Arvin Kamberi, Online participation, Webinars, Multimedia* Mr Rade Kotur, Online Programmes Assistant* 38

● Ms Bojana Kovač, Researcher ● Mr Marco Lotti, External Relations and Partnerships Manager* ● Ms Marília Maciel, Head – Digital Commerce and Internet Policy* ● Ms Dragana Markovski, Deputy Director of Education and Training* ● Ms Jovana Martić, Researcher ● Ms Anđelija Mijatović (resigned in June 2022) ● Mr Viktor Mijatović, Publications Graphic Designer ● Ms Mina Mudrić, Publications Manager ● Mr Aleksandar Nedeljkov, Publications Designer ● Ms Mwende Njiraini, African Initiative Coordinator ● Ms Tanja Nikolić, Course Admissions Coordinator* ● Dr Jovan Njegić, Head of AI and Data Team* ● Ms Virginia (Ginger) Paque, Senior Editor* ● Dr André Saramago, Online Learning and Research Assistant* ● Mr Aleksandar Stanković, Chief Information Officer ● Mr Miša Stanković, Front-end Web Developer ● Ms Sorina Teleanu, Director of Knowledge* ● Dr Vladimir Veljašević, Illustrator ● Ms Milica Virijević Konstantinović, Head of Operations – Belgrade Office, and Creative Lab ● Mr Miloš Vujić, Developer of Web and AI Applications * Also part of Diplo’s lecturing team

5.5 Lecturers, guest lecturers, workshop speakers, tutors, research fellows, and course coordinators ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Ms Stacy Danika Alcantara-Garcia, Foreign Service Officer Amb. Amr Aljowaily, Strategic Advisor to the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission Amb. Bhaskar Balakrishnan, Former Indian Ambassador Dr Daniel Beaudoin, Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Tel Aviv University Mr Aapo Cederberg, Associate Fellow, Geneva Centre for Security Policy Mr Bipul Chatterjee, Executive Director, CUTS International Ms Solange Mike Cross, Associate Faculty Member, DiploFoundation Ms Priyanthi Daluwatte, Registrar, Northshore College, Sri Lanka Mr Dejan Dinčić, Digital Transformation and Online Learning Specialist Dr Avri Doria, Director at ICANN Ms Aishatu Gwadabe, Peace Technologist and AI Ethicist Ms Phoebe Farag Mikhail, Education Diplomacy Consultant, Association for Childhood Education International Dr Stefanie Frey, Managing Director at Deutor Cyber Security Solutions Switzerland GmbH Dr Tim Flink, Postdoctoral Researcher and Senior Lecturer in Political Science and Sociology at the Humboldt University of Berlin Mr Alan Franklin, Lecturer, Athabasca University and Royal Roads University Dr Massimiliano Fusari, Professor, Consultant and Trainer in Digital Marketing, Strategy & Visual Storytelling Dr Katherine Getao, Cyber Hygiene, Cyber Diplomacy, and ICT Strategy and Governance Consultant Ms Patricia Gruver, International Tech Policy Expert 39

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Ms Melissa Hathaway, President, Hathaway Global Strategies and Lecturer, Introduction to Digital Policy and Diplomacy, New York Ms Dominique Hempel Rodas, Independent Senior Advisor in International Relations, Development Cooperation, and Capacity Development Ms Marga Gual Soler, Senior Science Diplomacy Advisor, Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator Mr Tracy Hackshaw, ICT and Digital Economy Strategist Mr Parminder Jeet Singh, Guest lecturer; Executive Director, IT for Change Ms Carol Kiangura, Senior Program Officer, Sub-Saharan Africa, International Budget Partnership Dr Anthony Land, Capacity Development Consultant Mr Eric H. Loeb, Executive Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Salesforce Mr Hamish Low, Assistant Lecturer Dr Nadežda Markovski, Course coordinator Ms Morgan Mead, Refugee Support Service Manager, British Red Cross Mr Rodrigo Márquez Lartigue, Mexican diplomat Mr Jean-Michel Monod, Former Head, Regional Delegation for North Africa, International Committee of the Red Cross Mr Andrei Mikheyev, Internet Projects Manager at Yandex Ms Mary Murphy, Communications Trainer Ms Jenny Pearson, Capacity Development Consultant Ms Lorrayne Porciuncula, Guest lecturer; ExecutiveDirector, Datasphere Initiative Ms Mialy Rann, Science-Policy Officer, Geneva Science-Policy Interface Amb. Thomas Schneider, Director of International Affairs, Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) Mr Nicolas Seidler, Executive Director, Geneva Science-Policy Interface Mr Maxime Stauffer, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Simon Institute for Longterm Governance Mr Tore Svenning, Former Secretary of the Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Ms Michaela Told, Executive Director, Global Health Centre, Graduate Institute Geneva Dr Tatiana Tropina, Assistant Professor in cybersecurity governance, Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University Amb. Ibrahim Uvais, Ambassador of Maldives to Japan Mr Eugenio Vargas Garcia, Tech Diplomat; Deputy Consul General of Brazil, San Francisco

5.6 Digital Watch Knowledge Fellows ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Mr Frank Ategeka, Co-founder, Rural Aid Foundation Ms Flavia O. Leme Borges, Business Development Partner, Legalboards Ms Isabella Bassani, Researcher, University of St Gallen Ms Meri Baghdasaryan, Senior Case and Policy Officer, Oversight Board Ms Amrita Choudhury, Director, CCAOI Dr Ana Maria Corrêa, Associate Lecturer Electronic Business Law at KU Leuven Ms Ying-Chu Chen, Assistant Research Fellow, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research Ms Kaarika Das Dr Efrat Daskal, Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University. Northwestern University, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem 40

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Ms Noha Fathy, Freelance Consultant Ms Stefania Grottola, Teaching Assistant, Global Studies Institute (GSI) Ms Feodora Hamza, Technology and Foresight Officer, Europol Innovation Lab, Europol Mr Mamadou Lo, Head of Communication Department, La Banque Agricole Ms Aida Mahmutović, Project Coordinator, BIRN BiH Ms Nagisa Miyachi, Associate Program Manager, Population Services International Ms Jana Misić, Researcher, Rathenau Instituut Ms Grace Mutung’u, Project Head, Open Society Foundations Mr Peter Mmbando, Founder & Executive Director, Digital Agenda for Tanzania Initiative Mr Jacob Odame-Baiden, Group Legal and Regulatory Officer, CSquared Ms Judy Okite, Senior Consultant, Accessibility and Equality for Persons with Disability, KICTANet Ms Salome Petit, External Expert E.02 Technology Innovation in Security, European Authoring research project on hybrid threats, Commission Joint Research Center Dr Clement Perarnaud, Research fellow in the Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation, Digital Economy (GRID) unit, CEPS Dr Zakasoa Arilova Randriamiadana, ICT lecturer, Faculty of Letter and Human Science, University of Antananarivo-Madagascar Ms Jeanne-louise Roellinger Ms Alicia Shepherd, Adjunct Lecturer Research supervisor, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus Mr Kevon Swift Ms Sherry Shek, Research Executive, CUHK School of Journalism and Communication Dr Paula Szewach, Urban Data Science Researcher, Barcelona Supercomputing Center Ms Ilona Stadnik, Assistant professor, Saint Petersburg State University Ms Ana Stanković, Group Lead, MDPI Ms Mili Semlani, Head Of Content and Community, e27 (Optimatic) Ms Michaela Nakayama Shapiro, Officer, Engagement & Advocacy, Global Partners Digital Ms Heiki Tsang, Senior Manager at EY Consulting Mr Ruichuan Yu, Research Evidence Synthesis Specialist, Global Office of Research and Foresight, UNICEF

6. Financial report

DiploFoundation Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year ended 31 December 2022

2022 Eur

2021 Eur

Income

2,866,693

2,509,509

Direct Costs

(2,574,217)

(2,008,601)

Gross Contribution

292,476

500,908

Administration expenses

(274,114)

(293,223)

Finance costs / (income)

8,690

(3,476)

(Deficit)/surplus before tax

27,052

204,209

27,052

204,209

Income tax expense (Deficit)/surplus for the year