New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS): The internet is transforming public diplomacy around the world and has spurred popular involvement in key global issues such as accountable governance, climate change and terrorism, say experts and diplomats.
A two-day conference on "The Internet and a Changing World", held at the Sonepat-based Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA) of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), highlighted the increasing use and effectiveness of worldwide web in advancing discourse on a range of issues.
Cyber experts, policymakers, academics and diplomats participated in the conference which ended Saturday.
The JSIA, the Tokyo-based United Nations University (UNU) and the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) jointly organised the conference with support of the Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"The Internet and especially Web 2.0 have brought a new dimension to diplomacy," said Navdeep Suri, joint secretary in charge of Public Diplomacy Division.
"The Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs has actively embraced Web 2.0 tools so that it can engage with the widest cross-section of people in India and the around the world.
"We have also found social media a powerful medium to expand our outreach amongst younger audiences," he said, while alluding to the increasing use of new social media, including Facebook and YouTube, to project India's stance on global issues.
"The conference comes at a time when governing the Internet and harnessing its potential for general good are central issues of our time," said Vesselin Popovski, senior academic programme officer of the UNU.
"This is a truly historic conference because it brings together policymakers, academics, civil society activists, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, think- tanks and media persons around the spread of the Internet and how it is changing our ways of thinking and acting in multiple spheres," said C. Raj Kumar, vice chancellor of JGU.
"The internet has brought institutions of global governance such as UN closer to people and has the potential to further transform it," said a press release by the organisers of the conference.
"Today, cyber war can be far more devastating than any country or economy could achieve through traditional warfare," it said.