ISOC Lebanon

The Internet Society Lebanon Chapter (ISOC Lebanon) participated in the 19th edition of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) through its President, Mr. Charbel Chbeir, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from December 15–19, 2024.
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a global multistakeholder platform that brings together diverse stakeholders to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet. The 2024 forum was hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a hybrid format under the theme “Building Our Multistakeholder Digital Future.” The meeting addressed some of the most pressing Internet and digital policy issues, including Internet access, human rights, Internet fragmentation, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and emerging technologies.
A key focus of the event was on reducing the global digital divide. The discussions highlighted that this issue is no longer limited to the Global North-South disparity but has become a widespread concern, encompassing divides in computing power, algorithms, and data accessibility.
ISOC Lebanon contributed to several workshops through Mr. Chbeir's interventions. He addressed the topic of Artificial Intelligence and liability in autonomous vehicles, emphasizing responsibilities at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity, particularly in cases of cyber threats and attacks. Additionally, he contributed insights on policies and regulations surrounding cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy, particularly concerning cross-border breaches and attacks.
ISOC Global also organized a networking event, providing an excellent opportunity to connect with other ISOC chapters, members of the IGF global community, ICANN representatives, and other key stakeholders in the Internet community.

https://youtu.be/sK2WEsmkE5I

Today we remember Nabil Bukhalid, the father of the Lebanese Internet (1993), Internet Hall of Fame Inductee (2017), the Lebanese John Postel, founding member of ISOC Lebanon Chapter and its first president, who passed away in January 2023.

Nabil Bukhalid, at the American University of Beirut (AUB), has led the Computing and Networking team that brought the Internet to Lebanon. He made many significant contributions to the development of the Internet in Lebanon, established the Lebanese Domain Registry (LBDR) and served as administrator and registrar for the .LB ccTLD since its creation in 1993.

Bukhalid is also the founder of the Lebanese Academic and Research Network (LARN), co-founder of the Lebanese Broadband Manifesto Support Group (LBSG) and BeirutIX, the first Internet Exchange Point in Lebanon.

He is also a co-founder and ex-president of the Internet Society Lebanon Chapter; co-founder and CEO of the Lebanese Internet Center; and advisory board member of the Lebanese Canadian Tech Hub.

Internet Society Lebanon Chapter (ISOC -LB) is committed to continuing the same path and preserving the legacy of Nabil Bukhalid, especially to advancing the Internet Exchange Point Beirut IX, and the .LB ccTLD with ISOC-LB managing the .LB domain.

As much as Nabil was modest and humble, we stand today in awe at his ethics, high morals, and devotion to the Lebanese internet and tech scene in Lebanon being a cornerstone for an internet for everyone in Lebanon.

We leave you with Nabil's interview on the occasion of his induction into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2017:

2017 Internet Hall of Fame Inductee Nabil Bukhalid Nabil Bukhalid led a team that brought the Internet to Lebanon, and he established the Lebanese Domain Registry. Bukhalid says the most vital element necessa...

Internet Society (ISOC) Lebanon Chapter, through its president, Me. Charbel Chbeir participated in the ICANN81 Annual General Meeting technical and policy meeting in Istanbul, Turkey.

The meeting focused on ICANN’s core mission of managing ccTLDs, gTLDs, Domain Name Service (DNS), and Internet Protocol (IP); and its core value of preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet.

ISOC Lebanon also met with IANA representatives and discussed the chapter’s strategy, coordination, and future improvement prospects for the Lebanese ccTLD.
The meeting also included meeting with technical representatives from the private sector and potential collaboration opportunities.

The ICANN Annual General Meeting also coincided with the ISOC Turkey Chapter anniversary.
On that occasion, the ISOC Turkey chapter held a gathering with ISOC International chapter representatives, which included a workshop on the improvement of the internet sector, and support for ISOC Global's mission of a safe, trustworthy, secure, and open internet.

https://www.isoc.org.lb/blog/the-gaby-deek-internet-innovation-award-2025-edition-call-for-interest

The Gaby Deek Internet Innovation Award 2025 Edition - Call for Interest The ISOC Lebanon Chapter is pleased to announce the call for interest for the 2025 Gaby Deek Innovation Award, now in its fourth edition. Following the success of previous events,