ICANN Grant Program Application Window Closing Soon | | |
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Applications for the ICANN Grant Program’s first round of submissions are due at 20:00 UTC on 24 May 2024.
In this first cycle of the ICANN Grant Program, up to $10 million in grants will be distributed for projects that are consistent with ICANN's mission and aligned with the objectives of the program. Eligible organizations that apply can seek awards between $50,000 and $500,000 in this first cycle for projects up to 24 months in duration.
The ICANN Grant Program is a unique opportunity to make a difference in the Internet ecosystem and to positively impact people around the world through creative and innovative solutions that further ICANN’s vision of a single, open, and globally interoperable Internet.
Read this blog for more information on the ICANN Grant Program, or visit the ICANN Grant Program website.
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ICANN’s WSIS+20 Webpage and Outreach Efforts | | |
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By Veni Markovski, VP, Government Engagement – UN NY and Interim Head of Government and IGO Engagement
I am pleased to announce the launch of the WSIS+20 webpage and the ICANN WSIS+20 Outreach Network. The World Summit on the Information Society: 20-year Review (WSIS+20) Outreach Network brings together like-minded stakeholders to facilitate coordinated efforts leading up to the WSIS+20 negotiations in 2025.
The new webpage offers access to a variety of resources, including articles, interviews, and other content related to WSIS+20. We encourage stakeholders from all sectors to engage in constructive and collaborative discussion, to stay informed, and to actively contribute to the dialogue surrounding WSIS+20.
The WSIS+20 Review provides an important opportunity to reflect on the progress made over the past two decades and to address the evolving challenges facing the digital landscape. At the heart of it lies the multistakeholder model of Internet governance that fosters collaboration and inclusivity among governments, the technical community, civil society, businesses, academia, and individual users.
Please visit the new webpage for more details. To learn more, read my blog.
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Register Now for ICANN80
Registration is open for the ICANN80 Policy Forum, which will be held 10–13 June 2024 both virtually and in-person in Kigali, Rwanda. To attend in person, you must register by 7 June 2024. On-site registration will not be available.
The online-only ICANN80 Prep Week will take place 28–30 May 2024. The Prep Week schedule will be published today, 13 May, and the full meeting schedule will be published on 20 May. Visit the ICANN80 webpage to learn more.
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Recap of the UA Day Keystone Event | | |
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On 28 March, the keystone event for Universal Acceptance (UA) Day 2024 was held in Belgrade, Serbia, co-organized by ICANN, the Universal Acceptance Steering Group, and the Serbian National Internet Domain Registry (RNIDS).
The full-day event, which had more than 320 attendees both in person and online, consisted of a variety of UA awareness, training, academic curriculum, adoption, and strategy sessions led by leaders from ICANN, RNIDS, and other industry organizations. The sessions aimed to help stakeholders better understand the benefits of UA and how they can make their systems UA-ready.
As the anchor event for the second annual UA Day, the event garnered coverage from local and regional media as well as leading industry trade publications and brought attention to the importance of UA for digital inclusivity and a multilingual Internet.
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NORTH AMERICA ACTIVITIES AND HIGHLIGHTS | | |
North American Engagement Team Attends Indigenous Connectivity Summit | | |
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By Giose McGinty, Stakeholder Engagement Regional Specialist – Americas
For the third consecutive year, ICANN’s North American engagement team will be present at the Indigenous Connectivity Summit. Since the first 2017 summit, the event has gathered indigenous leaders, community members, networking operators, Internet service providers, and policymakers.
The summit focuses on challenges in accessing reliable and affordable Internet for indigenous communities across North America. Discussions will center on accessibility and the obstacles to advancing digital equity within indigenous communities. This year, the summit will take place 4–6 June at the Membertou First Nation in Nova Scotia, Canada.
More information about this important event is available on the website. Our team is looking forward to learning from the community and participating in discussions on achieving digital equity for all.
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Higher Learning: Building an Academic Engagement Plan for ICANN | | |
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By Joe Catapano, Stakeholder Engagement Director – North America & Global Academia
As ICANN evolves, so does its engagement. There are dedicated teams for governmental and technical engagement as well as smaller teams for civil society and business. What’s missing? Academia.
Academia is at the heart of ICANN. As director of global academic engagement, I have been assessing the current state of the organization’s engagement with academia, and working internally to develop a draft engagement plan. The objective of this plan is to introduce a more cohesive and strategic approach to ICANN’s academic engagement activities.
I am inviting stakeholders to join an ICANN80 Prep Week session focused on academic engagement. We will explore the needs of academic members and present a preliminary framework for engagement. I am enthusiastic about collaborating with the community on this initiative and look forward to our collective efforts in shaping ICANN's academic engagement plan.
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NARALO and ISOC Host: Embracing Universal Acceptance Day 2024 in NYC | | |
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By Silvia Vivanco, Policy Development Support Senior Manager
The North American Regional At-Large Organization (NARALO) is spearheading an event in support of Universal Acceptance (UA) Day 2024. Happening on 15 May 2024, both online and in New York City, the event will be hosted by the Greater New York City Chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC-NY).
This day presents a unique opportunity for local NYC stakeholders and organizations to champion UA awareness and drive UA adoption. Attendees will engage in hands-on training sessions and gain insights into UA foundations. Notable speakers include NARALO Chair Greg Shatan; At-Large Advisory Committee Chair Jonathan Zuck; Mark Svancarek, International Standards Editor and Principal Technical Program Manager at Microsoft; Naela Sarras, ICANN's Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement in North America; and Nabil Benamar, Vice Chair of the UA Steering Group.
Expect presentations offering UA overviews, discussions on its benefits, and best practices for successful implementation. Attendees will comprise NARALO members, civil society organizations, students, and other NYC stakeholders.
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ARIN 53 Held in Bridgetown, Barbados, in April | | |
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The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) held its ARIN 53 Public Policy and Members Meeting from 14–17 April in Bridgetown, Barbados. Attendees enjoyed a robust agenda featuring multiple Internet number resource policies, discussions, departmental and Internet community reports, and more.
Brent Mc Intosh, CTO of MCNET-SOLUTIONS and a recent inductee into the IPv6 Forum Hall of Fame, delivered the keynote address, which focused on building and sustaining the digital infrastructure of the Caribbean with Internet exchange point and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) technologies.
On 17 April, ARIN hosted a roundtable with Caribbean stakeholders to explore the challenges the region faces with Internet connectivity and growth, and we participated in CaribNOG 27, which was held following the conclusion of ARIN 53.
Thank you to all who participated in the success of ARIN 53 either on site in Barbados or virtually from home. View videos, presentations, transcripts, and more in the ARIN 53 Meeting Report. And save the date for ARIN 54, happening 24–25 October 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We hope to see you there!
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ccNSO Votes for (de-)Selection of Internationalized Domain Name ccTLD Strings Policy | | |
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The members of the Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) have recently voted on the proposed policy on the (de-)selection of Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) country code top-level domain (ccTLD) strings and related matters. The vast majority of ccTLDs that voted (97 percent) support the proposed policy. The ccNSO Council expects to submit the policy to the ICANN Board around the ICANN80 Policy Forum in June 2024.
The policy paves the way for non-Latin script ccTLDs and their variants to be accessible for domain name registration and will eventually replace the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process.
Moreover, the ccNSO Council and the ccNSO Guidelines Review Committee are planning to hold a "World Cafe" session at ICANN80. This interactive format will be used to solicit feedback and suggestions from the ccTLD community and other stakeholders on how to further improve the ccNSO membership voting process.
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GAC Is Planning a High-Level Government Meeting in June | | |
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Final preparations are now being made for the upcoming Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) High-Level Government Meeting (HLGM), hosted by the Government of Rwanda and taking place on Sunday, 9 June 2024.
The June event at the Kigali Convention Center will be the fifth HLGM and will take place one day before the ICANN80 Policy Forum.
Session themes at the HLGM will include ICANN and the Multistakeholder Model; Cooperation and Governance; Toward Better Digital Inclusion; and Support the Development of Meaningful Connectivity in Africa.
HLGMs are events hosted, organized, and implemented by a GAC member government in conjunction with the GAC and ICANN. HLGMs underscore the vital role governments play in advising the ICANN Board on public policy issues that are crucial for the secure and stable operation of the DNS.
HLGM attendees typically include invited senior representatives from governments and international organizations around the world that have an interest in policies governing the DNS.
For more information, please visit the ICANN80 HGLM webpage.
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Read the IDN EPDP Phase 2 Initial Report | | |
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The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) recently released the Internationalized Domain Names (IDN) Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) Phase 2 Initial Report, focusing on second-level variant management. Phase 1 addressed topics related to gTLD definition and variant management, with 69 GNSO Council-approved recommendations awaiting Board consideration.
The EPDP Team now seeks feedback on 20 preliminary recommendations covering topics like "same entity" at the second-level and IDN Table harmonization, adjustments in registry agreements and services, registration dispute-resolution procedures, trademark protection mechanisms, and updating the IDN Implementation Guidelines.
The community can review the announcement or provide input directly on the Public Comment page.
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Launching a New Website for the Next Round | | |
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The New gTLD Program website launched on 1 May 2024. The site is devoted to the New gTLD Program, encompassing the 2012 round and the next round of new gTLD applications. The website marks the first in a series of milestones and deliverables, paving the way for the opening of the New gTLD Program: Next Round in April 2026.
The site aims to provide applicants and the ICANN community with valuable information, resources, and news. This is in support of ICANN org’s initiative to enable the expansion of the Internet’s DNS through the introduction of new gTLDs .
The site includes a timeline for the opening and closing of the new gTLD application window, news and announcements, and FAQs. Additionally, there is detailed information on programs, such as the Applicant Support Program and the Registry Service Provider Evaluation Program. The site will be a valuable resource for both applicants and the community during the journey to the next round of gTLD applications.
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Registration Data Request Service Metrics Published | | |
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After successfully launching the free and proof-of-concept Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) in November, the ICANN organization has released its fourth report on usage and demand metrics covering the month of March 2024.
The RDRS is a pilot program that provides a more consistent and standardized platform for handling requests for access to nonpublic data related to the registration of generic top-level domains (gTLDs). The service will run for two years, offering a test case for a System for Standardized Access/Disclosure, envisioned by the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) in recommendations in the Final Report of the Temporary Specification for the gTLD Registration Data Phase 2 Expedited Policy Development Process.
The ICANN organization will release monthly reports on RDRS metrics and will hold a session during the ICANN80 Prep Week to share the report’s results. These monthly reports and sessions will inform discussions between the GNSO Council and the ICANN Board on the pending recommendations. To learn more about the benefits of the RDRS and how it works, visit https://www.icann.org/rdrs-en.
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ICANN Around the World
Regional Offices:
Los Angeles, U.S.A. (Headquarters)
Brussels, Belgium
Istanbul, Türkiye
Montevideo, Uruguay
Singapore
Engagement Centers:
Beijing, China
Geneva, Switzerland
Nairobi, Kenya
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
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