[announce] ICANN Commends Successful IGF Meeting

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http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-15nov07.htm

ICANN Commends Successful IGF Meeting

15 November 2007

RIO DE JANEIRO: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
today commended the second meeting of the Internet Governance Forum
(IGF) in Rio de Janeiro.

"Just as was envisioned, the IGF has brought together the Internet
community — including ICANN — to meet and discuss the most pressing
Internet issues we face together," said Dr Paul Twomey, ICANN’s
President and CEO. "ICANN has had a large number of discussions with a
wide range of people at the IGF, and have built new bridges and
strengthened existing relationships."

During the course of the meeting, ICANN concluded two important and
significant arrangements with other international organizations.

    * A global collaboration with the International Telecommunication
Union and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) to build universal standards that encourage a
multilingual cyberspace.
    * A Memorandum of Understanding with the African Telecommunications
Union that help raise awareness and increase understanding of Internet
governance issues with African policy makers and regulators

"As I said in my remarks at the opening of the IGF, ICANN wants as many
people as possible to take part in our community. I invite all IGF
participants to get involved with ICANN and help us strengthen the
single, global, interoperable Internet."

ICANN representatives also took part in panels and workshops ranging
from the opening session to critical Internet resources; multilingual
standards, the functioning of the DNS system, DNSSEC, malicious use of
domain names, the root server system, and public policy on the Internet.
ICANN also held its own public forum where it heard from participants
and explained how the ICANN model is working.

Peter Dengate Thrush, ICANN’s new chair, also expressed his delight at
the IGF’s bringing together of the global Internet community

"The IGF has provided us all with a great opportunity to share
information and experiences, and in some cases correct misimpressions of
how the Internet works and what roles organizations like ICANN play,"
Dengate Thrush said. "All of these discussion will play a key role in
strengthening and protecting the single, global, interoperable Internet
that ICANN stands for.

"The meeting has also strengthened the multistakeholder model pioneered
by ICANN — where everyone from governments to civil society can
participate as equals — as the best way to approach Internet issues. We
look forward to more conversations next year at the IGF in India,"
Dengate Thrush said.
--
Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat - ICANN
gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org
http://gnso.icann.org


--
Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat - ICANN
gnso.secretariat[at]gnso.icann.org
http://gnso.icann.org