Dear all, FYI -- this is the much awaited Geographical Regions Review Working Group Final report. Please note that the WG has been kind to our community in leaving enough time to comment *after* the Durban ICANN meeting (90 days!) - this is very welcome indeed! Kind regards, Olivier -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [Soac-infoalert] Community Comment Opportunity - SOAC Chairs Alert Date: Wed, 3 Jul 2013 13:44:09 -0700 From: Robert Hoggarth <robert.hoggarth@*.org> To: soac-infoalert@icann.org <soac-infoalert@*.org> CC: David Archbold <david.archbold@*.ky> Dear SO-AC Leaders, On behalf of Chair David Archbold and members of the Geographic Regions Review Working Group, this email is to formally alert you of the opportunity to review and provide comments on recommendation the Working Group plans to make to the ICANN Board about the application and future use of the ICANN Geographic Regions framework. The Working Group was formed by the Board to (1) identify the different purposes for which ICANN's Geographic Regions are used; (2) determine whether the uses of ICANN's Geographic Regions (as currently defined, or at all) continue to meet the requirements of the relevant stakeholders; and (3) submit proposals for community and Board consideration relating to the current and future uses and definition of the ICANN Geographic Regions. A full record of the Working Group's past reports and public workshops and presentations can be found at the Working Group's Confluence Wiki space <https://community.icann.org/display/georegionwg/Geographic+Regions+Review+WG...>. At various times over the past few years, the ALAC, ASO, ccNSO, GAC and GNSO communities have graciously supplied representatives to serve on the Working Group. As a result, according the WG Charter, your communities now have the opportunity to review and provide formal comments on the Working Group's recommendations before they are submitted to the ICANN Board. Those recommendations are provided in a 24-page Final Report. The Final Report is posted on the ICANN.org web site here - http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-22jun13-en.htm. Because of the time pressures caused by the upcoming Public Meeting, the Working Group is providing a full 90 days _after_ the conclusion of the Durban meeting for your communities to discuss the Final Report recommendations and, if you choose, to submit a written statement back to the Working Group. Please advise me when you or your community have made a decision about providing any feedback so that I can inform the Working Group to prepare for such a communication. By my calculations, the 90-day review period will end on 17 October 2013. If you would like more information on the Working Group's effort and it's specific recommendations, the Working Group will host a community workshop mid-day on Thursday July 18 during the upcoming ICANN Public Meeting in Durban, South Africa (see - http://durban47.icann.org/node/39833). Working Group members have also agreed to make themselves available to you as needed for subsequent briefings or information sharing. I am happy to work to arrange a briefing from Dave Archbold or one of the Working Group members if you would like. Please contact me if you have any questions about this matter. I'll be happy to provide clarification or insights about the process to date. Best regards, Rob