Dear All, Some of you may already be aware that the ICANN Board approved the Council’s Additional Budget Request for a Consensus Playbook Training Tool<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fZgy82pgxfJ9d36Jrq_aRaKMDpoeNc60/view?usp=share_link>. In its assessment, the ICANN Board noted that: “This is a recommendation for support. The ICANN organization encourages the GNSO Council to develop a scenario-based training tool that builds on the Consensus Playbook for the benefit of the entire ICANN community. The application of consensus-building techniques is valuable to the entire ICANN multistakeholder model. The GNSO Council may also engage an external expert for targeted consultations on a short-term basis. The training tool will be translated from English into Arabic, Chinese, French and Spanish by Language Services and designed by an external resource determined by the Global Communications function. The training tool must be available by the ICANN80 Policy Forum. The GNSO Council must send a copy of the training tool by 1 July 2024 to abr-reports@icann.org<mailto:abr-reports@icann.org>”. See page 7 of the FY24 ABR Assessment Report<https://community.icann.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=240616987&preview=/240616987/240616989/FY24%20ABR%20Assessment%20Report.pdf>. Melissa Allgood, who many of you know (Conflict Resolution Specialist and a member of the Policy Development Support team) will be leading the development of this tool. She has shared that in order to operationalize the Consensus Playbook, a suite of ICANNLearn courses introducing and explaining concepts covered by the Playbook is in development. Estimated delivery of these courses is Fall 2023. The ICANNLearn Consensus Playbook suite will serve as a foundation to the training tools and skill-building opportunities intended to support a community working group at the outset of its work. Estimated delivery of the training tools and skill-building workshop is Spring 2024. As this effort is expected to address a number of the Strategic Planning Session action items (namely #9, #11 and #15) we’ll go ahead and mark these closed for now. Melissa is available in case the Council is interested to discuss the plans for the training tool, now or in the near future when further details will be available. Regardless, Melissa will be providing regular updates on progress made and may reach out if there is input she needs to help inform the development of this tool. Best regards, Marika