Maybe we should follow the example of the LAC
colleagues.
I arrived earlier in Sao Paulo, to participate in their
workshop, pretty much as I arrived earlier in Lisbon, to participate in
the EURALO workshop.
It was a very intense experience. In spite of the
additional difficulty to keep documents in two languages synchronized, and the
interpretation interface, work proceeded smoothly. At the end, all documents,
including the LACRALO-ICANN MoU, were ready. They were signed on the
spot, no ALS did raise any issue or reservation about the signature, the
representatives were elected (all ALSes who had signed the MoU participated in
the election), there were more candidates than seats but the election process
was concluded without problems, and with the best compliments to the winners
coming from the ones that did not make it that time, but that expressed their
willingness to help anyway.
We started very well, with the "spirit of Frankfurt", as
Annette mentions, then something started getting wrong. I hoped things were back
on track when I assisted to the very collaborative and energetic meeting, that
ended with the final drafting of the documents, including the EURALO-ICANN MoU,
and the very touching signature ceremony, with all ALSes present and signing on
stage. Then something started again getting wrong: holiday period, delays in
getting the candidate list, "I signed it but I thought it meant something
different", "I am not confortable in signing it", "I don't see why we should
sign it", "I don't understand why we are rushing (?!?) it", "Why don't we wait
some more", "there should be consensus, not a voting (but of course the
consensus must be on what I say, not on something different)", and so
on.
Yes, the problem is to find this collaborative spirit
again. At this time we do have an agreed set of documents, including the
EURALO-ICANN MoU, a set of procedures for electing officers, and deadlines.
While a modification of the documents and of the rules is always possible in the
future, I have to note that the European Region lacks a member since December
2006, when Annette was not replaced because the formation of EURALO was
imminent, and the replacement had better be elected by the new organization, and
that any further delay in making EURALO operational would be
ununderstandable and unacceptable.
As I said in a previos message, I am still confident that
the MoU is signed by the few residual ALSes in due time to participate in the
elections, that the elected officers will hold their office in the interest of
the whole community, and that those who do not get elected this time still
contribute and get prepared to provide a good alternative for the next future
election. This is how it works in other parts of the ICANN family (the ASO has
just concluded its voting, and Raimundo Beca has been appointed for a second
term to the Board), how it did work for the LACRALO, and I don't see why it
should not work for EURALO.
Cheers,
Roberto
Dear colleagues,
first of all, thanks to Annette for your statement I fully agree
with.
Having been silent most of the time up to now (I may have to apologize
for that), it is exactly the spirit of working together in a cooperative
manner, which I miss in many of the discussions here.
It sometimes seems to me like it is all about legal issues - and nothing
else. How can participation work, if you have to go through pages of legal
arguments to follow any discussion?
As Annette said - let us start working together on content, on outreach,
on issues significant for ICANN policies. And let's stop these formal
arguments, which do not let us achieve any progress.
Best
Stefan
Am 08.05.2007 um 19:12 schrieb Annette Muehlberg:
Dear all,
We started off to build the EURALO in such a good
spirit that we even called our report on our kick off Meeting in Frankfurt
May 2006 "The spirit of Frankfurt".
Where are we now? After Lisbon an absurd discussion
about deadlines of nomination periods started which almost lead to the
exclusion of those ALS representatives who were in easter vacation.
Now, a legal advice is asked for on a nomination of
a candidate as if it matters if someone became a member of an ALS during
nomination period or at the first day of the period of discussion of the
nominations - both definately before the actual decision taking/voting on
the candidates.
All this is such a bureaucratic argy-bargy (german:
Hickhack).
We do not need to love each other but should be
able to respect and work with each other: cooperative, not trying to exclude
but to integrate different positions.
In short, we should start to follow our own
bylaws:
- as stated for Board and General assembly we
should operate "to the maximum extent possible via consensus" (9.2.21 and
9.4.17.1)
- "The Association shall at all times act in an
open, accountable and transparent manner and is committed to cultural and
geographic diversity and gender balance in its work internally and
externally." (3.4)
The current state is:
- We have one candidate seconded by the european
consumer protection/civil liberties ALSes who are not ISOC members. This
candidate comes from Moldova, is female, comes from a non-EU country with a
rather developing IT-infrastructure.
We have two candidates from Luxembourg and France,
both male, both EU, both western region, both members of the same umbrella
organisation, seconded by all the members of the very same organisation -
ISOC).
Let us take our bylaws serious concerning diversity
and reaching consensus among us. In this case the latter means, let us both
accept, that there are more or less two equally strong opinions expressed
and try to have a fair representation of both postions.
- We have nine nominees for the board and agreed to
have the one join, who will not make it in the selection for the ALAC (and
all three ALAC members will join as non-voting members).
This is great!
Instead of trying to put each other down and vote
out, we should be happy that we have these great people who are willing to
serve the EURALO board and stop all this destructive stuff. Let us welcome
all to the EURALO Board!
Let us start working together on content, on
outreach, on issues significant for ICANN policies.
Best
Annette
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