Having trouble viewing this email? Click here. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1118638566701&ca=304c2bf5-8... Hi, just a reminder that you're receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in ICANN. Don't forget to add emea.communications@communications.icann.org to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox!  You may unsubscribe if you no longer want to receive our emails. You may unsubscribe https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001fV5zcrmnzCVnMiD3Cw8NvQ%3D%3... if you no longer wish to receive our emails. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Register Now! Pre-ICANN61 Policy Open House, 1 March Join ICANN's Policy Development Support Team at one of two Pre-ICANN61 Policy Open Houses: Thursday, 1 March 2018 10:00 and 19:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) Register via this form [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] by 26 February! The format of each 60-minute session will be interactive. We invite you to submit your questions in advance through the registration form by email to policyinfo@icann.org [mailto:policyinfo@icann.org]. To prepare for this webinar and for ICANN61, download and review the "Pre-ICANN61 Policy Report" and "Generic Names Supporting Organization Policy Briefing: ICANN61 Edition," to be published by 26 February. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ICANN61 Countdown Join us in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 10-15 March, for this year's Community Forum. Come network with other community members, discuss issues face-to-face, and be a part of the policymaking process. The ICANN61 website [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] has up-to-date information on the schedule, travel, and accommodations. Before booking your travel, please review the travel and visa requirements on the ICANN61 website. Register now! [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the Past into the Future: Our Efforts in the Middle East and Adjoining Countries Walid Alsaqqaf, Chair of the Middle East and Adjoining Countries Strategy Working Group As we embark on a new year, it's a good time to reflect our work in 2017 as ICANN's Middle East and Adjoining Countries Strategy Working Group (MEAC-SWG [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]). As the Chair of MEAC-SWG, I would like to recognize the efforts of not only regional ICANN staff, but also the volunteers in this working group. As MEAC-SWG, we have made tangible contributions to ICANN's work in one of the most challenging, yet promising regions of the world. From strategy building to the development of implementation plans, we successfully carried out dozens of activities in the last year and many are yet to come. You can find out more about our work here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]. Among the highlights of 2017 was ICANN60 [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...], held from 28 October to 3 November in Abu Dhabi, UAE. At ICANN60, we were impressed by the number of regional participants and the growing community interest in ICANN's work. MEAC-SWG played a significant role in making voices from the Middle East heard at ICANN60, through initiatives such as the first Middle East Space [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]. 2017 was a promising year for MEAC-SWG, as we look at our commitment and achievements so far. This gives me the confidence that we will and need to do even better this year and beyond, as there is still a strong potential to be realized in the region's Domain Name System (DNS) industry and participation level in the global Internet ecosystem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Year Full of Events in the EMEA Region In 2017, we saw a trend of increased participation in ICANN and expanded media coverage in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). During the year, 6,242 news stories were published about ICANN. All three ICANN Public Meetings took place in EMEA: ICANN58 in Denmark, ICANN59 in South Africa, and ICANN60 in the UAE. And among other events, ICANN worked with local hosts to organize Domain Name System (DNS) Forums in Turkey, the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. We look forward to meeting you at one of our upcoming regional events in 2018! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Egypt's DNS Entrepreneurship Center Collaborates with Nile University The DNS Entrepreneurship Center (DNS-EC) [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] in Cairo, Egypt, has collaborated with the Computer Engineering Department of Nile University for an "Introduction to Computer Networks" course. The 30 course participants assisted in the implementation and evaluation of two DNS projects, one on a registry monitoring system and the other on Universal Acceptance [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] readiness of web browsers. The participants worked in teams on these two projects for six weeks, and received certificates of completion. DNS-EC was founded as a joint center by ICANN and the National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA) in June 2014. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Public Comment Opens on Plan to Restart the Root Key Signing Key (KSK) Rollover Click here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] to find out how you can participate. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FY19 Budget and Operating Plan Open for Public Comment Focusing on ICANN's commitment to the multistakeholder model, ICANN's Draft FY19 Operating Plan and Budget and the current year's update to the Five-Year Operating Plan are provided for Public Comment. Voice your opinions and participate in discussions. Learn about this and all open Public Comment proceedings. [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Learn What's New with the Information Transparency Initiative Read our latest blog [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] about ICANN's Information Transparency Initiative (ITI), which officially kicked off in January. Learn about the content audit, taxonomy, next steps, and how you can provide feedback. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IANA Functions in the Spotlight Find out what's been happening with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions post-transition. Read about our survey, new oversight mechanisms, and recent leadership changes. Kim Davies, ICANN Vice President of IANA Services and President of Public Technical Identifiers, reflects on these topics and the focus for 2018. Read his recent blog [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Data Protection/Privacy Update On 2 February, the ICANN organization held a webinar to give an update on data protection and privacy activities and to discuss proposed interim models. The feedback from the webinar will factor into an assessment of what may be a viable interim model moving forward. Stay up to date: * Access the webinar recording and presentation materials. [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] * Read regular updates about data protection and privacy issues [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GNSO Council Plans for 2018 The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council met in Los Angeles from 29-31 January to plan for the year. A priority for the year is to better understand the GNSO's role under the new bylaws and to develop plans for performing this role more efficiently, effectively, and collaboratively. Other goals are documenting expectations, developing new strategies, and updating operating procedures. Read more in GNSO Chair Heather Forrest's recent blog [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GNSO Seeks Survey Providers Last month, ICANN launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) to seek qualified providers to develop and conduct survey(s) to assess Sunrise and Trademark Claims services for trademark owners. The deadline for submitting proposals is 9 March 2017. Learn more. [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) Approves Five ALAC Statements In January 2018, the ALAC approved ALAC Statements [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] on these topics: * Competition, Consumer Trust, and Consumer Choice Review Team * ICANN's Office of Ombudsman * ICANN Jurisdiction * ICANN Staff Accountability * Enhancing Accountability - Recommendations for Diversity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At-Large Hosts First of 2018 Educational Webinars Based on At-Large community suggestions for over 45 topics, At-Large is offering a series of webinars in 2018. The first webinar was held on 24 January and dealt with data protection and the GDPR. Learn about future webinars. [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ccNSO Needs Volunteers to Prepare for Upcoming Review The Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) needs members to volunteer for a working group that will do a self-assessment of the ccNSO. This effort is part of the preparation for the Organizational Review that will resume soon. If you're interested in joining, email joke.braeken@icann.org [mailto:joke.braeken@icann.org]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New! Reviews Status Update Page We've created a page that gives a high-level summary of the status of all active reviews, along with links to key resources for each of the Specific and Organizational Reviews. Click here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] to view the page. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IANA Satisfaction Survey Posts Positive Results ICANN recently published the results of an annual survey conducted by Ebiquity, an independent marketing and media consultancy firm, that measures the perception of satisfaction among customers of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions regarding the services they receive. In its fifth year, this survey is the first completed since Public Technical Identifiers (PTI) started performing the IANA functions on behalf of ICANN. Read the announcement [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] and review the full report [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New Consensus Policy Protects Certain Specific IGO and INGO Identifiers ICANN announced that all ICANN contracted parties for generic top-level domains (gTLDs) must implement the new Consensus Policy concerning the protection of certain specific names of identifiers of intergovernmental organizations (IGO) and international nongovernmental organizations (INGO) in all gTLDs. Read the full announcement. [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ambassadors Needed to Promote Universal Acceptance The Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) is looking for industry leaders to help create awareness of Universal Acceptance (UA) and Email Address Internationalization (EAI) among software developers, systems architects, and senior IT executives. These UA ambassadors, to be selected by the UA Coordination Group, will hold their positions for one year. The UASG is also seeking a software developer practitioner and technical marketing specialist. Learn about open opportunities. [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join us at these upcoming events in the EMEA region: * 21 February, Registrar Training, Munich, Germany * 22-23 February, Domain Pulse [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...], Munich, Germany * 22-23 February, Digital Sovereignty in Francophone Africa, Tunis-Tunisia * 26-27 February, YouthComm Workshop, Windhoek, Namibia * 10-16 March, WHD Global [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...], Rust, Germany * 17-23 March, IETF 101 [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...], London, UK Learn more about how ICANN will be participating in regional events near you [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001k7krXJs_TBhPh7e3Xkxnv0Fsm4a6weckNGiclAW6fPMrB...]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forward this email http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=nj88a9rab&m=1118638566701&ea=$... 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