Dear Sylvia, Many thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. We will certainly consider this. Perhaps one meeting per quarter focused solely on member engagement. We will discuss this and get back to you' Regards On Thu, Apr 30, 2026 at 6:30 PM lac-discuss-es--- via lac-discuss-en < lac-discuss-en@icann.org> wrote:
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Dear regional members,
I hope you are all doing well.
I would like to share some reflections based on what I have observed in recent monthly meetings, not only under this new administration but also in previous ones.
Currently, our meetings last one hour and a half, and most of that time is dedicated to reports from the different regional representatives. These reports are certainly important, and we value the work carried out between meetings. However, I believe we should rethink the structure of these meetings and reduce the time dedicated to these updates.
Monthly meetings should, above all, be a space for exchange for the entire community, especially for those members who do not hold positions.
It is essential that they can communicate with the authorities present, bring forward new topics, request clarifications, and actively participate.
In this regard, I found the initiative of sending reports in advance very positive, as was the case with EUNICC.
Ideally, all regional representatives could do the same, preferably one or two days in advance. This would allow ALS members to read, analyze, and even discuss the reports within their organizations, arriving at the meeting with prepared questions or comments. In this way, meeting time could be used for interaction and dialogue rather than passive listening.
Another point I would like to highlight is what usually happens in the “Any "Other Business" section.
When a member wishes to speak, as in the case of Olga Cavalli in the last meeting, we should not limit participation to a minimal and rushed time slot. On that occasion, she was given only one minute when the official meeting time had already ended.
One minute is not enough to properly express an idea or to generate constructive exchange. In that specific case, Olga shared a brief announcement about an event, but if she had raised a question requiring a response or the participation of several attendees, this would not have been possible due to the lack of time.
This situation clearly illustrates the need to adjust our current dynamics.
I fully understand the importance of respecting time limits, as well as the excellent work carried out by interpreters. However, precisely for this reason, I believe we need to better organize our meetings to ensure that everyone can participate adequately and without being rushed.
I would also like to highlight the proposal made by Alberto Soto, who identified the need to address a specific topic and requested that it be included in the meeting agenda in advance. I believe this practice could significantly strengthen ALS participation, as it would allow everyone to be informed beforehand about the topics to be discussed.
In this same spirit, I believe it would be very valuable to dedicate at least part of the monthly meeting to enable ALS members to interact with one another, exchange ideas, and discuss topics of common interest, rather than simply being listeners to reports presented by the representatives.
It is a valuable opportunity that once a month we are all together and supported by interpreters, which allows us to communicate across languages.
It is therefore essential to make the most of this space and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to speak if they wish.
This would also help prevent relevant topics from being addressed in a rushed manner at the end of the meeting. When topics are known in advance, participants can come better prepared, leading to more meaningful and organized discussions.
In summary, I believe it would be very beneficial to:
- Reduce the time dedicated to reports during the meeting. - Share these reports in advance via the mailing list or publish them on the wiki. - Allocate more time during the meeting for dialogue, questions, and active participation. - Encourage the early submission of proposed agenda topics.
Thank you very much for your time and attention. I hope the new administration will take these suggestions into consideration and work toward making our meetings a more participatory, inclusive, and enriching space for everyone.
I remain available to continue this conversation.
Kind regards, Sylvia ________________________________
Sylvia Herlein Leite INTERNAUTA BRASIL +5511 9974474774 _______________________________________________ lac-discuss-en mailing list -- lac-discuss-en@icann.org To unsubscribe send an email to lac-discuss-en-leave@icann.org
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