February 2026 - NA-Discuss - lists.icann.org

Universal Acceptance Day Links
by Glenn McKnight Feb. 27, 2026

Feb. 27, 2026

Session One: Enabling Access to a Multilingual Internet Speaker: Joe Capatano, ICANN Time: Friday March 27 @ 10 AM EDT https://tinyurl.com/2dkvkv24 Session Two: Advancing digital inclusion with the Endangered Languages Project Speaker: Bridge Chase Time: Friday March 27 @11 AM EDT https://tinyurl.com/5599cnk6 Session Three: Update on Native Canadian Languages Scripts Speaker: Louis Houle, ISOC Quebec Time: Friday March 27 @12 PM EDT https://tinyurl.com/3haypkjw Session Four: Online Translation and Volunteer Capacity Building Speakers: Waqar Ahmad, Mohibul Mahmud, and Zulqar Nayen Time: Friday March 27 @ 1 PM EDT https://tinyurl.com/5fy2h8xm Glenn McKnight, MA Virtual School of Internet Governance Chief Information Officer www.virtualsig.org *YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERNET GOVERNANCE EDUCATION * *Mobile 437-237-4655*

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FOLLOW UP - Call for EOIs for ALAC Liaison to the GNSO
by Heidi Ullrich Feb. 27, 2026

Feb. 27, 2026

Dear all, Following the earlier message, the ALAC Leadership Team would like to advise interested candidates who intend to submit an Expressions of Interest (EoI) to be the next ALAC Liaison to the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), to address in their EoI - * How long have they been with the At-Large community; * In which areas of the At-Large have they been active and how so; * As a minimum, availability and time commitment to carry out the tasks identified in the ALAC Rules of Procedure Adjunct Document Number 1<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/atlarge/pages/99699087/Ru…> on the Position Descriptions for ALAC Members, Liaisons, and Appointees, i.e. * g) ALAC Liaisons are expected to attend and participate in ALAC meetings, provide updates on their activities as liaisons, attend the meetings of the body they are a liaison to (the “receiving body”), participate effectively as an advocate for At-Large in the receiving body, and where necessary propose responses from the ALAC to the receiving body on policy or other questions; * h) Liaisons [..] should regularly report on activities of the group to the ALAC and the Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG). At a minimum, such reports should highlight issues and activities that the ALAC/At-Large need to focus on. * i) ALAC [..] Liaisons are encouraged to represent ALAC, At-Large and their positions in non-ICANN environments; and * Having strong communications skills in English (as GNSO fora does not offer language interpretation); In addition, interested candidates should explain, with examples where possible, how they already or can meet some or all of the desirable criteria as follows: * Knowledge of GNSO Council and its existing operating procedures and practices; * Prior involvement in any GNSO policy development processes; * Ability to multitask, track and participate in multiple, often-parallel discussions on GNSO Council matters; * Ability to discern GNSO Council issues and activities which impact the ALAC, ALAC priorities, and/or individual end-user interests; * Commitment to inform and consult with the ALAC Leadership to seek appropriate directions on GNSO Council issues and activities that the ALAC/At-Large need to focus on; and * Willingness, on a timely basis, to present and discuss GNSO Council issues and activities at ALAC Monthly calls and/or CPWG calls as dictated by the urgency to obtain responses and/or guidance for further action vis a vis GNSO. For a perspective on likely demands of the role of GNSO Liaison, interested candidates are encouraged to review the following Capacity Development resource, in particular the Zoom recordings: At-Large Fireside Chat with ALAC Liaison to the GNSO Chat #1-16 Dec 2025 <https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/GADFJw>Chat #2-18 Dec 2025 <https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/QYDNJw>Interested candidates should be aware of the metrics applicable to the successful candidate, as set out in the ALAC Rules of Procedure Adjunct Document – Metrics and Remedial Actions for Appointees<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DMaU1yq7JZ71MqkgP37W86LSaO7iEa7zhVmSQZ0…>. Kind regards, Heidi From: Heidi Ullrich <Heidi.Ullrich(a)icann.org> Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 2:40 PM To: "na-discuss(a)icann.org" <na-discuss(a)icann.org> Cc: Jonathan Zuck <JZuck(a)innovatorsnetwork.org>, ICANN Staff <staff(a)atlarge.icann.org> Subject: Call for EOIs for ALAC Liaison to the GNSO Dear All, This is a call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the next ALAC Liaison to the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) While the one-year term of the ALAC Liaison to the GNSO will officially start on 22 October, the last day of the 2026 Annual General Meeting, the selected candidate will be expected to immediately begin shadowing Justine Chew, who currently holds the position. As noted in the ALAC Rules of Procedure Adjunct Document Number 1<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/atlarge/pages/99699087/Ru…> on the Position Descriptions for ALAC Members, Liaisons, and Appointees: * g) ALAC Liaisons are expected to attend and participate in ALAC meetings, provide updates on their activities as liaisons, attend the meetings of the body they are a liaison to (the “receiving body”), participate effectively as an advocate for At-Large in the receiving body, and where necessary propose responses from the ALAC to the receiving body on policy or other questions. * h) Liaisons and those leading working groups should regularly report on activities of the group to the ALAC and the Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG). At a minimum, such reports should highlight issues and activities that the ALAC/At-Large need to focus on. * i) ALAC Members and Liaisons are encouraged to represent ALAC, At-Large and their positions in non-ICANN environments. Interested candidates are requested to send their EoI to At-Large Staff by Friday, 13 March at 23:59 UTC. The ALAC Leadership Team will review the EoIs received followed by ALAC ratification. Kind regards, Heidi Heidi Ullrich, PhD VP, Policy Development & At-Large Relations Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Mobile: +1 310 437 3956 Fax: +1 310 823 8649 Website: atlarge.icann.org<https://atlarge.icann.org/>

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Mark your calendar , Our own Louis Houle will join our UA day
by Glenn McKnight Feb. 26, 2026

Feb. 26, 2026

Mark your calendar on Friday March 17th for Louis presentation Louis will focus on the main phases that the ICANN Working Group went through to update the Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics (UCAS) Repertoire and also the languages using the Latin script. The Repertoire is a reference for First Nations - Inuit scripts & languages in Canada & Québec. It would allow the use of one own language in an address on Internet. Details Session Three: Update on Native Canadian Languages Scripts Speaker: Louis Houle, ISOC Quebec Time: 12 PM EST https://tinyurl.com/3haypkjw Glenn McKnight, MA Virtual School of Internet Governance Chief Information Officer www.virtualsig.org *YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERNET GOVERNANCE EDUCATION * *Mobile 437-237-4655*

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**REGISTER** At-Large Webinar: At-Large Meets OCTO-SSR on Thursday, 26 February 2026 at 16:00 UTC
by Gisella Gruber Feb. 25, 2026

Feb. 25, 2026

Dear All, You are invited to participate in this At-Large Webinar: At-Large Meets OCTO-SSR on Thursday, 26 February 2026 at 16:00 UTC for 60 mins, where Siôn Lloyd will provide an introduction to the role of the Security, Stability, and Resiliency (SSR) team under the ICANN Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO-SSR), and its remit in DNS Abuse mitigation. This webinar by OCTO-SSR serves several purposes – * Recap of the 12 June 2025 ALAC-OCTO Session at ICANN83, Prague [icann83.sched.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann83.sched.com/event/246Xs__;!!PtGJab…> on an introduction to OCTO-SSR and its work [watch the Zoom Recording [icann.zoom.us]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann.zoom.us/rec/share/49LDgNUrGqVAEt45…>]; * Preface to the 11 March 2026 ALAC-OCTO Session at ICANN85, Mumbai [icann85.sched.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann85.sched.com/event/2Gwml/joint-sess…> to further understand the work of OCTO-SSR including some new initiatives [see session details [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/BID…>]; and * Forms part of the DNS Abuse Mitigation Capacity Development Track in the FY2026 At-Large Capacity Development Initiatives [docs.google.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/docs.google.com/document/d/1Hnv5EnPAOu99…> DNS Abuse mitigation remains as a key focus area for the ALAC and At-Large community. It is clear that mitigation efforts take many forms and are often driven by various parties either working collaboratively or complementarily to bring about impact to protect end users against harm perpetrated by malicious domain name registrations. While monitoring effectiveness of DNS Abuse curative measures, the At-Large is increasingly focused on advocating for DNS Abuse preventive measures. To support these goals, the At-Large seeks periodic and continuous understanding of the OCTO-SSR’s work in the area of DNS Abuse mitigation. Join us to learn more or to stay informed! Interpretation in English, French and Spanish. Agenda: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AgD-Mw [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AgD…> Zoom registration: https://icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/tI7t1ttcTnqqr0-rOAzrRQ#/registration [icann.zoom.us]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/tI7t1ttcT…> Thank you. Kind regards, At-Large Staff ICANN Policy Staff in support of the At-Large Community www.icann.org<http://www.icann.org>

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Call for EOIs for ALAC Liaison to the GNSO
by Heidi Ullrich Feb. 25, 2026

Feb. 25, 2026

Dear All, This is a call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the next ALAC Liaison to the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) While the one-year term of the ALAC Liaison to the GNSO will officially start on 22 October, the last day of the 2026 Annual General Meeting, the selected candidate will be expected to immediately begin shadowing Justine Chew, who currently holds the position. As noted in the ALAC Rules of Procedure Adjunct Document Number 1<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/atlarge/pages/99699087/Ru…> on the Position Descriptions for ALAC Members, Liaisons, and Appointees: * g) ALAC Liaisons are expected to attend and participate in ALAC meetings, provide updates on their activities as liaisons, attend the meetings of the body they are a liaison to (the “receiving body”), participate effectively as an advocate for At-Large in the receiving body, and where necessary propose responses from the ALAC to the receiving body on policy or other questions. * h) Liaisons and those leading working groups should regularly report on activities of the group to the ALAC and the Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG). At a minimum, such reports should highlight issues and activities that the ALAC/At-Large need to focus on. * i) ALAC Members and Liaisons are encouraged to represent ALAC, At-Large and their positions in non-ICANN environments. Interested candidates are requested to send their EoI to At-Large Staff by Friday, 13 March at 23:59 UTC. The ALAC Leadership Team will review the EoIs received followed by ALAC ratification. Kind regards, Heidi Heidi Ullrich, PhD VP, Policy Development & At-Large Relations Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Mobile: +1 310 437 3956 Fax: +1 310 823 8649 Website: atlarge.icann.org<https://atlarge.icann.org/>

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REGISTER: APRALO Policy Forum Webinar Series on A Multilingual Internet: Webinar #1: Multilingual Domain Names
by ICANN At-Large Staff Feb. 25, 2026

Feb. 25, 2026

[cid:image001.png@01DCA68B.8DEFCC00] Dear All, The APRALO Policy Forum is delighted to present the first of the series of 3 webinars to introduce ICANN’s goal for a “Multilingual Internet” and its engagement of relevant stakeholders to deliver this goal. You are invited to Webinar #1: Multilingual Domain Names on 26 February 2026 at 06:00 UTC for 75 minutes, where Gopal Tadepalli will host Pitinan Kooarmornpatana, IDN Programs Director, ICANN in an introduction to IDNs and a guided exercise on how to develop a Label Generation Rules (LGR) which is a key technical requirement for enabling Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs). If you are unfamiliar with IDNs and wonder how ICANN engages language communities around the world to make the Internet truly multilingual, then join us and get your answers! Don't forget to pre-register your participation! And if you have any, please let us have your questions on this topic by posting them as comments to the agenda wiki page below; or if you prefer, submit them by emailing staff at staff(a)atlarge.icann.org<mailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> For other times: https://tinyurl.com/5n7hauac [tinyurl.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/tinyurl.com/5n7hauac__;!!PtGJab4!5I6G6OW…> The agenda and call details can be found at: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/KYDWM [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/KYD…> Zoom Registration Link: https://icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/s9U1A2ZPQLikjaaT8qp4mg [icann.zoom.us]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/s9U1A2ZPQ…> (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.) APRALO Policy Forum Wiki Workspace: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/OOrdBg [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/OOr…> Thank you. Kind Regards, At-Large Staff ICANN Policy Staff in support of the At-Large Community Website: atlarge.icann.org [atlarge.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/atlarge.icann.org/__;!!PtGJab4!5I6G6OWCT…>

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How Internet Sovereignty Is Reshaping Company Tech Stacks - Forbes
by Glenn McKnight Feb. 25, 2026

Feb. 25, 2026

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2026/02/24/how-internet-s… Glenn McKnight, MA Virtual School of Internet Governance Chief Information Officer www.virtualsig.org *YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERNET GOVERNANCE EDUCATION * *Mobile 437-237-4655*

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**REGISTER** At-Large Webinar: At-Large Meets OCTO-SSR on Thursday, 26 February 2026 at 16:00 UTC
by Gisella Gruber Feb. 23, 2026

Feb. 23, 2026

Dear All, You are invited to participate in this At-Large Webinar: At-Large Meets OCTO-SSR on Thursday, 26 February 2026 at 16:00 UTC for 60 mins, where Siôn Lloyd will provide an introduction to the role of the Security, Stability, and Resiliency (SSR) team under the ICANN Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO-SSR), and its remit in DNS Abuse mitigation. This webinar by OCTO-SSR serves several purposes – * Recap of the 12 June 2025 ALAC-OCTO Session at ICANN83, Prague [icann83.sched.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann83.sched.com/event/246Xs__;!!PtGJab…> on an introduction to OCTO-SSR and its work [watch the Zoom Recording [icann.zoom.us]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann.zoom.us/rec/share/49LDgNUrGqVAEt45…>]; * Preface to the 11 March 2026 ALAC-OCTO Session at ICANN85, Mumbai [icann85.sched.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann85.sched.com/event/2Gwml/joint-sess…> to further understand the work of OCTO-SSR including some new initiatives [see session details [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/BID…>]; and * Forms part of the DNS Abuse Mitigation Capacity Development Track in the FY2026 At-Large Capacity Development Initiatives [docs.google.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/docs.google.com/document/d/1Hnv5EnPAOu99…> DNS Abuse mitigation remains as a key focus area for the ALAC and At-Large community. It is clear that mitigation efforts take many forms and are often driven by various parties either working collaboratively or complementarily to bring about impact to protect end users against harm perpetrated by malicious domain name registrations. While monitoring effectiveness of DNS Abuse curative measures, the At-Large is increasingly focused on advocating for DNS Abuse preventive measures. To support these goals, the At-Large seeks periodic and continuous understanding of the OCTO-SSR’s work in the area of DNS Abuse mitigation. Join us to learn more or to stay informed! Interpretation in English, French and Spanish. Agenda: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AgD-Mw [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AgD…> Zoom registration: https://icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/tI7t1ttcTnqqr0-rOAzrRQ#/registration [icann.zoom.us]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/tI7t1ttcT…> Thank you. Kind regards, At-Large Staff ICANN Policy Staff in support of the At-Large Community www.icann.org<http://www.icann.org>

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REGISTER: APRALO Policy Forum Webinar Series on A Multilingual Internet: Webinar #1: Multilingual Domain Names
by ICANN At-Large Staff Feb. 23, 2026

Feb. 23, 2026

[cid:image001.png@01DCA4D2.BBCCF090] Dear All, The APRALO Policy Forum is delighted to present the first of the series of 3 webinars to introduce ICANN’s goal for a “Multilingual Internet” and its engagement of relevant stakeholders to deliver this goal. You are invited to Webinar #1: Multilingual Domain Names on 26 February 2026 at 06:00 UTC for 75 minutes, where Gopal Tadepalli will host Pitinan Kooarmornpatana, IDN Programs Director, ICANN in an introduction to IDNs and a guided exercise on how to develop a Label Generation Rules (LGR) which is a key technical requirement for enabling Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs). If you are unfamiliar with IDNs and wonder how ICANN engages language communities around the world to make the Internet truly multilingual, then join us and get your answers! Don't forget to pre-register your participation! And if you have any, please let us have your questions on this topic by posting them as comments to the agenda wiki page below; or if you prefer, submit them by emailing staff at staff(a)atlarge.icann.org<mailto:staff@atlarge.icann.org> For other times: https://tinyurl.com/5n7hauac [tinyurl.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/tinyurl.com/5n7hauac__;!!PtGJab4!5I6G6OW…> The agenda and call details can be found at: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/KYDWM [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/KYD…> Zoom Registration Link: https://icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/s9U1A2ZPQLikjaaT8qp4mg [icann.zoom.us]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann.zoom.us/meeting/register/s9U1A2ZPQ…> (After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.) APRALO Policy Forum Wiki Workspace: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/OOrdBg [icann-community.atlassian.net]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/OOr…> Thank you. Kind Regards, At-Large Staff ICANN Policy Staff in support of the At-Large Community Website: atlarge.icann.org [atlarge.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/atlarge.icann.org/__;!!PtGJab4!5I6G6OWCT…>

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Announcement of the Results of the At-Large Seat 15 Director Selection
by Heidi Ullrich Feb. 20, 2026

Feb. 20, 2026

Dear All, On behalf of Alan Greenberg, Chair of the Board Member Selection Process Committee (BMSPC), we are announcing the final election result of ICANN Board Director (Seat #15) selected by the At-Large Community. The nomination will be sent to the Empowered Community for the formal appointment of the Director as per the ICANN Bylaws. The At-Large Community's ICANN Board Director selection process was a six-month effort and officially ended on 19 February 2026. Justine Chew has been selected by At-Large as the successor of León Felipe Sánchez Ambía and will begin her three-year term as an ICANN Board Director at the end of ICANN87 (22 October 2026). The selection process began in September 2025 and started with the formation of two At-Large committees tasked with managing the timeline, calling for and evaluating the candidates, and organizing the final election. Four Expressions of Interest for the position were received, of which all were deemed eligible. The candidates were Sébastien Bachollet, Justine Chew, Maureen Hilyard, and Rafael (Lito) Ibarra. Before the election took place, the At-Large Community was given several opportunities to ask questions to the finalists, both verbally and in writing, to make an informed choice. The final selection was made by the fifteen (15) members of the At-Large Advisory Committee and the five (5) Regional At-Large Large Organization Chairs with the involvement of the At-Large Community. Click here<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ABMS/pages/873005063/Fina…> to review the result, as well as detailed information about the election process. See additional information about Justine Chew on the At-Large Board Member Selection Home – 2025-2026 workspace<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ABMS/pages/394657793/At-L…>. Kind regards, Heidi Ullrich, Silvia Vivanco, and Michelle DeSmyter At-Large Board Member Selection Program Staff Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Mobile: +1 310 437 3956 Fax: +1 310 823 8649 Website: atlarge.icann.org<https://atlarge.icann.org/> Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Mobile: +1 310 437 3956 Fax: +1 310 823 8649 Website: atlarge.icann.org<https://atlarge.icann.org/>

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