The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced that its ICANN 68 Policy Forum, which was to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will now be held via remote participation only. The ICANN Board of Directors has made the decision that ICANN 68 will not proceed as an in-person meeting. Instead, the Board has directed the ICANN org to explore additional community feedback and suggestions, in order to develop a meaningful and productive ICANN 68 Policy Forum while we are unable to meet in person.
The meeting, scheduled for 22-25 June 2020, will be the second time ICANN has held a Public Meeting solely with remote participation. ICANN 67, which was originally slated to be held in Cancún, Mexico, from 7-12 March 2020, was held as ICANN’s first entirely remote virtual meeting following the declaration of COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization.
With an increasing number of countries issuing stay-at-home, lockdown, or social-distancing orders to its citizens to slow the spread of COVID-19, gatherings and international travel are effectively on pause for the foreseeable future. The health and safety of ICANN’s community is a top priority, and as such, convening ICANN 68 as an in-person meeting is no longer feasible.
Following the success of ICANN67 as a Virtual Community Forum, the ICANN org sought the ICANN community’s feedback on how to improve future virtual meetings. In its decision, the Board also directed ICANN org to coordinate with the ICANN community on the best way forward in order to meet the expected outcomes of an ICANN Policy Forum. The community’s feedback will be incorporated into the planning and execution of ICANN 68.
Those interested in attending the virtual meeting will still be required to register. An announcement will be posted once registration is open.
Attendance is Free. Price: $0.