The ICANN team spent an inspiring and productive four days in Manama, Bahrain, from 27 to 30 April, engaging with local stakeholders, students, academic institutions, and industry leaders. The energy and commitment of all involved reaffirmed our shared dedication to a secure, stable, and globally representative Internet.
We kicked off on 27 April with a vibrant student two-day hackathon, jointly organized by Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), the American University of Bahrain (AUBH), and ICANN. With 60 enthusiastic participants from different universities in Bahrain forming twelve teams, the hackathon brought together fresh, innovative minds who harnessed the power of AI tools to build Universal Acceptance (UA)-ready Arabic websites. Their creativity and drive showcased the next generation's potential to expand Internet accessibility in local languages and scripts.
The same day, we participated in an insightful roundtable discussion with business leaders in Bahrain to share perspectives on ICANN's upcoming New gTLD Program: Next Round. Participants raised important questions about timelines, objectives, and potential outcomes, highlighting the region's strong commitment to digital transformation and innovation.
On 28 April, we visited AUBH's engineering school to meet faculty members, tour labs, engage with students, and discuss the future of Internet technologies. We discussed ongoing efforts to integrate UA into university curricula — an essential step toward developing technical readiness among future developers and engineers. Later that day, we met with the General Director of the TRA to reflect on joint efforts to advance UA adoption across the region. We also discussed the importance of multilingual Internet access and touched on upcoming global discussions related to the World Summit on the Information Society: 20-year review (WSIS+20) and the future of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).
The momentum continued into 29–30 April with the 11th edition of the Middle East DNS Forum, which welcomed approximately 200 participants both in-person and online.
Day one opened with reflections on Bahrain's digital evolution and regional Domain Name System (DNS) industry developments. The agenda featured a deep dive into ICANN's ongoing work to mitigate DNS Abuse, highlighting the need for coordinated approaches across technical and policy communities. Lightning talks showcased local initiatives and set the tone for the collaborative spirit that defined the forum.
A fireside chat took a broader view, reflecting on the 20-year journey of WSIS and offering timely perspectives ahead of the WSIS+20 review. It served as a powerful reminder of how far the Internet governance ecosystem has come, and what's at stake as we look ahead.
Day two focused on technical discussions, with panels on Arabic domain names and UA implementation featuring real-world examples of how stakeholders are integrating UA into digital systems. A session on the evolving role of governments and country code top-level domain (ccTLD) operators emphasized the importance of multistakeholder collaboration in maintaining a secure and stable global DNS.
The day also put a spotlight on the upcoming New gTLD Program: Next Round. Presentations focused on regional opportunities, and illustrated how top-level domains could support local innovation, branding, and digital growth. These insights echoed the earlier roundtable discussions with Bahrain's business community, underscoring real interest and potential across the region. Recordings of all forum sessions are available on mednsf.org for those who couldn't attend or who wish to revisit certain sessions.
These four days in Bahrain were a strong reminder of what's possible when stakeholders come together with a shared goal. A sincere thank you to everyone who participated throughout the week, particularly our local host, TRA Bahrain, and the sponsors who made this visit so impactful.
The momentum from Bahrain doesn't end here. It feeds directly into the work ahead, from WSIS+20 to the New gTLD Program: Next Round and beyond.
