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Preview of the ICANN SO and AC Chairs Roundtable Meeting

19 April 2022
By

The chairs of the ICANN Supporting Organizations (SOs) and Advisory Committees (ACs) will hold a two-day roundtable meeting next week in Los Angeles. The Roundtable Meeting convenes the chairs of each SO and AC, ICANN organization (org) executives, and the ICANN Board chair and vice chair to discuss planning, governance, and other topics of collective interest. Originally planned as half-day, in-person sessions held immediately before an ICANN Public Meeting, the roundtable evolved to virtual sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This 26–27 April gathering will be the first in-person meeting of the chairs since January 2020. This workshop comes at an important time as ICANN prepares for a return to in-person ICANN Public Meetings. The roundtable will allow the chairs to reflect on ICANN community work and look ahead at their collective priorities and challenges. The chairs will also hold discussions with ICANN org executives and the ICANN Board chair and vice chair.

The first day of the meeting will focus on important governance topics. The chairs will discuss their respective priorities, the ICANN Strategic Plan for FY21–25, the ICANN Prioritization Framework Pilot, and next steps for ICANN Organizational Reviews. The Advisory Committee chairs will also discuss the process for the ICANN Board's consideration of advice. The Supporting Organization chairs will have the opportunity to share information about ongoing policy development work.

The second day of the meeting will focus on implementation work on the Enhancing the Effectiveness of ICANN's Multistakeholder Model project. There will also be a session devoted to ICANN74 and future ICANN Public Meeting planning. The workshop will conclude with remarks from ICANN President and CEO Göran Marby and ICANN Board Chair Maarten Botterman and a review of action items for the chairs to share with their respective groups.

As the ICANN community looks forward to the ICANN74 Policy Forum, ICANN org continues to prioritize health and safety and remains committed to providing a safe environment for the chairs, ICANN Board leaders, and org members who will be attending the roundtable. ICANN org will follow all local guidelines and implement new protocols to ensure a productive meeting. This will also provide an opportunity for ICANN org to test the planned technical setup for the hybrid ICANN74 Policy Forum to enable and enhance remote participation.

This is an exciting time for ICANN. It is also a time to exercise caution. We should celebrate the strength of the multistakeholder model and embrace its continuous evolution. ICANN org has worked diligently to prepare for these events in support of the ICANN Board and community. Together, we adapted to difficult circumstances and sustained our shared commitment to a global, interoperable Internet that is secure, stable, and resilient.

Authors

David Olive

David Olive

SVP, Policy Development Support & Managing Director - Washington, D.C.