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Nominating Committee | Invitation for Statements of Interest and Suggestions for Candidates 2008

14 December 2007

This document is a comprehensive description of all of the information needed for the process of volunteering to serve in the governing bodies of ICANN in forthcoming terms. It contains information for potential candidates, for people wishing to suggest candidates, and for the submission of statements of interest, and provides links to other information on the ICANN website regarding the Nominating Committee (Nom Com) process.

The call for candidates is now posted. Statements of Interest should be received before 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC), and the selection of final appointees will be announced in mid September 2008. Completed Statements of Interest should be sent to nomcom2008@icann.org.

If you would like to volunteer and be considered as a candidate, click here to read more about the process and to nominate yourself.

If you want to suggest someone for one of the positions click here.

Send all comments/questions to: nomcom2008@icann.org.

For more information about the Nom Com, see http://nomcom.icann.org/.

Nom Com encourages redistribution of this Invitation for Statements of Interest and Suggestions for Candidates provided it is transmitted in its entirety, without any changes.

Nom Com encourages translation of this Invitation and grants permission to distribute a translation provided that (1) any distributed translation includes the full text of the Invitation in English in its entirety and without any changes and (2) a copy of the translation and the identity and contact information for the translator are sent to Nom Com at nomcom2008@icann.org. .

Contents

A. ICANN, the organization

B. Important Opportunities to Contribute to this Global public private partnership

C. Characteristics and High Qualifications Sought via the Nom Com Process

D. Criteria, Core Values and Timing for Positions to be Filled by Nom Com

E. Position Roles, Eligibility Factors, and Time Commitments

F. Choosing to be a Candidate

G. Nom Com Process and Background

H. How to suggest a candidate for consideration

I. Statement of Interest ICANN Nominating Committee 2008

A. ICANN, the organization

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a California public benefit, non-profit corporation that serves as a major technical coordination body for the Internet. Created in 1998 by a joint initiative of the Internet's business, technical, academic, and user communities, ICANN has been gradually assuming the responsibility for a set of technical functions previously performed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and other groups.

ICANN's mission is "to coordinate, at the overall level, the global Internet's systems of unique identifiers, and in particular to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier systems. In particular, ICANN:

  1. Coordinates the allocation and assignment of the three sets of unique identifiers for the Internet, which are:
    1. Domain names (forming a system referred to as "DNS");
    2. Internet protocol ("IP") addresses and autonomous system ("AS") numbers; and
    3. Protocol port and parameter numbers.
  2. Coordinates the operation and evolution of the DNS root name server system.
  3. Coordinates policy development reasonably and appropriately related to these technical functions." http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#I

ICANN is dedicated to preserving the operational stability of the Internet; to promoting competition; to achieving broad representation of global Internet communities; and to developing policy appropriate to its mission through bottom-up consensus-based processes.

ICANN accomplishes its work through various entities such as the Board of Directors; the three supporting organisations GNSO, ccNSO and ASO; and the At Large Advisory Committee.

B. Important Opportunities to Contribute to this Global Enterprise

The ICANN Nominating Committee (Nom Com) invites the participation of the Internet community in its ongoing process for selection of well qualified, accomplished individuals to serve in four sets of leadership positions within ICANN. The following seats are to be filled in the 2008 Nom Com process:

  • Board of Directors (2 seats)
  • Generic Names Supporting Organization Council (GNSO) (1 seat)
  • At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) (2 seats, Europe and North American regions)
  • Country Code Names Support Organization Council (ccNSO) (1 seat)

Those selected by Nom Com will work with accomplished colleagues from around the globe to address Internet's technical coordination problems and related policy development challenges within diverse functional, cultural, and geographic dimensions.

They will make an important public service contribution and gain useful experience and perspective. Placing the broad public interest ahead of any particular interests, they will help ensure the stability and security of the Internet

ICANN holds public meetings three times a year in locations around the world. These meetings constitute an essential part of ICANN's global consensus-development and outreach efforts; all Nom Com appointees are expected to travel and participate in ICANN meetings. However, these meetings are only part of the responsibilities of the appointees. Much of the work of the ICANN Board, GNSO Council, ALAC, and ccNSO Council is done via e-mail and teleconference meetings of the respective groups.

Those who hold these positions serve without compensation but can receive travel expense reimbursement where authorized and where resources have been allocated within the ICANN budget.

The whole Internet community benefits from the voluntary commitment and efforts of the many individuals who serve in the organization. ICANN respects and appreciates this generous contribution of time, energy and effort. The appointees of the Nom Com will join the numerous other hard working volunteers who help to further ICANN's policy activities.

We invite both (1) suggestions of persons who should be considered for these positions and (2) Statements of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for them. The Nom Com looks upon all Statements of Interest equally.

For full consideration suggestions should be submitted promptly and Statements of Interest should be received no later than 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC) .

C. Qualifications Sought in the Nom Com Process

Nom Com seeks women and men who have demonstrated the maturity, experience, knowledge, and skills to handle the tasks and make the judgments involved in fulfilling these important leadership roles.

Nom Com seeks persons of the highest integrity and capability with experience and talents for problem solving, policy development, and decision-making involving diverse perspectives regarding how best to accomplish the mission and responsibilities of ICANN. Those selected in the Nom Com process will also be expected to place the public interest of the global Internet ahead of any particular interests.

In Nom Com's selections, such qualifications are more significant than is deep involvement in technical aspects of the Internet. The Nom Com Selected Nominees are expected to be knowledgeable, or committed to becoming knowledgeable, about the environment in which ICANN operates and the technical functions for which it is responsible, but strong technical knowledge of the Internet is not the determining factor in the Nom Com selections.

ICANN also has complementary selection processes, based in the Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees, which are designed to ensure that the needed technical expertise and knowledge of constituencies is present in the ICANN leadership bodies. Together, Nom Com and these complementary selection processes yield, in the aggregate, the full range of skills and experience needed for the organization.

Nom Com will apply the criteria and terms of eligibility defined in the ICANN Bylaws to develop a pool of qualified candidates (See Section D). In selecting from this candidate pool, Nom Com will also take into account additional considerations related to the specific roles to be filled and will support implementation of ICANN's Core Values, including its commitment to seek and support broad functional, geographic, and cultural diversity of the Internet at all levels of policy development and decision-making. Nom Com recognizes that the term cultural diversity is multifaceted, including gender, ethnic, religious, and other forms of diversity.

Nom Com encourages wide participation in this process, and is grateful for the valuable input it will receive from those who nominate themselves or others for the positions available.

D. Criteria, Core Values, and Timing for Positions to be Filled by Nom Com

Criteria

Nom Com will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors contained in the ICANN Bylaws for all four sets of positions it will fill. These Criteria are:

  1. Accomplished persons of integrity, objectivity, and intelligence, with reputations for sound judgment and open minds, and a demonstrated capacity for thoughtful group decision-making;
  2. Persons with an understanding of ICANN's mission and the potential impact of ICANN decisions on the global Internet community, and committed to the success of ICANN;
  3. Persons who will produce the broadest cultural and geographic diversity on the Board consistent with meeting the other criteria set forth in this Section;
  4. Persons who, in the aggregate, have personal familiarity with the operation of gTLD registries and registrars; with ccTLD registries; with IP address registries; with Internet technical standards and protocols; with policy-development procedures, legal traditions, and the public interest; and with the broad range of business, individual, academic, and non-commercial users of the Internet;
  5. Persons who are willing to serve as volunteers, without compensation other than the reimbursement of certain expenses; and
  6. Persons who are able to work and communicate in written and spoken English.

Nom Com welcomes and encourages participation from all members of the global Internet community. Although Candidates should be able to both work and communicate well in English, there is no requirement that English be the candidate's first language.

Core Values

In making its selections, Nom Com will look for persons who can help implement ICANN's Core Values, stated in its Bylaws:

"In performing its mission, the following core values should guide the decisions and actions of ICANN:

  1. Preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet.
  2. Respecting the creativity, innovation, and flow of information made possible by the Internet by limiting ICANN's activities to those matters within ICANN's mission requiring or significantly benefiting from global coordination.
  3. To the extent feasible and appropriate, delegating coordination functions to or recognizing the policy role of other responsible entities that reflect the interests of affected parties.
  4. Seeking and supporting broad, informed participation reflecting the functional, geographic, and cultural diversity of the Internet at all levels of policy development and decision-making.
  5. Where feasible and appropriate, depending on market mechanisms to promote and sustain a competitive environment.
  6. Introducing and promoting competition in the registration of domain names where practicable and beneficial in the public interest.
  7. Employing open and transparent policy development mechanisms that (i) promote well-informed decisions based on expert advice, and (ii) ensure that those entities most affected can assist in the policy development process.
  8. Making decisions by applying documented policies neutrally and objectively, with integrity and fairness.
  9. Acting with a speed that is responsive to the needs of the Internet while, as part of the decision-making process, obtaining informed input from those entities most affected.
  10. Remaining accountable to the Internet community through mechanisms that enhance ICANN's effectiveness.
  11. While remaining rooted in the private sector, recognizing that governments and public authorities are responsible for public policy and duly taking into account governments' or public authorities' recommendations.

These core values are deliberately expressed in very general terms, so that they may provide useful and relevant guidance in the broadest possible range of circumstances. Because they are not narrowly prescriptive, the specific way in which they apply, individually and collectively, to each new situation will necessarily depend on many factors that cannot be fully anticipated or enumerated; and because they are statements of principle rather than practice, situations will inevitably arise in which perfect fidelity to all eleven core values simultaneously is not possible. Any ICANN body making a recommendation or decision shall exercise its judgment to determine which core values are most relevant and how they apply to the specific circumstances of the case at hand, and to determine, if necessary, an appropriate and defensible balance among competing values."

Timing

By 29 June 2008, the NomCom expects to make its final selections for individuals to serve the Terms that are associated with the following positions:

  • ICANN Board of Directors (2 seats, 3 year terms)
  • Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council Member (1 seat, 2 year term)
  • At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) Members (2 seats, 2 year terms)
  • Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) Council Member (1 seat, 3 year term)

As provided in the ICANN Bylaws, the starting date for terms for these positions is the end of ICANN's 2008 Annual General Meeting to be held in the Africa region (location to be confirmed), from 2-7 November 2008. The ending date is the conclusion of a specific later ICANN Annual Meeting, depending on the length of term applicable.

E. Position Roles, Eligibility Factors, and Time Commitments

Position: Board of Directors (http://www.icann.org/general/board.html)

Number of Seats: 2

Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008

End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2011

ICANN's Directors, as a group, are responsible for exercising the powers of ICANN, controlling its property, and conducting or directing its business and affairs, except as otherwise provided in the ICANN Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. Directors serve as individuals who have the duty to act in what they reasonably believe are the best interests of ICANN and not as representatives of the entity that selected them, their employers, or any other organizations or constituencies.

Directors are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of ICANN's Core Values.

The Nominating Committee will use the Selection Criteria for Directors, set forth in the Bylaws, for these positions.

ICANN Directors shall receive no compensation for their services as Directors. The Board may, however, authorize the reimbursement of actual and necessary reasonable expenses incurred by Directors performing their duties as Directors. [Bylaws Article VI, Section 22, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-22]

Board Eligibility Factors

  1. No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8]
  2. Nominating Committee shall seek to ensure that the ICANN Board is composed of members who in the aggregate display diversity in geography, culture, skills, experience, and perspective, by applying the criteria set forth above in this document. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 2(2), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-2.2]
  3. At no time shall the Nominating Committee select a Director to fill any vacancy or expired term whose selection would cause the total number of Directors (not including the President) who are citizens of countries in any one Geographic Region to exceed five; and the Nominating Committee shall ensure through its selections that at all times the Board includes at least one Director who is a citizen of a country in each ICANN Geographic Region. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 2(2), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-2.2]
  4. No official of a national government or a multinational entity established by treaty or other agreement between national governments may serve as a Director. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 4(1), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-4.1]
  5. No person who serves in any capacity (including as a liaison) on any Supporting Organization Council shall simultaneously serve as a Director or liaison to the Board. [Bylaws, Article VI, Section 4(2), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-4.2]
  6. Term limits: No ICANN Directors appointed by the Nom Com whose terms expire at the ICANN General Meeting of 2008 have exceeded the three term limit as defined in the Bylaws.

The current composition of the Board of Directors is available here http://www.icann.org/general/board.html

Time Commitment and Working Practice

The basic responsibilities of an ICANN Director require a minimum commitment of time which when averaged out over the year is roughly equivalent to 20-24 hours each week. This includes participation in three ICANN meetings/year, two Board retreats/year and work on Board Committees. The time spent in these basic responsibilities is typically clustered around Board meetings and monthly teleconferences, but there is a constant flow of information requiring attention on a near daily basis.

Directors are expected to attend three ICANN meetings per year and depending on the location and including travel time and preparation this could be a commitment of up to ten (10) days per meeting. In addition the board occasionally holds shorter face-to-face meetings such as retreats.

Directors spend additional time in connection with their work on Board Committees, a commitment that varies in relation to the number of Committees on which they serve, the scope of the Committee's responsibilities, and their role as Chair or Member of the Committee.

Position: GNSO Council

Number of Seats: 1

Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008

End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2010

The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) is a policy-development body responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains. The GNSO consists of various Constituencies representing defined groups of stakeholders and a GNSO Council, responsible for managing the policy development and administrative processes of the GNSO. The GNSO Constituencies choose the majority of the Council members; Nominating Committee chooses three Council members with staggered terms. The GNSO also includes a liaison from the ALAC and the Governmental Advisory Committee. Liaison activities from the ASO and ccNSO are under development.

GNSO Council Members receive no compensation for their services as GNSO Council Members. ICANN provides administrative and operational support necessary for the GNSO to carry out its responsibilities through the GNSO Secretariat. ICANN also provides staff support for policy development. As stated in the ICANN Bylaws, such support shall not include an obligation for ICANN to fund travel expenses incurred by GNSO participants for travel to any meeting of the GNSO or for any other purpose. However, ICANN has customarily furnished travel expenses for Nominating Committee appointed Council members to ICANN meetings. This custom is planned to continue, but is subject to the Bylaw statement. [Bylaws Article X, Section 4, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#X-4]

Nominating Committee will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors (see above) in choosing Selected Nominees for the GNSO Council. GNSO Council members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of ICANN's Core Values.

Role of the Nom Com Appointee

As discussed above the majority of the councillors are appointed by the constituencies and represent those constituencies in the council. Nom Com appointees, on the other hand, are not the representatives of any specific group, though they may choose to represent the interests of groups that are not currently represented in council. Most importantly Nom Com appointees should be people chosen, often from outside the GNSO constituencies and sometime from outside ICANN, who bring a fresh perspective into the council and who accept the responsibility to do their best to support ICANN in its mission and core values. Appointees should be people who can help the GNSO council to perform its duties; sometimes this may involve filling gaps in the skill set, at other times it may involve addressing a diversity or other demographic balance or may involve bringing a necessary perspective into the council that is not already present. Generally an appointee needs to fulfil several of these needs at the same time.

The Nominating Committee will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations.

GNSO Council Eligibility Factors

No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8]

No more than one officer, director, or employee of any particular corporation or other organization (including its subsidiaries and affiliates) shall serve on the GNSO Council at any given time. [Bylaws, Article X, Section 3(5), see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#X-3.5]

Additional Considerations

For the GNSO Council position, specific experience related to the scope of the GNSO's work with the Domain Name System would be advantageous.

The current composition of the GNSO Council is available here http://gnso.icann.org/council/members.shtml

The Bylaws do not state a limit on the number of terms GNSO Council members may serve, although it is possible that term limits may be considered in future.

Time Commitment

The basic responsibilities of a GNSO Council member involve a minimum of 20 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing or participating in committees or task forces spending up to 60 hours a month or more. Depending on work load, for example during the weeks before the 3 face to face meeting, this can sometimes escalate to as much as 20 hours per week or more. The commitment for the 3 face to face meetings generally run about 7 days with council members having sometimes extensive responsibilities on most days. For those involved in Task forces or Working Groups, there may occasionally be additional face to face interim meetings

Task force members and councilors are not compensated for either time or teleconference costs though ICANN makes toll free numbers available whenever practical.

Additional GNSO criteria:

There are various criteria that should be considered when judging GNSO candidates. The first set of criteria are general and should be present in anyone appointed to the GNSO Council, while the second set of criteria reflect a diversity of skills that may be necessary. Depending on the composition of the sitting council, these skill based criteria will vary from year to year. Criteria that are considered especially important for the 2008 appointment are marked with (2008).

Baseline Criteria for anyone selected as a nomcom appointee:

  • Demonstrated experience working effectively in collaborative environments involving diverse interests.
  • Ability to chair, or otherwise assist, a multi-stakeholder group in reaching consensus
  • Basic knowledge of DNS systems and industry structure - registries, registrars. The goal is not to find technical DNS experts, but a minimal understanding of the DNS is needed to effectively function on the Council. For example appointees should understand something along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This requires an understanding of the general process of name resolution without requiring a precise technical description.

Variable Criteria that are useful to the GNSO

Part of the role of Nom Com appointees is to fill in gaps in the skill set of the Council. Some, but not all, of the skills that are highly useful in the process of GNSO Council work are listed below. The gap skills will vary year by year. Criteria that are especially important for the 2008 selection are marked with (2008)

  • Knowledge of
    • International Law (2008)
    • Competition law
    • Anti-trust law
    • Public interest
    • Consumer rights
    • Human rights
    • Economics especially market analysis (2008)
  • Intergovernmental expertise (2008)
  • Understanding of the special needs of financial services businesses
  • IDN expertise (2008)
  • DNS security expertise (2008)
  • Setting up of dispute and objection processes
  • Enforcement procedures and processes
  • Application software development - e.g multi-lingual support
  • Online collaborative work and consensus building technologies - wiki's etc
  • Statistics and survey analysis
  • Project management and document control processes

Additionally consideration may be given to Nom Com appointees who can help with the geographical or gender balance on the council as needed, as long as other necessary attributes and skills are also present.

Position: ccNSO Council

Number of Seats: 1
Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008 End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2011

The Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) is a policy-development body which is responsible for developing and recommending to the Board global policies relating to country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), nurturing consensus across the ccNSO's community, including the name-related activities of ccTLDs; and coordinating with other ICANN Supporting Organizations, committees, and constituencies under ICANN.

In addition to the above core responsibilities, the ccNSO may also engage in other activities authorized by its members, including: seeking to develop voluntary best practices for ccTLD managers, assisting in skills building within the global community of ccTLD managers, and enhancing operational and technical cooperation among ccTLD managers. The ccNSO consists of ccTLD managers that have agreed in writing to be members of the ccNSO, and a ccNSO Council responsible for managing the policy-development process of the ccNSO. Some ccNSO Council members are chosen by the ccNSO members within each of ICANN's Geographic Regions; Nominating Committee chooses three members with staggered terms.

ccNSO Council members receive no compensation for their services as ccNSO Council Members. Upon request of the ccNSO Council, ICANN shall provide administrative and operational support necessary for the ccNSO to carry out its responsibilities. As stated in the ICANN Bylaws, such support shall not include an obligation for ICANN to fund travel expenses incurred by ccNSO participants for travel to any meeting of the ccNSO or for any other purpose. However, ICANN has customarily furnished travel expenses for Nominating Committee appointed Council members to ICANN meetings. This custom is planned to continue, but is subject to the Bylaw statement. [Bylaws Article IX, Section 7, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#IX-7]

Nominating Committee will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors in choosing Selected Nominees for the ccNSO Council. CCNSO Council members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of the ICANN Core Values. Nominating Committee will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations.

ccNSO Eligibility Factors

1. No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8]

Additional Considerations

For the ccNSO Council positions, while no specific considerations are reflected in the Bylaws, experience or knowledge of ccTLDs and issues of importance to the global Internet, would be advantageous. Additionally, familiarity with the global environment in which ICANN operates and perspectives not otherwise reflected in the ccTLD community would be advantageous. Experience in international organizations and in developing new organizations is likewise valuable for these positions.

Time Commitment

An average ccNSO Council member would spend at least 12 hours per month on Council related activities, with those chairing committees or task forces spending at least 30 hours a month. (The commitment involves a minimum of 6 hours per month based on an average of 1.5 two-hour teleconferences (or physical meetings) per month plus about two hours of preparation for each meeting for reading task force reports and potentially discussing with the community. Participation in committees of the council and/or task forces could easily double that minimum time commitment.)

The Nom Com had some discussion about what "basic of knowledge of DNS" meant and it was something along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This is not a precise technical description, but an understanding of concepts of resolution.

Position: At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC)

Number of Seats: 2

1 ( Europe )
1 ( North America )
Start of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2008 End of Term: Conclusion of Annual Meeting 2010

(for a definition of ICANN's geographic regions see http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm)

The role of the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) is to finalize the establishment of a mechanism for individual user participation in ICANN, through the accreditation of user organizations as At-Large Structures (ALS) and the creation of Regional At Large Organizations (RALOs). The ALAC also performs a role to consider and provide advice on the activities of ICANN, insofar as they relate to the interests of individual Internet users. Individual users may be consumers, non-for-profit or profit or business users but the key term is that they are 'individuals'.

ALAC Committee members, like the members of ICANN's other Advisory Committees, receive no compensation for their services as a member of a committee. The Board may, however, authorize the reimbursement of the actual and necessary expenses incurred by Advisory Committee members performing their duties as Advisory Committee members. [Bylaws Article XI, Section 6, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#XI-6]

Nominating Committee will use the Criteria for Selection of ICANN Directors (see above) in choosing Selected Nominees for ALAC. ALAC members are expected to support the ICANN mission and the implementation of the ICANN Core Values. Nominating Committee will also take into account the following eligibility factors and additional considerations.

ALAC Eligibility Factors

  1. No person who serves on the Nominating Committee in any capacity is eligible for selection by any means to any position on the Board or any other ICANN body having one or more membership positions that the Nominating Committee is responsible for filling, until the conclusion of an ICANN annual meeting that coincides with, or is after, the conclusion of that person's service on the Nominating Committee. [Bylaws, Article VII, Section 8, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VII-8]
  2. The five members of the ALAC selected by the Nominating Committee shall include one citizen of a country within each of the five Geographic Regions (Europe; Asia/Australia/Pacific; Latin America/Caribbean Islands; Africa; and North America) established according to Bylaws Article VI, Section 5, see http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#VI-5. Only Citizens of the European and North American regions as defined in ICANN's definition of geographic regions http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm are eligible for ALAC vacancies in 2008.

Additional Considerations

For the ALAC positions, experience and skills that bear on gathering, understanding, and communicating the interests of individual users would be advantageous. Perspectives not otherwise reflected in the existing ALAC membership would be advantageous. Nominating Committee's selections for ALAC are intended to diversify the skill and experience sets of the ALAC, including in such areas as group decision-making.

Current composition of the ALAC is available at http://www.icann.org/committees/alac/

The Bylaws do not state a limit on the number of terms ALAC members may serve.

Time Commitment

The basic responsibilities of a member of the ALAC is approximately 18 hours each month. This includes participating in online (e-mail) discussions, commenting on/contributing to documents/proposed actions (drafted in English), participating in monthly ALAC telephone conferences (in English), and meeting with/making presentations to, local and regional organizations. ALAC members serving as liaisons to other Supporting Organizations and to the Board can expect to spend more than this basic 18 hours per month.

ICANN has traditionally reimbursed expenses incurred by ALAC members for attending ICANN meetings.

The Nom Com had some discussion about what "basic of knowledge of DNS" meant and it was something along the lines of "do you know what happens in the DNS when you send an email, or access a webpage". This is not a precise technical description, but an understanding of concepts of resolution.

F. Choosing to be a Candidate

Choosing Among the Positions

You may apply for any of the available positions set out in the Statement of Interest for which you are eligible and in which you would be willing to serve. You may apply for up to four positions; however, you are encouraged to read and consider carefully the background materials on each position prior to filling out the Statement of Interest form below.

Liability/Indemnification

ICANN Directors, GNSO Council members, ALAC members and ccNSO Council members enjoy several types of protection from liability for their activities in service to ICANN. These may be summarized as follows:

(a) Indemnification by ICANN. Under its bylaws, ICANN indemnifies members of ICANN bodies against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts that actually and reasonably arise in a proceeding because those persons are acting or have acted as agents of ICANN. There are various conditions to this indemnity, including that the indemnified person's acts were in good faith and done in a manner reasonably believed to be in ICANN's best interests and not criminal. [Bylaws Article XIV]

(b) Insurance. ICANN carries insurance covering liabilities (including defense expenses) that ICANN and its Directors, volunteers, and committee members may incur by reason of acts or omissions solely in their capacities as Directors, volunteers, and committee members acting on behalf of ICANN. The insurance policy includes deductibles, exclusions, and conditions that are ordinary in a liability policy covering directors, officers, and volunteers of a non-profit corporation.

(c) Statutory Immunity. United States federal law and California law contain provisions shielding volunteers to non-profit organizations (such as ICANN) from liabilities for their volunteer work, with some conditions. The U.S. Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 protects volunteers (i.e. those serving without compensation) to non-profit organizations from liability for harm caused by their acts and omissions while acting within the scope of their responsibilities in the organization and not in a willful, criminal, grossly negligent, reckless, etc. manner. [42 United States Code §§14501-14505] California law provides similar liability protections to volunteer directors. [ California Corporations Code §5239]

Although there are various conditions and limits on each type of protection, in the aggregate these protections provide significant protection to ICANN volunteers acting in good faith and in the scope of their responsibilities to ICANN.

G. Nom Com Process and Background

Process

Central to the Nominating Committee's process are the Statements of Interest received from individuals who agree to be considered for service in any of the positions. A person who has submitted a complete Statement of Interest is considered a Candidate for selection by the Nom Com. Nom Com will begin its review of Candidate information contained in the completed Statement of Interest shortly after it is received and confirmed to have all the required information. If the Statement of Interest is missing required information the individual will not be considered a Candidate for selection by the Nom Com.

The Nom Com will evaluate Candidates in a fair and consistent manner, considering the Statement of Interest, references, interviews as needed, consultations, and third-party information sources. While doing so, it will adhere to its Code of Ethics, which includes procedures regarding Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest.

To ensure open and frank communication with the Nom Com, we have paid particular attention in our procedures to safeguarding confidentiality. Specifically, under our procedures all Nom Com members will safeguard all internal Nom Com communications concerning candidates and treat them as strictly private, confidential, and for the use of the immediate committee members and Nom Com staff only, without exception.

Nom Com members will not disclose outside of the committee the identities of Candidates under consideration by the Nom Com, nor any discussions about them, unless both the Candidate and the Nom Com as a whole have given explicit authorization to disclose the information. Nor will Nom Com disclose the identity of those who suggested candidates or whether a specific candidate has been suggested. For more information about the procedures Nom Com members follow regarding security and confidentiality of information, please refer to the Code of Ethics agreed by all members and the Nom Com's Procedures.

Note that because Nom Com will need to check references and consult selected third-party sources on a confidential basis before making its final selections, those wishing to be considered as Candidates are required to confirm this understanding of the confidentiality arrangements when they submit a Statement of Interest.

When Nom Com has completed its selections, it will publish the identities of the Selected Nominees. Statistical information, such as the size and nature of the candidate pool, will be published at the close of the process. No other personally identifiable information will be publicized or retained after the selection process has been completed.

It should be noted that this Nominating Committee process differs from an election, although the goal is the same: to elicit the Internet community's participation in a thoughtful process leading to the selection of very well-qualified individuals to fulfill the specific roles of their positions.

Nom Com's selections are final; no further approval or ratification will take place.

While considerable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and completeness of this Invitation, the Nom Com reserves the right to make additions and corrections. If any changes are made, they will be posted on the Nom Com webpage (http://nomcom.icann.org). The full Invitation is listed here. The webpage, including announcements and answers to frequently asked questions, will be updated as the committee's work progresses.

Background

Nom Com operates independently from the ICANN Board, the Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees. The functional and geographic diversity and independence of Nom Com members enables and encourages it to select persons who are not beholden to any particular interests and are capable of representing the broader view of the Internet community.

Nom Com members act only on behalf of the interests of the global Internet community and within the scope of the ICANN Mission and the responsibilities assigned to Nom Com by the ICANN Bylaws.

Nom Com seeks widespread participation, through submission of suggestions for candidates and Statements of Interest, to find the talent and experience needed for these roles, to inform Nom Com's decisions, and to generate the confidence and respect of the community for those whom Nom Com selects.

Further information about Nom Com's origin, role, responsibilities, procedures, composition, and biographical information about its members have been placed on the Nom Com webpage.

H. How to suggest and encourage someone to become a candidate

To enhance the Candidate pool from which Nom Com will choose Selected Nominees, we encourage you to suggest the name(s) of individuals whom we should invite to complete the Statement of Interest. Please note, however, that volunteering for positions is strongly encouraged: a suggestion is not compulsory in the Nom Com process.

To submit the name of someone you would like to suggest as a candidate, please send an e-mail to nomcom2008@icann.org that includes the following information:

(a) Name of person you wish to suggest as a candidate

(b) Position/s person is suggested for

_____GNSO _____ccNSO _____ALAC _____Board

(c) E-mail address of person you wish to suggest

(d) Your name

(e) Your e-mail address

Would you like the person you suggested to know that you suggested their name to Nom Com? Y/N

(f) Optional: please describe the qualities you think the person you are suggesting would bring to ICANN.

Nom Com will acknowledge your suggestion and will provide the person(s) you have suggested with the Statement of Interest Form and Instructions. We ask you to inform those whom you suggest as candidates that you have submitted their names to Nom Com.

Early submission of suggestions will be appreciated.

Names of people you wish to suggest as candidates should be received by Nom Com no later than 1 April 2008. Nom Com reserves the right to consider suggestions received after 1 April 2008, but makes no commitment to do so.

Nom Com will contact by e-mail all those for whom it receives such suggestions to request their submission of a Statement of Interest (see below), but Nom Com will only consider and select individuals who have submitted a completed Statement of Interest.

Statements of Interest must be received by the Nom Com no later 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC) for full consideration. Nom Com can only consider electronic submissions via e-mail. Completed Statements of Interest should be sent in plain text to nomcom2008@icann.org.

A suggestion is not required in the Nom Com process, self-nominations are encouraged.

Note also that endorsements by organizations or groups and lists of signatories are not appropriate for this Nominating Committee process, and they will not influence the Nom Com's selections.

The Nom Com's procedures for Confidential Treatment of Statements of Interest call for confidential treatment of the identities of Candidates and the Nom Com's discussions about the Candidates.

The Nom Com does not disclose externally whether individual candidates have been suggested or who suggested them, and advises that you maintain the confidentiality of your suggestion since the person you named to us may not wish his/her candidacy to be disclosed.

You are encouraged to review the instructions and form for submission of Statements of Interest, and to note the more detailed explanation of confidentiality in the Nom Com process.

Send suggestions by e-mail to: nomcom2008@icann.org

I. Statement of Interest ICANN Nominating Committee 2008

Introduction

Any individual who wishes to be considered for selection by the Nominating Committee (Nom Com) will need to complete an ICANN Nom Com Statement of Interest (SOI) (see below), in full, and return it to the Nom Com. Nom Com will only consider electronic submissions via e-mail.

To be considered by the Nom Com, the SOI must be received no later than 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC). Send your completed SOI to nomcom2008@icann.org.

It is in your best interest to submit your SOI soon so that Nom Com can follow up with the people you ask to provide references for you, or with you if we have questions.

The Nom Com's procedures call for confidential treatment of the identities of Candidates and the Nom Com's discussions about the Candidates. In performing its function, however, the Nom Com will consult Candidates' references and may seek further information about Candidates as well as conduct third-party reference checks on a confidential basis. In addition, due diligence of Selected Nominees will be undertaken by a professional company experienced in such work. Once selections are final, the Nom Com will make only the identities of the Selected Nominees public.

The SOI asks you for various authorisations and consent.

The Nom Com relies heavily on the information you provide in the SOI, and the information given by the people you ask to be your references. The primary sources of information about you and your qualifications for appointment are your SOI and the names of references that you provide. We might contact you again for more information or clarification and you are welcome to send questions to the committee at any time. The committee might contact you in late May or early June to arrange a telephone interview during the last weekend in June 2008.

Be thoughtful about the information you provide to help the Nom Com learn as much about you as possible. Choose your references carefully so they provide a broad view of your experiences and abilities. You must ask the people you select as references before submitting their names to the Nom Com; they should know they have been asked to provide a reference and its purpose. Spam, mail filters and other problems are making it increasingly difficult for the Nom Com to contact your references; you must ensure that your references expect to be contacted by us.

Please read the "Leadership Positions", "ICANN Conflicts of Interest Policy" and "Nominating Committee Procedures" documents carefully before completing this SOI. These documents can all be retrieved using links in the Nom Com's webpage:

http://nomcom.icann.org/

We also strongly recommend that you read and understand ICANN's mission and core values as defined by the organization's bylaws:

http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#I

To help you answer the questions we have provided a Notes sheet at the end of this document. Please refer to the Notes whenever the form tells you to. Please delete the notes section before submitting your SOI.

If you were a candidate in 2007 or earlier, you must resubmit a new SOI to become a candidate in 2008.

Timeline

The Nom Com will begin accepting SOIs on 15 December 2007. All SOIs should be returned by 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC). Selected nominees will be announced at least 45 days before ICANN's 2008 Annual General Meeting to be held in the Africa region (location to be confirmed), on 2-7 November 2008. Candidates who are not appointed will also be advised of the decision in approximately this same time frame.

The time between 15 April 2008 and the announcement of Selected Nominees will be used to collect references, evaluate information about all candidates, and conduct any due diligence (see question E.1 below.) If your circumstances change during this period please write to the Nom Com at the following email address explaining these changes nomcom2008@icann.org.

Terms for all positions begin at the end of the 2008 ICANN Annual General Meeting on 7 November 2008. Selected Nominees will be invited to attend this meeting.

For full consideration of your SOI please:

  • Complete in full the SOI below, answering all questions (question C.4. is optional) using English, and without electronically attaching any other documents;
  • Provide your responses to the SOI categories in order, immediately following the heading for that category;
  • Provide the meaning of any acronyms used to reference an organization or activity, and state the purpose of the organization or activity;
  • Limit your responses to approximately 3,500 words (in total) and focus your responses carefully in terms of the nature of the position(s) for which you wish to be considered to give the Nom Com a clear picture of your candidacy;

At its option, the Nom Com may or may not review material that you reference by URL links in your response. Please make your response sufficient to stand alone if necessary, without reliance on linked resources.

To receive full consideration statements should be received before 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC). The selected nominees will be announced before 2 October 2007.

You must answer all questions below, except question C.4 which is optional.

Pleased delete the descriptive material above from the substance of the SOI below before submitting your SOI electronically. Thank you.

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ICANN Nominating Committee Statement of Interest Form, 2008

Please complete this form and return in Rich Text Format (RTF), Microsoft Word document (.doc) or plain text (ASCII). URLs may be helpful, but understand that we may not be able to view linked material. Please send the completed form by email to nomcom2008@icann.org by 15 April 2008 (23:59 UTC).

SECTION A. Identifying and Contact Information
Please refer to Note 1

(A.1) Your name: first name, FAMILY NAME (in capital letters).

(A.2) Position(s) for which you would like to be considered.
If you would like to be considered for more than one position, please state so, categorizing each position with numbers, in your order of priority (i.e. 1 is your highest priority. Please refer to Note 2

ICANN Board ___

GNSO Council ___

ccNSO Council ___

Interim ALAC ___

(A.3) Male/Female?

(A.4) Your e-mail address.

(A.5) Your telephone number(s).

Please include country and city/area codes and indicate your preferred contact number.

(A.6) Your country of citizenship.

If you hold multiple citizenships please state all.

(A.7) Your country of residence.

(A.8) How did you hear about the ICANN Nominating Committee?
We would like to know how you heard about the Nom Com process and opportunity to become a candidate.

SECTION B. Education and Professional Background

(B.1) Provide details of your current job, title, employer or affiliation. Please refer to Note 3

(B.2) Describe your educational background and past professional positions. Please refer to Note 4

(B.3) Describe any current and past volunteer positions, roles and accomplishments. We are particularly interested in board or similar directorship and committee experience.

(B.4) If you have a personal web page, you may wish to provide a link to it here:

SECTION C. Internet Involvement and Interest in ICANN
Please refer to Note 5

This section asks questions that will tell us specifically about your candidacy, how your experience makes you suitable for the position(s) you would like to be considered for, the qualities you will bring to ICANN and how you will help ICANN over the coming years. Although detailed knowledge and involvement in ICANN is not a prerequisite, the following questions will help put your experience with ICANN and the Internet into perspective.

(C.1) Describe how you meet the criteria for each of the ICANN leadership positions you are applying for. Please refer to Note 6

(C.2) Describe current and past involvement in, contributions to, and leadership roles in activities and organizations involved in the development and operation of the Internet, its naming and addressing infrastructure and/or its security and stability. Please refer to Note 7

(C.3) Provide a statement about what you would contribute in your desired leadership position(s) to ICANN and its mission. Please refer to Note 8

(C.4) Is there any additional information you would like to submit that would be helpful to the Nom Com in making its decision? If so, please summarize it here:

SECTION D. References

This section asks for additional information about your candidacy, the names of people who you would like to provide references, and information indicating you agree to due diligence and any other checks ICANN may carry out.

(D.1) Conflicts of interest with ICANN. Please indicate clearly if you have any areas of actual potential conflicts with ICANN. Actual and potential conflicts of interest will not necessarily be disqualifying.

Please refer to Note 9

(D.2) All positions are voluntary and require a significant commitment of time and energy. Please read carefully the description of the time commitment required in the "Leadership Positions" document.

Is your schedule of activities compatible with a significant allocation of time to contribute to the positions that you are looking for?

Please indicate Yes or No:

[ ] YES [ ] NO

(D.3) Please provide the names of no less than 3 and no more than 4 people who can provide a reference for your candidacy. Nom Com will send a copy of your SOI to each of the people you name as a reference.

Please provide the person's name, e-mail address, telephone number, professional position, and a brief description of your relationship with them. Please ask the person before including their name as a reference and inform them that you have submitted this SOI. Please refer to Note 10

1.
Name:
Email:
Telephone:
Relationship:

2.
Name:
Email:
Telephone:
Relationship:

3.
Name:
Email:
Telephone:
Relationship:

4.
Name:
Email:
Telephone:
Relationship:

SECTION E. Consent and Authorisation
Please refer to Note 11

(E.1) Under the Nom Com's procedures, your candidacy will be treated as confidential unless you give the Nom Com your permission to disclose it or unless the Nom Com is consulting your references and conducting third-party reference checks from selected sources on a confidential basis. Third party checks may also be required as part of a due diligence process necessary before we can accept candidates for leadership positions in ICANN.

Once selections are made, the Nom Com will make the identities of only the Selected Nominees public. Although the Nom Com will take reasonable steps to ensure that its confidentiality procedures are followed, Candidates and Selected Nominees shall have no claims against ICANN, the Nom Com, or affiliated persons in the event information is disclosed despite our adherence to these procedures.

You also authorize the Nom Com to consult with your references, to investigate other information publicly available about you, and to conduct additional third-party reference checks. You will not be entitled to review or access any of the information received, obtained, generated, or considered by the Nom Com regarding any Candidate or Selected Nominee, or any of the Nom Com's discussions or deliberations regarding any Candidate or Selected Nominees. Candidates and Selected Nominees have no right to challenge or seek review of the Nom Com's selections.

Please indicate that you understand this statement (E.1) and agree to become a candidate under the conditions described above. Please indicate Yes or No:

[ ] YES, I understand this statement and agree to these conditions

[ ] NO, I do not agree to these conditions

(E.2) Interim vacancies in 2009

If you are NOT selected this year for any of the preferences indicated in (A.2) above, would you permit the Chair of this year's Nom Com to retain your name (based on the same preferences) and transfer your SOI to the Chair of the 2009 Nom Com for possible consideration in the event that a mid-year vacancy occurs in 2009? Please indicate Yes or No:

[ ] YES [ ] NO

This option may be exercised only in the event that a mid-term vacancy occurs and does not mean you will be included in the pool of candidates for regular term positions next year. To be considered by the 2009 Nom Com for a regular vacancy you would need to apply again.

The Nom Com values your interest in being a candidate for the positions it is charged to fill. We expect and rely upon your integrity in presenting your qualifications and experience. We appreciate your significant effort in completing this SOI.

Please delete the notes below from the substance of the SOI above before submitting your SOI electronically. Thank you.

 

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Please delete this and the following material before submitting your completed SOI by e-mail to the Nominating Committee.

NOTE Form: Statement of Interest ICANN Nominating Committee 2008

Please use these Notes to help you answer the questions in the SOI. You should read these notes carefully before answering.

NOTE 1. Section A. Identifying Information.

Section A asks for information about your personal background, the type of information typically provided in a CV or resume; however, please do not attach your CV to this statement.

NOTE 2 . Preferred positions.

ALAC vacancies in 2008 are for citizens of countries from the European and North American ICANN regions, see http://www.icann.org/montreal/geo-regions-topic.htm for a description of ICANN's geographic regions. If you are not from one of these regions, please do not apply for an ALAC position this year, but do check for vacancies next year.

NOTE 3 . Information about employment.

Please provide your current job title and name of your employer. If self-employed, mention your area of work. Briefly describe your current job and your duties.

NOTE 4 . Education and professional background.

Summarize your educational background, such as degrees achieved and the university(s) where you studied, and the three most recent places of employment and positions held.

NOTE 5 . Section C. Internet Involvement and Interest in ICANN

The purpose of the questions in Section C is to help us understand the skills and experience you would bring to ICANN, how you would help ICANN achieve its mission, and how you meet the criteria for the leadership positions the Nom Com will fill. Please refer to the "Leadership Positions" document for details of these criteria. The Nom Com needs to understand why you are the right person for the position(s) you wish to apply for.

Please be bold in telling the committee about yourself and your ideas.

NOTE 6 . Satisfying eligibility and other selection criteria.

See "Leadership Positions" document for eligibility criteria and other selection factors. Describe how your work and other experience helps you meet the criteria for the position(s) you are applying for. You may wish to describe how your previous experience is relevant to your candidacy.

NOTE 7 . Familiarity with the Internet, its naming and addressing infrastructure and issues related to its security and stability, and other Internet technical functions coordinated by ICANN.

The Nom Com would like to know about your familiarity with the Internet's naming and addressing infrastructure, the domain name system and other Internet technical functions coordinated by ICANN, both in technical and policy matters. Please describe any involvement with the operation of ccTLD, gTLD registries or registrars, IP address registries, or relevant DNS technical or policy development process, including Internet technical protocols and standards. Your answer should include details of any involvement with ICANN, its policy development processes including its creation and evolution, supporting organizations and councils. Your answer may overlap with your response to question C.1.

NOTE 8 . Contribution to ICANN and its mission.

Please state clearly how you see yourself contributing to ICANN and its mission (ICANN's mission is defined in the Bylaws http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#I). Please highlight your personal skills and experience that would be beneficial to the organization. You should mention specific past or current contributions in fields such as international relations, technical leadership, managerial skills, languages, etc., as well as goals for your contribution in the desired position.

NOTE 9 . Conflicts of Interest.

Please refer to the ICANN Conflicts of Interest policy http://www.icann.org/committees/coi/coi-policy-04mar99.htm. This document is aimed at conflicts for ICANN Directors and Officers, but should provide guidance for all ICANN leadership positions. If you have had any relationship with an ICANN accredited registry or registrar (other than registering a domain name) or any organization that has been in dispute with ICANN, please describe that relationship here. Conflicts of interest are not necessarily disqualifying, since we anticipate that many experienced people may have such relationships.

NOTE 10. Selecting references.

You must ask the people you select as for their agreement to do so before submitting their names to the Nom Com. They should know they will be asked by the Nom Com to provide a reference and should understand the purpose of the reference and Nom Com process. You may wish to provide them with your SOI (this completed form) so that they can respond knowledgeably to our request for information. We recommend that you choose your references carefully so the Nom Com has a broad view of your experiences and abilities.

The Nom Com will not consult as a reference anyone who is also a candidate under consideration for the same position, but because of our confidentiality commitment, NomCom will be unable to advise candidates about another person's presence in the candidate pool. Your candidacy will not be adversely affected by such a collision should it occur.

NOTE 11. Due diligence and third party references.

ICANN will employ a professional firm to conduct due diligence on selected nominees. Due diligence will be confidential and conducted according to global industry standards. In some circumstances the Nom Com may ask a third party for additional reference information under a condition of confidentiality. If there is any person or persons you would like us not to contact for any third party checks, please let us know in your SOI.

Domain Name System
Internationalized Domain Name ,IDN,"IDNs are domain names that include characters used in the local representation of languages that are not written with the twenty-six letters of the basic Latin alphabet ""a-z"". An IDN can contain Latin letters with diacritical marks, as required by many European languages, or may consist of characters from non-Latin scripts such as Arabic or Chinese. Many languages also use other types of digits than the European ""0-9"". The basic Latin alphabet together with the European-Arabic digits are, for the purpose of domain names, termed ""ASCII characters"" (ASCII = American Standard Code for Information Interchange). These are also included in the broader range of ""Unicode characters"" that provides the basis for IDNs. The ""hostname rule"" requires that all domain names of the type under consideration here are stored in the DNS using only the ASCII characters listed above, with the one further addition of the hyphen ""-"". The Unicode form of an IDN therefore requires special encoding before it is entered into the DNS. The following terminology is used when distinguishing between these forms: A domain name consists of a series of ""labels"" (separated by ""dots""). The ASCII form of an IDN label is termed an ""A-label"". All operations defined in the DNS protocol use A-labels exclusively. The Unicode form, which a user expects to be displayed, is termed a ""U-label"". The difference may be illustrated with the Hindi word for ""test"" — परीका — appearing here as a U-label would (in the Devanagari script). A special form of ""ASCII compatible encoding"" (abbreviated ACE) is applied to this to produce the corresponding A-label: xn--11b5bs1di. A domain name that only includes ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens is termed an ""LDH label"". Although the definitions of A-labels and LDH-labels overlap, a name consisting exclusively of LDH labels, such as""icann.org"" is not an IDN."