ICANN meetings are an opportunity for members of the global Internet community to convene in one place, connect with one another, and participate in the development of key policies that shape the Internet’s future. Among many other important functions, these meetings integrate new members into the ICANN community.
Newcomers’ ideas, perspectives, participation, and engagement are an essential part of ICANN’s multi-stakeholder model. We are only as global, innovative, and knowledgeable as our community participants are. That’s why expanding our community is a strategic imperative for ICANN.
Attending an ICANN meeting for the first time can be an overwhelming experience for newcomers. Understanding ICANN’s structure, processes, and many acronyms can be a challenging task for newcomers who are also trying to network and find their way to the sessions and events that fill every meeting day.
The Newcomers Greeting Program, which launches for the first time Sunday, March 13 at the 40th ICANN Meeting in Silicon Valley, is here to help meeting newcomers connect with fellow meeting attendees and become contributing community members. From this point on, the Greeting Program will be a part of all ICANN meetings.
Newcomers need a starting point, so we’ve established a team of greeters who will mentor and guide newcomers during the meeting. These greeters are all successful graduates of the ICANN Fellowship Program, so they all understand what it’s like to be a newcomer at an ICANN meeting.
The greeting team will help newcomers understand ICANN and the important work we do, starting with our complex community structure, and ending with our policymaking processes. Greeters will guide newcomers to the sessions and events that are important to attend based on their individual interests. Most importantly, greeters will engage newcomers in the community by connecting them with ICANN staff and community leaders.
Our goal is to ensure newcomers leave ICANN meetings feeling well-informed, engaged with the community, ready to stay involved, and eager to attend their next ICANN meeting.
You can find the Newcomers Greeting Team at the Newcomers’ Lounge, located near the registration area. We’ll be there to introduce you to the ICANN community from Sunday, March 13 to Wednesday, March 16.
All you need to do to participate in the Newcomers Program is ensure you receive your special newcomers badge when you register at the meeting. Then feel free to stop by the Newcomers’ Lounge so we can connect you with a greeter who will guide and mentor you throughout the Silicon Valley meeting.