It’s my pleasure to welcome you back to Marrakech, Morocco, for ICANN65. I am pleased to return to the site of my first ICANN Public Meeting (ICANN55), especially considering how much has changed since that time. This will be an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made as a community, and to come together to plan for ICANN’s future.
ICANN65 is a Policy Forum. Policy meetings are shorter in duration, and more focused on providing the community with time for meaningful discussions, robust debate, and policy work. There is no Opening Ceremony or Public Forums, so I recommend taking a look at the public schedule, to see the kinds of sessions you might want to join.
For those of you joining us remotely, ICANN65 will also be the first ICANN Public Meeting conducted using Zoom as our remote participation (RP) platform, instead of Adobe Connect. I’m confident that you’ll find Zoom easy to use, and ICANN org is here to help make sure that the transition is seamless. Please contact us with your thoughts and feedback once you’ve had a chance to experience the new platform.
Whether you’re joining us in-person or remotely, I encourage you to download and read the most recent ICANN CEO Report to the Board. It was published shortly after the ICANN Board’s Istanbul Workshop in May. These reports provide a comprehensive overview of what each department within the Org is working on, and it’s a great way to come up to speed before the start of the meeting. Similarly, ICANN Board Chair Cherine Chalaby’s preview of the Marrakech Board Workshop provides excellent insight into the Board’s priorities and goals for the meeting.
Over the past three years, I’ve been privileged to be a part of such a dedicated, passionate community, and have been able to bear witness to the power of ICANN’s multistakeholder model. While the issues have evolved, our goal remains the same. As we come together in Marrakech, I encourage you all to work in that same spirit of collaboration.
I look forward to meeting with many of you during our time in Morocco. My team will be there to help and support in any way we can, so please reach out if there’s anything we can do.
Safe travels to you all.
