On March 4, the opening of the 79th ICANN conference took place in the capital of Puerto Rico, San Jose, in which representatives of the Coordination Center for .RU/.РФ domains took part. The conference runs from March 2 to 7.
Sally Costerton, ICANN Interim President and CEO, emphasized in her opening remarks the importance of ICANN's mission: “ICANN is made up of people from diverse sectors, generations and perspectives. We disagree on many issues, but mission is the reason everyone in our community is here today. Our mission is not just statements and declarations, it is a driving force that transcends differences and unites us around a common goal. Our belief in a common mission helps us overcome challenges and reach consensus. And this is what allows us to maintain our unity.”
ICANN Board Chair Tripti Sinha offered a look back at the previous year, which saw important milestones for the corporation, including ICANN's 25th anniversary, which was widely celebrated in 2023. “Over the past year, the ICANN Board has continued to strengthen collaboration with ICANN partners in the Internet governance ecosystem, as demonstrated by the upcoming round of new gTLDs. It also underscores ICANN's commitment to expanding the domain name system and bridging the digital divide globally,” Tripti Sinha said. She also thanked the conference participants for their commitment to the principles of collegiality and inclusiveness.
Naela Sarras, Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement for North America, noted that this is the third time ICANN has held a meeting in Puerto Rico: the corporation's first meeting in Puerto Rico was ICANN29 in 2007. “I look at the hall and cannot help but remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “We only reflect the world.” These words allow us to remember that we must embody the principles and values we want to see in the world. The growth of our community over the years and the palette of people in this room fills me with optimism. This community continues to work to build the Internet for everyone and create the future,” she added.
Also presented at the opening ceremony was the ICANN Community Excellence Award. The 2024 ICANN Community Excellence Award recipient is Manal Ismail, whose commitment to ICANN's multi-stakeholder model and ability to work with community members from diverse backgrounds and cultures was noted by the selection committee. Ismail is currently the Director of International Technical Coordination at the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Egypt. In addition, Ismail continues to serve as Egypt's representative to the GAC.
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