The ICANN Annual General Meeting (ICANN84) officially opened with a ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, on October 27. Experts from the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ are taking part in person, including Director Andrey Vorobyev, Deputy Director Irina Danelia, and Chair of the Coordination Center’s Youth Council Andrei Aleinikov.
The Welcome Ceremony reviewed and recognized the key achievements of the ICANN community in 2025. The discussion focused on the organization’s strategic priorities, such as digital inclusion, combating DNS abuse, root server management, reforms of the review system, and preparations for the next round of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Participants also noted ICANN’s positive financial momentum and the advancement of key initiatives, including the ICANN Grant Program, Reviews CCG, and Community Participation Processes in Global Internet Governance.
In his remarks, ICANN President and CEO Kurtis Lindqvist said that the corporation is entering the new fiscal year with an updated vision and a positive outlook. He emphasized that ICANN remains committed to strengthening the Internet’s global, interconnected, and secure infrastructure, with a continued focus on transparency, accountability, and efficiency. He stressed that the continuous operation of the internet relies on the ICANN multistakeholder community, which ensures its stability, security, and development.
Kurtis Lindqvist also provided a detailed update on the new round of the gTLD program, which is expected to officially launch in less than six months. He reported that preliminary assessments of potential applicants are ongoing, and the crucial Applicant Guidebook for the next round is in the pipeline. He stated that ICANN is striving to make this new round as predictable, inclusive, and open as possible for all those who wish to develop the internet space in their own language and region.
During the opening ceremony, ICANN announced its support for and active involvement in preparations for the WSIS+20 process. Kurtis Lindqvist reiterated ICANN’s continued support for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and expressed appreciation for the cooperation with the technical community, governments, and international organizations in ensuring an open, inclusive, and secure internet.
Tripti Sinha, Chair of the ICANN Board of Directors, noted that the meeting is being held in Ireland during the harvest season, a time when communities traditionally come together to gather the harvest. She drew a parallel to the ICANN community, stating,
“Meitheal captures the spirit of our community, people collaborating to do the work that no one can do alone. That is the essence of ICANN.”
She added that the ICANN Grant Program, which is funding 23 projects, helps strengthen this multistakeholder model of Internet governance.
Welcome addresses were also delivered by:
- Chris Mondini, ICANN Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa
- Eileen Gallagher, CEO of INEX
- Hans Petter Holen, Managing Director for the RIPE NCC.
During the opening session, new staffing appointments were announced, including the appointment of Jamie Hedlund as ICANN’s Senior Vice President, Global Government Engagement and Contractual Compliance.
The ICANN Annual General Meeting continues – stay tuned for our updates.
