Re: [gnso-idn-wg] Chair of GNSO IDN working group

["Sophia B" <sophiabekele@xxxxxxxxx>]

*Dear Mawaki and Charles,*

*Thanks for the nomination and your vote of confidence.  *

*I  am pleased to accept the nomination and willing to chair the working
group, given that I am elected by the group.  Therefore, I will allow my
name to stand.*

*As you are aware from my past participations, I am very much interested in
the policy issues of IDN.   Hence, I have done a lot of research on the
policy issues since I was elected to GNSO, in January of 2005,  which I have
shared with the council at the time.  I have also done extended outreach to
the various IDN communities, since.   In fact, my individual perspective has
always been, and I have been vocal during meetings within the GNSO and the
main board  to create a process of dialog for the various voices via a
working group that is represented by a larger constituency as well as the
Internet community at large;  This, I am glad to see has resulted in the
current working group we have launched successfully.*

*As a technologist by formal training and professional experience, I can
comprehend the issues considered necessary by the technical community, and
as an end user and someone who understands the needs of countries that use
scripts other than Latin scripts, I also, appreciate the broader perspective
required by the Internet end-user community.  A brief background of my
professional experience can be found at the ICANN wiki **
http://icannwiki.org/Sophia_Bekele* <http://icannwiki.org/Sophia_Bekele>*  *

*As a chair, I will press on for an opportunity for the IDN policy issues to
be represented actively and fairly by all stakeholders at a GNSO level.   I
will also ensure that the Working Group operates in an open and fair manner
by ensuring the group is focused on  topics of relevancy and substance.
Finally,  I will also ensure for the group to move its deliberations through
a final policy action as per the objectives set out with the terms of
reference we are charged to do. *

*The IDN policy issue is one that the GNSO Council must address as quickly
as possible, as the international community is urging for its resolve.  We
are all aware that addressing the issues of policy is what presents a great
challenge to this group more than that technical solution.   As I see it, as
we are making progress in issuing new TLDs, the **most important issue that
this working group should address is the way the new IDN-TLDs will be
provided – either through new registries, or using the existing ones .*

**

*Finally, I want to express that I support Bruce's Vice Chairmanship
to whomever is confirmed as the Chair.  However, it would be my humble view
that the position of the Chair for this working group to be seen to be
independent of industry group. *

Sincerely,

Sophia

On 31/10/06, Charles Shaban <cshaban@xxxxxxxx > wrote:
> "Bruce Tonkin" < Bruce.Tonkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > on Wednesday,
> November 01, 2006 at 12:15 AM +0000 wrote:
> >> To that effect and to chair the GNSO IDN Working Group, I'd
> >> like to nominate Sophia Bekele whom, as you know, has
> >> demonstrated an early interest and a handle on those broader
> >> policy issues of IDNs.
> >
> >Thanks Mawaki.
> >
> >Is there a seconder for this nomination?
>
> I second.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Charles Sha'ban
> Executive Director, Regional Office
> Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP)
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> CAS 1/11/2006
>
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