Support for the IDNgTLD

["Alexey Mykhaylov" <alexey@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I would like to state my strong support for the IDNgTLD constituency
petition. 

I believe it has a good mission, as well as the charter looks balanced and
adequate. 

I would also argue that this is the single most important issue that ICANN
is facing today and ignoring it could be disastrous. With countries around
the world implementing their own alternative roots to support IDN TLDs ICANN
needs to move fast if it wants to keep things under control. And it needs to
show that it is willing to listen to people whose native language is not
English and who would much rather type domain names in their language, not
some hard-to-guess translation in English by providing them with official
representation in the form of the IDNgTLD constituency. 

The words "formal voice and official representation in ICANN processes" are
very important. This is not about "multi-stakeholder forum to discuss IDN
issues" as Mr. Sheppard puts it. IDN issue has been discussed for many
years, and look where we are right now - the process of IDN introduction
seems to be experiencing delays again. 75% of world's population does not
know English and for more than 90% this is not the first language. Yet, all
these people are just a "single issue" with the biggest unanswered question
"How would the IDNgTLDC contribute to other GNSO policies such as ASCII
TLD?"...

Reading this does not make me laugh, this makes me very sad, as it shows the
massive paradigm shift that is required within ICANN to operate as a truly
global organization. Moreover I find it odd that they come from someone who
is elected council member and whom I would expect a broader outlook over the
issue. 

However, I would like to answer this point. I would dare to say that members
of the proposed constituency as noone else should be interested in working
out the best possible IDN gTLD implementation scenario on all levels -
technical, procedural, legal etc with the focus on the IDN - all huge topics
that would have to be carefully though out considering the inherited
multilateralism of the issue - outcome of all of these could lead to
enormous contribution to other GNSO policies such as Whois, trademarks etc.


I also believe that the petition should be judged by the same standard that
applies to other constituencies many of which could appear much more narrow
to the unbiased eye. 

I think formation of the IDNgTLD constituency is a balanced and a long
overdue step to maintain quickly deteriorating ICANN's position as fair and
global organization.

Best Regards,
Alexey Mykhaylov
Ukrnames