Move from 3 to 2 annual meetings

["Ron Andruff" <randruff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

ICANN is a singularly, unique institution in the world with what could well
be argued to be THE most important mandate from the global civil society and
business community - to ensure the security, stability and integrity of the
Internet on behalf of the world's population.

 

Therefore, reducing the opportunities for stakeholders and interested
parties to meet, debate and dialogue pressing issues and the future of the
Internet is inconceivable.  Regional meetings will serve no other purpose
but to remove the larger number of active contributors from the global
discussion and debate (due to their inability to attend every new, smaller
meeting in far a-field places).  

 

No argument (cost or otherwise) would be compelling enough to make this
change.  The impact of reducing the number of ICANN meetings will only
result in smaller groups of people making evermore important decisions
devoid of significant and appropriate debate within the larger number of
stakeholders, with the only common denominator (i.e., the only group that
would be sure to attend every one of the smaller meetings) being ICANN staff
alone.  

 

For those with limited resources, they can make their choice as to which of
the three meetings they might attend.

 

Therefore, in our view, reducing the current three meetings to two will
undermine the core of ICANN - it's community-based, bottom up process - by
disenfranchising the very foundation upon which the Internet is established,
the ICANN community at large.

 

Respectfully,

 

Ronald N. Andruff

RNA Partners, Inc.

220 Fifth Avenue, 20th floor

New York, New York 10001