Dust off your passports and prepare for global internet governance discussions!
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has officially unveiled the host cities for two of its pivotal meetings scheduled for 2019, further solidifying its commitment to global outreach and inclusive participation in shaping the future of the internet.
The first major announcement brings ICANN 64 to the vibrant port city of Kobe, Japan, in March 2019. This selection underscores ICANN’s dedication to engaging with the Asia-Pacific region, a critical hub for internet growth and innovation. Later in the year, ICANN 66 will convene in the culturally rich and diverse city of Montreal, Canada, in November 2019. These strategic choices ensure that stakeholders from various geographical locations have ample opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of internet policy and technical operations.
While the excitement builds for Kobe and Montreal, the non-profit organization has yet to announce the specific venue for ICANN 65, which is slated to be a policy forum taking place in June 2019. The policy forum meetings are crucial for in-depth discussions and the advancement of policy recommendations, making its location eagerly anticipated by the global internet community.
For those located in North America, the upcoming years promise a wealth of opportunities to participate in these significant global gatherings, often just a short flight away. Before the 2019 schedule unfolds, ICANN 61 is set to take place in the historic and beautiful capital of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in March 2018. Following this, ICANN 62 will bring participants to the dynamic urban center of Panama City, Panama, in June 2018. Both San Juan and Panama City hold particular significance, as their selections were previously made but faced delays due to legitimate concerns regarding the Zika virus outbreak. The return to these locations highlights ICANN’s adaptive planning and determination to ensure safe and accessible meeting environments for all participants.
The landscape of global health concerns, particularly regarding vector-borne diseases like Zika, is constantly evolving. While the scientific understanding of Zika-carrying mosquitoes and their prevalence remains an ongoing area of research and public health monitoring, the intense media “buzz” surrounding the virus has indeed shifted. This change in public perception and the availability of updated health guidelines allow international organizations like ICANN to confidently revisit previously postponed locations, ensuring that critical discussions on internet governance are not perpetually hindered by transient health alerts. It’s a testament to the resilience and adaptability required to host large-scale international events in a world with constantly emerging global health challenges.
ICANN meetings are more than just conferences; they are essential global forums where the future of the internet is debated, shaped, and decided. As the steward of the internet’s unique identifiers, ICANN’s mission is to ensure a stable, secure, and unified global internet. This mission relies heavily on open, transparent, and multi-stakeholder participation. Each meeting brings together a diverse array of stakeholders, including governments, businesses, civil society, technical experts, and individual internet users, all contributing to a bottom-up policy development process. The choice of rotating international locations is fundamental to this multi-stakeholder model, as it fosters geographical diversity in participation and ensures that voices from all corners of the world are heard.
The selection of Kobe, Japan, for ICANN 64 reflects the growing influence and rapid technological advancements in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan, a global leader in innovation and technology, provides an ideal backdrop for discussions on critical internet issues such as cybersecurity, new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), and the evolving landscape of digital rights. Attendees can expect a meticulously organized event coupled with the unique cultural experiences that Japan offers, creating an environment conducive to both productive work and memorable networking opportunities.
Later in 2019, Montreal, Canada, will host ICANN 66. Canada has a long-standing reputation as a strong advocate for open internet principles and multi-stakeholder governance. Its central location in North America makes it easily accessible for a significant portion of the global community, particularly those from the Americas and Europe. Montreal’s vibrant academic community and its status as a major international city will undoubtedly enrich the discussions, bringing fresh perspectives to complex policy challenges. As the final meeting of the year, ICANN 66 often serves as a crucial platform for reviewing the year’s progress and setting the agenda for the subsequent period, making the location selection even more impactful.
The unannounced location for ICANN 65, the policy forum, underscores the different nature of these three annual meetings. While the Annual General Meeting (like ICANN 66) focuses on broad strategy and elections, and Public Meetings (like ICANN 64) engage widely with local communities, the Policy Forum is specifically designed for intensive policy development work. These forums are where much of the detailed, technical, and often intricate work of ICANN’s various Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees takes place. Ensuring a suitable and conducive environment for such focused work is paramount, and the eventual announcement of its location will be met with keen interest from policy developers.
Looking back at 2018, the return to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for ICANN 61 is particularly poignant. The island’s resilience in the face of natural disasters and health concerns makes its hosting of an ICANN meeting a powerful symbol of recovery and continued engagement. This event will not only provide a platform for internet governance discussions but also offer an opportunity for the global community to support and connect with Puerto Rico’s vibrant local tech and internet community. Similarly, ICANN 62 in Panama City, Panama, further strengthens ICANN’s engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, ensuring that regional perspectives are adequately represented in global policy discussions. Panama’s strategic geographical position and growing economy make it an excellent choice for fostering regional collaboration and addressing internet challenges specific to the area.
The strategic selection of meeting locations by ICANN goes far beyond mere logistics. It’s a deliberate effort to foster regional participation, reduce travel burdens for different stakeholder groups, and expose the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance to new communities around the globe. By rotating meetings across continents, ICANN ensures that its policy development processes are genuinely inclusive and reflective of a global internet community, rather than being dominated by any single region or cultural perspective. These meetings serve as vital opportunities for capacity building, allowing local internet communities to learn, contribute, and take an active role in the governance of the internet.
For anyone interested in the foundational mechanisms of the internet, its future direction, or simply how global policy is made in the digital age, ICANN meetings offer an unparalleled window into this complex ecosystem. Attending these meetings, whether in person or remotely, provides invaluable insights and opportunities to contribute to an open and accessible internet for all. The commitment to diverse locations exemplifies ICANN’s dedication to its global mandate.
The full calendar of upcoming ICANN meetings, including detailed information about each event and opportunities for participation, is readily available on the official ICANN website. Staying informed and engaged is crucial for anyone who cares about the internet’s ongoing evolution.
The full calendar of meetings is available here.