By Rolla Hassan, Ph.D
ICANN82 Welcome Ceremony: Key Remarks from Distinguished Speakers
The ICANN82 Welcome Ceremony brought together key figures in the Internet governance ecosystem, each sharing important updates and reflections on ICANN’s progress and future direction. Below are highlights from the remarks of the distinguished speakers at the event.
Nayala Saras – Vice President, Global Stakeholder Engagement, North America
Nayala Saras opened the ceremony by emphasizing the strong participation at ICANN82. She reported that 1,826 individuals registered to attend in person, with an additional 493 participants joining remotely. By the previous day, 1,136 attendees had already picked up their badges, highlighting the event’s significance within the global Internet community.
Curtis Lindquist – President and CEO, ICANN
In his first public meeting as ICANN President and CEO, Curtis Lindquist marked over 90 days in his role. He took a moment to celebrate International Women’s Day, recognizing the late Sita Wenzel, a key figure in ICANN’s history. Sita played a crucial role in transitioning oversight of IANA to ICANN and was part of the University of Southern California’s Information Sciences Institute. At ICANN’s first-ever board meeting, she served as interim Vice President, CFO, and Secretary, ensuring the organization’s initial stability and vision.
Tripti Sinha – Chair, ICANN Board of Directors
Tripti Sinha provided an update on ICANN’s new gTLD program, noting steady progress with the launch of both the Applicant Support Program and the Registry Service Provider Evaluation Program—key steps toward opening the next application round. She also highlighted key milestones for 2025, including:
- The 10th anniversary of the Universal Acceptance Steering Group.
- The culmination of ICANN’s FY 2025–2030 Strategic Plan.
- A critical year for global Internet governance decisions.
She concluded on a positive and hopeful note, adding a touch of levity to the future of Internet development.
Hans-Petter Holen – Chair, Address Supporting Organization (ASO)
Hans-Petter Holen provided insights into the history of the Number Resource Organization (NRO), founded in 2003—after ICANN’s establishment but by Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) that predate ICANN. He discussed the depletion of IPv4 addresses, emphasizing the slow yet steady migration to IPv6, with global adoption reaching 40-50%. He underscored IPv6’s importance for the future of the Internet, ensuring scalability and connectivity for all users.
Kim Davies – Vice President, IANA & President, PTI
Kim Davies highlighted IANA’s crucial role in seamless global time zone adjustments, a function most users take for granted. He explained that IANA maintains a comprehensive time zone database, which software vendors use to ensure devices automatically adjust for daylight savings and other time changes. While IANA does not set time zones, it collaborates with government regulators, academics, and experts to keep records accurate and up to date.
ICANN Community Excellence Award: Honoring Stephen Deerhake
This year’s ICANN Community Excellence Award was presented to Stephen Deerhake in recognition of his long-standing contributions to ICANN’s multi-stakeholder model and his pivotal role in the ICANN Stewardship Transition Process. Stephen continues to serve as an elected member of the ccNSO Council for the North American region, demonstrating leadership and expertise. His involvement in ICANN Tech Days since its inception and his leadership in two key ccNSO policy development process working groups further solidify his legacy within the ICANN community.
ICANN82 Plenary Session: How We Meet – Community Feedback and Future Plans
At ICANN82, the “How We Meet” Community Feedback Session focused on refining ICANN’s Meeting Strategy by addressing key challenges related to cost, location selection, and meeting structure. With rising expenses and increasing complexity in choosing suitable venues, the session explored various proposals aimed at improving efficiency while maintaining accessibility for the global ICANN community.
Key Challenges Discussed
One of the primary concerns raised was the rising cost of ICANN meetings, with expenses significantly increasing between 2018 and 2024. The cost of venue rentals, travel, and essential services such as audiovisual support, interpretation, and security have all contributed to the financial burden. Another major challenge is the complexity of location selection, where meeting venues must strike a balance between safety, cost-effectiveness, ease of travel, and regional diversity. Additionally, the meeting structure and efficiency were reviewed, with discussions on optimizing schedules, room usage, and session planning to ensure productive and effective engagements.
Proposed Solutions
To tackle these challenges, ICANN introduced several options for community consideration. In terms of location selection and rotation, priority would be given to cost-efficient venues, with multi-year contracts considered to stabilize expenses. There was also discussion about making one out of three annual ICANN meetings virtual, either as a standalone virtual event or as a hybrid gathering where participants meet in a single location while attending sessions online.
Regarding meeting structure and duration, a proposal was made to reduce the Community Forum by one day to optimize scheduling. A stricter session request process was also suggested to prevent unnecessary overlaps and maximize the use of available meeting space. Additionally, ICANN is considering introducing a conference registration fee and reducing the number of networking receptions unless they receive external sponsorship.
For cost optimization, the session highlighted the need to streamline interpretation services to match actual demand, reduce staff travel expenses, and expand sponsorship opportunities to help offset costs. These measures aim to enhance financial sustainability without compromising the inclusivity and effectiveness of ICANN’s public meetings.
Next Steps & Community Engagement
The proposed changes will be open for Public Comment by the end of March 2025, allowing the community to provide feedback before the report is updated for ICANN83. A dedicated discussion group, composed of representatives from different ICANN stakeholder groups, will continue to refine these proposals based on community input. The session reaffirmed ICANN’s commitment to ensuring that its meetings remain accessible, efficient, and aligned with the evolving needs of the Internet governance ecosystem.
ICANN’s approach to community-driven decision-making remains central to its evolution, ensuring that future meetings adapt to financial and logistical realities while maintaining their effectiveness in supporting global Internet governance discussions.
Q&A with the Executive Team Session
The ICANN 82 Q&A session provided a platform for community engagement on key issues such as DNS abuse, geopolitical challenges, and operational updates. Held in a hybrid format, the session featured insights from ICANN’s leadership on ongoing initiatives and future strategies.
NARALO Roundtable: AI and DNS Abuse – Combatting and Enabling Threats Session
As part of ICANN 82 in Seattle, the NARALO roundtable session on “DNS Abuse and AI: Combatting and Enabling Threats” explored the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in both mitigating and facilitating DNS abuse. This insightful discussion gathered experts to examine how AI-driven technologies, such as pattern analysis and machine learning, can strengthen cybersecurity while also presenting new challenges.
NARALO Town Hall Session
The ICANN 82 NARALO Town Hall, led by Greg Shatan, focused on outreach, onboarding, and regional engagement. Discussions covered the implementation of FY25 outreach activities and early planning for FY26, emphasizing community involvement.
Conclusion
Day 3 of ICANN82 underscored the organization’s commitment to fostering global Internet governance through strategic discussions and community engagement. The Welcome Ceremony highlighted ICANN’s leadership vision, ongoing initiatives, and milestones shaping the future of the Internet. Meanwhile, the plenary session on meeting strategy addressed critical challenges related to cost, location, and structure, ensuring ICANN’s events remain effective and accessible.
Stay tuned for Day 4 insights!
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