Overview 6 – Public ICANN Meetings

ICANN meetings are held three times each year in different regions of the globe to enable attendees from around the world to meet in person and to develop and implement Internet policies. There are three formats of ICANN meetings – A, B, and C – which affect the meeting’s duration and agenda. You can find information on the differences between the meeting types here: https://meetings.icann.org/en/future-meeting-strategy. All meetings are free to attend, but registration is required.

ICANN meetings offer a variety of sessions such as workshops, open forums, and working meetings, and there are also social events, giving you the best opportunity for face-to-face discussions and airing of opinions among knowledgeable people dedicated to the continued stable and secure operation of the Internet. Try to come to one when you feel ready!

There are also pre-meeting workshops and working sessions where the volunteer members of the supporting organizations and advisory committees initiate their work. ICANN staff will also hold webinars to prepare us for the face-to-face meetings and to update us on the work of other community members.

On the Sunday before the meeting begins, ICANN holds a series of training sessions – usually between 10:00 and 18:00 – just for newcomers to the community. Among the topics covered are an introduction to ICANN, how to use the ICANN engagement tools, and how the community interacts during and in between meetings. These sessions will help you participate more effectively in the ICANN community and attendance is recommended.

The working language for ICANN meetings is English, but translation, scribing and interpretation into other languages is available for high-demand sessions. Remote participation is possible for all sessions.

Detailed logistics and information about each meeting venue, registration, and remote participation can be found on the dedicated website created for each meeting.

ICANN offers travel assistance to some members of its supporting organizations and advisory committees. The NextGen@ICANN and Fellowship programs also provide travel support to bring new voices into the ICANN community.

Furthermore, thanks to the generosity of the NCUC’s donours, the NCUC is able to offer limited travel support to our members to enable participation in ICANN meetings and other, relevant conferences such as the Internet Governance Forum – more information on the travel policy can be found on our website: https://www.NCUC.org.