Changes

==ICANN Work==

==ICANN Work==

Ms. Bekele was nominated  to serve on [[ICANN]]'s [[GNSO]] policy board from 2005-2007, under the Chairmanship of [[Dr. Vinton Cerf]]. Elected by the [[NomCom]], Sophia was the first African to serve and hold a seat on the GNSO. During her tenure, Sophia worked and participated on the development of policy over the New gTLD programme for ICANN that which is now approved for implementation and saw the application of 1930 new gTLDs at ICANN. Sophia was instrumental in initiating policy dialogue over [[IDN]]s as well as the formation of an [[IDN]] working group. She was later credited for championing the inclusion of the global [[IDN]] community within this policy dialogue.<ref>[http://ictcreatives.com/component/k2/item/50-sophia-bekele-ethiopian-champion-of-the-dot-africa-initiative Enterprise Technology ICT Creatives]</ref><ref> [http://www.scribd.com/doc/35142308/ICANN-IDN-Language-Group-Recommendation-IDN-1#fullscreen:on, IDN Language group Recommendation]</ref><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/44715292/IDRU-Endorsement-of-Dotafrica-for-DotConnectAfrica-DCA#fullscreen:on, IDRU Endorsement]</ref> As a result, Ms. Bekele was also nominated to chair ICANN's [[IDN Working Group]]. She was one of the co-authors of ICANN's IDN policy guidelines.<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiabekele LinkedIn]</ref>

Ms. Bekele was nominated  to serve on [[ICANN]]'s [[GNSO]] policy board from 2005-2007, under the Chairmanship of [[Dr. Vinton Cerf]]. Elected by the [[NomCom]], Sophia was the first African to serve and hold a seat on the GNSO. During her tenure, Sophia worked and participated on the development of policy over the New gTLD programme for ICANN that which is now approved for implementation and saw the application of 1930 new gTLDs at ICANN. Sophia was instrumental in initiating policy dialogue over [[IDN]]s as well as the formation of an [[IDN]] working group.  

Ms. Bekele initiated the formation of the [[AfriICANN]] grouping within [[ICANN]].<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiabekele LinkedIn]</ref>

Ms. Bekele initiated the formation of the [[AfriICANN]] grouping within [[ICANN]].<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiabekele LinkedIn]</ref>

==Championing the International Domain Name (IDN) Policy==

==Championing the International Domain Name (IDN) Policy==

As a gNSO adviser to ICANN Bekele participated actively in policy development for IDNs and campaigned and championed the efforts to introduce IDNs in the ICANN policy dialog. Bekele successfully made the case at ICANN on behalf of the global IDN community.  In a written Testimonial, and on behalf of the group<br />

As a gNSO adviser to ICANN Bekele participated actively in policy development for IDNs and campaigned for the efforts to introduce IDNs in the ICANN policy dialog. She was later credited for championing the inclusion of the global [[IDN]] community within this policy dialogue.<ref>[http://ictcreatives.com/component/k2/item/50-sophia-bekele-ethiopian-champion-of-the-dot-africa-initiative Enterprise Technology ICT Creatives]</ref><ref> [http://www.scribd.com/doc/35142308/ICANN-IDN-Language-Group-Recommendation-IDN-1#fullscreen:on, IDN Language group Recommendation]</ref><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/44715292/IDRU-Endorsement-of-Dotafrica-for-DotConnectAfrica-DCA#fullscreen:on, IDRU Endorsement]</ref> and nominated to chair ICANN's [[IDN Working Group]]. She was one of the co-authors of ICANN's IDN policy guidelines.<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiabekele LinkedIn]</ref>

 

Bekele successfully made the case at ICANN on behalf of the global IDN community.  In a written Testimonial,the various leadership of the IDN group gave her the following citations<br />

::<i>"Bekele was very influential in drafting the IDN policy guidelines as well as developed a framework for leading a language group.  This required contentious and controversial matters with complicated political and commercial implications and interests. Ms Bekele strongly advocated and further went on to aggressively bring the voices of the global public of early adapters of IDN businesses and countries who implemented IDNs to the policy of ICANN" -<b>Mr. Yoav Karen,the then Member of the ICANN's President IDN Advisory Committee, Current ICANN gNSO Council member and Executive member of the IDRU.</b><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/101440288/ICANN-IDN-Recommendation-DomainTheNet, Testimony of Sophia Bekele's IDN work at ICANN]</ref></i>

::<i>"Bekele was very influential in drafting the IDN policy guidelines as well as developed a framework for leading a language group.  This required contentious and controversial matters with complicated political and commercial implications and interests. Ms Bekele strongly advocated and further went on to aggressively bring the voices of the global public of early adapters of IDN businesses and countries who implemented IDNs to the policy of ICANN" -<b>Mr. Yoav Karen,the then Member of the ICANN's President IDN Advisory Committee, Current ICANN gNSO Council member and Executive member of the IDRU.</b><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/101440288/ICANN-IDN-Recommendation-DomainTheNet, Testimony of Sophia Bekele's IDN work at ICANN]</ref></i>