ICANN Fellowship Program

ICANN Fellow refers to an individual who is a member of the Internet community and recipient of a grant provided by the ICANN Fellowship Program.

The ICANN Fellowship Program provides financial grants to 25 eligible individuals to attend ICANN meetings, to actively contribute to ICANN processes, and to become part of the future leaders of the Internet governing body. The grant covers the economy class airfare, hotel accomodation and a stipend needed to attend an ICANN conference.

Background

Theresa Swinehart, ICANN Counsel for International Affairs, proposed the implementation of the ICANN Fellowship Program during the Special Meeting of the ICANN Board on April 25, 2007. Swinehart informed the Board that the fellowship program had been under development from the ICANN Operational Plan Project 4F for a significant period of time and it is ready to invite applications for participants in the next ICANN Meeting, to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ICANN Board unanimously approved the implementation of the ICANN Fellowship Program. The first ICANN Fellowship program was composed of thirty three fellows who were selected from 125 applications.

Mission

The ICANN Fellowship Programs aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Strengthen the knowledge base of ICANN constituents by reaching out to less developed countries
• Build the capacity of existing ICANN constituency groups
• Increase the awareness of the ICANN Fellows about the latest issues affecting the Internet community worldwide
• Encourage the ICANN Fellows to become more active in their respective countries to help in the development of the Internet for the future
• Encourage the alumni of the Fellowship Program to serve as the new voice of experience in the future

Fellowships Committee

The Fellowships Committee (FC) is made up of responsible individuals who are qualified to receive the grant from the ICANN Fellowship program based on the criteria set by the ICANN Board. The current FC members include:

• Nashwa Abdel-Baki – Western Asia
• Tatiana Chirev – Eastern Europe
• Alejandro Pisanty – Latin America
• Nii Quaynor - Africa
• Hong Xie – Asia Pacific

Criteria

Individuals may be eligible to receive a grant from the ICANN Fellowship Program if the following criteria are met:

• Applicant must be a citizen of a low, lower-middle of upper-middle income country based on World Bank Economic classification
• Able to practice the knowledge and experiences gained from the fellowship program to become part of ICANN's future leadership
• Displays contributions to the internet community or interest in ICANN policy development, fellowship alumni network, stimulating local interest in ICANN and ICANN supporting organizations or advisory committee.

13th ICANN Fellowship Program Participants

• Zmarialai Wafa – Afghanistan – Government
• Sinawong Sang – Cambodia – Government
• Baasansuren Burmaa – Mongolia – Business Sector
• Kashif Bhatti – Pakistan – Government
• Waqar Azeem – Pakistan – Academic
• Andrew Molivurae – Vanuatu – Civil Society
• Sivasubramanian Muthusamy – India – Civil Society
• Amrita Choudhury – India – Civil Society
• S. Paramanandan – India – Civil Society
• Joy Moeangoha Abia – Solomon Islands – Business Sector
• Sonny Zulhuda – Indonesia – Academic
• Terry Ieli Rupeni – Fiji – Academic
• Alejandra Reynoso Barral – Guatemala – Academic
• Martinez Vanegas Victor Manuel – Mexico – Government (GAC representative)
• Fatima Cambronero – Argentina – Civil Society
• Natalia Enciso – Paraguay – Civil Society
• Gustavo Peña-Quiñones – Colombia – End User Group
• Khoudia Gueye SY – Senegal – Academic
• Kamukoko Chris Tshimanga – Congo – Civil Society (ccNSO)
• Yousef Sarairah – Jordan – Government
• Valery Trufanau – Belarus – Civil Society
• Sorina Teleanu – Romania – Government (GAC representative)
• Saso Dimitrijoski – Macedonia – Academic
• Siranush Vardanyan – Armenia – User Group

Governmental Advisory Committee. Considers and provides advice on the activities of ICANN as they relate to concerns of governments, particularly matters where there may be an interaction between ICANN's policies and various laws and international agreements or where they may affect public policy issues (ICANN Bylaws).

Country Code Names Supporting Organization. Develops and recommends to the Board global policies relating to country-code top-level domains (ICANN Bylaws).