Thanks for picking up the third edition of the ICANNWiki Quickie, an indispensable guide to ICANN57 in Hyderabad, India. Like ICANNWiki, this guide was built from the bottom-up. For instance, insteading of adding to the abundance of literature available on the IANA Transition, we decided to reach out directly to different stakeholders across the globe to get their thoughts on the transition. That is just one great example of how we approach the Quickie--we share what we know, learn from each other and move forward as one toward a meaningful and productive meeting.

Inside you’ll find an explanation of the many acronyms found in ICANN, primers of relevant topics, a new guide to visual editing on the wiki, fantastic infographics and much more!

ICANN 58 - Quickie -- DOWNLOAD .PDF

Infographics

Ever since ICANN55 in Marrakech, ICANNWiki has been visually representing data sets with our exciting new infographics. Our latest batch analyzes global internet connectivity trends, and includes a subtle focus on India. Click here to see more ICANNWiki Infographics.

Global Internet Penetration Rates & Internet Connectivity
(August 2016)
Global Internet Users Per Country
(August 2016)

IANA Transition

There is an abundance of amazing content available surrounding the IANA Transition, and rightfully so. It has been a primary focal point of the community for the past two years. It was great to see the community taking the initiative to educate the world about the importance of the transition, especially when things became increasingly contentious.

In the ICANNWiki Quickie, we’ve decided to take a different approach. We wanted to focus on people from the global community who will benefit from transition, and let them tell the story.

Vint Cerf] "The IANA Transition was a long time coming - and it represents a major milestone as important or perhaps more important than the creation of ICANN in the first place. ICANN was created in part in response to a US White House initiative to institutionalize what had been a practice under US Government research support from the National Science Foundation and, before that, the US Department of Defense. The multi-stakeholder model was clearly visible in the “White Paper” issued by Ira Magaziner in the White House inviting the creation of an entity to perform the “IANA Functions” in the private sector. While the process of creating ICANN and adapting it to experience was not always smooth, the multi-stakeholder model was always central to the concept. With the ending of the NTIA/ICANN contract for the IANA functions, ICANN has “grown up” to fulfill its responsibilities as an adult. Ironically, this has happened as the organization turns 18 years old."

Renata Aquino Ribeiro

"The last day of October 2016 marked a date which the Global South watched with great expectation. I was in LACNIC 26/LACNOG 16 for my first time. One of the greatest events of internet governance in the region, further energized by the announcement of this date: the official date when the IANA contract with the US government ended. This was the moment when ICANN became in control of the “Internet’s address book”.

Up until the last minute of confirmation of the transition, LACNIC joined over 200 people in a hotel auditorium in Costa Rica. At this yearly meeting, technical and economical themes about the internet market are discussed. But that week, something seemed very different. The IANA transition was in everyone’s mind. The new team for IANA ended the day with a round of applause and celebration. The internet belongs to all and the excitement to have this guaranteed was in everyone’s mind. So next steps do predict a lot of work but collaborative work, as our collective richness of knowledge online should have."

Fadi Chehadé

"The IANA transition event means nothing: it’s what we now do with it that counts.

History is replete with independence movements that culminated in disarray. To succeed, hard-won independence must be followed with responsible and disciplined actions. Actions that reflect the very values that fueled the independence movement in the first place.

Throughout this long and difficult process, the ICANN community showed its resilience and unequivocal readiness to take charge of its new weighty responsibilities. I have no doubt that our community will rise to the challenge of implementing the operational and accountability frameworks we all designed together. The eyes of the broader global community are monitoring our progress: failure will impact much more than the ICANN community, strengthening those who believe in top-down governance for the digital space and beyond.

Watching ICANN soar to the necessary heights of responsibility, accountability, and inclusivity will mean the most to me and to everyone who longs to see transnational governance working."