ICANN 51
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| Dates: | 12-16 October 2014 |
| Location: | Los Angeles, USA |
| Venue: | Hyatt Regency Century Plaza |
| Website: | ICANN 51 Website |
| Registration: | Registration |
ICANN 51 - Los Angeles is an ICANN Meeting that was held from 12 to 16 October 2014 in Los Angeles, California, USA.[1] It was the third ICANN meeting held in Los Angeles, and the sixth ICANN meeting held in the US state of California since ICANN meetings began in 1999. Of the 6 ICANN Meetings that have been held in the US, all 6 have been held in California.
Major Events and Topics
In September 2014, it became known that ICANN 51 would not have the customary Gala Night that is usually held on the Wednesday night during the conference. The Gala night is an evening dinner party that is open to all ICANN goers and features live music, food, and drinks. ICANN representatives noted that since there was no host sponsor for this meeting and the host sponsor usually provides funding for the Gala, there will be no gala at ICANN 51. The past several ICANN Meetings had ICANN Galas.[2]
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony involved opening remarks from Board Chairman Steve Crocker. Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, spoke next on the NTIA announcement and the importance of a "free and open Internet." She was the first Secretary of Commerce to attend an ICANN Meeting.
Chairman Crocker then spoke about a few examples of innovation on the Internet. The first was ASAPnet, a broadband communications network used by first responders and emergency workers in the San Diego area. The second was ThrdPlace.com, an online platform for "social action." A representative from ThrdPlace spoke briefly about their work.
Crocker then played a video from a trip he took to his High School in Los Angeles, where he spoke to a math class of high schoolers that attended Monday's sessions at ICANN 51.
Fadi Chedhade spoke next, and announced the 2014 ICANN leadership Award as Jonathan Robinson. Jonathan made a few remarks and praised the multistakeholder model.