[governance] "Internet users" Summit

Tue Dec 11 18:19:48 EST 2007

Le 10 déc. 07 à 09:32, Vittorio Bertola a écrit :

> However, since the idea of a summit came out months ago, I have  
> been repeating that the ICANN Board will never put money on this if  
> a clear explanation of "how will this event make a difference"  
> isn't provided. So (AFAIK, as I'm not inside the process any more)  
> the organizers are now working on providing exactly that. In  
> general, I think that the event could be very useful or very  
> useless depending on how its agenda and purposes are set up. I  
> expect that this will be presented to the broader community in the  
> near future.

and

Le 10 déc. 07 à 09:02, Kleinwächter, Wolfgang a écrit :

> Why not to start with 12 people in a working group to draft a  
> strategy to find out what to do and how to intervene?

Do you both mean, say, something like this:

https://st.icann.org/alac/index.cgi?motion_on_the_summit_proposal  
(motion sent to ALAC mailing list on Nov 1st, and - as far as I've  
understood - prepared by Sebastien Bachollet (Isoc-France)) ?

excerpts:
""ICANN Ensemble" A global summit of the ICANN At-Large community"
- Estimated budget: 500,000 USD (350,000 euros)

i.e. 310 USD (200 euros) per hotel night and 112 USD (75 euros) per  
diem. Which is quite good in Paris (unless, of course, if you only  
drink champaign -- a lot of champaign, I mean)

- Vision
"The Summit's intent to
3.1.Help the At-Large structures to better understand At-Large  
mandates, structures, processes.
3.2.Provide the tools needed by At-Large leadership to involve and  
engage their members.
3.3.Drive the development of timely policy study and recommendations  
reflecting the At-Large point of view on both global and regional  
levels.
3.4.Encourage the exchange of ideas, experiences and energy within  
ICANN's At-Large community."

- 4.Objectives

"4.1.An informed At-Large community that is better able to interact  
with other ICANN constituencies, supporting organisations and  
advisory committees.
4.2.An informed At-Large community that clearly understands the  
issues confronting ICANN and ICANN's roles and responsibilities therein.
4.3.Increased involvement by At-Large in ICANN policy debate.
4.4.An At-Large community that more clearly understands the global,  
rather than merely regional, point of view on ICANN-related issues.
4.5.A more engaged At-Large community that clearly understands the  
timing and framework of various issues currently confronting ICANN"

- 5.Deliverables

"5.1.Resolutions based on policy development. Any resolutions which  
are not agreed to at the Final Plenary or require more regional  
consultation should be accompanied by hard deadlines for passage.
5.2.Establishment of working groups related to specific policies with  
explicit goals and timetables for production of papers or resolutions.
5.3.ALS leadership who are fully aware of ICANN, its workings and its  
issues, who are ready and able to bring this information to their  
members.
5.4.Improved contacts and relationships between ICANN ALSs, within  
and between regions, and between At-Large and other ICANN  
constituencies.
5.5.Work on a “Individual Internet Users” declaration."

- 9.Notes

"[...]
•Summit organizers -- with the assistance of ALAC, RALO chairs and  
ICANN staff -- will distribute in advance to ALSs information related  
to ICANN issues requiring attention. Each ALS is expected to discuss  
the policy issues sufficiently so that its delegates to the Summit  
can participate and vote on group resolutions.
[...]

•All points of view will be welcomed; however, it is stressed that  
the Summit is intended to be a positive, progressive event and  
delegates are expected to participate in that spirit. Advocacy  
outside the scope of ICANN or intended as simply negative or  
obstructionist will not be welcomed."

(end of quotes)

In summary:

- "Internet users" == (current) "ICANN At-Large community". So, let's  
call this event by its name, i.e. the big "at-large structures"  
party, rather than "Internet users summit".

- This "summit" is intended for current At-large structures/ALSes  
capacity building (what the hell are they doing in the RALOs if not  
yet aware of ICANN's - and specially at-large - arcanes and what's at  
stake??)

- Whatever "declaration" will be written, it will be in the name of  
all "Individual Internet Users" on earth

My favorites are the "Notes". The two ones reproduced above mean:

- "Information related to ICANN issues requiring attention" will be  
elaborated and distributed by the "Summit" organizers: frame the  
debate as you want, and you'll get the outcome you want

- "All points of view will be welcomed"... But..."Advocacy outside  
the scope of ICANN or intended as simply negative or obstructionist  
will not be welcomed." :)))) From only some discussions on this list,  
we can imagine what this means.

Last but not least, given the budget per person, if you're an  
academic, I indeed recommend that you attend this "summit" as an ALS  
"leader" rather than visiting some colleagues in Paris in an academic  
stay framework or rather than coming as a UN consultant (per Suresh's  
indications).. Not to mention comparisons with usual low budget CS  
activities..

In any case, being myself based in Paris, I can guarantee that Paris  
is really great in June, and that these people will spend nice  
holidays here, in addition to reinforcing their positions as  
"leadership", "representing" Internet users, a.k.a citizens.

Have fun.

Meryem____________________________________________________________
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