ATLAS II - London June 2014
Thematic Group on the Globalization of ICANN (TG 2)
Team Members: <insert link to list of ALS participants>
Subject Matter Experts:
Rinalia Abdul Rahim and Roberto Gaetano (jointly)
Moderator: Cheryl Langdon-Orr
Assistant Moderator: Seth Reiss
Reporter: Carlton Samuels
Abstract: ICANN has been created to provide a global infrastructure to manage
worldwide Internet resources like domain names, IP addresses and Internet parameters.
To be really “global”, ICANN needs to provide a framework where all stakeholders
worldwide can interact on equal footing, without cultural, geopolitical, gender, or other
barriers to participation.
Moreover, ICANN needs to be accountable to the global Internet community: the
globalization of ICANN is strictly linked to the ability of the multi-stakeholders to set
checks and balances to verify that ICANN is really independent from local constraining
factors limiting the global equal access to the process.
Process ‘Session Agenda’: During ATLAS II in London on Saturday and Sunday
attendees will separate into their assigned Thematic Groups to discuss and workshop
as ‘break-out groups’ their specific topics, TG2 will focus on the ‘Globalization of ICANN’
to effectively explore and develop any consensus views from an ALS and At-Large
perspective, on the matters raised and to prepare to report back to the whole summit on
the outcomes of their deliberations.
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Day 1 Sat 21 June - TG2 Initial Breakout Session 1500 - 1800hrs (3hrs)
Part A 1500 – 1600 Welcome and Brief Introductions by all Group Members
Each person should come to the meeting prepared to make their own introduction to
TG2, saying a little about themselves, and also their personal interest in this topic for No
More than 60 seconds.
Informal Break
1600 - 1615
Part B 1615 – 1745 Setting the Scene
Working closely with our Subject Matter Experts and as a larger group we will discuss
and explore at a high level, the topic of ‘Globalization of ICANN’ in general and the
matters raised by our identified questions.
Part C 1745 – 1800 Feedback and Preparation for Day 2
Discuss and agree upon our contribution to the reporting from Day 1 on our TG2
activities.
We will also set expectations of TG2 on outcomes noting that these should be in
keeping with the Overarching Theme of ATLAS II "Global Internet: The User
Perspective" and the Summits Purposes in particular “Further develop the At-Large
Community’s capacity for engagement in ICANN by increasing its knowledge and
understanding of the key issues confronting ICANN and ICANN’s roles and
responsibilities;”
Agree on methodologies for use on Day2 (propose we use smaller sub group sessions)
where we will explore issues in greater detail.
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Day 2 Sun 22 June
TG2
Session 1
0800–1030
0800 – 0815 Morning Warm Up
TG2 Members will gather into smaller discussion pods as allocated at end of Day 1
session, each person will then Introduce in greater detail than yesterdays self
introductions the person whose “number” they had been allocated. Preparation of
material for use in this introduction, should have occurred during the ATLAS II dinner
the evening before but if not in advance of the session starting.
Small Group discussions using the ‘Fishbowl’ discussion pod technique **
0815 – 0930 Question 1 on Inclusion and Diversity
0930 - 1015 Question 2 on Equal global MSM
1015 – 1030 Feedback from Pods and collation of key points
10:30–11:00
Coffee break
TG2
1100 - 1300
Session 2
1100 – 1145 Question 3 on Constitutional and Legal
1145 – 1230 Question 4 on Accountability
1230 – 1245 Feedback from Pods and collation of key points
13:00–15:00
Lunch break (Sponsored Lunch at Paddington Hotel)
TG2
1500 - 1630
Session 3
1500 - 1545 Question 5 on Operational Issues
1545 - 1630 Other Matters and Feedback, collation of key points
16:30–17:00 Coffee break
Plenary 1700 – 1830 Briefing about the various groups sessions
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‘Fishbowl’ discussion pod technique **
The room for larger group or smaller ‘pod’ circles are set up with 2 rows of chairs in a
circle. the inner circle should have at least 1 or more if larger circle left empty and a
recording tool (e.g. flip chart) can be used if outer circle are not all to take their own
notes on the discussion(s). Half way through the time allocated for discussion the two
rows of people may be required to switch if insufficient transition of people to the inner
circle has happened in the session.
Group members are expected to use particular discussion skills, such as taking turns,
building upon a previous person's comments, and asking questions to extend thinking.
Ground rules of this process include:
 Inner circle participants should only state supported ideas, agree with a speaker
and add supporting information, disagree with a speaker and offer refuting
information, or connect contributions.
 No one may interrupt a speaker.
 No one may speak a second time until everyone has had a chance.
 A time limit of no more than 2 mins will be allowed for any speaker on any
intervention.
 The guidelines for the outside circle include listening quietly, taking notes on
discussions, and noting nonverbal communication.
 When an outside circle person wishes to become a speaker, they move to the
empty chair and another speaker must move to the outer circle all discussion will
stop until this has happened, though interventions are allowed to be completed
subject to time restrictions.
After a set amount of time, the inside circle finishes their discussion and the outside
circle discusses what they observed. This may take as much time as the fishbowl
discussion itself, or more.
The process might begin by inviting the outside circle to add their thoughts on the
subject of the fishbowl conversation. The inside participants listen and then respond to
the comments. Or those in the inner circle review their discussion first, then ask the
outside circle to add their comments, as long as everyone can discuss what happened.
Each pod or fishbowl will need a rule/timekeeper and you may wish to allocate a scribe /
reporter for each pod as well.
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TG2 Discussion Questions
1. Inclusion and diversity:
 Are there barriers to participation that limit or hinder participation based on
cultural, geopolitical, economical, linguistic, gender, or other differences?
 If so, how do we address them?
2. Equal global multistakeholder model (MSM):
 Are there any stakeholder groups that are less represented, or have a lesser
voice in the Policy Development Process?
 If so, how do we put in place mechanism to foster equal participation?
 What are the mechanisms to ensure that the Policy Development Process
receives global input and addresses the needs and expectations of all
stakeholders?
3. Constitutional & legal mechanisms:
 Are the Bylaws drafted in compliance with international law principles or are they
oriented to a local, not global, jurisdiction?
 Are the draft agreements for contracted parties like, but not limited to, registries
and registrars compliant with international law and in any case not in contrast
with legal systems in jurisdictions other than the one where ICANN is
incorporated? Are there mechanisms to allow contracted parties to comply with
the local laws enforced in their jurisdiction?
4. Accountability:
 Are the accountability mechanisms (to be addressed in a different thread)
globally fair?
 Will all the different global stakeholder groups have the same power to enforce
checks and balances on ICANN’s behavior?
5. Operational Matters:
 Is ICANN’s footprint global, covering the global Internet community on equal
footing?
 Is communication privileging specific local communities (linguistically,
geopolitically, or other) over the global multi-stakeholder community?
 Are users worldwide given the same opportunities to contact ICANN and to
provide their opinion, advice, comment, or complaint?
 Is access to ICANN’s facilities (physical or online presence) equal to all
stakeholders?
 Are ICANN operations sufficiently shielded from local jurisdiction, i.e. can ICANN
survive a change of the political attitude in one or more countries without
disruption of its operations worldwide?
6. Other Matters (as identified by TG2):
 Any additional discrete points identified by the group during its processes.
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