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<p>I am pleased to forward this announcement. As members may
recall, we have been asking for bandwidth support, since many of
our members are finding the all-virtual world unaffordable, given
what they have to pay for bandwidth. We will forward the details
as soon as we hear them. Please let us know if there are missing
elements in the program once it is announced, the time to fine
tune is always as-soon-as-possible.<br>
</p>
<p>Cheers <br>
</p>
<p>Stephanie Perrin</p>
<p>NCSG Chair<br>
</p>
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-------- Forwarded Message --------
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">Subject:
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<td>[ICANN Community Leaders] Proposed ICANN Pandemic
Internet Access Reimbursement Program Pilot for ICANN69</td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">Date: </th>
<td>Tue, 25 Aug 2020 13:07:07 +0000</td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">From: </th>
<td>David Olive <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:david.olive@icann.org"><david.olive@icann.org></a></td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">To: </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:so-ac-sg-cleaders@icann.org">so-ac-sg-cleaders@icann.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:so-ac-sg-cleaders@icann.org"><so-ac-sg-cleaders@icann.org></a></td>
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<th valign="BASELINE" nowrap="nowrap" align="RIGHT">CC: </th>
<td>Executive Team <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:executive-team@icann.org"><executive-team@icann.org></a>, Sally
Costerton <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:sally.costerton@icann.org"><sally.costerton@icann.org></a>, Sally Newell
Cohen <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:sally.newellcohen@icann.org"><sally.newellcohen@icann.org></a></td>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear Community
Leaders:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">As a result of
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated international
travel restrictions, ICANN Public Meetings will be held
virtually for the foreseeable future. During these virtual
meetings, ICANN community members attend substantially more
teleconferences, webinars, and other online sessions,
resulting in significant increases in the amount of data
consumed. Many ICANN community members live in underserved
or under-connected regions with high connectivity costs and
limited bandwidth and transfer rates.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Following
community input received during ICANN67 and ICANN68, ICANN
President and CEO Göran Marby directed ICANN org to explore
options for providing financial assistance to community
members with limited Internet capacity. The result of this
effort is the <b>ICANN Pandemic Internet Access
Reimbursement Program Pilot</b>. Based on the structure of
the recent Childcare Grant Pilot Program, the goal of this
pilot is to make it more feasible for some ICANN community
members to fully and meaningfully participate during the
upcoming ICANN69 Virtual Annual General Meeting. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">ICANN org
recently briefed the ICANN Board on this proposed pilot and
received positive feedback. The Board will formally consider
the program on Thursday 27 August. Pending approval, ICANN
org will publish an announcement with details about the
pilot program including eligibility, how to apply, what
expenses are allowed, how to submit reimbursement, and other
terms and conditions. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">ICANN org hopes
the pilot program eases the financial hardship of ICANN
community members who have constrained access to Internet
bandwidth that limits their ability to participate in
virtual ICANN Public Meetings. After ICANN69, ICANN org will
evaluate the viability of continuing this program throughout
the COVID-19 pandemic. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best Regards, David<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">David
A. Olive<br>
Senior Vice President</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Policy
Development Support</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Washington,
D.C.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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