<div dir="auto"><div>
<div>
<p>Hello,</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Brilliant and extremely relevant!</p>
<p>Mr. Emmanuel Vitus has my full support for his candidacy.</p>
</div>
</div>Best regards,</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container" dir="auto"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">Le sam. 17 mai 2025 à 01:59, Emmanuel Vitus <<a href="mailto:emmanuelvitus@gmail.com">emmanuelvitus@gmail.com</a>> a écrit :<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span id="m_581912346319100851m_-8617901355003824011gmail-docs-internal-guid-8d455563-7fff-c072-4cd3-60b6cd5dab45"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><u><b><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Candidate Statement – Emmanuel Vitus for GNSO Council (NCSG)</font></b></u></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Dear colleagues,</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">People often ask, </span><span style="font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">“Who the heck is this Emmanuel Vitus?”</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Fair enough. You’ve probably seen my name pop up on mailing lists, in working groups, or silently observing Council meetings. Yes, I am an observer of the council and its list. I’ve spent the last few years doing just that: listening, learning, figuring out how decisions move in our community. Now, I’m ready to serve.</font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I split my professional life between Lyon, France, where my family resides, and Lomé, Togo, where I am deeply involved in digital policy work. My core activities (research, advocacy, and consultancy) are primarily carried out across the African continent.</font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">As an Internet policy researcher and consultant, I focus on freedom of the press, digital rights & privacy, and emerging technologies. I previously worked for years in the Netherlands, supporting the relocation of journalists at risk from the Global South. Over the past year, I have been largely based in Africa, collaborating with civil society organizations (CSOs), think tanks, regional institutions, and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on AI governance, national digital strategies, and regulatory frameworks. I also manage a Community of Practice (CoP) that brings together stakeholders from across one of the RECs to share knowledge, coordinate efforts, and strengthen regional dialogues.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">For the purposes of this election, I formally declare Africa as my ICANN geographic region and to</span><span style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent"> the best of my knowledge, I have no conflicts of interest that would prevent me from contributing effectively to the GNSO Council.</span></font></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Why me? </font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I joined ICANN nearly a decade ago and have served in various capacities since then. In recent years, I represented the Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group (NCSG) in the recently concluded Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) on Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), Phases 1 and 2, contributing actively to the process for over 13 months. I participated actively in drafting group recommendations and defending our positions during long, technical meetings. </font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Last year, I submitted public comments on the EPDP Phase 2 report, the Next Round Applicant Guidebook, and the Registry Service Provider Handbook. I also co-facilitated two NCSG issue forums at ICANN81 in Istanbul and ICANN82 in Seattle focused on the next round of gTLDs and the Applicant Support Program and I am currently a member of the Latin Script/Diacritics Working Group where i represent the NCSG. </font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">As Policy Chair of NPOC, I’ve been deeply involved in policy work daily and most of the public comments. But the idea here is not to list tasks or take credit for what has been a collective effort. It wouldn’t be fair to present what has become part of my regular responsibilities as campaign achievements. What matters most to me is continuing to serve with consistency, openness, and a sense of duty, whether in formal roles or informal support.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Within ICANN, I’ve served two terms as NPOC Secretariat, one as Communications Chair, and now a second term as Policy Chair.  I completed both rounds of the ICANN Policy Transition Program Pilot as a pioneer fellow and the ICANN Leadership Program in Cancun. Aside from practical experience, these are some of the most formal training opportunities available to prepare someone to serve as a Councilor, and I was fortunate to go through them.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Outside of ICANN, I am the Coordinator of the Secretariat of the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (WAIGF) and the West Africa School on Internet Governance (WASIG), through which we have trained over 1,600 alumni to date. Most recently, I helped facilitate a new track that brought together parliamentarians from across the region during the annual forum, in collaboration with regional stakeholders including AFRINIC, ICANN, national governments, and civil society actors.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">In Togo, I’ve led the national IGF since 2016 and currently serve as President of the board of Trustees  of the internet Society Togo chapter. Under my leadership, we established the country’s first IXP, supported digital rights reforms and advised on several laws, and are currently launching a community network that will connect 2,000 people in unconnected rural communities.</font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Last month, I spent my holidays organizing a one-day Universal Acceptance (UA) training in Togo. This wasn’t a high-level panel with badges and backdrop, it was grassroots. We trained over 840 engineers, developers, and students in one day. It became the largest single-day UA training globally, even surpassing the attendance of most official ICANN UA sessions. Many of the participants had never heard of UA, never had the chance to attend an ICANN meeting, or fully understand the languages often used in our processes. I did it to bring ICANN home, to those who rarely get the invitation. That’s the kind of work I believe Councilors should also help champion.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">My humble background includes a bachelor degree in Banking and Finance from IAEC University in Lomé (Togo), a Master’s in Journalism and Communication from Centrale University in Tunis (Tunisia), a Bachelor’s with Honours in Information Systems and Management from the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, and a Master’s in Contemporary Diplomacy from the University of Malta, where my research, under the supervision of Prof. Jovan Kurbalija, explored the intersection of African philosophy, particularly Ubuntu and Artificial Intelligence.</font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The journey toward a PhD in digital policy has already begun. Like many who walk this path without guarantees or academic privilege, I carry doubts about the framing, the direction, and how to balance research with the practical needs of the communities I care about.  I have been fortunate with over 18 fellowships within the ecosystem including the prestigious google policy fellowship, ICANN fellowships and many others.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">What do I bring as a councilor?</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><ol style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:36pt;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Scale up mentorship into a policy track</font></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I’ve been inspired by the quiet but powerful mentoring done by Kathy Kleiman to me and Stephanie to others. Days before ICANN 80, Kathy hosted a policy prep session in Kigali that helped many of us understand the History of the NCSG, structure and stakes of the work ahead. I want to support her and scale this into a formal NCSG Policy Mentorship Trac, offering onboarding, peer support, and real-time help for those entering working groups and drafting teams.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font></span></p><ol style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" start="2"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:36pt;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Democratize the role of Councilor</font></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Too many members see Council work as distant or inaccessible. I want to help change that by making the role transparent and approachable. On this front, I want to congratulate Farzi, who is doing excellent work reporting back to the NCSG community. I fully support that model and will commit to doing the same: sharing plain-language updates, hosting regular check-ins, and encouraging others to shadow Council activity.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><ol style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" start="3"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:36pt;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Create a rapid response comment team</font></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">We need a small, responsive team to coordinate public comments quickly and clearly, especially when timelines are tight for the PC members. This will keep our voice consistent and visible in key policy debates.</font></span></p><ol style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" start="4"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:36pt;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Build a participation dashboard</font></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">A simple tool to map engagement across policy workstreams can help us recognize contributors, spot gaps, and match mentorship or support where it’s needed most,</span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent"> </span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">ensuring no one is left out or overwhelmed.</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><ol style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px" start="5"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:decimal;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;margin-left:36pt;background-color:transparent"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Raise Your Hand, Not Your Jargon" – A Community Signal Wall</font></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">Let’s be honest, ICANN-speak can be intimidating. Too many brilliant minds stay silent because they’re unsure how to phrase a question or afraid they don’t “sound policy enough.” We’re over 700 members in NCSG, yet only a handful regularly speak up. That’s not because others don’t care, it’s because the space often feels like it’s not made for them. It’s time we break that silence with something simple and human. I propose we create a </span><span style="font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">"Community Signal Wall" </span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">, a shared space where anyone in NCSG can raise a concern, flag an issue, ask a question, or share a link. No need to master acronyms. No need to “sound like a Councilor.” Just a place where people can post under their first name if they want, say “I don’t understand this,” or “these matters where I live”</span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent"> </span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;background-color:transparent">with no fear of breaking protocol or being reported to the Ombudsman. Let’s build a culture where trying is welcome, and speaking up feels safe.</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Give me the chance to try it on my own. I don’t have all the answers (and probably never will), but I’ll show up, ask the right questions for you, and stay grounded in the values that matter to us as non-commercials. If you're open to giving someone like me, a bit unconventional, but deeply committed, a chance, I’d be honored to have your vote. It would truly be an honor to serve you as a Councilor. </font></span></p><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Let’s see what a little fresh air can do!</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:justify;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline;background-color:transparent"><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" style="font-family:garamond,"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </font></span></p><br></span></div></div>
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