<div dir="auto">Hi,<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"> Reminder that we have to prepare our topics for board meeting by 25th February.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Best,</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Rafik</div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container" dir="auto"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Feb 20, 2026, 10:09 Maureen Owusu-Addae <<a href="mailto:maureenowusuaddae2@gmail.com">maureenowusuaddae2@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">Hi Rafik,<div dir="auto"><br><div dir="auto">Thank you for sharing the Board’s message and for the additional context regarding the previous discussion.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">For the upcoming bilateral session in Mumbai, I agree that this is a valuable opportunity to focus on a topic that is both strategic and distinctly relevant to NCSG. Building on the Board’s Question 1 regarding emerging trends, I support highlighting the increasing external pressures on the multistakeholder model; particularly in light of WSIS+20 and the forthcoming Plenipotentiary Conference.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">From an NCSG perspective, one emerging trend worth emphasizing is the gradual shift toward more state-centric or multilateral internet governance approaches, which may risk narrowing space for civil society and noncommercial participation. It may be useful to frame our engagement around how ICANN intends to proactively safeguard meaningful, not merely formal, multistakeholder participation; especially for noncommercial users in a rapidly evolving global governance environment.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">One possible way to shape the discussion could be:</div><div dir="auto">“How does the Board envision reinforcing the resilience of the multistakeholder model in the context of WSIS+20 and related global processes, and what concrete measures is ICANN considering to ensure that noncommercial stakeholders continue to have substantive influence in policy development and strategic decision-making?”</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I believe this keeps the discussion strategic while clearly grounding it in NCSG’s mandate to protect civil society and individual user interests.</div><div dir="auto">Happy to refine further based on the group’s priorities.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Best regards,</div><div dir="auto">Maureen</div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 18, 2026, 4:04 AM Rafik Dammak <<a href="mailto:00001e06d4af460b-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">00001e06d4af460b-dmarc-request@listserv.syr.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div>Thanks Adebunmi and Kathy .<div dir="auto">To answer your question, I shared the question about UDRP study and independent studies in general and to summarize they didn't give positive or negative answer. Russ asked if we don't trust ICANN reports, also asked about specifics as those are for budgeting and planning and we are in middle of FY27 budgeting. I would wait for the minutes and share them with the list for more details</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Regardless of that, this is interaction with board instead and we need to figure out what topic we want to discuss with them in depth.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Rafik </div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Feb 17, 2026, 23:54 Kathy Kleiman <kathy@dnrc.tech> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><u></u>
<div>
<p>Could we hear what happened with each of our questions to the
CEO? That could help us shape our questions for the Board.</p>
<p>I may have missed an email on this topic since I have been
traveling.</p>
<p>Best, Kathy</p>
<div>On 2/16/2026 7:25 PM, Rafik Dammak
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>hi all,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We got the communication from the board to prepare for our
joint session in the Mumbai meeting. They are asking us if we
have any questions/topics we want to share with them and they
give us their 2 questions for discussion.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Please share your input/comments.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Best,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Rafik</div>
<br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message
---------<br>
</div>
<br>
<div>
<div lang="en-BE" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="SR-LATN-RS" style="color:black">Sent
on behalf of Tripti Sinha, Chair, ICANN Board of
Directors</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">Dear Noncommercial
Stakeholder Group</span><span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0cm;background:white"> </span></i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">Chair,</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">While global</span><span lang="EN-US">
<span style="color:black">challenges continue to
shape and, at times, complicate our work, our
shared commitment to a stable, secure, and unified
Internet remains as important as ever. I would
like to express how much the Board and I look
forward to continuing
</span>working <span style="color:black">with you
to advance ICANN’s mission.</span></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">In this spirit, we
also</span><span lang="EN-US">
<span style="color:black">very much look</span><s> </s><span style="color:black">forward to seeing you in
person at our upcoming ICANN meeting in Mumbai,
India, 9–12 March. This meeting will provide an
important opportunity to reconnect, exchange
views, and reinforce our collaboration as we enter
important phase</span>s<span style="color:black">
for ICANN, with the launch of the New gTLD Program
2026 Round</span> but also considering the
forthcoming steps related to the WSIS+20 Outcomes
Document and the upcoming Plenipotentiary Conference<span style="color:black">. </span></span></p>
<p style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-US">Over the years, strengthening
collaboration and maintaining clear, fluid
communication between the Board and the community
has proven essential. Ongoing dialogue with the
community continues to be a key focus for the Board;
however, it is equally important that these
interactions represent a meaningful and effective
use of everyone’s time. As no critical topics
requiring discussion ahead of ICANN85 have been
identified at this stage, the Prep Week community
session originally scheduled for 24 February will be
canceled. The Board remains committed to open
dialogue and will continue to convene community
discussions as substantive matters emerge.
</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">During the meeting
in Mumbai, we will listen carefully to your specific
needs during our bilateral sessions. In keeping with
our established practice, we would like to ask the
following questions of your group in advance of our
joint session. <u>Please choose one of those
questions if you don’t feel you have the time to
address both</u>:
</span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="1">
<li style="color:black;margin-left:18.0pt;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span lang="EN-US">The ICANN Five Year FY26-30
Strategic plan highlights priorities that
support ICANN’s vision for 2030.</span></b></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:36.0pt;vertical-align:baseline"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">The annual
strategy review program is launching at ICANN85. </span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span lang="EN-US">This program provides a
structured way to assess whether updates to
the FY26-30 Strategic Plan are needed, to
reflect changes in the external environment
and ICANN’s internal capability</span></b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:36.0pt;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">From your
perspective, what is the top emerging trend that
may impact
</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">ICANN<span style="color:black"> that you think the Board
should consider</span>? </span></b></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="2" type="1">
<li style="color:black;margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:18.0pt;vertical-align:baseline">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color:windowtext">How
is your group participating in the Review of
Reviews Cross Community Group and what are your
thoughts on how the proposals to date are
evolving reviews to be more fit for purpose and
sustainable?<br>
In particular, would </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">you </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color:windowtext">share your
views on the respective roles of self-assessment
(as in the Continuous Improvement Program) and
contemplated assessment of SOs and ACs by the
broader community in the context of a Reviews
program?</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"></span></b></li>
</ol>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">We kindly request
that you send any questions you would like the Board
to address during our face-to-face meetings to Board
Operations </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"> <u>no later than <b>Wednesday
25<sup>th</sup> February</b></u>. Given the
limited time available</span><span lang="EN-US">
<span style="color:black">for the discussion, please
prioritize your questions</span>.<span style="color:black"></span></span></p>
<p style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">We look forward
to our discussions together in Mumbai.</span></p>
<p style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">Thank you for
your continued commitment to ICANN’s mission.</span></p>
<p style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;word-spacing:0px">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color:black">Best regards,<br>
Tripti Sinha<br>
Chair, ICANN Board of Directors</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<pre cols="72">--
Kathy Kleiman
Past President, Domain Name Rights Coalition</pre>
</div>
</blockquote></div></div></div>
<br><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><br></div></div></div>
</blockquote></div>
</blockquote></div></div>