Reports from MdP

[Robin Gross]

At GNSO meetings, the counsel selected a "top 3" issues to work on in
the coming year.  The sense was to focus on whois database issues, input
into the strategic plan, and gtlds issues.  Of course these are just the
top three, not the only issues the counsel will consider.  Mike Palage
was unanimously re-elected to another board seat (#14).  The GNSO
complained about the short time frame between when ICANN posts documents
and ICANN meetings at which these documents are to be referenced.  We
hope to get a policy in place requiring ICANN to post documents x days
before the meeting.

NCUC and ALAC engaged in some discussions to consider ways to broaden
and strengthen civil society participation at ICANN.  Some possibilities
suggested were pushing for ICANN to have a vote on the GNSO Counsel and
/ or to select a seat to the ICANN board.  While there was unanimous
agreement that civil society needs to work together more, no joint goals
were reached while I was there.  I left Wednesday and there subsequent
meetings, so perhaps someone who stayed could say if anything else was
discussed or agreed to among ALAC and NCUC folks at the end of the week.

The soccer tournament:  Thanks to Norbert for his fancy footwork, and
Frannie for her cheerleading and photo taking, and Ross Rader from the
GNSO and his Twocows co-worker James for joining our team, and two
people named Stewart recruited moments before the game, the NCUC team
took home a third place medal in our bracket.  We beat the ICANN board
and staff team, then lost to the cctld team, and then lost to the
champions and hosts CABASE, an all Argentine team that had been
practicing together for weeks.  [I look forward to the rematch in Canada
this fall against the Argentines when the tournament will be curling! ;-)]

We were supposed to play the GAC team in the championship (for overall
5th place), but the game was called due to time.   The ALAC team
received 3nd place in tournament, and an ad-mix of folks comprised the
second place team in the tournament.  We are going to need more NCUC
participation in Luxembourg.  It could be volleyball, it could be
basketball, it could be anthing, but we need more players on the field,
team.

Those at the opening reception were lucky to watch Vint Cerf tango with
the best of them!

Robin


Milton Mueller wrote:

> Anyone who wants to write up an account of what happened at Mar del
> Plata ICANN meeting please send me something for posting on the web
> site.
>
> --MM
>
> Dr. Milton Mueller
> Syracuse University School of Information Studies
> http://www.digital-convergence.org
> http://www.internetgovernance.org