PRESS RELEASE: THE INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND NUMBERS (ICANN) CONVENES PUBLIC OPEN MEETINGS IN BERLIN

["Sheffo, Joe" <jsheffo@alexanderogilvy.com>]

 <<...>> 
PRESS ADVISORY

THE INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND NUMBERS (ICANN) CONVENES
PUBLIC OPEN MEETINGS IN BERLIN

What

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN -
http://www.icann.org) will be holding a set of open meetings in Berlin on
May 25 - 26, 1999.  ICANN is the new global non-profit corporation formed to
oversee a set of the Internet's core technical management functions.
Between now and September 2000, ICANN will gradually be assuming
responsibility for coordinating the assignment of protocol parameters, the
management of the domain name system, and the allocation of IP address
space.

At the Berlin public open meeting, ICANN's 10-member Initial Board of
Directors will discuss and hear public comments on a number of issues,
including the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) recent
recommendations on trademarks and the operation of the domain name system;
the recognition of the seven constituency groups that will comprise the
Domain Name Supporting Organization (DNSO); proposals for ICANN's membership
structure and independent review mechanism; the proposed ICANN Budget for
1999-2000;  and the status of the registrar competition testbed in the .com,
.net, and .org top-level domains.  In addition to the ICANN public open
meeting, there will be meetings of the DNSO constituency group organizing
efforts, the Governmental Advisory Committee, and the Membership Advisory
Committee, and an inaugural meeting of the DNSO General Assembly.  There
will be a press conference on May 28 at which the ICANN Initial Board will
discuss its Berlin meetings, including the Board's votes on May 27.
 
The ICANN public open meeting on May 26 will be webcast, including real-time
audio, video, and scribe's notes (not verbatim transcripts) -- please see
http://www.cyber.law.harvard.edu/icann/berlin/  for details. Online
participants will be able to submit real-time questions and comments.
Likewise, the inaugural meeting of the DNSO General Assembly will be webcast
on May 25.

Members of the press interested in attending the press conference must send
requests for accreditation to:	
	
	Aisling Heraughty
mailto:aisling.heraughty@ogilvy.be
Fax (+32-2) 545 6610)

Schedule

What:	ICANN Open Meeting
When: 	May 26, 1999
	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (CET)
	3:00 AM - 11:00 AM (EDT)
	12:00 AM - 8:00 AM (PDT)
Who:	ICANN Initial Board of Directors

Where:	Hotel Adlon, Ballsaal
	Unter den Linden 77
	10117 Berlin
	Telephone: ++49-30-2261 0, (030) 22 61 - 0
	Telefax: ++49-30-2261-2222, (030) 22 61 - 22 22
	E-Mail: mailto:Adlon@Kempinski.com
	Internet: http://www.hotel-adlon.de

What:	ICANN Press Conference
When:	May 28, 1999
	10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (CET)
	4:00 AM - 5:00 AM (EDT)
	1:00AM - 2:00 AM (PDT)
Who:	Esther Dyson, Chairman of the Board
	Mike Roberts, Interim President
	Other ICANN Board Members
Where:	Hotel Adlon, Konferenzraum I

Background

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a new,
non-profit, international corporation formed to oversee a select number of
the Internet's core technical management functions. Between now and
September 2000, ICANN is slated to gradually take over responsibility for
coordinating domain name system management, IP address space allocation,
protocol parameter assignment coordination, and root server system
management. 

Contacts

If you have questions, please contact:

United States

Pamela Brewster
Director - Tech Policy Communications
Alexander Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
(415) 923-1660, ext. 119
mailto:pbrewster@alexanderogilvy.com

Europe

Patrick Worms and Rick Flint
Ogilvy PR Worldwide - Brussels
(32 2) 545-6609 or 6602
mailto:patrick.worms@ogilvy.be
mailto:rick.flint@ogilvy.be
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