<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><div>Hello everyone,</div><div><br></div><div>Here is the link to the slides that I referred to during the Council meeting earlier today: <a href="http://singapore49.icann.org/en/schedule/wed-idn-variant-tld/presentation-idn-variant-tld-26mar14-en.pdf">http://singapore49.icann.org/en/schedule/wed-idn-variant-tld/presentation-idn-variant-tld-26mar14-en.pdf</a></div><div><br></div><div>Two fundamental “takeaways” from the first update today that I hope was clear are: (1) IDN variants will NOT be implemented or introduced into the root zone until all community work on the necessary code point repertoire and on generating the Label Generation Rules (LGR) for the 17 identified scripts is completed; and (2) a sufficient number of technical and linguistic experts (per the calls for such that were issued last year) are recruited from the community to help develop the code point repertoire and LGRs, including integrating them.</div><div><br></div><div><div>As noted on the call, we will be scheduling a full primer (introductory, background, issue overview) session on this topic for the GNSO Council and community soon, hopefully before London. As with the regular staff updates, this is another follow up step from the discussions in Singapore.</div></div><div><br></div><div>We will be sure to inform the Council and community once we have managed to schedule the primer session. In the meantime, here is ICANN’s background page on the IDN Variant Project: <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/resources/idn/variant-tlds">http://www.icann.org/en/resources/idn/variant-tlds</a></div><div><br></div><div>Cheers</div><div>Mary</div><div><u><br></u></div><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri">Mary Wong</font></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri">Senior Policy Director</font></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri">Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN)</font></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri">Telephone: +1 603 574 4892</font></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri">Email: mary.wong@icann.org</font></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri"><br></font></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Calibri">* One World. One Internet. *</font></font></div></div></body></html>