<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Dear all,</div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium; ">We would like to confirm the dates and location for the next face-to-face meeting which has been scheduled to align with deliverables. </div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; "><b><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Dates</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">: 26-27 March 2015 (two full working days)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; "><b style="font-family: Cambria; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Venue</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">: </span>Hilton İstanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; "></p><div>SILAHSOR CAD. NO: 42 BOMONTI-SISLI, ISTANBUL, 34381, TURKEY (see map <a href="http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/turkey/hilton-istanbul-bomonti-hotel-and-conference-center-ISTBHHI/maps-directions/index.html">here</a>)</div></div></div></span><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><br></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; ">Please note that this will also be the venue for the CCWG face-to-face meeting on 23-24 March, which was scheduled to comply with the CCWG's respective project plan and timeline.</font><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">CWG-CCWG leaderships agreed in a coordination meeting that holding their respective face-to-face meetings in the same location was the best way to use resources, and also achieve the desired degree of coordination. In light of the groups' geographical statistics and given the limited time window available for planning, the Co-Chairs considered locations that would be most efficient for membership travel. It was determined that Europe would be a desirable landing point. </div></span><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Co-chairs have worked with ICANN staff to determine a location for these separate meetings. Accessibility (international hubs) was used as a key search criteria. The meeting only being a few weeks away and the groups being significantly large and having quite specific technical requirements for remote participation, etc., the number of options was narrowed to a limited number of cities and venues able to accommodate the meetings. Availability of accommodation was also factored in. </div></span><div><br></div><div><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" style="font-size: 14px; ">Mindful of the groups' diversity and to ensure maximum attendance in the meetings, the Co-Chairs decided that Istanbul would be the most suitable location. The Co-Chairs reached this decision based on, among other things, an analysis of visa procedures: Turkey delivers evisas for most countries. In addition, Istanbul is a major hub for flights, and a doorway to Asia and Europe. </font></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Please note that the meeting will be webcast live through Adobe Connect and include remote participation capabilities consistent with the CWG-stewardship meetings held to date. The working session will also be recorded and transcribed. </span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><br></div><div><span style="line-height: 14px; ">Only the 19 members of the CWG are eligible for travel funding from ICANN. Alternates are eligible for travel funding if and only if they are a current participant of the CWG </span><u style="word-wrap: break-word; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 14px; ">and</u><span style="line-height: 14px; "> they are approved by their SO/AC to serve as an alterna</span><span style="word-wrap: break-word; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 14px; ">te</span><b style="word-wrap: break-word; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 14px; ">.</b><span style="line-height: 14px; "> Participants are welcome to attend the F2F meeting at the own expense. <b>Please</b></span><b> confirm your in-person presence by sending an RSVP to <a href="mailto:grace.abuhamad@icann.org" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">grace.abuhamad@icann.org</a> by <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><u>Monday, 2 March at 23:59 UTC.</u></span> </b></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">We thank you for your understanding of the planning challenges and encourage you to contact ICANN staff should you have any questions or need any assistance with visa procedures. </div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Best,</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">Grace</div></span></div></body></html>