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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Dear IFRT,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">An announcement has been made (see below) that ICANN67 will now be held remotely. I will consult with Fred and Tomslin about the IFRT’s path forward. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.icann.org_news_announcement-2D2020-2D02-2D19-2Den&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=GKmFfRII4Fu5R2rvaGzd2eqNVicqdIuGnamKqfKpp0hrH9ye_zt36pZ_ZlAuB8NR&m=WPWQmQnKMLLMDaPCN-c9Qg7JOYUTDycE4bNuN6Fm5pw&s=mKibRc_6CrZzNaKo9x5JiOLHabzM4r3rp9-VSVV40vs&e=" title="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.icann.org_news_announcement-2D2020-2D02-2D19-2Den&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=GKmFfRII4Fu5R2rvaGzd2eqNVicqdIuGnamKqfKpp0hrH9ye_zt36pZ_ZlAuB8NR&m=WPWQmQnKMLLMDaPCN-c9Qg7J"><span style="color:#0563C1">https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2020-02-19-en
[icann.org]</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">LOS ANGELES – 19 February 2020 – The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) today announced that its ICANN67 Public Meeting, which was to be held in Cancún, Mexico, will
now be held via remote participation-only. This decision was made as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, considered a public health emergency of international concern by the <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.who.int_&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=GKmFfRII4Fu5R2rvaGzd2eqNVicqdIuGnamKqfKpp0hrH9ye_zt36pZ_ZlAuB8NR&m=WPWQmQnKMLLMDaPCN-c9Qg7JOYUTDycE4bNuN6Fm5pw&s=pzp7gTKh2HIwAG_HICLmMk4w0tCmDIiz5qVPvpFDfd0&e="><span style="color:#0098D5;text-decoration:none">World
Health Organization</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#0563C1"> </span></span><span style="color:#0563C1">[who.int]</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">The meeting, scheduled for 7-12 March 2020, marks the first time in ICANN's history that it will hold a Public Meeting solely with remote participation.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">Each ICANN Public Meeting attracts thousands of attendees from more than 150 countries. With cases in at least 26 of those countries, there is the potential of bringing the virus to Cancún and
into the ICANN meeting site. If this were to happen, there could be accidental exposure of the virus to attendees, staff, and others who come in contact with an infected individual.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">COVID-19 continues to be a rapidly evolving global situation, with new cases emerging daily.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">"This is a decision that the ICANN Board has been considering since the outbreak was first announced and it is one that we haven't taken lightly," said Maarten Botterman, ICANN Board Chair.
"We know that changing this meeting to remote participation-only will have an impact on and cause disruption to our community; however, this decision is about people. Protecting the health and safety of the ICANN community is our top priority."</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">The community will have many questions about travel arrangements, scheduling, and other meeting-related issues. ICANN will consult with community leaders and groups to focus the virtual program
on the most essential sessions, and will publish a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page to <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.icann.org_&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=GKmFfRII4Fu5R2rvaGzd2eqNVicqdIuGnamKqfKpp0hrH9ye_zt36pZ_ZlAuB8NR&m=WPWQmQnKMLLMDaPCN-c9Qg7JOYUTDycE4bNuN6Fm5pw&s=0EwNyBL05oRU_L-ixYyjYVJmfGiRUA8MlXq9lJ3vzj4&e="><span style="color:#0098D5;text-decoration:none">https://icann.org</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#0563C1"> </span></span><span style="color:#0563C1">[icann.org]</span></a> in
the coming days.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">ICANN thanks its regional partners in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) who had worked tirelessly to host this meeting in Cancún. We appreciate their understanding and we look forward to
returning to the LAC region for ICANN70 in 2021.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">Remote participation is an integral part of any ICANN Public Meeting, but it will be vastly expanded for ICANN67, and will leverage the robust technology platform in use by the community today.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">Those interested in attending the remote meeting should still register <a href="https://meetings.icann.org/en/cancun67"><span style="color:#0098D5;text-decoration:none">here</span></a>, if they
have not done so previously. To learn more about remote participation, visit <a href="https://meetings.icann.org/en/remote-participation"><span style="color:#0098D5;text-decoration:none">ICANN Public Meetings</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">ICANN will continue to make further announcements as circumstances warrant. In the meantime, ICANN org will hold a webinar to provide a short update and take questions. The <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__icann.zoom.us_my_icann67prepweek&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=GKmFfRII4Fu5R2rvaGzd2eqNVicqdIuGnamKqfKpp0hrH9ye_zt36pZ_ZlAuB8NR&m=WPWQmQnKMLLMDaPCN-c9Qg7JOYUTDycE4bNuN6Fm5pw&s=r2i0Turlov4Szb109mhR8KXwBQ6P1rVkXP24q7ayY0k&e="><span style="color:#0098D5;text-decoration:none">webinar</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#0563C1"> </span></span><span style="color:#0563C1">[icann.zoom.us]</span></a> will
be held on Thursday, 20 February at 1800 UTC.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white;font-variant-caps: normal;text-align:start;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);box-sizing: border-box;line-height:1.4rem;margin:1.25rem;font-variant-ligatures: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;background-position:initial initial;background-repeat:initial initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#333333">ICANN also is reviewing upcoming meetings, such as the GDD Summit in Paris and the ICANN68 Meeting in Malaysia. So far, no decisions have been made and these are proceeding as planned. ICANN will
keep the community informed of any changes.</span><span style="font-family:-webkit-standard;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Amy Creamer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Sr. Project Manager<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Office of the Chief Technical Officer (OCTO)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (<a href="http://www.icann.org/"><span style="color:#0563C1">ICANN</span></a>)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Mobile: +1 424-537-8917<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Direct Line: +1 310-578-8910<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Email: amy.creamer@icann.org</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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