<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Hello Azhar Ibrahim and Huyan Le Khac,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I am writing to express my agreement with the sentiment
regarding the serious governance issues within the Universal Acceptance
Steering Group (UASG), as discussed in ICANN 78 supported by past chair and
other members of UASG.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It has been observed that despite documented protocols,
there seems to be a gap between what is outlined and the actual implementation
within UASG. During the UASG governance session at ICANN 78, the
leadership—Anil Jain (Chair), Nitin Walia (Vice Chair), and Nabil Benamar (Vice
Chair)—reassured the community that in ICANN 79, they would provide a
comprehensive update on the steps taken to address various governance issues.
These include matters such as Statement of Interest (SOI) implementation, the
updating of UASG documents, defining terms for UASG working group chairs and
vice-chairs, UA ambassadors, UA day, and more.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Given the importance of governance in ensuring the
effectiveness of UASG, it is crucial that the commitments made by the
leadership during ICANN 78 are upheld. As the community eagerly anticipates
ICANN 79, it is expected that the UASG leadership will reconfirm their
dedication to addressing these governance issues. The community is looking
forward to a detailed update during the upcoming session in ICANN79 by these
leaders of UASG, where the leadership can shed light on the progress made and
respond to any questions raised by the community.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I appreciate you both bringing back the attention to this
matter, and I trust that the UASG leadership will stand by their commitment to
transparency and accountability during the ICANN 79 session.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I would like to explicitly request the UASG leadership to
confirm that they are holding the ICANN 79 session, as committed during ICANN
78. This session is of utmost importance, and the community relies on the
transparency and accountability promised by the leadership. Running away from
this commitment would be detrimental to the trust and credibility of the UASG.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Marc Miller</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sr. Director</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">South
Carolina</p></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Jan 9, 2024 at 3:22 PM Huyen Le Khac via UA-discuss <<a href="mailto:ua-discuss@icann.org">ua-discuss@icann.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">Hi Jim</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">I appreciate your engagement and the time you took to
respond. However, I would like to address some points to ensure clarity on
certain matters. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">Though, communication was intended for the chair of UASG,
and I noticed that you provided insights that are commonly seen in emails on
ua-discuss. While I value your contributions, I would like to redirect the
focus to the specific issue at hand.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">In reference to the UASG working group charter, it is
crucial to note that the chair's role is designated for one calendar year. To
avoid any confusion, a calendar year is defined as the period between January 1
and December 31. It has nothing to do with ICANN's fiscal year, which concludes
on June 30 as mentioned by you. The charter explicitly specifies a calendar
year, and I believe it is important to adhere to the documented guidelines.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">Regarding the UA Ambassador Program, I appreciate your
mention of the renewable 12-month term, but it is essential to accurately
represent the charter's language. As per the UA Ambassador Program charter, it
states, "The designation of UA Ambassador will be for a period of twelve
months and will be renewable as a decision of the UA Coordination Group."
It's essential to emphasize that no position within UASG is permanent, and
renewability is subject to the discretion of the UA Coordination Group. When there
is no announcement from UASG for renewal or acceptance of all new pending
applications then how come these certificates were issued for Jan- December
2024? <a href="https://twitter.com/fundeticbolivia/status/1742908117271085421/photo/1" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/fundeticbolivia/status/1742908117271085421/photo/1 </a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">Also hope that the period of Jan –Dec 2024 mentioned in above certificate issued with Signatures of UASG Chair, automatically clears all your
concerns about the calendar year in UASG. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">I believe it's crucial for all UASG to align with the
documented charters to maintain consistency and transparency within the UASG
framework until they are not updated again with community consensus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:11.75pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 8pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">My two cents,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:11.75pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0in 0in 8pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(32,33,36);letter-spacing:0.1pt">Huyen Le Khac</span></p></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, 9 Jan 2024 at 14:44, Jim DeLaHunt <<a href="mailto:list%2Buasg@jdlh.com" target="_blank">list+uasg@jdlh.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><u></u>
<div>
<p>Azhar Ibrahim, Huyan Le Khac:</p>
<div>On 2024-01-08 23:33, Azhar Ibrahim via
UA-discuss wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">
<p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dear
Anil,<u></u> <u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I
am reaching out to seek clarification on the current
status of the renewal process for UASG working group
positions, specifically
those of UA Ambassadors, UASG Working Group Chairs, and Vice
Chairs.<u></u> <br>
<u></u></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Thank you for your interest in transparency and good governance
of UASG. <br>
</p>
<p>I have a couple of questions about your message, however:<br>
</p>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">
<p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As
outlined in the UASG charter,…</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
Which charter are you referring to? There is a charter for UASG
overall[1] and a second charter for UA Ambassadors[2], and a third
for Local Initiatives[2], and four for the four Working Groups[2]. I
do not see anything in the UASG Charter[1] which mention working
groups, UA ambassadors, or local initiatives. Maybe you mean the
working group charters?<br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">
<p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">
…these positions hold a
one-calendar-year term, which officially concluded on December
31, 2023.…
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>What is the source of your information that the terms concluded
on December 31?</p>
<p>The chairs and vice chairs of the working groups were announced
most recently[3] in August 2023, and these appointments were for
"FY24". So, their terms should end at the end of FY24. <br>
</p>
<p>When does FY24 end for UASG? I am not sure, but it seems[4] that
ICANN's fiscal year ends on June 30. Thus I guess these working
group chairs end their terms on June 30, 2024. But I agree with
you that a clarification would be helpful.</p>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">…Recently,
I came across a Facebook post by one of the UA
Ambassadors who proudly shared a certificate for the year 2024.
This has led to
some confusion within the community.…</div>
</blockquote>
<p>I am concerned about confusion within the community. Can you
describe this community? In which part of the world was it? Is
there evidence of the confusion, such as messages in public email
list archives, which other UASG people could review?</p>
<p>If you are concerned about UA Ambassador terms specifically, the
UA Ambassador Program Charter[2] says, "UA Ambassadors will be
selected by the UA Coordination Group and will hold the position
for a renewable 12 months." I don't see anything there about a
particular year end. <br>
</p>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px"> …I
am seeking clarification on whether new
UA Ambassadors have already been appointed, and if all previous
ambassadors and
working group chairs and vice-chairs have been automatically
renewed for the
year 2024. If not then how are they leading the working group
meetings and why their
names are still on UASG.tech?<u></u> …<br>
<u></u></div>
</blockquote>
<p>Note that UA Ambassadors do not lead UASG Working Group meetings,
the Working Group chairs and vice-chairs do. <br>
</p>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px">
<p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">…Understanding
the importance of transparency and effective
communication, could you please provide….</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Transparency and effective communication is important for the
work of UASG. We could use some more of it in this group. I
applaud your advocacy of it. </p>
<p>And do you know what else is important for the work of UASG?
Participation in the working groups. <br>
</p>
<p>I would welcome a chance to hear contributions from both of you
at working group meetings. I personally joined the Technology
Working Group meeting[5] at 15:00UTC yesterday. Will I see you
both at the EAI Working Group meeting[6] at 15:00 UTC today, 9 Jan
2024? Or the Measurement WG meeting[7] at 15:00 UTC on 10 Jan
2024? Or perhaps you have comments to offer on the draft UA
Curriculum[8]? </p>
[1] Overall UASG charter <a href="https://uasg.tech/uasg-charter/" target="_blank"><https://uasg.tech/uasg-charter/></a><br>
[2] Page with links to 6 charters, for UA Ambassadors, Local
Initiatives, Working Group charters
<a href="https://uasg.tech/working-groups/" target="_blank"><https://uasg.tech/working-groups/></a><br>
[3] "[UA-discuss] UASG Working Group Chairs and Vice Chairs"
<a href="https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-discuss/2023-August/004371.html" target="_blank"><https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-discuss/2023-August/004371.html></a><br>
[4]
<a href="https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/governance/current-en" target="_blank"><https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/governance/current-en></a><br>
[5] UA Technology WG meeting 2024-01-08
<a href="https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-tech/2024-January/000745.html" target="_blank"><https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-tech/2024-January/000745.html></a><br>
[6] UA EAI WG meeting 2024-01-09
<a href="https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-eai/2024-January/002055.html" target="_blank"><https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-eai/2024-January/002055.html></a><br>
[7] UA Measurement WG meeting 2024-01-10
<a href="https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-measurement/2024-January/000868.html" target="_blank"><https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/ua-measurement/2024-January/000868.html></a><br>
[8] Draft UA Curriculum
<a href="https://community.icann.org/display/TUA/Draft+UA+Curriculum" target="_blank"><https://community.icann.org/display/TUA/Draft+UA+Curriculum></a><br>
<p>Best regards,<br>
—Jim DeLaHunt, (not a chair or a vice-chair of anything)<br>
</p>
<pre cols="72">--
--Jim DeLaHunt, <a href="mailto:jdlh@jdlh.com" target="_blank">jdlh@jdlh.com</a> <a href="http://blog.jdlh.com/" target="_blank">http://blog.jdlh.com/</a> (<a href="http://jdlh.com/" target="_blank">http://jdlh.com/</a>)
multilingual websites consultant, Vancouver, Canada
</pre>
</div>
</blockquote></div>
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