The Internet Is Your Business: ICANN Seeks Volunteers

Market Wire, January, 2008

The Nominating Committee for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is looking for volunteers to help it with the global task of coordinating the Internet's unique identifiers.

"The Internet is the most powerful communications tool in human history -- and the incredible story is how much of this has been accomplished by dedicated volunteers," said Hagen Hultzsch, Chair of the Nominating Committee (NomCom). "ICANN's work coordinating the Internet's addressing system is at the foundation of the Internet and its future -- and we are always looking for people who want to make a contribution.

"The issues are fascinating -- for example how do you allow the potential 7 billion Internet users to express themselves in their own language in a domain name? How do you expand the domain names available at the top level?" Hultzsch added. "These are just two issues ICANN grapples with."

The Nominating Committee today launched an updated and easier to use website [ http://nomcom.icann.org/ ] outlining how people can apply for positions currently open on ICANN's Board and its Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees. Those positions are:

--  2 Board Directors
--  1 GNSO Council member
--  1 ccNSO Council member
--  2 ALAC Committee members (Europe and North America)
    

"The people who volunteer in the ICANN community have helped build the Internet and its connections over the years," Hultzsch added. "If individuals are interested in the future of the Internet and are excited by the prospect of working with the people who helped build the network, then the NomCom invites them to provide a Statement of Interest based on the form available at the web pages."

The Nominating Committee is designed to function independently from the Board, the Supporting Organizations, and Advisory Committees.

Information on applying is available at http://nomcom.icann.org/

About ICANN:

ICANN is responsible for the global coordination of the Internet's system of unique identifiers like domain names (like .org, .museum and country codes like .uk) and the addresses used in a variety of Internet protocols that help computers reach each other over the Internet. Careful management of these resources is vital to the Internet's operation, so ICANN's global stakeholders meet regularly to develop policies that ensure the Internet's ongoing security and stability. ICANN is an internationally organized, public benefit non-profit company. For more information please visit: www.icann.org .

Media Contacts: Jason Keenan Media Adviser ICANN Ph: 1 310 382 4004 E: Email Contact International: Andrew Robertson Edelman (London) Ph: 44 7921 588 770 E: Email Contact