What It Is | This forum addresses two important issues: the internationalization of registration data and an Inventory of WHOIS Service Requirements. With respect to the first issue, support for characters from local languages in domain name registration submission and display is an issue that affects many ICANN stakeholders, including the GNSO, CCNSO, ALAC and GAC. Collaboration across this large, diverse community is vital to defining a suitable, scalable solution. In its resolution on 26 June 2009, the ICANN Board requested that the GNSO and SSAC, in consultation with staff, convene an Internationalized Registration Data Working Group (IRD-WG) comprised of individuals with knowledge, expertise, and experience in these areas to study the feasibility and suitability of introducing display specifications to deal with the internationalization of Registration Data. The IRD-WG has been considering several questions relating to the internationalization of registration data and will present a draft of a preliminary approach for discussion. With respect to the second issue, on 26 March ICANN staff submitted a WHOIS Service Requirements Initial Report to the ICANN community for consideration. At this public forum staff and members of the ICANN community will present the comments on the Report received from the GNSO, the SSAC, the ccNSO, and others.

Why It's Important | This forum will enable the public to comment on and engage in a discussion of the draft preliminary approach to the internationalization of registration data and the WHOIS Service Requirements Initial Report.

Who Should Attend? | Registrars, registries, and other third parties who need to examine and understand the issues related to supporting characters from local scripts in the context of current and future applications that provide for the submission, usage and display of domain names and registration data, including WHOIS.