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>>: ON BEHALF OF LA CABASE, WHO IS THE LOCAL HOST, I WISH YOU A VERY FRUITFUL STAY.
AND NEXT I'LL GIVE THE FLOOR TO MR. PATRICIO SEOANE, CHAIRMAN OF CABASE.
>>MR. PATRICIO SEOANE: GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MR. CHAIRMAN, MANAGERS, AUTHORITIES, AND MEMBERS OF ICANN, MR. MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MAR DEL PLATA, MR. DANIEL KATZ.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ON BEHALF OF THE ARGENTINA DATABASE AND SERVICES ONLINE, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE CITY OF MAR DEL PLATA IN THIS FIRST MEETING OF ICANN IN THE YEAR 2005, AS CHAIRMAN OF THIS CHAMBER, I AM VERY PROUD TO ORGANIZE SUCH AN IMPORTANT MEETING FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE INTERNET WORLDWIDE.
THIS INTERNATIONAL MEETING HAS BEEN DISTINGUISHED WITH THE RECOGNITION OF INTERESTS BY THE TOURISM MINISTRY OF ARGENTINA AND ALSO OF TOURISM INTEREST IN THE CITY OF MAR DEL PLATA.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE RECOGNITION OF THE FOLLOWING CHAMBERS AND ENTITIES: THE ARGENTINIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, CPCA, AND OTHERS.
CABASE IS THE ARGENTINIAN CHAMBER OF DATABASE AND ONLINE SERVICES.
WE ARE GATHERING ALL THOSE COMPANIES THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THE INTERNET, ISPS, PHONE COMPANIES, DATA CENTERS, CONTENT PROVIDERS, ASPS, INTERNATIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, AND NCOS AND OTHERS WITH A STRONG PRESENCE ON THE INTERNET.
HERE, IN 1998, THESE ENTITIES REPRESENTING -- IN FRONT OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT REGULATE THAT ACTIVITY.
IT'S A PARTICIPATION THAT GOES BEYOND THE BARRIERS OF OUR COUNTRY, BECAUSE CABASE HAS HAD AN IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL ROLE WORLDWIDE.
CABASE HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING SINCE THE VERY FIRST INCEPTION OF ICANN AND THE DISCUSSION OF THE WHITE PAPER IN ALL THE MEETINGS ORGANIZED BY ICANN, REPRESENTING THE ARGENTINIAN REPUBLIC.
IT'S A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND ALSO THE DIRECTION COMMITTEE.
IT IS ALSO A MEMBER OF COMLAC AS THE LATIN AMERICAN AND LACNIC AS THE INTERNET REGISTRY OF DOMAIN NAMES FOR LATIN AMERICAN AND THE CARIBBEAN.
IT ALSO CREATED THE NETWORK ACCESS POINT FOR ARGENTINA.
THIS IS THE FIRST PRIVATE IN LATIN AMERICAN.
WE ARE INTERCONNECTING FOR FREE MORE THAN 40 ISPS, CARRIERS, AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THE NAP STARTED WORKING 1ST APRIL, 1998, AND IT REPRESENTED THE STARTING POINT OF REAL NATIONAL INTERNET FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL CONTENTS IN THE ARGENTINIAN LEVEL OF.
MOREOVER, THE CABASE HAS ALSO ORGANIZED THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF (INAUDIBLE), SESSION 3.
IN THE YEAR 2004, THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE ANTISPAM COMMISSION AND THE ANTISPAM FORUM.
IT ALSO (INAUDIBLE) IN ARGENTINA IN IMPLEMENTING THE DIGITAL SIGNATURE AND THE LEGISLATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF PRIVATE DATA.
IN DECEMBER 2004, THE CABASE WON THE PRIZE FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE INTERNET IN ARGENTINA.
IN RECEIVING HERE IN ARGENTINA ALL THE MEMBERS OF ICANN, WE HAVE FULFILLED AN OBJECTIVE IN WHICH WE HAVE BEEN PREPARING OURSELVES.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR VERY MANY YEARS, WHEN IN BUENOS AIRES WE ORGANIZED THE EFWP.
MY UTMOST GRATITUDE TO THE SPONSORS THAT HAVE MADE POSSIBLE THIS EVENT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE OF CABASE FOR ICANN MAR DEL PLATA 2005.
ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD.
ALSO, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUES HERE IN MAR DEL PLATA AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF CABASE IN OUR COUNTRY.
I WISH YOU A VERY GOOD AND FRUITFUL STAY HERE IN MAR DEL PLATA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, INDEED.
(APPLAUSE.)
>> NEXT, WE WILL GIVE THE FLOOR TO ALEJANDRO PISANTY, WHO IS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE ICANN BOARD.
>>ALEJANDRO PISANTY: BUENOS DIAS.
GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE PANEL, MR. MAYOR FROM THE CITY OF MAR DEL PLATA.
YOU HAVE WELCOMED US TO THIS CITY THAT IS VERY DEAR TO ALL LATIN AMERICANS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN HERE PRESENT, IT'S A REAL HONOR AND A REAL PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO THANK MAR DEL PLATA FOR ITS WELCOME, BECAUSE THIS MEETING GIVES US LATIN AMERICANS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT ARGENTINA.
AND ALSO FOR ALL THOSE THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE LATIN AMERICAN, IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THIS REGION.
THOSE HERE IN LATIN AMERICA THAT WE STARTED OUR EDUCATION READING ARGENTINIAN WRITERS, IMPORTANT WRITERS, A WIDE COUNTRY, WE WERE EDUCATED KNOWING THAT ARGENTINA WAS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE FUTURE OF LATIN AMERICA THAT LATIN AMERICA WAS POSSIBLE FOR US, THEREFORE IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO COME TO ARGENTINA.
SO THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT ICANN IS OFFERING US, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE STILL WORKING TO ENSURE THAT THE INTERNET IS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LATIN AMERICA AND NOT JUST A CHALLENGE.
THE RECOGNIZED LEADERSHIP OF CABASE IN LATIN AMERICA AS REGARDS THE INTERNET INDUSTRY GIVES US, AS WELL, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER HERE IN ARGENTINA, HOSTED BY CABASE, THE ARGENTINIAN CHAMBER OF DATABASES.
CABASE IS OFFERING NOT JUST TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE, KNOWLEDGE, BUSINESS, BUT THE INTERNET IS EVEN MORE -- GOES EVEN BEYOND THE ECONOMIC FACTS AND FIGURES.
THE INTERNET GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE NEW DECISIONS TO DEVELOP.
MR. SEOANE HAS MENTIONED ALREADY THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN DIFFERENT LATIN AMERICAN AREAS, TRYING TO FIGHT AGAINST SPAM, AGAINST THE CYBER CRIME, AGAINST ALL THESE PROBLEMS THAT INTERNET IS CREATING AND THAT WE HAVE TO FIGHT.
BUT THANK GOODNESS WE CAN COOPERATE TOGETHER, WHO HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO NEW ORIGINAL MODELS, UNIQUE WAYS OF GATHERING GOVERNMENTS, CIVIL SOCIETY, UNIVERSITIES IN A STRUCTURED WAY SO AS TO GIVE EFFICIENT RESPONSE TO THESE PROBLEMS.
THE CREATION OF AGREEMENTS, REACHING CONSENSUS SO AS TO SUPPORT AT A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AND PROTECTION THE INTERNET DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE DISSECTED VERY, VERY CAREFULLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITHIN THE WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION SOCIETY, WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS AND LOOK FORWARD.
I AM SURE THAT THE MEETING HERE IS GOING TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS NEW MODEL, GLOBAL MODEL, TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES THAT IT REQUIRES TO RESPOND TO NEW THREATS, BUT ALSO IN THIS MEETING OF ICANN 2005, WE ARE NOT JUST LOOKING INSIDE, BUT WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT AGENDA OF GLOBAL ISSUES.
WE ARE GOING TO TACKLE UPON ALL THE ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA THANKS TO THE GREAT ATMOSPHERE THAT MAR DEL PLATA IS OFFERING US, WITH INCREDIBLE FACILITIES, ALL THESE FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO US BY CABASE AND THE SPONSORS.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK ONCE AGAIN THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO MEET TOGETHER IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, AND I AM GOING TO GIVE THE FLOOR NOW TO THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO ENTER INTO THE DETAILS OF THE AGENDA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, INDEED.

(APPLAUSE.)
>> NOW WE ARE GOING TO GIVE THE FLOOR TO VINTON CERF, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ICANN BOARD.
>>VINT CERF: BUENOS DIAS, SENORS AND SENORAS.
THAT'S AS MUCH SPANISH AS I'M ABLE TO GENERATE.
I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR VICE-CHAIRMAN AND HIS WONDERFUL LANGUAGE SKILLS.
LET ME INTRODUCE FOR YOU THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE STAGE, BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE LEVEL OF ESTEEM IN WHICH WE HOLD THESE PEOPLE AND THE HONOR THEY DO US BY COMING TO MAR DEL PLATA TO HELP OPEN THIS MEETING OF ICANN.
ON THE FAR RIGHT -- SORRY, YOU'RE FACING THIS WAY -- ON YOUR FAR LEFT, YOU KNOW, ALEX PISANTY, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF ICANN.
WHOM YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS AMBASSADOR ILEANA DI GIOVAN BATTISTA.
NEXT TO HER IS LIC CARLOS E. ACHIARY -- THE NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE COUNTRY, ARGENTINA.
HE IS COMING QUITE A LONG WAYS TO JOIN US TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK HIM PUBLICLY FOR HIS PARTICIPATION.
NEXT TO HIM IS THE MAYOR OF MAR DEL PLATA, MAYOR KATZ, WHO -- FROM WHOM WE WILL HEAR IN THE COURSE OF THIS MORNING'S PROCEEDINGS.
AND WE THANK HIM FOR HIS PARTICIPATION.
BEFORE THE SESSION BEGAN, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT HE MUST HAVE TO DO THIS MANY, MANY DAYS OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MEETINGS HERE IN MAR DEL PLATA.
NEXT TO HIM YOU KNOW ALREADY PATRICIO SEOANE.
WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM HIM.
AND WE THANK HIM FOR ALL OF HIS WORK TO MAKE THIS MEETING HAPPEN.
AND FINALLY, PAUL VERHOEF, WHO IS OUR VICE PRESIDENT FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT AT ICANN.
SO FIRST I WILL ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE HELPED TO MAKE THIS MEETING POSSIBLE.
I WOULD OBSERVE THAT ALREADY, AS WE JUST OPENED THIS SESSION, THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF WORK THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED, BEGINNING AS EARLY AS SATURDAY.
AND THERE REMAINS A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO BE DONE.
I AM, OF COURSE, DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR THE MENTAL STABILITY OF ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS MEETING.
AND THE REASON I AM SO CONCERNED IS THAT ALTHOUGH THIS IS THE FALL AND THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS PERHAPS A LITTLE COOL, IF YOU LOOK OUTSIDE, YOU SEE A MAGNIFICENT BEACH, YOU SEE THE GOLF COURSE, YOU SEE MANY THINGS TO DISTRACT YOU IN THE TOWN.
AND, OF COURSE, ANY NORMAL HUMAN BEING WOULD GO THERE.
AND, YET, WE SEE DAY AFTER DAY, HOUR AFTER HOUR, THE PARTICIPANTS AT THIS MEETING STAY IN THE HOTEL, ARGUING AND DEBATING WITH EACH OTHER, HOPEFULLY COMING TO AGREEMENT.
CLEARLY, WE HAVE ALL LOST OUR MINDS.
(LAUGHTER.)
>>VINT CERF: SO I AM GOING TO PROPOSE TO THE ICANN STAFF IN THE FUTURE THAT WE BRING PSYCHIATRIC HELP TO THE MEETING IN ORDER TO HELP HEAL THE PLAIN MENTAL DIFFICULTIES THAT EVERY ONE OF US MUST SUFFER FROM.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AT THIS OPENING SESSION THE ABSENCE OF OUR CEO, PAUL TWOMEY.
I THINK MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT WHEN HE RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA JUST PRIOR TO THE EASTER HOLIDAYS, HE BECAME ILL ENOUGH THAT HE HAD TO GO INTO THE HOSPITAL.
THIS CAUSED GREAT CONCERN, OF COURSE, AMONG THE STAFF AND THE BOARD AND OTHERS.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT HE IS VERY QUICKLY RECOVERING, AND IN FACT HE HAS SENT A LETTER.
HE HAS ASKED ME TO READ IT.
WHICH I WILL DO.
WE ARE RESTRAINING HIM FROM FLYING HERE THIS WEEK AND TRYING TO PREVENT HIM FROM DOING ANY DAMAGE AS HE RECOVERS FROM HIS ILLNESS.
BUT ALL OF YOU WHO KNOW PAUL KNOW THAT IT'S VERY HARD TO TIE HIM DOWN.
IN FACT, I THINK WE HAD TO HIDE HIS LAPTOP FOR A FEW DAYS TO KEEP HIM FROM SENDING E-MAILS TO EVERYONE.
SO LET ME READ, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, THIS LETTER FROM PAUL.
HE SAYS: LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, MAY I EXPRESS HOW DISAPPOINTED I AM AT NOT BEING ABLE TO JOIN YOU AT ICANN'S 22ND MEETING IN MAR DEL PLATA.
I HAVE ALWAYS ENJOYED MEETING WITH FRIENDS IN LATIN AMERICA, PARTICULARLY CONCERNING ICANN-RELATED ISSUES OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
SO I AM FRUSTRATED THAT I AM NOT ABLE TO RETURN TO ARGENTINA THIS WEEK.
SOME OF YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT I HAVE BEEN ILL FOLLOWING A RECENT ICANN TRAVEL AND I AM UNABLE TO FLY.
I AM REMINDED THAT IT WAS ONLY TWO YEARS AGO SINCE THE LAST ICANN MEETING WAS HELD IN LATIN AMERICA.
THAT MEETING WAS ALSO THE FIRST ICANN MEETING THAT I ATTENDED IN MY CAPACITY AS PRESIDENT AND CEO.
AND I AM VERY PLEASED THAT THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PLANNED TO OPTIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY, BOARD, AND STAFF TO WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER AS WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS CURRENT ISSUES, INCLUDING THE STRATEGIC PLAN CONSULTATIONS, THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY PROGRAM, CONSTITUENCY AND SUPPORT ORGANIZATION MEETINGS, CONGRATULATIONS TO TONY HARRIS AND HIS COLLEAGUES AT CABASE ON THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE.
I WILL MISS YOUR GENEROUS HOSPITALITY.
BEST WISHES FOR THE MEETING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND IT'S SIGNED PAUL TWOMEY.
AND ONE LAST REMARK, AND SOMETHING TO WHICH I AM GREATLY LOOKING FORWARD.
MANY OF YOU WILL KNOW THE EXTREME PLEASURE AND EXCITEMENT IT GAVE US WHEN THE BOARD AND THE REST OF THE ICANN COMMUNITY TO INAUGURATE THE OPERATION OF LACNIC AS A NEW RIR.
AT THIS MEETING, WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS ONCE AGAIN, THIS TIME TO INAUGURATE THE OPERATION OF AFRINIC IN AFRICA.
NOTHING GIVES ME MORE PLEASURE THAN TO DO THIS IN LATIN AMERICA WHERE OUR MOST RECENT MEMBER OF THE RIR CAME TO THE COMMUNITY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND MANY OTHER THINGS WE WILL BE DOING THIS WEEK.
I THANK ALL OF THE SPONSORS AND ALL OF YOU, THE PARTICIPANTS, IN MAKING THIS EVENT A SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE ONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
(APPLAUSE.)
>>>: OKAY. NOW WE'LL GIVE THE FLOOR TO MR. PAUL VERHOEF. THIS IS THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF ICANN.
>>PAUL VERHOEF: GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. LET ME, ON BEHALF OF THE STAFF OF ICANN, ALSO, ADD OUR WELCOME TO OUR PARTICIPANTS HERE IN MAR DEL PLATA. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPEAKERS AND OUR HOST FOR THE WARM WELCOME WE ARE ALL RECEIVING HERE.
PARTICULARLY THE SUPPORT FROM THE HOST COMMITTEE, CABASE. THE TECHNICAL STAFF HERE HAS PROVEN ALREADY THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT WEEK AND THAT WE HAVE A FANTASTIC INFRASTRUCTURE AT OUR DISPOSAL FOR ALL THE MEETINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HERE THIS WEEK.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR OF MAR DEL PLATA AND HIS TEAM AND THE ARGENTINIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND THE PEOPLE YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN BEHIND YOU.
AS VINT SAID, PAUL IS NOT GOING TO BE HERE THIS WEEK AND I'M SURE HE IS GOING TO BE MISSED. FROM THE STAFF WE ARE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE HE IS NOT MISSED TOO MUCH, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HIM AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FOURTH MEETING IN LATIN AMERICA, ICANN IS HAVING, AND IT IS THE 22ND INTERNATIONAL MEETING IN TOTAL.
IT CONSTITUTES AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ICANN'S CONTINUING GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS, CONSENSUS PROCESS AND OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS, AND WE'RE GLAD TO SEE SO MANY LATIN AMERICAN PARTICIPANTS, IN PARTICULAR, AT THIS MEETING.
LET ME POINT OUT A FEW ISSUES WHICH WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR US ALL THIS WEEK.
FIRST OF ALL, IS THE ICANN STRATEGIC PLAN. THERE ARE THREE MEETINGS SCHEDULED ON THIS, PUBLIC MEETINGS SCHEDULED ON THIS THIS WEEK, AND IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ICANN'S FUTURE PLANNING STRATEGY AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS, AND WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
THERE ARE THE AT-LARGE MEETINGS WITH USER GROUPS ACROSS LATIN AMERICA. THERE IS A SPECIAL WORKSHOP ON DNSO SECURITY. THE TOPIC OF DOMAIN NAME HIJACKING IS ON THE AGENDA.
THERE IS, ONCE MORE, DISCUSSION IN THE SESSION ON WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION SOCIETY. THERE IS IMPORTANT ONGOING DISCUSSION ON WHOIS POLICY AND A CONTINUING DISCUSSION ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF INTERNATIONALIZED DOMAIN NAMES.
THERE ARE A FEW MEETINGS THAT I WANT TO DRAW YOUR PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THIS WEEK. AS I SAID, THE MEETINGS ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE HIJACKING AND OBVIOUSLY THE MEETINGS ON THE VARIOUS SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS AND THE BOARD MEETING ON FRIDAY.
IN ADDITION TO THAT I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE AFRINIC RECEPTION THIS WEEK WHERE, OF COURSE, WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONGRATULATE, MY GUESS, IN ADVANCE OF THE BOARD'S APPROVAL.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A NOVELTY IN THIS MEETING. THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOCCER MATCHES. I WOULD INVITE YOU ALL TO GO TO THE SOCCER MATCHES. I CAN ASSURE YOU FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN CONSENSUS POLICY THERE'S NO NEED TO DISCUSS. WE ALL AGREE, WE'RE DOING IT WITH ROUND BALLS AND SQUARE GOALS.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A HOST RECEPTION AND ARGENTINIAN BARBECUE. I'M MENTIONING THESE MORE SOCIAL EVENTS ON PURPOSE BECAUSE WE HAVE DECIDED TO INJECT IN THE MEETING A NUMBER OF SOCIAL EVENTS ALSO BEYOND THESE BECAUSE WE HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO FIND PLACES TO COME TOGETHER TO DISCUSS AND MOVE FORWARD IN A SPIRIT OF COMMON PURPOSE AND UNDERSTANDING. AND IF THIS IS SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL NO DOUBT CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
LET ME ALSO INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF NEW STAFF. AT THE MOMENT, ICANN HAS 34 STAFF, 20 OF WHICH ARE HERE. SO THERE'S A LARGE COMPLEMENT OF STAFF HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE FOUR LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE STAFF, IF THEY MAYBE COULD STAND UP OR SAY "HERE." FIRST ONE IS MARIA FARRELL WHO IS STANDING UP RIGHT HERE. I WOULD ASK THE GNSO COUNCIL TO BE PARTICULARLY CAREFUL WITH HER. DONNA AUSTIN WHO IS THE SUPPORT FOR CCNSO. OLOF NORDLING WHO IS WORKING ON THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT. AND BARBARA ROSEMAN WHO WE ALL KNOW BUT USED TO BE A CONSULTANT AND IS NOW STAFF AND IS WORKING WITH IANA. AND I WOULD INVITE YOU ALL TO TALK TO THEM AND TALK TO THE OTHER STAFF WHOM YOU KNOW ON THINGS WHICH ARE OF INTEREST TO YOU.
LET ME ALSO MENTION THAT, AS USUAL, THE MEETINGS HERE ARE WEB CASTED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME TO MAR DEL PLATA. AND WE HOPE THAT IT IS PRODUCTIVE AND USEFUL TO THEM.
LET ME ONCE MORE THANK THE HOSTS FOR THE EXCELLENT FACILITIES AND THE HOSPITALITY HERE THIS WEEK; CERTAINLY FROM THE STAFF, BUT I THINK I TALK ON BEHALF OF ALL THE PARTICIPANTS. IT IS VERY WELL APPRECIATED, AND I'M SURE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE GOOD MEMORIES WHEN WE LEAVE MAR DEL PLATA.
THANK YOU.
(APPLAUSE.)
>>>: NOW WE GIVE THE FLOOR TO THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MAR DEL PLATA, MR. KATZ.
>>ARQUITECTO DANIEL KATZ: GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. IT IS A TRUE PLEASURE FOR ME AND I'M VERY PROUD TO WELCOME YOU HERE TO OUR CITY, MAR DEL PLATA. I HOPE THAT AS OF TODAY IT WILL BECOME YOUR CITY, YOUR CITY, MAR DEL PLATA, YOUR HOME PLACE, THAT WE HOPE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. EVERY TIME CONGRESS COMES TO AN END, AN EVENT THAT IS HELD IN THIS CITY, WE HOPE EVERYBODY GOES WITH GOOD SOUVENIR. FOR US, MAR DEL PLATA, IT'S A PERMANENT CHALLENGE, FOR OUR CITY TO BE ABLE TO HOST THESE TYPE OF MEETINGS. AND WHEN I SAY "THESE TYPE OF MEETINGS," I'M REFERRING TO THOSE MEETINGS THAT GENERATE LEADERSHIP AT WORLD LEVEL, WORLDWIDE, TO ALLOW US TO GET KNOWN AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD.
AND WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE -- IF WE DESERVE IT, YOU'RE EFFICIENT, EFFICIENT TO EXPLAIN THE BEAUTY AND THE WARMTH OF OUR PEOPLE.
IN THE SPECIAL CASE OF THESE ENCOUNTER, I WOULD LIKE TO DEEPLY THANK THE ORGANIZERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THOUGHT OF OUR CITY. LATER ON, THEY MATERIALIZE OUR DREAMS.
SO WE ARE MEETING HERE AND WE ARE IN THIS OPENING SESSION. FOR US, BEYOND BEING SATISFACTION, IT IS POSSIBILITY TO TRY OURSELVES TO SEE HOW WE CAN DEVELOP OURSELVES WHEN EVENTS ARE SO DEMANDING; ESPECIALLY IN THIS CASE, AND WE ARE RELATING TO INFORMATION, ET CETERA.
EVERY TIME WE -- YOU KNOW THAT WE HOPE FOR NOVEMBER THE 4TH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS, THIS IS THE MEETING OF THE 34 CHIEFS OF STATE AND THE AMERICAN CONTINENT AND IT IS GOING TO BE HELD HERE IN THIS CITY, SO WE ARE WORKING VERY, VERY HARD, BELIEVE ME.
IT IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR US AS WELL THAT YOU ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY IN OUR CITY DISCUSSING SO SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT RELATES TO YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES, ISSUES OF THE INTERNET SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE WORLD FROM THE VERY CONCEPT OF OUR (INAUDIBLE) OF OUR COUNTRIES ARE REALLY LINKED TO THE NETWORK AND OTHER ISSUES LIKE HAVING ACCESS TO THE NETWORK. THAT COMPRISES OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, OUR SIMPLE LIVING ON AN EVERYDAY BASIS.
THOSE TYPE OF ISSUES ARE BEING DISCUSSED HERE, SO WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF IT, AND LISTENING THAT YOU ARE DEBATING TO SEEK A CONSENSUS IN THE SEARCH OF PERMANENT INCLUSION IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF COUNTRIES IN THE NETWORK, AND THAT IS, FOR US, GOOD NEWS.
FINALLY, I'M GOING TO CONTRADICT -- PARTIALLY CONTRADICT AND VERY (INAUDIBLE) SO, MR. VINT CERF, IN THE SENSE THAT IN DAILY LIFE, NOT EVERYTHING IS WORK. AND SO I AM GOING TO DARE TO SAY TO VINT, PLEASE, TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO VISIT OUR CITY, TO ENJOY OUR GASTRONOMY, THE LANDSCAPE, AND TO ENJOY THE MOST VALUABLE THING THAT WE HAVE, THE WARMTH OF OUR PEOPLE.
IT IS WORTHWHILE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
(APPLAUSE.)
>>: NOW, THANKS TO ALL THE AUTHORITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN THE FLOOR AND WELCOMED US. WE WISH YOU A GOOD STAY IN MAR DEL PLATA, A WONDERFUL WEEK. SO WE'RE GOING TO ENJOY THE FIRST COFFEE BREAK. AND AFTER THAT, WE'LL START OUR WORK.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, AND WELCOME.
(APPLAUSE.)