ICANN participation

What it is | 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 Internationalised 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 internationalisation of Registration Data. The Board directed the IRD-WG to solicit input from interested constituencies including ccTLD operators and the CCNSO during its discussions to ensure broad community input. In this session we will have an open discussion with members of the IRD-WG and others.

Why it's Important | Many Internet applications today support characters from local languages, alphabets or scripts. Domain names are poised to fully support this emerging and much-needed “internationalisation” as well. It is only natural that users will want to use characters from local scripts when they submit and view Registration Data associated with a domain name.

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.