[Euro-board] Fwd: Re: Visa issues affecting bylaw-mandated compositional balance of vounteer involvement

[Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond]

Dear Yrjö and Wolf:

FYI:
http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/alac-excom/2012-December/005182.html

Thank you for initiating this.
Kind regards,

Olivier


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Re: Visa issues affecting bylaw-mandated compositional balance
of vounteer involvement
Date: 	Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:55:48 -0500
From: 	Steve Crocker <steve at shinkuro.com>
To: 	Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond <ocl at gih.com>
CC: 	Steve Crocker <steve at shinkuro.com>, Fadi Chehade
<fadi.chehade at icann.org>, Sébastien Bachollet <sebastien at bachollet.com>,
ICANN AtLarge Staff <staff at atlarge.icann.org>, ALAC EXCOM
<alac-excom at atlarge-lists.icann.org>, Secretary <secretary at icann.org>



Olivier,

Thanks.  Yes, this is indeed a vexing issue.  You've offered some specific suggestions which may be quite helpful.  Fadi and I will make sure these are taken into consideration in future planning.

Steve

On Dec 28, 2012, at 5:43 AM, Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond <ocl at gih.com> wrote:

> 
> Ref: /AL/ALAC/CO/1212/1
> To: Dr. Steve Crocker - Chair of the ICANN Board
> CC: Mr. Fadi Chehadé - ICANN CEO
> CC: Mr. Sébastien Bachollet, - Chair of the Board Public Participation
> Committee (PPC)
> 
> Dear Steve,
> 
> As you know, a number of people who intended to participate at the ICANN
> 45 meeting in Toronto experienced visa problems, and some of them missed
> the meeting altogether. Of course, the granting of visas is the
> sovereign right of the host country, and there is very little ICANN can
> do when such problems come to light, which is typically very close to
> the meeting.
> 
> However, with its three annual meetings a core activity, ICANN should be
> highly concerned about this problem, particularly when its essential
> structures and their bylaws-mandated compositional balance are affected.
> This is what happened in Toronto when three of five ALAC-appointed
> members of the 2013 Nominating Committee were not able to participate at
> the committee's kick-off meeting. Representatives came from Sudan
> (representing Africa), Moldova (representing Europe), and Armenia
> (representing the Asia-Pacific). A fourth NomCom member, a Kenyan
> representative of the GNSO business community, received his visa at the
> last moment and barely made it to Toronto. The lack of understanding
> from the host country, Canada, was truly surprising.
> 
> ICANN's globalization and its endeavor to be inclusive and
> representative of all regions of the world should not be held hostage by
> the whims of host country visa policies and bureaucratic implementation
> delays. We would like to highlight the example of Wikimedia, which also
> conducts global annual meetings – the Wikimania - an event that is
> hosted each year by a chapter in a different country. Wikimedia has
> managed to hold its meetings with full participation even in countries
> with severe visa conditions (e.g., US, Europe and Israel) by making the
> earliest arrangements possible with the host country representatives and
> authorities. These arrangements typically take place at least one year
> in advance.
> 
> The ALAC respectfully suggests that, as part of the selection process
> for future meeting venues, ICANN sets as a condition that the potential
> host organization presents the firm commitment of relevant immigration
> authorities to facilitate the granting of visas to all members of the
> NomCom, ICANN Advisory Committee, Supporting Organization members, Staff
> and other participants designated as essential by ICANN. If other
> international forum organizers are able to obtain such commitment, so
> should ICANN.
> 
> Finally, you may wish to consider asking the PPC (Public Participation
> Committee) to invite the ALAC, or a designated representative from the
> ALAC, to take part in the work which will be carried out on these
> important issues.
> 
> Yours sincerely,
> 
> Olivier Crépin-Leblond
> Chair, At-Large Advisory Committee
>