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Dear colleagues,<br>
<br>
on yesterday's EURALO monthly call, the following Action Item was
recorded.<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:eadb64799b4b413c84652f52ed992337@PMBX112-W1-CA-1.PEXCH112.ICANN.ORG"><a
href="https://community.icann.org/display/%7Eolivier.crepin-leblond"
moz-do-not-send="true">Olivier Crepin-Leblond</a> Olivier to
follow up on the EURALO mailing list on the suggestion from Oksana
for EURALO support the petition against reduction of the ICANN
fellowship as well as to write an EURALO statement against the
CROP elimination.</blockquote>
<br>
As you know, the ICANN FY19 budget is undergoing to reduction. This
will mean that some programmes are frozen, whilst others are
actually reduced. The current draft of the program is showing
drastic cuts in community engagement and policy. The Fellowship is
being slashed, and so is the NextGen program. The Community Regional
Outreach Pilot Program (CROP) which was confirmed into the main
budget as it was seen as being so helpful, is being cancelled
altogether. It is a terrible state of affairs, as it appears that
ICANN has targeted community initiatives for outreach and engagement
to a much greater extent that other programmes and the cuts, as a
percentage of the budget for outreach and engagement initiatives are
way larger than for other programmes.<br>
<br>
You might has seen a petition out there, entitled "Stop the ICANN
Budget Cuts and Save the Fellowship Program!"<br>
On last night's EURALO call, Oksana Prykhodko asked whether EURALO
could be inclined to sign this petition:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.change.org/p/icann-stop-the-icann-budget-cuts-and-save-the-fellowship-program">https://www.change.org/p/icann-stop-the-icann-budget-cuts-and-save-the-fellowship-program</a><br>
<br>
The signing of a petition is highly unusual for a RALO. I can recall
several occurrences of a RALO releasing its own Statement. I can
also recall EURALO supporting EuroDIG as a partner - and this
translates to the EURALO Chair (previously Wolf Ludwig and now yours
truly) being active in the organisation of EuroDIG. If my memory
serves me right, the only time EURALO has signed a Petition, might
be the signature for support of NetMundial outcomes. Perhaps can
Wolf help with other potential occurences?<br>
<br>
At the end of the day, there are no rules on whether EURALO may or
may not sign this petition. So the decision is in your hands, the
EURALO members. <br>
<br>
Should EURALO sign the petition?<br>
Should your ALS sign the petition? <br>
<br>
Kindest regards,<br>
<br>
Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond<br>
EURALO Chair<br>
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