The annual public meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) took place in Seville, Spain, from June 8 to 11, bringing together key stakeholders from across the global Internet ecosystem. As one of the most significant events in the Internet governance calendar, the ICANN86 Policy Forum served as a platform for discussions on DNS security, Internet infrastructure resilience, multilingual digital inclusion and international cooperation.
Dedicated to ongoing policy development and technical governance initiatives, ICANN86 convened representatives from governments, the technical community, private sector organizations, civil society and academia to address emerging challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the Internet.
Armenia was represented at the forum by Kristina Hakobyan, Board Vice Chair of the Internet Society NGO, the organization responsible for administering the .am and .հայ country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs). Participation in ICANN86 provided an opportunity to contribute to discussions that influence the evolution of the global Internet infrastructure and governance framework.
“Armenia is part of the European Internet region, and ICANN86 once again highlighted Europe’s growing role in global Internet governance processes. Active engagement in these discussions is essential for contributing to the development of technical solutions, digital policy frameworks and long-term international cooperation strategies,” said Kristina Hakobyan.
Key topics on the forum agenda included strengthening the security and stability of the Domain Name System (DNS), advancing policy and technical measures to address DNS abuse and improving the management and accessibility of domain registration data. Participants also examined issues related to the coordination of IP address resources and the operational security of critical Internet infrastructure.
A major area of focus was the advancement of Universal Acceptance (UA) and Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), initiatives aimed at ensuring full support for all languages and scripts across Internet-enabled systems and services. ICANN continues to view these efforts as fundamental to promoting digital inclusion and ensuring equitable access to the Internet worldwide.
The forum also featured high-level discussions and thematic sessions, including meetings of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), technical workshops on DNSSEC implementation and security and community-led initiatives designed to strengthen collaboration among Internet governance stakeholders.
In addition, participants reviewed ongoing policy development activities within ICANN’s Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees, covering areas such as domain name policy, IP address management and the future development of ccTLD ecosystems. These efforts play a critical role in maintaining a secure, stable and interoperable global Internet while fostering a coherent policy environment for its continued growth and development.
