Paris and Belgrade both want to host ICANN meeting
Next year's second ICANN meeting is scheduled for the European region. Two candidates have stepped forward: Paris and Belgrade. A final decision is expected in September.
Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë supports the French Capitol's bid to host an ICANN meeting in 2008
As revealed in a previous issue, Paris is hoping to host the second ICANN meeting of 2008 (three ICANN meetings are scheduled every year).
Since we last reported on this, a second candidate for the June 2008 meeting slot has become known. Belgrade also responded to ICANN's call for proposals before the June 15, 2007 deadline.
Both proposals will now be evaluated by ICANN staff members in charge of organising the meetings, with a first meeting planned in Paris in less than a month's time. A second evaluation meeting, this time in Belgrade, should follow.
Evaluation meetings help ICANN staff determine which of the proposed venues in each of the candidate cities would be best suited for an ICANN meeting. Checks are also carried out on the local technical infrastructure.
Strong support
According to France's Special Envoy for the Information Society, Bertrand de la Chapelle, Paris makes a very strong candidate. "Obviously, Paris has practical advantages as an international hub," de la Chapelle argues.
But there would also be advantages for ICANN as France is scheduled to take over the European Union presidency mere days after the scheduled date for the ICANN meeting. Holding the meeting in Paris might therefore give ICANN staff and board members a valuable opportunity to meet the French government officials who will be involved with the French EU presidency.
Championed by the European ICANN At-Large Organisation's recently elected representative Sébastien Bachollet, Paris' candidacy has already garnered strong support from both the national and local government. Bertrand de la Chapelle, who is mandated by France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to represents the country on ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee, has already sent an official letter of support. So has Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë.
Million euro budget
In spite of this official support, the Paris candidacy is a private initiative and will probably have to be financed through private enterprise.
As ICANN meetings have grown in size and scope, financing them has become more and more difficult. In recognition of this, ICANN has recently pledged to provide more financial support for its meetings, thereby making it easier for local hosts to cope.
For the June 2008 meeting, ICANN should therefore handle around 80% of the estimated 1 million euro budget, leaving it up to both Paris and Belgrade initiatives to find around 200,000 euros through local, national and international sponsorship.
A final decision on the meeting venue should be announced this September, after ICANN's meeting evaluation staff have submitted their report and the ICANN board has come to a formal decision.
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