ICANN86 Policy Forum: A Vital Gathering for Global Internet Collaboration in Seville
The ICANN86 Policy Forum, a crucial event in the world of internet governance, is scheduled to take place from June 8 to 11, 2026, at the FIBES Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain. Hosted by the Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, this forum is set to gather a diverse range of participants, including government officials, members of civil society, business representatives, and technical experts, all converging to discuss and collaborate on a variety of policy, technical, and governance issues that facilitate the smooth operation of the internet across international borders.
ICANN, known for its role in coordinating essential technical systems vital to the global function of the internet, will have its mid-year public meeting focus on pressing community issues. Among the topics under consideration are DNS (Domain Name System) Abuse mitigation, domain name registration access, DNS security and resilience, Universal Acceptance, Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), and oversight of internet number resource governance.
These technical matters, although complex, have far-reaching ramifications for the nearly 6 billion individuals who use the internet worldwide. They help define the security and stability of the internet, guide strategies to combat misuse, enhance multilingual access, and ensure the functionality of the internet as a singular, globally integrated system.
Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO, emphasized the relevance of the meeting, stating, "ICANN86 comes at a time of growing attention to how the Internet is coordinated and how key technical systems operate across borders. This makes ICANN's consensus-based, multistakeholder model even more critical. In Seville, we'll continue our essential work on the technical and policy challenges within ICANN's scope, which are vital for maintaining a stable, secure, and interoperable internet."
The forum is not only about dialogue among seasoned professionals; it also offers opportunities for students and young professionals to engage with the community through initiatives like NextGen@ICANN and the ICANN Fellowship program. Significant sessions to look out for include the Governmental Advisory Committee Opening Plenary, the DNS Security Extensions Security Workshop, and a dedicated session on DNS Women.
Ms. María González Veracruz, Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence of the Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service, expressed her enthusiasm for the event, stating, "Spain is proud to welcome ICANN and its global community to Seville for the ICANN86 Public Meeting. This gathering reflects our commitment to discussions on the coordination platforms vital for keeping the internet functional and connecting people around the world."
Following Barcelona's hosting of ICANN's public meeting in 2018, this will mark the second time Spain has held such an important gathering for internet stakeholders. The meeting is expected to proceed in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and remote participation to accommodate the global audience. Registration for in-person participation is currently open and will close on June 7, 2026. Remote registration will remain available throughout the duration of the event.
For those interested in participating and shaping the future of internet governance, detailed information about ICANN86, including registration details, can be found on the official ICANN86 meeting webpage. ICANN remains dedicated to ensuring a stable, secure, and unified global internet by managing the unique identifiers required for connectivity, an initiative critical for the function and evolution of the digital world we navigate. Since its inception in 1998, ICANN has been a nonprofit organization with a mission to support this vital framework across the globe.