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ICANN84: A Pivotal Moment for the Internet's Future

The 84th Public Meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN84) will take place from October 25 to 30, 2025, at the Convention Centre Dublin. Organized by the Internet Neutral Exchange Association (INEX), this significant event will bring together stakeholders from various sectors, including governments, civil society, the private sector, and the technical community, from around the globe.

This meeting represents a crucial juncture for the future of the Internet, occurring just weeks before the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) review. This United Nations process will evaluate two decades of progress pertaining to global digital cooperation. Additionally, ICANN is developing preparations for the next round of New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program, an opportunity coming in April 2026 for organizations wishing to apply for new domain endings, beyond the common .com or .org.

One of the main anticipated results of ICANN84 is the expected approval of the final Applicant Guidebook for the New gTLD Program's next iteration. This decision will pave the way for the application window slated for April 2026. Furthermore, attendees will engage in vital discussions surrounding the future governance of the Internet, aligning ICANN84 closely with the debates leading into the WSIS+20.

The presence of co-facilitators from the WSIS+20 review adds significance to these dialogues. These representatives from the U.N. will guide the review and steer collaborative outcomes, emphasizing ICANN84's role as an impartial, multistakeholder forum. This gathering will allow the technical community to play a critical role in influencing the future direction of Internet governance. This engagement reinforces ICANN's belief that technical coordination must be a collaborative effort, representing global interests and grounded in the multistakeholder model. This framework has effectively contributed to maintaining a secure, stable, and interoperable Internet for more than 20 years.

Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO, underscored the importance of ICANN84, stating, "This meeting is vital for determining the Internet's future. We must ensure its governance remains secure, interoperable, and accessible to everyone. The multistakeholder model is essential—governments, businesses, and the technical community must collaborate to maintain the Internet as a unified global platform."

Eileen Gallagher, CEO of INEX, highlighted the meeting's relevance in the context of WSIS+20, asserting, "The discussions held during ICANN84 will significantly influence how the Internet serves individuals and communities worldwide in the future. INEX values collaboration and views the Internet and our community as a powerful ally for positive change. Ireland is an ideal setting for forward-thinking discussions, showcasing the potential of collective action. We are pleased to welcome the international Internet community back to Dublin during this critical period for global Internet governance."

Registration for in-person participation will remain open until October 23, 2025. Additionally, remote access is available for those unable to attend in person.

For further details and registration information, please visit the ICANN84 meeting webpage.

About ICANN

The primary mission of ICANN is to ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. Effectively, to connect with another individual online, users must enter an address—either a name or a number—into their devices. Each address must be unique for computers to locate each other accurately. ICANN is responsible for coordinating and supporting these unique identifiers worldwide. Established in 1998 as a nonprofit organization, ICANN enjoys a diverse community of stakeholders globally.

About INEX

INEX serves as the Internet peering point for the island of Ireland. Founded in 1996, this neutral, not-for-profit association is industry-owned and provides IP peering services to its members. It currently has 113 members benefiting from IP traffic peering at the exchange.