Dear NCSG Members

Please find below my Candidate Statement for your kind consideration.

Yours

Klaus

*_Candidate Statement Klaus Stoll:_*

·*Name, declared region of residence, gender and employment:*

Klaus-Dieter Rudolf STOLL, Europe, Male, Executive Director of the 
Global Knowledge Partnership Foundation

·*Any conflicts of interest:*

None that I am aware of. Full statement is available at: 
community.icann.org/display/gnsosoi/Klaus+Stoll+SOI

·*Reasons for willingness to take on the tasks of the particular position:*

I have developed a respect and belief in, and passion for, ICANN, ever 
since my participation in my first public ICANN meeting in Lisbon 2007. 
To witness the multi-stakeholder process at work, with all its 
shortcomings and its fairness and its ultimate efficiency, was a 
revelation for me. The Internet with the DNS at its root is a common 
good that we cannot take for granted.We must sustain, improve and 
protect it on a daily basis. ICANN has taught me to tolerate conflict 
and patiently look for constructive consensus.It has also demonstrated 
again and again that while there is always room for improvements and 
fine tuning, the outcomes of the multi-stakeholder model are far 
superior and valid than any other available process. This is why I have 
a passion for ICANN and why I am committed to it.

Although I have chosen to become active in ICANN as a representative of 
the not-for-profit sector through NPOC and NCUC, I see myself as a 
multi-stakeholder representative candidate and as someone who looks at 
Internet Governance from many different perspectives and as someone who 
is aware of the needs and necessities of many stakeholder groups. Being 
an Executive Director of an NGO in Latin America and then of an global 
multi stakeholder NGO, makes working with and building viable consensus 
between civil society, governments and the private sector imperative and 
forms the basis of my day-to-day work.My ongoing contacts and talks and 
widespread network multi-stakeholder contacts is a testament to my 
commitment.

I am especially suited and able to support a multi-stakeholder group in 
reaching consensus, as my past and present working experience is based 
on understanding and sharing multi-stakeholder, multi-sector groups and 
organizations.

·*Qualifications for the position:*

**

Ongoing passion and commitment to ICANN and the multi-stakeholder 
Internet Governance model.

**

Although I have chosen to become active in ICANN as a representative of 
the not-for-profit sector through NPOC and NCUC, I see myself as a 
multi-stakeholder representative candidate and as someone who looks at 
Internet Governance from many different perspectives and as someone who 
is aware of the needs and necessities of many stakeholder groups. Being 
an Executive Director of an NGO in Latin America and then of a global 
multi stakeholder NGO, makes working with and building viable consensus 
between civil society, governments and the private sector imperative and 
forms the basis of my day-to-day work.My ongoing contacts and talks and 
widespread network multi-stakeholder contacts is a testament to my 
commitment.

I am especially suited and able to support a multi-stakeholder group in 
reaching consensus, as my past and present working experience is based 
on understanding and sharing multi-stakeholder, multi-sector groups and 
organizations.

  * *Statement of availability for the time the position requires:*

I am available for the time the position requires. My previous 
attendance and track record show that I am willing and able to fulfill 
the required commitments.

**

  * *The nominee's statement may also include any other information that
    the candidate believes is relevant*

gTLDs are more than names and numbers. Existing and new gTLDs are vital 
tools and instruments for human progress and development. ICANN and all 
involved with it are carrying a huge responsibility and have to 
demonstrate ongoing levels of the highest excellence and awareness. The 
values I will contribute to the GNSO Council to achieve this are to help 
ICANN as a whole and to be more communicative in all directions.Through 
this communication comes understanding and the ability to be more 
creative and flexible with a conscious intention to emulate and live by 
ICANN's core values of inclusion.I want to contribute to even further 
develop the talents that are without doubt present in ICANN today and to 
attract even more talent from outside ICANN and enable them all to work 
in a planned and productive process of DNS/gTLDs development.In my 
engagements with ICANN and beyond, I have observed that many available 
talents are not fully utilized or even wasted because they are used to 
target very specific narrow objectives.Often, these objectives do not 
take the needs and competences of other stakeholders into 
account.Instead of trying to convince stakeholders to change their mind, 
I would see it as myrole to demonstrate to all involved that the joint 
interests and objectives are, in the end, better achieved and served 
through respect for the needs and competences of others, dialogue and 
resulting joint action. I would see it also as my role to identify, 
point out and help implement win/win/win situations and try to overcome 
a culture of conflicts of interests by a culture of gain through 
co-operation

We need new solutions to new problems. In order to give a concrete 
example: ICANN received only a small amount of applications for new 
gTLDs from developing regions such as Africa. The main reason for this 
were not just limited outreach to these regions, but the lack of viable 
business models for new gTLDs in developing countries. Development 
organizations, facing comparable problems, over the last years have 
developed such alternative business models, (in close co-operation with 
the private and governmental sectors), which can be adapted and applied 
for the new gTLDs. In practical terms this means to base the business 
model for new gTLDs not on domain name revenue alone but on revenue 
sourced from services for a community that has been created around the 
new gTLD. These so called "community based" gTLDs offer a business model 
that is revenue generation even before the gTLD comes on-line and 
therefore much more realistic and sustainable then other business models 
for gTLDs in developing areas. This is just one example of a win/win 
situation across stakeholders and sections. There are many others, they 
just need to be identified and developed. Every lost opportunity is a 
loss for ICANN.

**

I am concerned about the observable and ever increasing disconnect 
between ICANN governance, staff and stakeholders.The solutionto this 
problem, in my opinion, is more than about fashioning clear and stricter 
rules; it is about creating a new atmosphere of trust and 
collaboration.Trust in ICANN has eroded for a variety of reasons.It is 
our responsibility as ICANN leaders to rebuild it within the community. 
Like in the case of the ICANN stakeholders and their relationship with 
each other, it is about initiating and demonstrating that the common 
goal and specific interest can and will be better served through mutual 
respect and open, constructive attitudes by all concerned.I would like 
to make my contribution to make this happen as this serves ICANN as a 
whole to be more effective and a place people want to be associated and 
engaged with.

Internet Governance today is like a country where less than 1% are in 
charge of over 99% of the population and where 98% of the population do 
not even know that the 1% exist. In the case of IG, the vast majority of 
IT users are completely ignorant even of its existence. The legitimacy 
and effectiveness of IG is in direct proportion to the ability to create 
general awareness and engagement of IT users. The biggest challenge for 
all those concerned with IG today is the lack of awareness and 
engagement of the vast majority of IT users. ITs have become a global 
public good. They have become a "common" instrument for human existence 
and development of highest importance and value. IG has to become a 
topic of common debate and interest for everybody like peace, the 
environment and climate change are today. ICANN, in particular with the 
introduction of the new gTLDs has to recognize, acknowledge and 
accommodate its new responsibilities. The only way to do this seems to 
be for ICANN to raise its profile on all levels. As more people know 
about the role and importance of ICANN more people will engage with it. 
As more people engage and participate in ICANN's existing governance 
structures, the more ICANN will reevaluate and reform itself. This 
process of renewal will not be a revolutionary one but an ongoing 
process of evaluation and reform that is based on broad participation of 
all stakeholders. An informed general public will lead to organic 
changes and a more stable, effective and relevant ICANN. I see it as one 
of my main contributions to ICANN today. I hope in the future I will be 
able to support a broad based outreach effort based on my past and 
present work, roles, global experiences and contacts. In particular, I 
hope to be able to help develop and implement ICANN outreach strategies 
to the general public. I also want to make a contribution to identifying 
the key challenges to ICANN today, to seeking relevant knowledge and 
opinions, and creating informed consensus and sound implementation 
across stakeholders. This can only be achieved through strengthening the 
multi-stakeholder model through better communication and collaboration 
on a win/win basis, trust and respect.