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.
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.
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 my role 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 solution to 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.