About

In line with one of ICANN’s FY21-25 Strategic Goals to “support and grow active, informed, and effective stakeholder participation,” the ICANN for Beginners Virtual Program expands virtual participation and engagement opportunities for newcomers through introductory content.

The ICANN for Beginners Virtual Program comprises a series of interactive webinars held via Zoom and will provide participants an overview of the global Internet ecosystem. Tailored to those new to ICANN and held fully virtually, each of the one-hour webinars will focus on a specific topic of interest. The program will also guide newcomers on how they can join the global community and help shape Internet governance.

The webinars will be moderated by experienced ICANN staff members with the goal to strengthen the knowledge about and foster participation at ICANN. Newcomers will come away with a better understanding of how the Internet works and importance of keeping the Internet open, free, and safe for all. 

The first webinar in the program series, ICANN for Beginners: An Introduction, provides an overview of what ICANN is, what its role in the Internet infrastructure is, and why participation at ICANN is important.
The second webinar in the series, ICANN for Beginners: Universal Acceptance, will introduce newcomers to the basics of Universal Acceptance (UA), why it matters, what ICANN’s role is, and how to get involved and join the global UA community.
Please note that more webinar topics will be added in 2023. 

Stay tuned for a new webinar topic,

Policy Development and Advice, coming soon! 

Why Participate?

If you are new to ICANN, the program will provide you with a first-class beginner experience by:

1. Creating a positive impression that affirms how beginners' participation can add value to both their professional development and the global Internet ecosystem (e.g. why engage?);
2. Building an understanding of ICANN; and
3. Fostering participation by helping beginners learn how to participate and engage at ICANN.

Participation in the program’s webinars is open to all individuals who are new at ICANN and who wish to learn more about specific topics. These webinars will serve as a complement to ICANN’s other newcomer programs, such as the Fellowship Program and NextGen@ICANN Program.

How Do I Participate in the Webinars?

Did you miss the ICANN for Beginners: An Introduction webinar? Not to worry - you can still learn more about how to participate at ICANN by watching one of the recordings below.
This first webinar was well attended, with 218 participants joining in total. 
"ICANN for Beginners: An Introduction" was engaging and interactive, and provided an overview of what ICANN is, what its role in the Internet infrastructure is, and why participation at ICANN is important.

ICANN for Beginners: An Introduction took place on the following days:

• 02 Nov 2022 at 2pm UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here.

• 03 Nov 2022 at 6am UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here.

• 25 Apr 2023 at 2pm UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here.

• 26 Apr 2023 at 6am UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here. 

Please click the icon below for the presentation used during the ICANN for Beginners: An Introduction webinar.

If you were unable to join us for the ICANN for Beginners: Universal Acceptance webinar, you can still learn more about what Universal Acceptance is and how you can help make it happen by watching one of the recordings below. 
This second webinar of the ICANN for Beginners Virtual Program was well attended, with 200 participants joining in total.
The webinar introduced participants to thebasics of Universal Acceptance, why it matters, and ICANN’s role in all of that. Moderators not only explained the importance of UA, but also how those interested can join the international community to help achieve a truly global and multilingual Internet.

The Q&A period at the end of the webinar provided an opportunity for participants to ask questions and engage with members of ICANN’s staff as well as ICANN community members.

ICANN for Beginners: Universal Acceptance took place on the following days:

• 17 Jan 2023 at 2pm UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here.

• 18 Jan 2023 at 6am UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here.

• 12 Jul 2023 at 3pm UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here.

• 13 Jul 2023 at 6am UTC
  • To watch the recording of this webinar, please click here.

Please click the icon below for the presentation used during the ICANN for Beginners: Universal Acceptance webinar.

Questions?

For any questions, please email beginners@icann.org