<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Dear All,</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">I am contacting you in the hopes that you can help to garner support for the proposed Non-Commercial Stakeholders Group (NCSG) charter at ICANN. We are asking groups who support the petition to please sign this joint civil society statement: <a href="http://www.ipjustice.org/ICANN/NCSG/NCSG_Charter_Civil_Society_Support.pdf"><font color="#105296" style="color: #105296"><u>http://www.ipjustice.org/ICANN/NCSG/NCSG_Charter_Civil_Society_Support.pdf</u></font></a> </font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">We are looking for sign-on from civil society groups from all over the world who can sign the statement. <b>Deadline is tomorrow 15 April (EOB in California) to sign-on.</b></font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>As you may know, the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) is the organization that represents non-commercial interests and advocates for the protection of digital rights including free expression, privacy, due process of law and other non-commercial interests in ICANN-GNSO policy discussions. As part of ICANN’s GNSO Restructuring efforts, the 6 “constituencies” are being replaced by 4 broader “stakeholder groups”, including a Non-Commercial Stakeholders Group (NCSG) to represent the interests of non-commercial users of domain names in the GNSO policy arena at ICANN.</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">NCUC has submitted a petition for the charter of the NCSG that intends to encourage broader civil society participation at ICANN and aims to increase the relative power of non-commercial interests in ICANN policy negotiations. Noncommercial individuals and organizations are invited to participate in the NCSG, which will be governed by stakeholder group wide elections under the petition.</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">All of the proposed stakeholder group petitions are in the midst of a Public Comment Period at ICANN (until 15 April) so the ICANN Board of Directors can receive input from the general public on the various stakeholder group petitions. Today I write to ask that your organization consider signing onto the attached joint civil society statement supporting NCUC’s proposal for a stakeholder group petition to be filed in the Public Comment forum.</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The NCSG charter needs your support to ensure that all non-commercial interests have a voice through their GNSO representatives and in the creation of policy. </font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We ask for your support because we want the stakeholder group that represents non-commercial interests to be able to generate sound, consensual, and collaborative policy and decisions that are representative of all of the members in the stakeholder group. </font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In summary, the NCUC’s petition for a Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group is the best proposal of those submitted because it:</font></p> <ul> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Emphasizes democratic representation to the Generic Names Supporting Organization instead of a constituency-based approach that gives disproportionate power to select groups.</font></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Encourages cooperation and inclusiveness through consensus-building among members of the stakeholder groups.</font></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Ensures that minority viewpoints are heard and their policy ideas are explored through an increased reliance on working groups.</font></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Operates with a flexible and lightweight framework that allows it to focus on representing non-commercial interests without getting bogged down by bureaucratic details.</font></li> <li style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Was drafted in consultation with dozens of civil society organizations representing all corners of the globe and went through numerous evolutions and thus represents a true <i>consensus document</i>, submitted by the entire NCUC (over 70 members, accept 1).</font></li> </ul><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Please consider signing the following statement to indicate your support for the NCSG petition from NCUC. </font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Joint Civil Society Statement Supporting the NCSG Petition from NCUC:</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#002fd7" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #002fd7"><a href="http://www.ipjustice.org/ICANN/NCSG/NCSG_Charter_Civil_Society_Support.pdf"><u>http://www.ipjustice.org/ICANN/NCSG/NCSG_Charter_Civil_Society_Support.pdf</u><u></u></a></font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">We would be glad to provide any additional information or answer any questions or concerns you may have on the issue. </font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Please indicate your support for signing this civil society statement before 15 April (which is the deadline for submitting Public Comments) by sending an email to <a href="mailto:robin@ipjustice.org"><font color="#105296" style="color: #105296"><u>robin@ipjustice.org</u></font></a>. Thank you very much.</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Signed,</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 47.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">The NCUC Executive Committee and GNSO Councilors:</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Robin Gross, NCUC Chair</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Norbert Klein, NCUC Nominating Committee Representative (Asia)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Carlos Affonso Pereira de Souza, NCUC GNSO Policy Councilor (South America)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Mary Wong, NCUC GNSO Policy Councilor (Asia)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">William Drake, NCUC GNSO Policy Councilor (Europe)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Carlos Afonso, NCUC Executive Committee Representative (South America)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Horacio Cadiz NCUC Executive Committee Representative (Asia)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Georg Greve, NCUC Executive Committee Representative (Europe)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Robert Guerra, NCUC Executive Committee Representative (North America)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 48.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Dave Kissoondoyal, NCUC Executive Committee Representative (Africa)</font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"> </font></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 8.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="5" style="font: 17.0px Helvetica">Background Information:</font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Joint Civil Society Statement Supporting the NCSG Petition from NCUC:</font></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#002fd7" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #002fd7"><a href="http://www.ipjustice.org/ICANN/NCSG/NCSG_Charter_Civil_Society_Support.pdf"><u>http://www.ipjustice.org/ICANN/NCSG/NCSG_Charter_Civil_Society_Support.pdf</u><u></u></a></font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">NCUC’s Petition to Form a Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group:</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#002fd7" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #002fd7"><a href="http://gnso.icann.org/en/improvements/ncsg-petition-charter.pdf"><u>http://gnso.icann.org/en/improvements/ncsg-petition-charter.pdf</u><u></u></a></font></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"> </font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Executive Summary / Cover Letter of NCSG Petition from NCUC:</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#002fd7" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #002fd7"><a href="http://gnso.icann.org/en/improvements/executive-summary-ncsg-proposal.pdf"><u>http://gnso.icann.org/en/improvements/executive-summary-ncsg-proposal.pdf</u><u></u></a></font></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"> </font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Information on ICANN Public Comment Period for Stakeholder Group Petitions:</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#002fd7" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #002fd7"><a href="http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/#sg-petitions"><u>http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/#sg-petitions</u><u></u></a></font></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"> </font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Public Comments Submitted Thus Far on Stakeholder Group Petitions:</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#002fd7" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #002fd7"><a href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/sg-petitions-charters/"><u>http://forum.icann.org/lists/sg-petitions-charters/</u><u></u></a></font></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"> </font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">IGF/WSIS Internet Governance Caucus Statement Supporting NCUC’s NCSG Proposal:</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#002fd7" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #002fd7"><a href="http://forum.icann.org/lists/sg-petitions-charters/msg00009.html"><u>http://forum.icann.org/lists/sg-petitions-charters/msg00009.html</u><u></u></a></font></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"> </font></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">IP JUSTICE</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Robin Gross, Executive Director</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 USA</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">p: +1-415-553-6261 f: +1-415-462-6451</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">w: <a href="http://www.ipjustice.org/"><font color="#002fd7" style="color: #002fd7"><u>http://www.ipjustice.org</u></font></a> e: <font color="#002fd7" style="color: #002fd7"><u><a href="mailto:robin@ipjustice.org">robin@ipjustice.org</a></u></font></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#002FD7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br></span></font></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; 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