ICANN Heads to Bali for 87th Annual General Meeting

The upcoming event, hosted by the Pengelola Nama Domain Internet Indonesia (PANDI), marks a significant milestone for the region’s digital landscape. Following the recent close of the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program application window, which saw over 1,600 primary submissions, the meeting serves as a primary forum for stakeholders to evaluate the next stages of the program.

ICANN President and CEO Kurtis Lindqvist noted that the meeting’s start coincides with UNESCO’s International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, emphasizing the linguistic and cultural diversity inherent in maintaining a single, interoperable internet. Alongside the gTLD discussions, participants are expected to tackle critical issues including Domain Name System (DNS) abuse, multilingual internet initiatives, and process accountability. PANDI Chair Isnawan highlighted the selection of Bali as a testament to Indonesia’s expanding role in the Asia Pacific digital ecosystem, noting that the country now manages the largest country-code top-level domain in Southeast Asia. Registration for the event remains open until 14 October 2026, with no on-site options available for attendees.