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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>Friends and Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>You are cordially invited to attend the session entitled “<a href="https://meetings.icann.org/en/marrakech55/schedule/tue-middle-east-dns">DNS Industry in the Middle East</a>” on Tuesday 8 March (today) at 16.30 - 18.00 UTC.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>This session will give an overview on the domain name industry in the Middle East region. The session will shed light on the DNS Entrepreneurship Center (DNS-EC) and the Middle East DNS Study, and what is needed from a regional perspective to help progress this industry forward.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>If you cannot attend in-person, remote participation is offered, and you can find more details on it in the link at <a href="https://meetings.icann.org/en/marrakech55/schedule/tue-middle-east-dns">https://meetings.icann.org/en/marrakech55/schedule/tue-middle-east-dns</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>The agenda for the session is as follows:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='margin-left:-1.7in;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:black;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Time</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;background:black;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Agenda Item</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;background:black;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Speaker</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-left:none;background:black;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Topics of Discussion</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>16.30 – 16.33<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Welcome Note and Introduction<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Baher Esmat | VP, Global Stakeholder Engagement, Middle East, ICANN<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Set the scene for the session<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>16.33 – 16.43<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Introduction to the DNS Entrepreneurship Center (DNS-EC)<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Hadia El Miniawi | Director, DNS-EC<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Talk about the DNS-EC, its objective, vision, mission, achievements, and next steps<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>16.43 – 16.53<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>The DNS-EC Business Track<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Tom Barrett | President, EnCirca Inc.<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Talk about the various business related training programs held at the center, share his thoughts about the region, and how he sees the way forward<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>16.53 – 17.03<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>The MEAC DNS Study<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>EURid Consortium<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Share the findings of the MEAC DNS Study<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>17.03 – 17.13<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Experience from a New gTLD Applicant - <span dir=RTL></span><span lang=AR-JO dir=RTL style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><span dir=RTL></span>.شبكة</span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Mohammad Zeidan | General Manager, ARI MENA<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Share experience as an IDN gTLD applicant, and how they see this business in the region<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>17.13 – 17.23<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>The Registrar Business in the Middle East<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Hamza Aboulfeth | CEO, Genious Communications<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Share experience as a registrar, and how they see this business in the region<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>17.23 – 17.58<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Open Discussion<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>All<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-top:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>17.58 – 18.00<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=197 style='width:2.05in;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;background:#D9D9D9;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Closing Remarks<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=217 style='width:162.9pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'>Baher Esmat | VP, Global Stakeholder Engagement, Middle East, ICANN<o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=246 style='width:184.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:center'> Closing remarks and taking stock<o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>We look forward to seeing you there either in-person or remotely.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>Thank you,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b>Baher Esmat</b> and <b>Fahd Batayneh</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>Global Stakeholder Engagement, Middle East<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>ICANN<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>