–as first-ever ‘ICANN Near You’ Conference opens at UG

THE Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has collaborated with the University of Guyana and the Internet Society to host its inaugural “ICANN Near You” conference from Tuesday, February 3 to Thursday February 5, 2026, at UG’s College of Medical Sciences, Turkeyen Campus, Georgetown, Guyana.
The event which opened on Tuesday, is aimed at strengthening technical capacity and internet resilience across Guyana and the wider Caribbean region.
This event is part of ICANN’s ongoing efforts to engage with stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean, bringing technical training and policy outreach directly to local communities.
It follows a history of similar internet-focused gatherings in the region, such as “Internet Week Guyana” previously held in 2017.
It involves a wide-cross section of stakeholders, both from the public and private sector agencies, including the Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM), the Office of the Prime Minister of Guyana, the Latin American and Caribbean Regional At-Large Organization (LACRALO), the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), members of the university community, local and regional internet governance experts, students and others.
In her opening remarks, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, expressed gratitude to ICANN for selecting UG as the host institution for the region’s inaugural event.
She highlighted the university’s long-standing role in Guyana’s digital ecosystem and its commitment to ensuring that students across all regions remain connected and educated.
Professor Mohamed Martin commended UG’s technical team for effectively using available resources to support online learning during the pandemic, noting that the internet had become an essential tool for national development and educational continuity.
She also acknowledged that universities globally, including UG, have increasingly become targets for cyber threats, facing challenges such as phishing attacks, impersonation of staff and students, and system intrusions.
Professor Mohamed Martin emphasised that while society largely engages with the internet as end-users, there is now a greater need to understand how it works and how it can be protected and leveraged for inclusivity, efficiency and national progress.
Chair of the Latin American and the Caribbean Regional At-Large Organization (LACRALO), Lance Hinds, reflected on the evolution of internet governance in the region and the importance of expanding participation beyond technical experts.
He noted that for many years, only a small number of Caribbean professionals were actively involved in internet policy discussions, but has since changed as ICANN increased its focus on reaching new communities and stakeholders.
Hinds stressed that as Guyana continues its development trajectory, the internet will become increasingly critical for education, business, governance and daily life.
He highlighted the importance of integrating internet governance into academic spaces, particularly universities, where knowledge in engineering, policy and systems design can shape future national and regional leaders.

QUALIFIED AND EQUIPPED
“We need to be qualified and equipped to sit at the table where decisions about the future of the internet are being made,” Hinds said.
ICANN Vice-President for Stakeholder Engagement and Managing Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Rodrigo de la Parra, noted that the Caribbean premiere of “ICANN Near You” reflects strong regional collaboration and the effectiveness of the multi-stakeholder model.
“The Caribbean premiere of ICANN Near You in Guyana reflects the strong regional and national collaboration that makes the multi-stakeholder model work (…) We are grateful for the contributions of community leaders such as Lance Hinds and Claire Craig. Their leadership and support underscore a shared commitment to strengthening technical capacity and internet resilience across Guyana and the wider Caribbean” de la Parra said.
Representative of the Internet Society (ISOC) Russel Bean, in his remarks, described the conference as a truly multi-stakeholder platform.
He explained that “ICANN Near You” is designed for everyone, including lawyers, accountants, engineers and policymakers, and aims not only to share knowledge but also to gather feedback and ideas from participants to strengthen internet development in the region.
“This is about learning from each other and understanding what communities actually need, so we can grow and train together,” Bean noted.
UG Engineering student Bimal Balaram, who spoke on behalf of the student body, thanked ICANN and the University of Guyana for making the conference possible.
He described the initiative as an investment in the future of UG students and the wider Guyanese digital community.
“We will be walking away more informed, more connected and better prepared to contribute to the global digital space,” Balaram said.
The “ICANN Near You” conference brings ICANN’s technical expertise directly to local stakeholders through hands-on workshops on the Domain Name System (DNS), DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and internet security best practices.
Sessions during the conference will explore how local law enforcement, government agencies and students can engage with ICANN’s processes and contribute to a stable, secure and unified global internet. (UG)