ICANN has chosen Guyana for a first-of-its-kind moment in the Caribbean. From February 3 to 5, 2026, Georgetown will host the region’s inaugural ICANN Near You event for Latin America and the Caribbean.
This marks a shift in how ICANN engages with local Internet communities. Instead of expecting stakeholders to travel long distances, ICANN is bringing its technical and policy expertise directly to the region.
Why Guyana Matters in the Regional Internet Ecosystem
Guyana plays a quiet but central role in the country’s Internet operations. The University of Guyana hosts both the national Internet Exchange Point and the country code top-level domain, .gy.
That combination places the university at the center of traffic flow, domain management, and local resilience. Hosting ICANN Near You on campus ties education, infrastructure, and policy together in a single setting.
This location choice sends a signal. ICANN is meeting the Internet where it actually runs.
A Hands-On Agenda Built for Local Operators
The three-day program focuses on practical skills. Workshops will cover the Domain Name System (DNS), which translates domain names into IP addresses that computers use to communicate.
Sessions will also address Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC), a security framework that helps prevent manipulation of DNS responses.
Internet service providers and network operators will review security practices that reduce outages, block attacks, and strengthen trust in local networks.
Capacity Building Over Theory
This event favors applied learning over abstract policy talk. Participants will work directly with tools and scenarios that mirror real-world conditions.
That approach matters for smaller and developing Internet ecosystems. Skills learned here translate into immediate operational improvements.
Government, Community, and Law Enforcement in the Same Room
ICANN Near You in Guyana also brings together groups that rarely train side by side. Students, regulators, engineers, and government officials will share sessions.
ICANN representatives will outline ways local law enforcement and public agencies can address DNS Abuse. That term refers to activities such as malware distribution, phishing, and botnet control that rely on domain infrastructure.
By placing these discussions in a technical setting, the event shifts conversations from blame to prevention.
Regional Leadership Shapes the Program
The event reflects collaboration across the Caribbean and Latin America. Support from the Caribbean Community Secretariat and the Office of the Prime Minister of Guyana helped anchor the program.
Community leaders also play visible roles. Lance Hinds, Chair of LACRALO, and Internet governance expert Claire Craig will participate through ICANN’s Community Regional Outreach Program.
This mix of local leadership and global coordination mirrors the multistakeholder model that ICANN relies on to manage Internet identifiers.
A Clear Invitation to Participate
ICANN Near You in Guyana is free and open to all interested participants. Registration is available to students, engineers, policy professionals, and anyone with a stake in the Internet’s stability.
By lowering barriers to entry, ICANN is widening the circle of people who can contribute to decisions about names, numbers, and network trust.
The Georgetown event sets a precedent. It shows how regional engagement can move beyond webinars and policy documents into shared rooms, shared tools, and shared responsibility.
For the Caribbean Internet community, this is less about ceremony and more about capacity. Skills gained here will outlast the three days on the calendar.