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==Championing the International Domain Name (IDN) Policy==

==Championing the International Domain Name (IDN) Policy==

As a gNSO adviser to ICANN Bekele participated actively in policy development for IDNs and campaigned for the efforts to introduce IDNs in the ICANN policy dialog. She was later credited for championing the inclusion of the global [[IDN]] community within this policy dialogue.<ref>[http://ictcreatives.com/component/k2/item/50-sophia-bekele-ethiopian-champion-of-the-dot-africa-initiative Enterprise Technology ICT Creatives]</ref><ref> [http://www.scribd.com/doc/35142308/ICANN-IDN-Language-Group-Recommendation-IDN-1#fullscreen:on, IDN Language group Recommendation]</ref><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/44715292/IDRU-Endorsement-of-Dotafrica-for-DotConnectAfrica-DCA#fullscreen:on, IDRU Endorsement]</ref> <ref>[http://nomcom.icann.org/candidate-bios-2005.htm GNSO-IDN-WG, IDN Chair Nomination, Oct 2006]</ref> and nominated to chair ICANN's [[IDN Working Group]]. She was one of the co-authors of ICANN's IDN policy guidelines.<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiabekele Sophia Bekele co-author of ICANN's IDN policy guidelines]</ref>

As a gNSO adviser to ICANN Bekele participated actively in policy development for IDNs and campaigned for the efforts to introduce IDNs in the ICANN policy dialog. She was later credited for championing the inclusion of the global [[IDN]] community within this policy dialogue and nominated to chair ICANN's [[IDN Working Group]]. She was one of the co-authors of ICANN's IDN policy guidelines.<ref>[http://ictcreatives.com/component/k2/item/50-sophia-bekele-ethiopian-champion-of-the-dot-africa-initiative Sophia Bekele, Ethiopian champion of the dot africa initiative Enterprise Technology ICT Creatives]</ref><ref> [http://www.scribd.com/doc/35142308/ICANN-IDN-Language-Group-Recommendation-IDN-1#fullscreen:on, IDN Language group Recommendation]</ref><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/44715292/IDRU-Endorsement-of-Dotafrica-for-DotConnectAfrica-DCA#fullscreen:on, IDRU Endorsement]</ref> <ref>[http://nomcom.icann.org/candidate-bios-2005.htm GNSO-IDN-WG, IDN Chair Nomination, Oct 2006]</ref><ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiabekele Bekele co-author of ICANN's IDN policy guidelines, Recommendations]</ref>

Bekele successfully made the case at ICANN on behalf of the global IDN community.  In a written Testimonial,the various leadership of the IDN group gave her the following citations:<br />

Bekele successfully made the case at ICANN on behalf of the global IDN community.  In a written Testimonial,the various leadership of the IDN group gave her the following citations:<br />

::<i>"Bekele was very influential in drafting the IDN policy guidelines as well as developed a framework for leading a language group.  This required contentious and controversial matters with complicated political and commercial implications and interests. Ms Bekele strongly advocated and further went on to aggressively bring the voices of the global public of early adapters of IDN businesses and countries who implemented IDNs to the policy of ICANN" -<b>Mr. Yoav Karen,the then Member of the ICANN's President IDN Advisory Committee, Current ICANN gNSO Council member and Executive member of the IDRU.</b><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/101440288/ICANN-IDN-Recommendation-DomainTheNet, Testimony of Sophia Bekele's IDN work at ICANN]</ref></i>

::<i>"Bekele was very influential in drafting the IDN policy guidelines as well as developed a framework for leading a language group.  This required contentious and controversial matters with complicated political and commercial implications and interests. Ms Bekele strongly advocated and further went on to aggressively bring the voices of the global public of early adapters of IDN businesses and countries who implemented IDNs to the policy of ICANN" -<b>Mr. Yoav Karen,the then Member of the ICANN's President IDN Advisory Committee, Current ICANN gNSO Council member and Executive member of the IDRU.</b><ref>[http://www.scribd.com/doc/101440288/ICANN-IDN-Recommendation-DomainTheNet, Testimony of Sophia Bekele's IDN work at ICANN]</ref></i>

::<i> "..Ms. Bekele, as a former gNSO advisor to ICANN, you have worked hard and long to champion Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs). You have made the case within ICANN for a policy development process that will see IDNs in service of the world community. And you have done so successfully." - <b>David Allen Executive Director 05 December 2010, Internationalized Domain Resolution Union.</b> <ref>[http://www.scribd.com/dotafrica/d/44715292-IDRU-Endorsement-of-Dotafrica-for-DotConnectAfrica-DCA, ::Endorsement of Dotafrica (.africa) Initiative, 05 December 2010]</ref> </i>

::<i> "..Ms. Bekele, as a former gNSO advisor to ICANN, you have worked hard and long to champion Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs). You have made the case within ICANN for a policy development process that will see IDNs in service of the world community. And you have done so successfully." - <b>David Allen Executive Director 05 December 2010, Internationalized Domain Resolution Union.</b> <ref>[http://www.scribd.com/dotafrica/d/44715292-IDRU-Endorsement-of-Dotafrica-for-DotConnectAfrica-DCA, ::Endorsement of Dotafrica (.africa) Initiative, 05 December 2010 by The International Domain Resolution Union]</ref> </i>

::<i>"The call for such Pan-African brand was largely initiated by Sophia Bekele who is no new-comer to spearheading new ways of thinking at ICANN. Years ago, her heroic efforts during her tenure as a newbie GNSO advisor to ICANN, in reversing the disastrous and misguided course that IDN policy took within ICANN at that time is now well documented and clearly attested to by the opposite direction in which the IDN portion of the new GTLD process at ICANN has since gone as bespeaks a true visionary,  while she never been shy of controversy, under her stewardship DCA for the past 5 years continued with unflagging effort to promote the cause and need for  .africa gtld.  The Tireless campaign for .Africa has earned DCA respects in the ranks of internet technology movers and shakers" -<b> Dr. Subbiah, Chairman iDNS.net Intl, Ex Stanford University, Co Inventor of IDN.</b><ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SAB-Support-Letter_SubbiahS.pdf Support Statement by Subbiah ]</ref></i>

::<i>"The call for such Pan-African brand was largely initiated by Sophia Bekele who is no new-comer to spearheading new ways of thinking at ICANN. Years ago, her heroic efforts during her tenure as a newbie GNSO advisor to ICANN, in reversing the disastrous and misguided course that IDN policy took within ICANN at that time is now well documented and clearly attested to by the opposite direction in which the IDN portion of the new GTLD process at ICANN has since gone as bespeaks a true visionary,  while she never been shy of controversy, under her stewardship DCA for the past 5 years continued with unflagging effort to promote the cause and need for  .africa gtld.  The Tireless campaign for .Africa has earned DCA respects in the ranks of internet technology movers and shakers" -<b> Dr. Subbiah, Chairman iDNS.net Intl, Ex Stanford University, Co Inventor of IDN.</b><ref>[http://www.dotconnectafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SAB-Support-Letter_SubbiahS.pdf Support Statement by Subbiah ]</ref></i>