Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It has been an exciting year! Thanks to our Members, Chapters, Board, Staff and partners – past and present – we commemorated twenty (20) years of fruitful collaboration and advocacy in support of an “Internet for everyone.” The anniversary was marked by numerous celebrations, and a Global INET in Geneva, Switzerland, where we also launched the Internet Hall of Fame.

In 2012, with your help, we took on many of the most important issues facing the Internet – all across the globe. We had an impact on many critical policy decisions; we promoted and supported vital technical standards, launched valuable new programs, welcomed many new members, and hosted a broad global array of policy, education, and development programs.

We continued to advocate tirelessly for the Internet’s growth and open evolution, and we promoted multi-stakeholder dialogue and action on many matters related to the Internet. A recent example was the U.N. World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai, where ISOC staff and members played a critical role. This was a collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort across the global Internet community, and it is clear that going forward, the challenges confronting the Internet will need even greater collaboration and multi-stakeholder support.

As we leave 2012 and look forward to 2013, I’d like to offer my heartfelt thanks for all you do to advance the Internet and for all you do to support our wonderful Mission. The Internet is a critical enabler of human empowerment, social development, and economic growth, and it enhances our quality of life. We look forward to working with all of you to build on the significant momentum achieved to-date; clearly there are many areas that will need our attention and support over the coming year.

Finally, I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Board and Staff at the Public Interest Registry (PIR); your support is central to our success and very much appreciated. I would also like to recognize the important work of and our valuable partnership with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Internet Architecture Board (IAB), and the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF), who are at the heart of what makes the Internet – the Internet.

Thank you all for everything you do to support the Internet and the Internet Society. Please accept my very best wishes to you and your loved ones for the coming New Year.

Warm regards,

Lynn St. Amour
President & CEO, Internet Society