Dear friends, Please excuse this blatant promotion, but I think it will be of interest to some GKD list members.
The new .coop top level Internet domain registry goes live today at 12:00 EST / 17.00 GMT / 18:00 CET. Exclusively for the use of the world's cooperative movement, .coop is a major step forward for 750,000 value-based enterprises with 750 million members. One of just seven ICANN-approved new Top Level Domains, creating .coop has been a tremendous undertaking for the main partners - the Washington-based National Cooperative Business Association, UK Internet cooperative Poptel, and the International Cooperative Alliance in Geneva. High level endorsement for .coop has been obtained from both the United Nations and the European Union. Attached is the press release issued today by the DotCoop alliance. For more information about .coop please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit the website www.coop (after 17.00 GMT) With best wishes, Malcolm Corbett Director P O P T E L DotCoop Registry Operator Global Launch: 30th January 2002 One Member. One Vote. One Domain T. +44 20 7284 6900 M. +44 7770 896534 W. http://www.poptel.coop - http://www.coop FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 30th January 2002 .COOP INTERNET DOMAIN GOES LIVE New domain will differentiate co-operatives in a sea of .coms .Coop, the brand new Top Level Domain (TLD) exclusively for use by the co-operative sector, will launch global operations today, making domain name registration available to all co-operatives worldwide. The new domain will enable co-operatives to differentiate themselves on the Internet and give consumers the opportunity to instantly recognise an online brand they can trust. In contrast to .com, many of whose users have famously sunk on a tide of hype, participants wishing to register a .coop domain must meet strict qualification criteria based on 'tried and trusted' co-operative principles established over 150 years. Applications will be independently verified to ensure that only co-operatives are using the domain. Before todays worldwide launch, only .coop Founders were eligible to register .coop names and over 4,000 names have already been reserved. However, from today onwards, all co-operatives will be able to claim a piece of prime online real estate for themselves. .Coop has received support from both the United Nations and the European Union. Mr Nitin Desai, Under Secretary General in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs said, "The launch of .coop marks an important new development for the world's co-operative movement. This new domain will provide a unique and important opportunity to promote co-operative principles and values, and to demonstrate how these are reflected in their business ethics, their solidarity and their ability to promote economic and social development. The United Nations and its partners are working steadfastly towards bridging the digital divide between developing countries and the rest of the world, and .coop represents a positive step towards this goal. In this regard, the new United Nations Guidelines will encourage the creation of a supportive environment which can lead to a better understanding of co-operatives, promote their identity and strengthen the international co-operative movement, including support for new initiatives such as .coop. Support for .coop has also come from the European Union. Mr Erkki Liikanen, the EU Commissioner with responsibility for Enterprise and the Information Society commented, "The new .coop top-level domain name will be an important tool in differentiating co-operatives from other businesses in the e-economy. Not only will it provide greater visibility for co-operative enterprises and organisations, it will also contribute to bridging the digital divide through its "digital divide fund". I therefore wish it every success." Note to editors .Coop is a new top-level Internet domain (TLD), which is available for use only by co-operatives and co-operative support organisations across the globe. It, and six other new TLDs, were approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to join .com and .org on the Internet in order to relieve crowding in the .com space and add value to web site names. Co-operatives can use the domain names they purchase immediately. The new .coop domain is sponsored by National Co-operative Business Association (NCBA), with international marketing support provided by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), the global organisation representing co-operatives and technical registry services provided by Poptel, a UK-based Internet co-operative. For information about .coop names, or to register .coop names, please visit www.coop. Technical advice is also available from this site. The .coop website will be be live from 1700 GMT (1800 CET) on January 30 2002. A photograph featuring the original co-operative Founders and the "Founders of .coop" taken at the birthplace of the co-operative movement in Rochdale, England is available at: http://www.pims.co.uk/pressreleases/persuaders/cooptext.jpg Contact details European Media: Persuaders PR Jez Verity +44 1423 779 329 +44 0781 627 9048 [EMAIL PROTECTED] US Media: Jeaninne Kenney +1 202 383 5456 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------ ***GKD is an initiative of the Global Knowledge Partnership*** To post a message, send it to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.globalknowledge.org>
