Read the report in full here [pdf]

The report includes information on the three major initiatives ICANN undertook last year (and which continue this year): the process for introducing new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) to the Internet; the introduction for the first time of internationalized domain names (IDNs); and an extensive Improving Institutional Confidence consultation, to enable the conclusion of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the United States government in September 2009.

Reports from the chairs of ICANN’s Supporting Organization and Advisory Organizations are included alongside detailed rundowns of each department by the organization’s staff.

Additionally, since it is 10 years since ICANN’s inception a brief history of the organization, split into its 33 international public meetings, is included, alongside a special memorial note to Jon Postel, one of the Internet’s pioneers, from former ICANN chairman Vinton Cerf.

Further contents include:

• Biographical details on each of the Board of Directors
• Highlights of the organization’s Strategic and Operating Plans
• An in-depth look at the New Delhi, Paris and Cairo meetings
• Messages from the CEO and Chairman
• The audit report for ICANN, 2007-2008
• ICANN’s compensation practices and salary structures for the corporate officers

Here’s what the chairman had to say in the official announcement: “I am delighted to announce the release of our third annual report,” said Peter Dengate Thrush, ICANN’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. “In this our tenth year ICANN and its community either accomplished or made significant progress toward many goals for the Domain Name System.”

“The Internet is growing and evolving at an accelerating pace,” Dengate Thrush continued. “The next billion users will demand more innovative products and services, will access the Internet largely through mobile devices, and will expect to be able to do so in their own languages and language scripts. ICANN’s efforts are geared towards developing policies and technologies that will satisfy this next-generation Internet.”

The complete annual report is available at: http://www.icann.org/en/annualreport/annual-report-2008-en.pdf.

You can view it as a pdf here.

The report contains a full rundown of ICANN and its work, including information on its mission, values and structure; messages from retiring chairman Vint Cerf, incoming chair Peter Dengate Thrush, and president and CEO Paul Twomey; a section demonstrating progress on the completion of the Joint Project Agreement with the United States government; a run-through of this year’s international meetings, as well as the work carried out by the different supporting organisations and advisory committees; a section on ICANN’s Strategic Plan and Operating Plan; a section on ICANN’s different divisions; and finally the annual report from ICANN’s auditors and a glossary of terms.

In short, if you want to know what ICANN is, does and has done in 2007, it is all here in 62 pages.

ICANN is pleased to provide its first annual report in accordance with its commitments established under the Joint Project Agreement signed in September 2006.

As part of ICANN’s commitment to greater transparency and accessibility, we have posted this annual report for review and established two means to facilitate public comment. The first is a forum for the community to submit comments and suggestions, which is available at 2006-ar-comments@icann.org. Comments can be viewed at http://forum.icann.org/lists/2006-ar-comments/.

The second is a new blog on the ICANN website that allows members of the community to exchange their views about the report. The blog can be found at http://blog.icann.org/.

We invite feedback on this inaugural annual report to better inform its development and ensure that it reflects the views and interests of the community.