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MEDNSF Forum 2025 Survey

The Middle East DNS Forum (MEDNSF) is an annual event organized by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) that focuses on issues related to the Domain Name System (DNS) in the Middle East region.

The Forum brings together stakeholders from the Internet community, including registries, registrars, Internet service providers, policymakers, and government representatives. One of the main objectives of the Forum is to discuss topics such as DNS security, the adoption of new technologies, policy development, and the challenges and opportunities facing the DNS industry in the region.

The 11th edition of the MEDNSF took place in Manama, Bahrain, on 29–30 April 2025 in a hybrid format. The event attracted 201 in-person and online participants (excluding interpreters and support staff).

On 12 May 2025, ICANN circulated a short survey to solicit the community's feedback on the 11th edition of the MEDNSF. The survey remained open until 26 May 2025. Out of 12 respondents in total, 11 respondents completed the survey. The respondents hailed from the following countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa, and Lebanon.

Survey Overview

As part of our continuous efforts to improve our collection of feedback, we streamlined the survey by shortening it and revising the questions to enhance usability. The updated survey focused on overall satisfaction with the MEDNSF, enabling us to gather clearer, more actionable insights while minimizing respondent burden.

The survey included nine questions in two sections: optional and mandatory. While optional questions focused on personal information, the mandatory section included six multiple choice and open text questions.

Question: Where did you first hear about the Middle East DNS Forum 2025? (Select all that apply)

Awareness Channels Chart

Responses: 11 Answered - 1 Skipped

Awareness Channels for the Forum

When asked how the respondents first heard about the Middle East DNS Forum 2025:

● 63% of total responses named the mailing list
● 18% were informed by the event host
● 27% discovered the Forum via social media
● 36% cited other sources

Respondents were asked to select "all that applies". These results provide valuable insights into the impactful communication channels and will guide our future outreach strategies.

Question: How would you rate overall satisfaction for the Middle East DNS Forum 2025?

Overall Satisfaction Chart

Responses: 11 Answered - 1 Skipped

Overall Satisfaction With the Forum

While the number of survey respondents was modest (11 participants), the feedback received was overwhelmingly positive:

● 100% of respondents indicated they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the Forum
● No respondents expressed dissatisfaction

This strong satisfaction rate, even within a small sample, suggests the event successfully met participant expectations and delivered value. We will continue to build on this positive feedback.

Question: What do you think is the ideal duration for the Forum?

Preferred Duration Chart

Responses: 11 Answered - 1 Skipped

Preferred Duration for the Forum

When asked about the ideal duration of the Forum:

● 6 respondents preferred a 2-day format, making it the most favored option
● 4 respondents suggested a 3-day forum, indicating interest in a more extended program
● 1 respondent recommended a 1.5-day duration

While the majority support a 2-day event, there is also notable interest in a longer format, which may reflect a desire for more in-depth sessions or broader coverage of topics. These insights will help inform future planning and scheduling.

Usefulness of Forum's Topics

Participants rated the usefulness of each session topic on a scale from Not useful (1) to Extremely useful (5). The topics received strong ratings overall, with the highest-rated ones being:

● Domain Names Market/Business in the Middle East – Weighted Average: 4.5
● Internationalized Domain Names & Universal Acceptance – Weighted Average: 4.4

All topics were considered at least moderately useful, with the majority of responses falling in the "Very useful" and "Extremely useful" categories. Additionally, there were no ratings of "Not useful" for any topic, indicating that the program content was relevant and well-received.

Question: How useful did you find each of the following topics covered during the Middle East DNS Forum 2025?

Usefulness of Topics Chart

Responses: 11 Answered - 1 Skipped

Question: The Middle East DNS Forum 2025 agenda included a combination of presentations, panel discussions, lightning talks and chats. How satisfied were you with each of the following?

Session Types Satisfaction Chart

Responses: 11 Answered - 1 Skipped

Satisfaction With the Different Session Types

Participants rated their satisfaction with different session types at the Forum.

Panel Discussions scored the highest satisfaction (weighted average 4.36), followed by Lightning Talks, and Fireside Chats (both weighted average 4.27). Presentations and Tech Talks received slightly lower but still positive ratings, each with a score of 4.09.

Overall, all formats were well-received. These insights will help us evaluate and refine the session formats for future Forums to better meet participants' interest and expectations.

Improving Future Middle East DNS Forums

Survey participants were also asked to provide suggestions on how to improve future versions of the MEDNSF. We received several comments suggesting a more spacious venue, to encourage more participation from the local community and to incorporate more interactive sessions to encourage greater participant engagement.