APTLD88 Communique & Thank You Letter

The88th APTLD Members Meeting is from September 8 to 11,2025, at the Mona Plaza Hotel in Belgrade, Serbia. As one of Europe’s oldest cities, Belgrade is steeped in culture and history, and its location at the intersection of the Sava and Danube rivers provided an inspiring setting for this important event. The official opening ceremony commenced on the 9th, featuring remarks from APTLD Board Chair, Ms. Ai Chin Lu, and CEO of RNIDS, the host, Dejan Djukic.

APTLD88 in Belgrade, Serbia welcomed an audience of 90 onsite participants over several days, with a total registration of 153 attendees, both onsite and online. The event also included speakers and moderators from 31 APTLD members and 12 regional partners.

Contributions came from speakers and moderators across the following members and partners:

• Ordinary Members: 17 Members: .AU, .HK, .LK, .ID, .VN, .CN, .JP, .KR, .BD, .BH, .JO, .NZ, .LA, .IN, .MN, .IQ, .PG.
• Associate Members: 14 Associate Members: .RS, .RU, NIC.AT, CIRA, CleanDNS, ComLaude, GoDaddy Registry, MarkMonitor, Gransy, EyHost Ltd, Sokomi Inc, Identity Digital, it.com, Tucows.
• 12 Regional Partner Organizations and Peers: RIPE NCC, ICANN, CENTR, ccNSO, DNS-OARC, APCICT / UNESCAP, CyberCX, GNSO, desec.io, .NO, .HR, @IQ.

Key Highlights

Technical Training

The event began on September 8 with a series of hybrid technical training sessions that focused on best practices in DNS, cybersecurity, and operational readiness. Participants acquired practical skills to enhance registry resilience and performance, facilitated by CleanDNS (Alan Woods, Chief Legal Officer at CleanDNS) and an expert from desec.io (Peter Thomassen). The session on automating DS record provisioning highlighted its essential role in simplifying DNSSEC deployment, particularly in TLDs with high secure delegation rates. APTLD88 served as an excellent platform for gathering feedback, ensuring that the guidelines align with the APTLD community’s perspectives.

Main Member Meeting Sessions (September 9–10)

The following days were filled with dynamic discussions and panels on various topics within the domain name industry. Notable sessions included:

• Signing Ceremony between APTLD and RIPE NCC Member and Partner updates Welcoming New Member introductions (CIRA, Com Laude, and Sokomi.com)
• DNS Abuse Analysis
• Content Governance & the Role of ccTLD Managers: Staying Relevant in a Changing
• Landscape
• Automation & AI in Registry Operations
• Announcement of APTLD89 host

A significant highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RIPE NCC, which established a vital strategic partnership in support of APTLD’s Internet For All initiative. Additionally, three APTLD88 Fellowships were awarded to recipients from .JO, .LA, and .LK, covering their travel, accommodation, and daily expenses while they actively participated in sessions and provided post-event feedback and testimonials.

Social & Networking

Belgrade’s hospitality shone through various networking events, including a welcoming gala dinner and a cultural tour. This excursion allowed participants to explore the city’s rich heritage, from Tito’s legacy to its iconic landmarks, all organized by RNIDS.

The board also had a special session to review feedback from APTLD88 and to offer recommendations for future events.

APTLD’s Gratitude

APTLD expresses its heartfelt thanks to:

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to RNIDS (Registrar of National Internet Domains of Serbia) for their exceptional local support as our host.

We also want to thank our event sponsors, members, and partners for their invaluable contributions to the success of APTLD88, including:

• RNIDS
• Com Laude
• RIPE NCC
• ICANN
• CleanDNS
• SOX

RNIDS acts as our host, sponsor, and event organizer. RIPE NCC is our committed partner for the Internet for ALL initiative. Com Laude, our newest Associate Member, brings valuable expertise in Enterprise and Industry. ICANN has been a longstanding ally, and we also work closely with APIGA Fellow. SOX is providing essential support to strengthen our dedication to a Secure Internet, while CleanDNS, an APTLD88 trainer, is a valued contributor to ensuring clean DNS. The backing from all our sponsors extends beyond financial assistance and is genuinely significant.

A special thank you goes out to all 80 members, partners, and international organizations for their support, both online and in person, as well as to those who participated as speakers and moderators.

APTLD88 reinforced the organization’s mission to promote collaboration, governance excellence, and innovation within the regional and global ccTLD community. Looking ahead, APTLD remains committed to empowering its members and advancing ccTLD initiatives throughout the Asia Pacific and surrounding regions.

See the brief wrap-up slides here.