18(a) Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD

Prototypical answer:

The .GENT gTLD is primarily intended to provide the Belgian city of Ghent with a unique, characteristic and clear identity on the Internet. “Gent” is the common name in Dutch ⁄ Flemish for the city of Ghent.Ghent is the official English translation and will be used in this document. Therefore, the .GENT TLD will be considered the key identifier on the Internet, focused on its main target audience, using Dutch ⁄ Flemish as its common language.

The city of Ghent is one of the best-known historic, cultural and industrial cities in Belgium. Gent also has a major harbor, and functions as one of Belgium’s logistical hubs, which makes it a gateway to many Western European countries.

The applicant, Combell Group NV⁄SA, has discussed this initiative with the City Council of Ghent and has received a letter of support from the City Council for this initiative. This letter of support is attached to this application (see answer to Question 21b).

Considering the fact that .GENT is a standard gTLD, no particular restrictions or eligibility conditions will be imposed upon registrants of domain names in this extension. The main audience for this city-TLD is Dutch ⁄ Flemish speaking, but .GENT has the potential to also attract registrants from outside of the city’s borders.

According to the applicant, the objectives of this gTLD will therefore be to:

* promote the City of Ghent’s, as well as its residents’, organizations’ and companies’ identity on the Internet, by providing:

o access to domain name registration systems that support this community; and
o the members of this community with effective means to communicate with each other and other users of the Internet using their own identities, brand names, trademarks, company names, and other identifiers, including domain names linked to the city of Ghent.

* provide for an alternative Internet top-level domain for the people, organizations, companies and government bodies of the city of Ghent;

* promote and operate a regional Internet namespace that has global recognition and helps to promote the city of Ghent, on a local, a national and an international level.

Similar gTLD applications: (0)