The Internet Society joins with the participants at the RIPE 68 meeting this week in celebrating 25 years of successful collaboration and growth for RIPE meetings and the RIPE community. Even before the founding of the Internet Society, in 1992, the very first RIPE meeting was held in May 1989. Over the past 25 years, the RIPE community has exemplified the practical, bottom-up approach that has been a key to the Internet’s success. The RIPE community also fostered the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC)— one of the five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) that are essential components of the Internet ecosystem and a foundation for the smooth operation of the global Internet.
The history of RIPE and the community it brings together demonstrate several aspects and core principles of the Internet’s tremendous success. First, it has grown tremendously. In 1989, 14 people gathered for the first RIPE meeting and this week more than 500 people will attend RIPE 68. Second, RIPE, like the Internet, promotes collaboration, bringing together the technical community and policy makers to promote mutual efforts.
Finally, RIPE has evolved while remaining true to its core mission and principles. The RIPE community initially came together to promote IP networking and to coordinate technical activities among network operators. The agenda of this week’s meeting—with presentations on IPv6 and DNSSEC—demonstrates RIPE’s continued commitment to this mission, even as the underlying technologies and the networks that make up the Internet itself have evolved.
On behalf of the Internet Society, I would like to congratulate the RIPE community on its tremendous success over the past 25 years. We look forward to continued collaboration with them, and with people from around the world who share the vision of an Internet for everyone.
© RIPE