Talk:Wikimedia Community Ireland
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Wikimania 2014
[edit]Hello everyone, I'm one of the members of the group that are hoping to get the Wikimedia Ireland Community moving and shaking this year. I am attending Wikimania in August, as well as volunteering during the event too.
If there are a number of us we could use it as a networking event for the Irish Community to get to know each other and brain storm over future projects. If there are a number of us going we could meet up before or during the event for such discussions over a bite to eat or a drink.
If there is anything else you would like to organise, discuss or propose to do with the Wikimania events, please add it!
If you are thinking of attending or have already signed up, please add your name here:
General questions from the Affiliations Committee (AffCom)
[edit]Greetings, Wikipedians in Ireland, and thank you for applying for recognition as a user group with the Affiliations Committee. :)
Before we proceed to processing your application, I would like to ask a few questions to have all the relevant information in one place (one-two paragraph summaries or links to other pages are fine), which we use to get to know you better and to have a catalogue of all affiliates as we ask all of them a very similar set of questions. These will also be useful if you later decide to apply for chapter or thematic organisation status. Please know, that there are no "expected" or wrong answers, and we will assess your answers as best as we can.
- Who are the people behind this application?
- The working group for the Wikimedia Ireland Community consists of Tóraí, Sabina Bonnici, Shannon Eichelberger, Eugene Eichelberger, RashersTierney, Rebecca O'Neill, Alison Cassidy, Sharon Flynn, Roy Murray
- The working group for the Wikimedia Ireland Community consists of Tóraí, Sabina Bonnici, Shannon Eichelberger, Eugene Eichelberger, RashersTierney, Rebecca O'Neill, Alison Cassidy, Sharon Flynn, Roy Murray
- How many?
- 9
- 9
- How many?
- any active (on local or international level) Wiki[pm]edians? (please provide user names and wiki of origin)
- As listed above.
- As listed above.
- any active (on local or international level) Wiki[pm]edians? (please provide user names and wiki of origin)
- Active in which communities if any?
- Alison Cassidy is an admin on the English language Wikipedia as well as an administrator and bureaucrat on the Irish language Wikipedia and administrator on the Irish Wiktionary. Tóraí is also an admin. Torai, Shannon & Eugene Eichelberger, Rebecca O'Neill, Sharon Flynn, Roy Murray and Sabina Bonnici, are all involved in Wiki Loves Monuments. Rebecca O'Neil, Sharon Flynn, Roy Murray and Sabina Bonnici are involved in organising editathons. Rebecca O'Neill and Sabina Bonnici attended Wikimania London 2014. One of the group will be attending EduWiki in Edinburgh this year. Three of the group are attending Wikimedia UK's Train the Trainer session in Edinburgh. Eugene & Shannon Eichelberger are both involved with Open Knowledge Ireland, Eugene is a Core Team Member. They are also both founders for Code for Dublin. Members are also involved in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ireland/Gaeilge & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ireland.
- Alison Cassidy is an admin on the English language Wikipedia as well as an administrator and bureaucrat on the Irish language Wikipedia and administrator on the Irish Wiktionary. Tóraí is also an admin. Torai, Shannon & Eugene Eichelberger, Rebecca O'Neill, Sharon Flynn, Roy Murray and Sabina Bonnici, are all involved in Wiki Loves Monuments. Rebecca O'Neil, Sharon Flynn, Roy Murray and Sabina Bonnici are involved in organising editathons. Rebecca O'Neill and Sabina Bonnici attended Wikimania London 2014. One of the group will be attending EduWiki in Edinburgh this year. Three of the group are attending Wikimedia UK's Train the Trainer session in Edinburgh. Eugene & Shannon Eichelberger are both involved with Open Knowledge Ireland, Eugene is a Core Team Member. They are also both founders for Code for Dublin. Members are also involved in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ireland/Gaeilge & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ireland.
- Active in which communities if any?
- How are they geographically distributed?
- 6 in Dublin, 1 in Cork, 1 in Galway, 1 in California.
- 6 in Dublin, 1 in Cork, 1 in Galway, 1 in California.
- How are they geographically distributed?
- How many people do you expect will eventually want to join?
- This is difficult to predict. We would like to achieve a core working group of about 15-20 next year. We hope to engage as many active Irish editors as possible (experienced and new) through our activities.
- This is difficult to predict. We would like to achieve a core working group of about 15-20 next year. We hope to engage as many active Irish editors as possible (experienced and new) through our activities.
- How many people do you expect will eventually want to join?
- For the application and final agreement we will require two contact persons that can sign the Wikimedia_User_Group_Agreement on behalf of the group. Who will those be?
- Could you give a short overview of the time path of the founding up to now?
- April 2014: Ireland's first editathon on the Battle of Clontarf took place with support from Wikimedia UK. (This is where most of the current members of the working group first met.) http://1014retold.com/wikipedia-editathon/
- May 2014 onwards: Weekly working group meetings have been held since that editathon to plan and run Wiki Loves Monuments, editathons and editor engagement. The first meeting took place between three attendees of the editathon, which grew rapidly to the 9 listed above.
- August 2014: WikiLoves Monuments was launched in Ireland with support from Wikimedia Foundation, Department of Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht; Office of Public Works, National Heritage Week & The Heritage Council, Open Knowledge Ireland and Dimension Data.
- Also, we would like to note that Tóraí set up the Wikimedia Ireland mailing list in 2009, and that a couple of meet ups have happened during the intervening period between then and the first editathon in 2014, including initial discussions around setting up a chapter.
- April 2014: Ireland's first editathon on the Battle of Clontarf took place with support from Wikimedia UK. (This is where most of the current members of the working group first met.) http://1014retold.com/wikipedia-editathon/
- Have there been any activities/meetings etc. of this group of people?
- The working group meets in Dublin on a weekly basis, and remote participants are invited to Skype in. As well as the initial editathon in April where we met, a public launch event was held in Dublin for Wiki Loves Monuments of which 6 members were present. We are planning another open meetup at the Wiki Loves Monuments awards event in Dublin in early November, along with 2-3 editathons.
- The working group meets in Dublin on a weekly basis, and remote participants are invited to Skype in. As well as the initial editathon in April where we met, a public launch event was held in Dublin for Wiki Loves Monuments of which 6 members were present. We are planning another open meetup at the Wiki Loves Monuments awards event in Dublin in early November, along with 2-3 editathons.
- What kind of activities are planned for the future in the user group?
- Our aim for 2014 is to successfully complete Wiki Loves Monuments, run 2-3 editathons, and follow up on opportunities for engaging with Irish GLAM organisations and institutions, as well as continuing to establish links with government departments and local councils. At the end of 2014 we will review activities and plan for 2015.
- Our aim for 2014 is to successfully complete Wiki Loves Monuments, run 2-3 editathons, and follow up on opportunities for engaging with Irish GLAM organisations and institutions, as well as continuing to establish links with government departments and local councils. At the end of 2014 we will review activities and plan for 2015.
- How can we help you?
- Initially, we would like to be granted official recognition as a user group. Ongoing, we seek guidance on becoming a chapter.
- Initially, we would like to be granted official recognition as a user group. Ongoing, we seek guidance on becoming a chapter.
- What name would you like to use? (There are some templates at Step-by-step_user_group_creation_guide#Naming_of_user_groups.)
Wikimedia Ireland Community User Group- Following feedback from the Applications Committee that the above name is not in keeping with guidelines, the working group met on 13th November to discuss alternatives, and as a result, we would like to propose an adjusted name that is more in keeping with guidelines, but is still reflective of the group and its direction, which is “Wikimedia Community Ireland User Group”. We welcome any thoughts or comments on the proposed name by email to wikimediaireland@gmail.com, or by comment on this page, ideally by Thursday 20th November 2014, which is when we would like to inform the Applications Committee of this new name if there are no objections.
- --Sabbon (talk) 18:46, 13 November 2014 (UTC)
If you guys have more questions, please don't hesitate to ask me, and I would like to wish you all good luck. :) --Sky Harbor (talk) 19:12, 23 September 2014 (UTC)
I have added answers in line with the questions above. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration in reviewing these. -- Sabbon (talk) 20:06, 24 September 2014 (UTC)
Congratulations and welcome!
[edit]Congratulations on your recent recognition as a user group! We wanted to let you know about this tool for Wikimedia organizations (including user groups) that was just recently developed, in case you are interested in participating in the first phase of the project. We are collecting a first round of responses until 21 December: Organizational_effectiveness/Tool. We wanted to let you know about the tool, since as a newer group, we may not have reached out to you yet.
If your group is interested in participating, but has questions, we'd be happy to help you get started. Just contact me on my user page or send me a note at orgeffectiveness at wikimedia dot org. Cheers and welcome, Winifred Olliff (FDC Support Team) talk 01:18, 10 December 2014 (UTC)
Science Photo Competition
[edit]Would Ireland be interested to take part of European Science Photo Competition? It will most likely happen in November. Kruusamägi (talk) 12:18, 25 February 2015 (UTC)
This is a message from the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee. Translations are available.
Greetings,
I am pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections. This year the Board and the FDC Staff are looking for a diverse set of candidates from regions and projects that are traditionally under-represented on the board and in the movement as well as candidates with experience in technology, product or finance. To this end they have published letters describing what they think is needed and, recognizing that those who know the community the best are the community themselves, the election committee is accepting nominations for community members you think should run and will reach out to those nominated to provide them with information about the job and the election process.
This year, elections are being held for the following roles:
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the decision-making body that is ultimately responsible for the long term sustainability of the Foundation, so we value wide input into its selection. There are three positions being filled. More information about this role can be found at the board elections page.
Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC)
The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) makes recommendations about how to allocate Wikimedia movement funds to eligible entities. There are five positions being filled. More information about this role can be found at the FDC elections page.
Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) Ombud
The FDC Ombud receives complaints and feedback about the FDC process, investigates complaints at the request of the Board of Trustees, and summarizes the investigations and feedback for the Board of Trustees on an annual basis. One position is being filled. More information about this role can be found at the FDC Ombudsperson elections page.
The candidacy submission phase lasts from 00:00 UTC April 20 to 23:59 UTC May 5 for the Board and from 00:00 UTCApril 20 to 23:59 UTC April 30 for the FDC and FDC Ombudsperson. This year, we are accepting both self-nominations and nominations of others. More information on this election and the nomination process can be found on the 2015 Wikimedia elections page on Meta-Wiki.
Please feel free to post a note about the election on your project's village pump. Any questions related to the election can be posted on the talk page on Meta, or sent to the election committee's mailing list, board-elections -at- wikimedia.org
On behalf of the Elections Committee,
-Gregory Varnum (User:Varnent)
Coordinator, 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee, 04:56, 21 April 2015 (UTC) • Translate • Get help
This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
The Wikimedia Affiliations Committee is requesting comments on the approval process and agreements for Wikimedia user groups.
Wikimedia user groups are groups of Wikimedia users who support and promote the Wikimedia projects in the offline world by organizing meetups and other projects. The Wikimedia Affiliations Committee's responsibilities include approval of new Wikimedia user groups.
The committee will seek community input until Friday, May 1, 2015. The committee will then review the community's input, and publish the new process and agreements on Meta-Wiki. The committee will again seek community input approximately six months after any changes are adopted to gauge effectiveness and if any additional changes are necessary.
Please see the RFC page on Meta-Wiki for more information and to provide feedback.
Thank you - Wikimedia Affiliations Committee
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 04:26, 24 April 2015 (UTC) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
This is a message from the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee. Translations are available.
Voting has begun for eligible voters in the 2015 elections for the Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) and FDC Ombudsperson. Questions and discussion with the candidates for the Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) and FDC Ombudsperson will continue during the voting. Nominations for the Board of Trustees will be accepted until 23:59 UTC May 5.
The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) makes recommendations about how to allocate Wikimedia movement funds to eligible entities. There are five positions on the committee being filled.
The FDC Ombudsperson receives complaints and feedback about the FDC process, investigates complaints at the request of the Board of Trustees, and summarizes the investigations and feedback for the Board of Trustees on an annual basis. One position is being filled.
The voting phase lasts from 00:00 UTC May 3 to 23:59 UTC May 10. Click here to vote. Questions and discussion with the candidates will continue during that time. Click here to ask the FDC candidates a question. Click here to ask the FDC Ombudsperson candidates a question. More information on the candidates and the elections can be found on the 2015 FDC election page, the 2015 FDC Ombudsperson election page, and the 2015 Board election page on Meta-Wiki.
On behalf of the Elections Committee,
-Gregory Varnum (User:Varnent)
Volunteer Coordinator, 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery 03:40, 4 May 2015 (UTC) • Translate • Get help
This is a message from the 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee. Translations are available.
Voting has begun for eligible voters in the 2015 elections for the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. Questions and discussion with the candidates for the Board will continue during the voting.
The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is the ultimate governing authority of the Wikimedia Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the United States. The Wikimedia Foundation manages many diverse projects such as Wikipedia and Commons.
The voting phase lasts from 00:00 UTC May 17 to 23:59 UTC May 31. Click here to vote. More information on the candidates and the elections can be found on the 2015 Board election page on Meta-Wiki.
On behalf of the Elections Committee,
-Gregory Varnum (User:Varnent)
Volunteer Coordinator, 2015 Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery 17:20, 17 May 2015 (UTC) • Translate • Get help
Wikimania 2015 Report
[edit]I was lucky enough to be able to attend this year's Wikimania in Mexico City through a scholarship, and I thought I would share some of the ideas and projects that might be of interest to the Irish community. I'm personally drawing inspiration from the report by a South African attendee Discott, and on that note I'd like to echo his call for more people to apply for scholarships to attend next year's Wikimania in Italy. Seeing a diverse set of Wikipedians and Wikimedians is one of the greatest reasons for heading to Wikimania, and seeing the smaller groups and countries represented is very important.
My highlights:
- Surveys During the pre-conference on Learning and Evaluation, it occurred to me that we know very little about the average Irish Wikipedian. Inspired by the South African survey and their results, rolling out a similar survey in Ireland could be of use to both identify the interests of the Irish community, but also what projects and initiatives we are all interested in. They got survey participants through their mailing list and through banner ads on Wikipedia. For the Irish perspective, including an Irish language element could give us some indication of potential new contributors to Vicipéid.
- Education extension Once again it was driven home to me that using the Education extension can be vitally important in the overseeing and managing of Wikipedia in the classroom. It can also help to mitigate some of the issues around the reception of new articles by the wider community, and give new student editors extra support.
- Wikipedia Library The possible rolling out of the Wikipedia Library in Ireland, firstly to aggregate freely available resources in Ireland or a "community bookshelf", and then to look for potential partners to engage in the visiting scholars programme.
- Wikipedia turns 15 So Wikipedia will turn 15 early next year - do we want to do anything in Ireland to celebrate it's launch?
- WikiCheese France had a project WikiCheese, which using crowd-funding bought cheese, photographed them and tasted them, ultimately adding the information to Wikipedia. What could Ireland do? We could certainly do a WikiCheese given the craft food community, but maybe WikiWhiskey? What other projects could we create using this as the inspiration?
- Wikimedia Armenia In Armenia, the community are using Wikipedia to preserve endangered languages, might serve as an example for Vicipéid. In Armenia they are also getting younger editors involved by running summer Wikicamps.
- 100wikidays I got to meet a number of my fellow 100wikidays "victims", including patient zero! We could now look to build on this project's success.
- Wiki Loves Earth Seeing any presentation on this competition just makes you want to run it. The Bulgarian community managed to set up this year's competition in 3 days. The international community is excited to hear that Ireland may take part, we would just need a few more volunteers to help make it happen. I have started identifying possible sites here.
- Gender Gap There were many sessions on the Gender Gap on Wikipedia, with some very interesting ideas, such as naming editathons other less competitive names like editona, and new Wikipedia Projects like WikiProject XX, and involving the Irish community to a proposed project to address the visual gender gap by increasing images of women at work.
That might be enough to start with! I'd love to hear your thoughts on these ideas, and see how you think Ireland could use some of these initiatives. Smirkybec (talk) 13:57, 28 July 2015 (UTC)
Wikipedia's 15th birthday - get involved!
[edit]Apologies for cross-posting the below!
The 15th birthday of Wikipedia, and the Wikimedia movement, is coming soon! We’re eager to make plans to celebrate on January 15, 2016.
As a way to kickstart planning around the 15th, there is a page on Meta for Wikipedia 15. Eventually, we plan for the page to have resources including:
- Resources to plan events and meetups locally to celebrate the 15th.
- More information on sharing birthday photos, videos, stories, Wikipedia content, and other media.
- Tips for pitching to local media to cover your event.
Many of the sections on the meta page are blank for now, but we’ll be working with you to add more information to the page over the next few months leading up to the birthday celebration in January. Please feel free to add, edit, and discuss what you’d like to see for Wikipedia’s 15th birthday!
We look forward to celebrating with you!
-for the Wikimedia Foundation Communications team, JSutherland (WMF) (talk) 01:08, 1 October 2015 (UTC)
This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
The Wikimedia Affiliations Committee is pleased to introduce the launch of the Wikimedia Affiliates mailing list, which is basically a place for all the affiliates (chapters, thematic organizations, user groups) to discuss issues related to affiliates, make announcements to other affiliates, and collaborate on activities and community-wide events. The idea is to help facilitate the dialogue affiliates across our movement, plus collaborative discussions like community-wide activities, joint edit-a-thons, regional conferences, blog/report posts, or other communications from affiliates.
Each Wikimedia movement affiliate is allocated three spots on the mailing list. All affiliates may contact the Affiliations Committee to request additional spots if needed.
Please find a bit more information on Meta-Wiki and do not hesitate to contact the Affiliations Committee if you have further questions.
Thank you - Wikimedia Affiliations Committee
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 07:51, 27 October 2015 (UTC) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
Wikipedia 15 has a mark!
[edit]Read this message in other languages
Wikipedia 15 now has a mark! Be sure to check out the “Material” section of the Wikipedia 15 meta page to see the design, and learn about how to use it. This year's mark is meant to be fun, interactive, and infinitely customisable. We can’t wait to see how you and your Wikimedia community use it!
–For the WMF Communications team, Sam Lien and Joe Sutherland 03:03, 4 November 2015 (UTC)
Belfast meetup coming up
[edit]Belfast meetup #1 is scheduled for Saturday November 23rd, 2015. Jodi.a.schneider (talk) 03:58, 4 November 2015 (UTC)
- @Jodi.a.schneider: That page links to a meetup that took place on Saturday 23rd November 2013. I don't know if anything's planned for this month. (I'm not based in Ireland but your comment popped up on my watchlist) Richard Nevell (WMUK) (talk) 16:15, 4 November 2015 (UTC)
- As far as I know there is no Meetup scheduled in Belfast, though we will be co-hosting an event with PRONI in February 2016. So keep an eye out here for information on that! Sameichel (talk) 13:34, 16 November 2015 (UTC)
- Oops! Thanks! :) Jodi.a.schneider (talk) 00:16, 2 December 2015 (UTC)
- As far as I know there is no Meetup scheduled in Belfast, though we will be co-hosting an event with PRONI in February 2016. So keep an eye out here for information on that! Sameichel (talk) 13:34, 16 November 2015 (UTC)
This is a message regarding the proposed 2015 Free Bassel banner. Translations are available.
Hi everyone,
This is to inform all Wikimedia contributors that a straw poll seeking your involvement has just been started on Meta-Wiki.
As some of your might be aware, a small group of Wikimedia volunteers have proposed a banner campaign informing Wikipedia readers about the urgent situation of our fellow Wikipedian, open source software developer and Creative Commons activist, Bassel Khartabil. An exemplary banner and an explanatory page have now been prepared, and translated into about half a dozen languages by volunteer translators.
We are seeking your involvement to decide if the global Wikimedia community approves starting a banner campaign asking Wikipedia readers to call on the Syrian government to release Bassel from prison. We understand that a campaign like this would be unprecedented in Wikipedia's history, which is why we're seeking the widest possible consensus among the community.
Given Bassel's urgent situation and the resulting tight schedule, we ask everyone to get involved with the poll and the discussion to the widest possible extent, and to promote it among your communities as soon as possible.
(Apologies for writing in English; please kindly translate this message into your own language.)
Thank you for your participation!
Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery 21:46, 25 November 2015 (UTC) • Translate • Get help
This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and advise the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of twelve members, six of whom are selected every twelve months for staggered two-year terms.
- Key skills
Being a part of the Affiliations Committee requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We try to get a healthy mix of different skill sets in our members. The key skills and experience that we look for in candidates are:
- Excitement by the challenge of helping to empower groups of volunteers worldwide.
- Willingness to process applications through a set, perhaps bureaucratic process.
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliations, and similar questions.
- Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly ~2 hour voice/video meeting.
- International orientation.
- Very good communication skills in English.
- Ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
- Strong understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the WMF.
- Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organising are a plus.
- Effective communication skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Experience with or in an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
We are looking for people who are not afraid of the workload and are motivated by helping other volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world.
- Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2015 member selection process will include a public review and comment period. All applications received by the committee will be posted on Meta (at Affiliations Committee/Candidates/2015), and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.
At the end of the public comment period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee who are not seeking re-election, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, WMF staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made by mid-January 2016, with new members expected to join later that month.
- How to apply
If you are interested in joining the committee, please send an application to affcom@lists.wikimedia.org by 31 December 2015. You will get a confirmation that your application was received.
Your application should include the following:
- Your full name
- Your contact information (including e-mail address and username)
- A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee.
Your statement will be published for community review and feedback, so please do not include any information that you are not comfortable sharing.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
Best regards,
Carlos Colina
Chair, Affiliations Committee
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 16:53, 9 December 2015 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
This is a message from the Wikimedia Foundation. Translations are available.
As many of you know, January 15 is Wikipedia’s 15th Birthday!
People around the world are getting involved in the celebration and have started adding their events on Meta Page. While we are celebrating Wikipedia's birthday, we hope that all projects and affiliates will be able to utilize this celebration to raise awareness of our community's efforts.
Haven’t started planning? Don’t worry, there’s lots of ways to get involved. Here are some ideas:
- Join/host an event. We already have more than 80, and hope to have many more.
- Talk to local press. In the past 15 years, Wikipedia has accomplished extraordinary things. We’ve made a handy summary of milestones and encourage you to add your own. More resources, including a press release template and resources on working with the media, are also available.
- Design a Wikipedia 15 logo. In place of a single icon for Wikipedia 15, we’re making dozens. Add your own with something fun and representative of your community. Just use the visual guide so they share a common sensibility.
- Share a message on social media. Tell the world what Wikipedia means to you, and add #wikipedia15 to the post. We might re-tweet or share your message!
Everything is linked on the Wikipedia 15 Meta page. You’ll find a set of ten data visualization works that you can show at your events, and a list of all the Wikipedia 15 logos that community members have already designed.
If you have any questions, please contact Zachary McCune or Joe Sutherland.
Thanks and Happy nearly Wikipedia 15!
-The Wikimedia Foundation Communications team
Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery, 20:53, 18 December 2015 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Help
15 Jan 2017
[edit]The day is a Sunday and apparently it's the WikiBirthday. I was wondering if anyone in the region of Cork - or willing to be in the region of Cork (city) - would like to get together for Wiki themed coffee (or tea/chocolate/hot drinks/cold drinks) and plotting?-Antiqueight (talk) 01:50, 13 December 2016 (UTC)
De-Recognition of Affiliates with Long-standing Non-Compliance
[edit]This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
Recognition as a Wikimedia affiliate - a chapter, thematic organization, or user group - is a privilege that allows an independent group to officially use the Wikimedia name to further the Wikimedia mission. While most Wikimedia affiliates adhere to the basic compliance standards set forth in their agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation, a protocol has been developed to address the exceptional cases when a Wikimedia affiliate does not meet basic compliance standards and their continued recognition as a Wikimedia affiliate presents a risk to the Wikimedia movement.
In the past year, the Affiliations Committee - with support from Wikimedia Foundation staff - has made a concerted effort to address a handful of chapters with long-standing issues of non-compliance. As a result, in the coming days and months, a small number of chapters that have been unable to return to compliance through their efforts in the past year will not have their chapter agreements renewed. As a consequence, these organizations will no longer have the additional rights to use the Wikimedia trademarks, including the Wikimedia name, that had been granted under those agreements.
If you have questions about what this means for community members in the affected affiliates’ region or language areas, we have put together a basic FAQ. The FAQ talk page is available for additional questions and comments, and the Affiliations Committee is happy to answer questions directly.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 15:54, 13 February 2017 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
Review of initial updates on Wikimedia movement strategy process
[edit]Note: Apologies for cross-posting and sending in English. Message is available for translation on Meta-Wiki.
The Wikimedia movement is beginning a movement-wide strategy discussion, a process which will run throughout 2017. For 15 years, Wikimedians have worked together to build the largest free knowledge resource in human history. During this time, we've grown from a small group of editors to a diverse network of editors, developers, affiliates, readers, donors, and partners. Today, we are more than a group of websites. We are a movement rooted in values and a powerful vision: all knowledge for all people. As a movement, we have an opportunity to decide where we go from here.
This movement strategy discussion will focus on the future of our movement: where we want to go together, and what we want to achieve. We hope to design an inclusive process that makes space for everyone: editors, community leaders, affiliates, developers, readers, donors, technology platforms, institutional partners, and people we have yet to reach. There will be multiple ways to participate including on-wiki, in private spaces, and in-person meetings. You are warmly invited to join and make your voice heard.
The immediate goal is to have a strategic direction by Wikimania 2017 to help frame a discussion on how we work together toward that strategic direction.
Regular updates are being sent to the Wikimedia-l mailing list, and posted on Meta-Wiki. Beginning with this message, monthly reviews of these updates will be sent to this page as well. Sign up to receive future announcements and monthly highlights of strategy updates on your user talk page.
Here is a review of the updates that have been sent so far:
- Update 1 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (15 December 2016)
- Introduction to process and information about budget spending resolution to support it
- Update 2 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (23 December 2016)
- Start of search for Lead Architect for movement strategy process
- Update 3 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (8 January 2017)
- Plans for strategy sessions at upcoming Wikimedia Conference 2017
- Update 4 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (11 January 2017)
- Introduction of williamsworks
- Update 5 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (2 February 2017)
- The core movement strategy team, team tracks being developed, introduction of the Community Process Steering Committee, discussions at WikiIndaba conference 2017 and the Wikimedia movement affiliates executive directors gathering in Switzerland
- Update 6 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (10 February 2017)
- Tracks A & B process prototypes and providing feedback, updates on development of all four Tracks
More information about the movement strategy is available on the Meta-Wiki 2017 Wikimedia movement strategy portal.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation, 20:27, 15 February 2017 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Get help
Overview #2 of updates on Wikimedia movement strategy process
[edit]Note: Apologies for cross-posting and sending in English. This message is available for translation on Meta-Wiki.
As we mentioned last month, the Wikimedia movement is beginning a movement-wide strategy discussion, a process which will run throughout 2017. This movement strategy discussion will focus on the future of our movement: where we want to go together, and what we want to achieve.
Regular updates are being sent to the Wikimedia-l mailing list, and posted on Meta-Wiki. Each month, we are sending overviews of these updates to this page as well. Sign up to receive future announcements and monthly highlights of strategy updates on your user talk page.
Here is a overview of the updates that have been sent since our message last month:
- Update 7 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (16 February 2017)
- Development of documentation for Tracks A & B
- Update 8 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (24 February 2017)
- Introduction of Track Leads for all four audience tracks
- Update 9 on Wikimedia movement strategy process (2 March 2017)
- Seeking feedback on documents being used to help facilitate upcoming community discussions
More information about the movement strategy is available on the Meta-Wiki 2017 Wikimedia movement strategy portal.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation, 19:42, 9 March 2017 (UTC) • Please help translate to your language • Get help
We invite you to join the movement strategy conversation (now through April 15)
[edit]- This message, "We invite you to join the movement strategy conversation (now through April 15)", was sent through multiple channels by Gregory Varnum on 15 and 16 of March 2017 to village pumps, affiliate talk pages, movement mailing lists, and MassMessage groups. A similar message was sent by Nicole Ebber to organized groups and their mailing lists on 15 of March 2017. This version of the message is available for translation and documentation purposes
Dear Wikimedians/Wikipedians:
Today we are starting a broad discussion to define Wikimedia's future role in the world and develop a collaborative strategy to fulfill that role. You are warmly invited to join the conversation.
There are many ways to participate, by joining an existing conversation or starting your own:
Track A (organized groups): Discussions with your affiliate, committee or other organized group (these are groups that support the Wikimedia movement).
Track B (individual contributors): On Meta or your local language or project wiki.
This is the first of three conversations, and it will run between now and April 15. The purpose of cycle 1 is to discuss the future of the movement and generate major themes around potential directions. What do we want to build or achieve together over the next 15 years?
We welcome you, as we create this conversation together, and look forward to broad and diverse participation from all parts of our movement.
- Find out more about the movement strategy process
- Learn more about volunteering to be a Discussion Coordinator
Sincerely,
Nicole Ebber (Track A Lead), Jaime Anstee (Track B Lead), & the engagement support teams05:00, 18 March 2017 (UTC)
Please accept our apologies for cross-posting this message. This message is available for translation on Meta-Wiki.
On behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee, I am pleased to announce that self-nominations are being accepted for the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees Elections.
The Board of Trustees (Board) is the decision-making body that is ultimately responsible for the long-term sustainability of the Wikimedia Foundation, so we value wide input into its selection. More information about this role can be found on Meta-Wiki. Please read the letter from the Board of Trustees calling for candidates.
The candidacy submission phase will last from April 7 (00:00 UTC) to April 20 (23:59 UTC).
We will also be accepting questions to ask the candidates from April 7 to April 20. You can submit your questions on Meta-Wiki.
Once the questions submission period has ended on April 20, the Elections Committee will then collate the questions for the candidates to respond to beginning on April 21.
The goal of this process is to fill the three community-selected seats on the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. The election results will be used by the Board itself to select its new members.
The full schedule for the Board elections is as follows. All dates are inclusive, that is, from the beginning of the first day (UTC) to the end of the last.
- April 7 (00:00 UTC) – April 20 (23:59 UTC) – Board nominations
- April 7 – April 20 – Board candidates questions submission period
- April 21 – April 30 – Board candidates answer questions
- May 1 – May 14 – Board voting period
- May 15–19 – Board vote checking
- May 20 – Board result announcement goal
In addition to the Board elections, we will also soon be holding elections for the following roles:
- Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC)
- There are five positions being filled. More information about this election will be available on Meta-Wiki.
- Funds Dissemination Committee Ombudsperson (Ombuds)
- One position is being filled. More information about this election will be available on Meta-Wiki.
Please note that this year the Board of Trustees elections will be held before the FDC and Ombuds elections. Candidates who are not elected to the Board are explicitly permitted and encouraged to submit themselves as candidates to the FDC or Ombuds positions after the results of the Board elections are announced.
More information on this year's elections can be found on Meta-Wiki. Any questions related to the election can be posted on the election talk page on Meta-Wiki, or sent to the election committee's mailing list, board-electionswikimedia.org.
On behalf of the Election Committee,
Katie Chan, Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Joe Sutherland, Community Advocate, Wikimedia Foundation
Voting has begun for eligible voters in the 2017 elections for the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees.
The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is the ultimate governing authority of the Wikimedia Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the United States. The Wikimedia Foundation manages many diverse projects such as Wikipedia and Commons.
The voting phase lasts from 00:00 UTC May 1 to 23:59 UTC May 14. Click here to vote. More information on the candidates and the elections can be found on the 2017 Board of Trustees election page on Meta-Wiki.
On behalf of the Elections Committee,
Katie Chan, Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Joe Sutherland, Community Advocate, Wikimedia Foundation
19:02, 3 May 2017 (UTC)
The Wikimedia movement strategy core team and working groups have completed reviewing the more than 1800 thematic statements we received from the first discussion. They have identified 5 themes that were consistent across all the conversations - each with their own set of sub-themes. These are not the final themes, just an initial working draft of the core concepts.
You are invited to join the online and offline discussions taking place on these 5 themes. This round of discussions will take place between now and June 12th. You can discuss as many as you like; we ask you to participate in the ones that are most (or least) important to you.
Here are the five themes, each has a page on Meta-Wiki with more information about the theme and how to participate in that theme's discussion:
- Healthy, Inclusive Communities
- The Augmented Age
- A Truly Global Movement
- The Most Respected Source of Knowledge
- Engaging in the Knowledge Ecosystem
On the movement strategy portal on Meta-Wiki, you can find more information about each of these themes, their discussions, and how to participate.
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation • Please help translate to your language • Get help19:24, 16 May 2017 (UTC)
On behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee, we are pleased to announce that self-nominations are being accepted for the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation Funds Dissemination Committee and Funds Dissemination Committee Ombudsperson elections. Please read the letter from the Wikimedia Foundation calling for candidates at on the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation elections portal.
Funds Dissemination Committee
The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) makes recommendations about how to allocate Wikimedia movement funds to eligible entities. There are five positions being filled. More information about this role can be found at the FDC elections page.
Funds Dissemination Committee Ombudsperson
The Funds Dissemination Committee Ombudsperson receives complaints and feedback about the FDC process, investigates complaints at the request of the Board of Trustees, and summarizes the investigations and feedback for the Board of Trustees on an annual basis. One position is being filled. More information about this role can be found at the FDC Ombudsperson elections page.
The candidacy submission phase will last until May 28 (23:59 UTC).
We will also be accepting questions to ask the candidates until May 28. You can submit your questions on Meta-Wiki. Once the questions submission period has ended on May 28, the Elections Committee will then collate the questions for the candidates to respond to.
The goal of this process is to fill the five community-selected seats on the Wikimedia Foundation Funds Dissemination Committee and the community-selected ombudsperson. The election results will be used by the Board itself to make the appointments.
The full schedule for the FDC elections is as follows. All dates are inclusive, that is, from the beginning of the first day (UTC) to the end of the last.
- May 15 (00:00 UTC) – May 28 (23:59 UTC) – Nominations
- May 15 – May 28 – Candidates questions submission period
- May 29 – June 2 – Candidates answer questions
- June 3 – June 11 – Voting period
- June 12–14 – Vote checking
- June 15 – Goal date for announcing election results
More information on this year's elections can be found at the 2017 Wikimedia Foundation elections portal.
Please feel free to post a note about the election on your project's village pump. Any questions related to the election can be posted on the talk page on Meta-Wiki, or sent to the election committee's mailing list, board-electionswikimedia.org.
On behalf of the Election Committee,
Katie Chan, Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Elections Committee
Joe Sutherland, Community Advocate, Wikimedia Foundation
21:03, 23 May 2017 (UTC)
Learning Quarterly: October 2017
[edit]L&E Newsletter / Volume 4 / Issue 14 / October 2017
Learning Quarterly
Frontpage:
#Learning Days
#CEInsightsReport
Stay tuned
blogs, events
& more!
Leave your mark on Meta!
New AffCom corner, plus learning patterns you can contribute to.
User group for Military Historians
[edit]Greetings,
"Military history" is one of the most important subjects when we speak of sum of all human knowledge. To support contributors interested in the area over various language Wikipedias, we intend to form a user group. It also provides a platform to share the best practices between military historians, and various military related projects on Wikipedias. An initial discussion was has been done between the coordinators and members of WikiProject Military History on English Wikipedia. Now this discussion has been taken to Meta-Wiki. Contributors intrested in the area of military history are requested to share their feedback and give suggestions at Talk:Discussion to incubate a user group for Wikipedia Military Historians. Please spread the message to your members and Wikimedia volunteers within your scope.
Regards, Krishna Chaitanya Velaga (talk — mail) 07:12, 23 December 2017 (UTC)
Inviting you to participate in the women editing contest "The women you have never met"
[edit]Dear Wikimedia Community Ireland!
Hope this message finds you all well :) On behalf of Iberocoop network I want to invite you to be part of the women editing contest we are organizing along with many other chapters and user groups in the movement. You are doing an excellent work on your local context and we will be so pleased to have you on board. In this very early stage, we are asking the organizations to add their interest in the following meta page Hope to see you there soon! Hugs----Anna Torres (WMAR) --Anna Torres (WMAR) (talk) 15:31, 25 January 2018 (UTC)
Learning Quarterly: January 2018
[edit]L&E Newsletter / Volume 5 / Issue 15 / January 2018
Learning Quarterly
Frontpage:
#LeadershipDevelopment
#CaseStudies
Stay tuned
blogs, events
& more!
Leave your mark on Meta!
Inspire New Readers campaign, and AffCom elections
Share your feedback in this global Wikimedia survey
[edit]Dear Wikimedia Affiliates,
My name is María Cruz and I work for the Wikimedia Foundation on the Learning and Evaluation team. In one week or so, the Foundation is starting a global survey to learn about the experiences and feedback of Wikimedians. I am writing here, because I wanted to share with you a bit more about the project.
The survey is called "Wikimedia Communities and Contributors" and is conducted annually. We will send the survey to editors across all the Wikimedia projects, as well as Wikimedia affiliates and volunteer developers. This survey is going to be our way of making sure that we can hear feedback from a significant number of users from across the projects. This research supports editors and Wikipedia’s mission. This is our second annual CE Insights survey, and we look forward to improving it every year.
We will be contacting 2 people from each affiliate, based on the primary contact information that we have. Each affiliate will receive an additional third link which they can distribute to any leader in their chapter or user group.
Go to the project page to see the results of last year’s survey, and to see how your feedback helps the Wikimedia Foundation support communities. You can sign up to be notified about the results of the survey, or to learn how you can help with planning the survey next year.
If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please feel free to send them to Edward Galvez's talk page on Meta-Wiki or email him directly at surveyswikimedia · org in any language. You can learn more about this project and read about frequently asked questions. You can also share your feedback on Meta-Wiki.
Thank you for your time supporting this project!
María Cruz
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 23:42, 19 March 2018 (UTC)
Learning Quarterly: June 2018
[edit]L&E Newsletter / Volume 5 / Issue 16 / June 2018
Learning Quarterly
Frontpage:
#WikiWomen
#WikiEduAsia
Stay tuned
blogs, events
& more!
Leave your mark on Meta!
Inspire New Readers campaign, and AffCom elections
Learning Quarterly: November 2018
[edit]L&E Newsletter / Volume 5 / Issue 17 / November 2018
Learning Quarterly
Frontpage:
#CEInsights18
#GenderEquity
Stay tuned
blogs, events
& more!
Leave your mark on Meta!
AffCom corner and Wikimania Poster session
This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee.
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and advise the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee can include up to fifteen members, roughly half of whom are selected every twelve months for staggered two-year terms. Those joining the committee during the current process will serve a two-year term ending in December 2020.
- Key skills
Being a part of the Affiliations Committee requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a healthy mix of different skill sets in our members, including the following key skills and experience:
- Willingness to process applications through a set, perhaps bureaucratic process.
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly two-hour voice/video meeting.
- International orientation.
- Fluency in English.
- Ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
- Strong understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organizing are a plus.
- Skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Experience with or in an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration (such as evidenced skills at facilitation, mediation, negotiation, and so forth) are a major plus.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
We are looking for people who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee members selected will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
- Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2018 member selection process will include a public review and comment period. All applications received by the committee will be posted on Meta at Affiliations Committee/Candidates/December 2018, and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.
At the end of the public comment period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee who are not seeking re-election, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made by mid-January 2019, with new members expected to join later that month.
- How to apply
If you are interested in joining the committee, please post your application on the nomination page and send an email announcing your application to affcom@lists.wikimedia.org by 31 December 2018. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee.
- Answers to the following three questions:
- How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?
- What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years?
- What do you feel you will bring to the committee that makes you a uniquely qualified candidate?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
Best regards,
Kirill Lokshin
Chair, Affiliations Committee
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 06:25, 17 December 2018 (UTC)
New Affiliations Committee appointments
[edit]AffCom is excited to share with you the news that the Wikimedia Foundation Board has unanimously approved the changes to the Bylaws during the last Board meeting on January 30, 2019.
This change allows the participation of User Groups in the Affiliate-selected Board seats (ASBS) 2019 process.
To read the Board's announcement, please click here
--MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 14:45, 21 February 2019 (UTC)
Help us make Wikipedia talk pages more accessible to more participants
[edit]Hello!
Our team at the Wikimedia Foundation is working on a project to improve the ease-of-use and productivity of wiki talk pages. As an affiliate, I can imagine you’ve run into challenges explaining talk pages to first-time participants, or it is an consultation that would interest your members.
We want all contributors to be able to talk to each other on the wikis – to ask questions, to resolve differences, to organize projects and to make decisions. Communication is essential for the depth and quality of our content, and the health of our communities.
We're currently leading a global consultation on how to improve talk pages, and we're looking for groups that can discuss and report on their experiences using (or helping other people to use) wiki talk pages. We'd like to invite you to participate, with the user groups that you belong to. You can learn more about the consultation at Mediawiki.org and if you're interested in hosting a group discussion (on-wiki or off-wiki), you can sign up at the participant sign-up group.
If you’d like to participate or if you have any questions, please contact us and let us know. The more people participate from many horizons, the better the outcome will be.
Thank you! Trizek (WMF) 15:29, 8 March 2019 (UTC)
Call for complementary facilitators and more to get the ASBS 2019 process started!
[edit]Hi everyone, hope all is fine with you!
The next weeks will be intense, as affiliates figure out their participation in the process that will soon select 2 people for the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. Since new Bylaws established that the user groups are for the first time going to be involved in such process, a lot more support than before is certainly going to be necessary, among other things, for big and healthy conversations on the topic. Hence, please encourage members of your group to become a complementary facilitator, or sign up yourself! You can add yourself to the list on Meta or reply to me to flag availability. One person from the facilitators group should soon be selected to liaise with the Foundation Board’s Chair, María Sefidari, on behalf of all affiliates, and it may be wise to also find a deputy for them.
Finally, if you can think of any huge obstacles that would prevent your group from participating to the process (for instance, a language barrier, or lack of good decision-making mechanisms, etc.), please reach out to me directly: it is really important that we hear about them as early as possible. Thank you! Elitre (WMF) 15:23, 12 March 2019 (UTC)
Update on the Affiliate-selected Board seats 2019 process
[edit]Hi all,
The Election Facilitators met on Friday, April 5. We finalized the resolution, which is now frozen. The Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation will be asked to approve the resolution.
We have made two small changes to be more inclusive. We extended the date for compliance with AffCom reporting and being in good standing to May 7 to allow time for as many Affiliates as possible to be current with these requirements. The Election Facilitators adjusted the language in case a quorum is not met during the election.
On the talk page of the resolution one issue was raised. The issue looks like to be about a possible candidate. Affiliates will have ample time to discuss the merits of candidates during nomination time, screening time, and they can cast their votes on candidates. The Election Facilitators didn't see the necessity for this change, and left the resolution on this point unchanged.
The Election Facilitators will be Abhinav Srivastava, Lane Rasberry, Jeffrey Keefer, Ad Huikeshoven, Neal McBurnett and Alessandro Marchetti. We will welcome more volunteers to assist us in this process, to reach out to the diversity in language and gender in our communities, and do so in an advisory role.
The nomination period opens on April 15. We are going to prepare nomination pages on Meta. You can expect a call for nominations. There is a draft call, including a candidates' profile section with non-binding guidelines about experience and characteristics for nominees. You are welcome to add your insights, or discuss on the talk page.
Erica Litrenta (WMF staff) supports us in this process. She will reach out to all affiliates through mail and other channels to make sure we are up to date with (user)name and contact details of your primary contact.
On behalf of the Election Facilitators, Ad Huikeshoven 10:52, 6 April 2019 (UTC)
Update about the Affiliate-selected Board seats process 2019
[edit]Hello everyone!
- The Resolution has been approved by the Board of Trustees;
- Nominations phase is now open, from April 15 00:00 UTC to April 30 23:59 UTC. See the Call for Candidates and Nominations pages;
- Community members may ask questions of the candidates;
- Your main representative has just received an email to confirm that they are indeed the primary contact and will perform official actions on behalf of your group (such as endorsing candidates and then voting). Some groups also need to verify their eligibility status in due time, as explained in the email;
- New content is available to spread awareness around the process - the infographic on this page has clickable links and can be translated, and a primer is available, that we hope will be particularly helpful to those new to such a process;
- Finally, you are welcome to help with translations! Pick one page from the ASBS category and, in the next couple of weeks, please consider translating profiles of the candidates in particular.
Thanks for your attention! The Facilitators for ASBS 2019, 07:33, 15 April 2019 (UTC)
Affiliate-selected Board seats 2019 process: your representative
[edit]Hello. The name of the only person who will vote on behalf of this group to select the next two Board members is now at m:Affiliate-selected Board seats/2019/Eligible entities. Please contact me directly as soon as possible if you need any kind of corrections there. There's only a few hours left to endorse candidates, and only the official voter can do that. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you that you can make a difference with the necessary translations.
Appreciate your attention and your support so far! Thank you! Elitre (WMF) and Facilitators of ASBS 2019, 12:15, 29 April 2019 (UTC)
Upcoming 2019 Affiliate-selected trustee position on the Board of Wikimedia Foundation
[edit]Greetings Wikimedia Community Ireland,
My name is Gerald Shields, also known as user:Geraldshields11. I am asking for your top rank vote for me in the election for one of two open trustee positions on the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees.
I am asking for your vote to help support emerging communities and promote an inclusive education environment on all wiki projects. Also, I plan to promote various other issues as I mention in my statement and answers to various questions. I ask that you show your support for the issues that need to be address by voting for me as one of your preferences.
My candidacy information page is Affiliate-selected Board seats/2019/Nominations/Gerald Shields on Meta or can be found at Gerald Shields candidate. I have responded to the “Questions for all candidates - Questions for this individual candidate that do not apply to other candidates”. My answers give more details on why your affiliate should vote for me.
Thank you for your time, discussion, and consideration of my candidacy. I appreciate it.
My best regards,
Gerald Shields
Geraldshields11 (talk) 02:29, 8 May 2019 (UTC)
- Thank you for your organization's involvement during the 2019 trustee election. I look forward to working with the new trustees. Geraldshields11 (talk) 16:32, 18 June 2019 (UTC)
Introducing Wikimedia Space: A platform for movement news and organizations
[edit]Hi Wikimedia Community Ireland,
I’m writing to let you know that the Community Engagement department [1]at the Wikimedia Foundation is launching a new platform, Wikimedia Space. Here, you will find stories for and by contributors to the Wikimedia movement, and a space for discussions of different topics.
We know that finding information about Wikimedia activities and processes is very complicated, which makes the learning curve to enter our movement and be successful afterwards, really steep. By centralizing community stories and conversations in one shared space, we believe we are facilitating access and discoverability of topics across the movement, improving, in turn, connections among Wikimedians.
As an affiliated organization to the Wikimedia Foundation, we hope that you can share this platform with your local community, and we count on you to encourage them to add their voices. If you’d like to contribute stories, and overall, participate in the discussion section, please read our blogging guidelines and our code of conduct and join the conversation. Find more information about the project on its page on Meta.
Looking forward to seeing you at Wikimedia Space,
María Cruz, Communications and Outreach Manager, Wikimedia Foundation.
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 17:53, 25 June 2019 (UTC)
- References
Introducing Wikimedia Diary: A memory book (notebook) for all
[edit]Wikimedia Diary
| ||
Hello Wikimedia Community Ireland, I wanna share you about Wikimedia Diary, a public memory book (notebook) in which Wikimedians from all over the world are free to write any worth noting event/activities/experiences by them or community in this Wiki world. It is a more casual place to write about what one is up to.
As we all know, a diary is a book in which diarist keeps a daily record of events and experiences. Likewise, the basic idea of Wikimedia Diary is that we do many activities here in wiki world which we are proud of, but unfortunately it became only the history anytime. So, It is meant to record those activities on the happened date with a signature (~~~~) which is worth noting, and letting fellow Wikimedians know about what inspirational you've did. It would motivate users from all around the world to keep on cool activities and publish a note. I hope you share your activities with all of us on the page, and please let your friends know about Wikimedia Diary. Also, your feedback is welcome on the discussion page. Thank you! |
The Affiliations Committee (AffCom) – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and update the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees as well as advise them on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of fourteen members, selected every twelve months for staggered two-year terms. Those joining the committee during the current process will serve a two-year term ending in December 2021.
AffCom continues to closely monitor the Wikimedia 2030 Strategy process that was initiated in 2016. While the affiliation models continue to be discussed as part of the broader strategy discussion, as no decisions have been made to change the current affiliation models yet, AffCom will continue to work in the same manner with regard to affiliate recognitions and intervention support for affiliates with issues of non-compliance in 2020. Specifically, AffCom will continue to process applications for user group and chapter/thematic organization creation, while we await the strategy next steps and begin to prepare for a smooth transition of the committee and affiliates ecosystem to any changing movement structures and systems in 2021.
Being a part of the Affiliations Committee requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a healthy mix of different skill sets in our members.
Required and Recommended Skills for Affiliations Committee Members
[edit]Across all committee members there are additional relevant skills as well as requirements which help to support the committee and its sustainability which include both required and relevant general skills
Required Skills
[edit]- Fluency in English
- Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration
- International orientation
Relevant Skills
[edit]- Skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Public Communications (English writing and speaking skills)
- Strong understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Documentation practices
- Interviewing experience
- Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organizing are a plus
- Experience with, or in, an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Teamwork
- Focusing on shared goals instead of disagreements
- Focusing on the conflict at hand and not past ones
- Ensuring each member of the team has a clearly defined role, which can help reduce disagreements over areas of responsibility
- Project and people management to coordinate different parties on a shared plan and seeing it through to completion.
- Problem-Solving
- Ability to evaluate various solutions
- Ability to consider multiple interests and points of view
- Willingness to revisit unresolved issues
- The capacity to recognize and respond to important matters
- The ability to seek compromise and avoid punishing
- Ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
Given the expectations for maintaining course in 2020 and preparing for potential 2021 transitions, it is important that we are also clear about two different skill sets critical to committee support at this time. The first skillset is oriented to understanding affiliate dynamics and organizational development patterns to successfully process affiliate applications for recognition; the other is oriented to conflict prevention and intervention support for affiliates in conflict.
Affiliate Recognitions Relevant Skills
[edit]- Administration
- Willingness to process applications through a set, perhaps bureaucratic process.
- Attention to detail
- Monitoring & Strategic Development
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Organizational Awareness
- Understanding of and community building and organizational development
- Understanding of group dynamics
- Awareness of the affiliates ecosystem and models
Conflict Prevention & Intervention Relevant Skills
[edit]- Communication
- Active listening
- Reading nonverbal cues
- Knowing when to interrupt and when to stay quiet
- Being culturally sensitive at the same time remaining clear and concise when explaining a concept or opinion
- Stress Management
- Patience
- Positivity
- Ability to inject a dose of humor to dilute anger and frustration when needed
- Taking well-timed breaks that can bring calm in the midst of flared tempers
- Ability to manage stress while remaining alert and calm
- Emotional Intelligence
- Being emotionally aware,
- Ability to control emotions and behaviors,
- Ability to practice empathy,
- Impartiality,
- Don’t take anything personally,
- Being aware of and respectful of differences.
- Facilitation skills
- Meeting facilitation experience
- Peer or community mediation training
- Peer or community mediation experience
Do you have any of these skill sets and an interest to support movement affiliates?
We are looking for people who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee members selected will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
Selection process
[edit]As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2019 member selection process will include a public review and comment period. We invite you to share with us you applications, specifying your focus area you’re interested in. All applications received by the committee will be posted on Meta, and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.
At the end of the public comment period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee who are not seeking re-election, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made by mid-January 2020, with new members expected to join later that month.
How to apply
[edit]If you are interested in joining the committee, please post your application on the nomination page and send an email announcing your application to AffComlists.wikimedia.org by 10 January 2020. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee.
- Answers to the following questions:
- How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?
- What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years?
- What do you feel you will bring to the committee that makes you uniquely qualified?
- Which subcommittee are you most interested in serving on: Recognitions OR Conflict Prevention & Intervention?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
On behalf of the committee,
Camelia Boban, AffCom member
Invitation to participate in Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos
[edit]Dear Wikimedia Affiliate Community,
We are inviting you to participate in Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos (WPWP), a new global contest scheduled to run from July through August 2020:
Participants will choose among Wikipedia pages without photo images, then add a suitable file from among the many thousands of photos in the Wikimedia Commons, especially those uploaded from thematic contests (Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Folklore, etc.) over the years.
WPWP offers a focused task for guiding new editors through the steps of adding content to existing pages. It can be used to organize editing workshops and edit-a-thons.
The organizing team is looking for a contact person at the Chapter, Thematic group & Wikimedia User Group level (geographically or thematically), or for a language WP, to coordinate the project locally. We’d be glad for you to sign up directly at WPWP Participating Communities
Thank you,
Deborah Schwartz Jacobs
On behalf of Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos Organizing Team - 21:19, 9 May 2020 (UTC)
Hi everyone,
The Affiliations Committee (AffCom) – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing and sustaining Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is seeking new members!
The main role of the AffCom is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and update the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees as well as advise them on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of five to fifteen members, selected at least once every year, to serve two-year terms. As the committee must hold mid-year elections to replenish its members at this time, those joining the committee during the current process will serve a slightly extended term from July 2020 through December 2022.
AffCom continues to closely monitor the Wikimedia 2030 Strategy process initiated in 2016. While the affiliation models continue to be discussed as part of the broader strategy discussion, as no decisions have been made to change the current affiliation models yet, AffCom continues to work in the same manner with regard to affiliate recognitions and intervention support for affiliates with issues of non-compliance in 2020. AffCom continues to process applications for user group and chapter/thematic organization creation, while we await the strategy next steps and begin to prepare for a smooth transition of the committee and affiliates ecosystem to any changing movement structures and systems in 2021.
Being a part of the AffCom requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a mix of different skill sets in our members.
Click here for further details.
James Heilman on behalf of AffCom
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 06:18, 13 June 2020 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee elections announcement June 2020
[edit]Hi everyone,
This is a friendly reminder that the Affiliations Committee (AffCom) – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing and sustaining Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is seeking new members! The deadline to post your application on the nomination page is 30 June 2020.
- Application process: Considering the anticipated changes following the Strategy recommendations, we had a limited scope to introduce changes in the process. We have made a small but impactful addition to the application process by introducing the Self Assessment survey form which will help the committee know more about your engagement as endorsements are not consistently shared, may not be representative, and often do not speak to the specific skills needed.
- Selection process: No change; see: Membership.
If you have any questions, please contact me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to answer questions about our work if this helps people decide to apply. Please distribute this announcement among your networks. Good luck to all the candidates!
On behalf of the committee,
--Rosiestep (talk) 00:49, 19 June 2020 (UTC) via MassMessaging
Feedback on movement names
[edit]There are a lot of conversations happening about the future of our movement names. We hope that you are part of these discussions and that your community is represented.
Since 16 June, the Foundation Brand Team has been running a survey in 7 languages about 3 naming options. There are also community members sharing concerns about renaming in a Community Open Letter.
You should have received a separate affiliate survey via email. If you have not, feel free to email brandprojectwikimedia.org.
Our goal in this call for feedback is to hear from across the community, so we encourage you to participate in the survey, the open letter, or both. The survey will go through 7 July in all timezones. Input from the survey and discussions will be analyzed and published on Meta-Wiki.
Thanks for thinking about the future of the movement --The Brand Project team, 13:37, 2 July 2020 (UTC)
Note: The survey is conducted via a third-party service, which may subject it to additional terms. For more information on privacy and data-handling, see the survey privacy statement.
Announcing a new wiki project! Welcome, Abstract Wikipedia
[edit]Hello everyone. I am posting the announcement below, which you may have missed elsewhere, and in the hope that you can share it with your local communities. Please note that it may be available in your language at m:Special:MyLanguage/Abstract Wikipedia/July 2020 announcement. Thanks for your attention! m:User:Elitre (WMF)
Hi all,
It is my honor to introduce Abstract Wikipedia, a new project that has been unanimously approved by the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees. Abstract Wikipedia proposes a new way to generate baseline encyclopedic content in a multilingual fashion, allowing more contributors and more readers to share more knowledge in more languages. It is an approach that aims to make cross-lingual cooperation easier on our projects, increase the sustainability of our movement through expanding access to participation, improve the user experience for readers of all languages, and innovate in free knowledge by connecting some of the strengths of our movement to create something new.
This is our first new project in over seven years. Abstract Wikipedia was submitted as a project proposal by Denny Vrandečić in May 2020 [1] after years of preparation and research, leading to a detailed plan and lively discussions in the Wikimedia communities. We know that the energy and the creativity of the community often runs up against language barriers, and information that is available in one language may not make it to other language Wikipedias. Abstract Wikipedia intends to look and feel like a Wikipedia, but build on the powerful, language-independent conceptual models of Wikidata, with the goal of letting volunteers create and maintain Wikipedia articles across our polyglot Wikimedia world.
The project will allow volunteers to assemble the fundamentals of an article using words and entities from Wikidata. Because Wikidata uses conceptual models that are meant to be universal across languages, it should be possible to use and extend these building blocks of knowledge to create models for articles that also have universal value. Using code, volunteers will be able to translate these abstract “articles” into their own languages. If successful, this could eventually allow everyone to read about any topic in Wikidata in their own language.
As you can imagine, this work will require a lot of software development, and a lot of cooperation among Wikimedians. In order to make this effort possible, Denny will join the Foundation as a staff member in July and lead this initiative. You may know Denny as the creator of Wikidata, a long-time community member, a former staff member at Wikimedia Deutschland, and a former Trustee at the Wikimedia Foundation [2]. We are very excited that Denny will bring his skills and expertise to work on this project alongside the Foundation’s product, technology, and community liaison teams.
It is important to acknowledge that this is an experimental project, and that every Wikipedia community has different needs. This project may offer some communities great advantages. Other communities may engage less. Every language Wikipedia community will be free to choose and moderate whether or how they would use content from this project.
We are excited that this new wiki-project has the possibility to advance knowledge equity through increased access to knowledge. It also invites us to consider and engage with critical questions about how and by whom knowledge is constructed. We look forward to working in cooperation with the communities to think through these important questions.
There is much to do as we begin designing a plan for Abstract Wikipedia in close collaboration with our communities. I encourage you to get involved by going to the project page and joining the new mailing list [3]. We recognize that Abstract Wikipedia is ambitious, but we also recognize its potential. We invite you all to join us on a new, unexplored path.
Yours,
Katherine Maher (Executive Director, Wikimedia Foundation) -16:51, 10 July 2020 (UTC)
Sunday September 20 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August SWAN meeting and June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates, this month we are meeting on Sunday September 20, and you are all invited to RSVP here.--Pharos (talk) 01:43, 18 September 2020 (UTC)
Movement Strategy - What Are Your Choices For Implementation
[edit]Hello Wikimedia Community Ireland,
The time has come to put Strategy into work and everyone's invited to participate.
The Movement Strategy Design Group and Support Team are inviting you to organize virtual meetings with your community and colleagues before the end of October. The aim is for you to decide what ideas from the Movement Strategy recommendations respond to your needs and will have an impact in the movement. The recommendations are available in different formats and in many languages. There are 10 awesome recommendations and close to 50 recommended changes and actions or initiatives. Not everything will be implemented. The aim of prioritization is to create an 18-month implementation plan to take some of the initiatives forward starting in 2021.
Prioritization is at the level of your group, affiliate, and community. Think local and relevant! Regional and thematic platforms are great ways to prepare and share ideas. Afterwards, we will come together in November to co-create the implementation plan. More information about November’s global events will be shared soon. For now and until the end of October, organize locally and share your priorities with us.
You can find guidance for the events, the simple reporting template, and other supporting materials here on Meta. You can share your results directly on Meta, by email, or by filling out this survey. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions or comments, strategy2030wikimedia.org
We will be hosting office hours to answer any questions you might have, Thursday October 1 at 14.00 UTC (Google Meet).
MPourzaki (WMF) (talk) 16:18, 25 September 2020 (UTC)
Sunday October 25 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the September and August SWAN meetings, and June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including the recent proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws, this month we are meeting on Sunday October 25, and you are all invited to RSVP here.--Pharos (talk) 17:23, 20 October 2020 (UTC)
Join the Global Conversations on November 21 and 22
[edit]Hola, こんにちは, E kaabo, Ciao, ਸਤਿ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ, Hello, سلام, Halo, Salut, 你好, Nnọọ, হ্যালো, Hallo, สวัสดี, Dzień dobry, Gyebale ko, வணக்கம், Mi Kwabo, ନମସ୍କାର, приветствие, שלום, Mholo, नमस्ते, γεια, Ahoj, ഹലോ, 여보세요, مرحبا, Բարեւ Ձեզ, Xin chào, Hallå, ಹಲೋ, Sawubona, નમસ્તે, Здраво, Merhaba, Talofa, హలో, Olá, ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ
Wikimedia Community Ireland, we would love to see you at the upcoming Movement Strategy Global Conversations. It’s been a while.
The Movement Strategy Global Conversations will take place on Saturday November 21, 11:00 to 15:00 UTC, and Sunday November 22, 17:00 to 21:00 UTC, and you are warmly invited.
The focus will be to look at priorities identified by communities and affiliates, and to begin to create a movement-wide implementation plan for 2021. The main sessions will be in English. Any group interested to support live interpretation in another language may be able to receive a rapid grant. Let us know as soon as possible.
Please register by Nov. 20 so we can share the Zoom login information with you. If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Support Team via Telegram, Wikimedia Chat or by email at strategy2030wikimedia.org.
Looking forward to seeing you on November 21 or 22.
MPourzaki (WMF) (talk) 16:05, 16 November 2020 (UTC)
Call for insights on ways to better communicate the work of the movement
[edit]The Movement Strategy recommendations published this year made clear the importance of establishing stronger communications within our movement. To this end, the Foundation wants to gather insights from communities, including affiliates, on ways we all might more consistently communicate about our collective work, and better highlight community contributions from across the movement. Over the coming months, we will be running focus groups and online discussions to collect these insights. We hope your affiliate will decide to share your thoughts by participating in a focus group or joining the discussion on Meta-Wiki.
ELappen (WMF) (talk) 18:54, 18 November 2020 (UTC)
Sunday November 29 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, and October SWAN meetings, and June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including the recent proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws, this month we are meeting on Sunday November 29, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(Note that the UTC times of and are the same as before, although a number of places have had daylight savings time changes since our last meeting).--Pharos (talk) 18:47, 24 November 2020 (UTC)
Global Conversations continue on December 5 and 6
[edit]Hola, こんにちは, Ciao, Hello, سلام, Halo, Salut, 你好, Nnọọ, হ্যালো, Hallo, สวัสดี, Dzień dobry, வணக்கம், приветствие, שלום, Mholo, हैलो, γεια, Ahoj, ഹലോ, 여보세요, مرحبا, Բարեւ Ձեզ, Olá, Xin chào, Hallå, ಹಲೋ, Sawubona, Здраво, Merhaba, Talofa, హలో
Hi Wikimedia Community Ireland. 250 people participated in virtual Global Conversations that took place on November 21 and 22. The conversation continues on December 5 and 6 and we warmly invite you to take part. Registration is open until December 4. Looking forward to seeing you.
Since September, many groups have shared their local, regional, and thematic priorities for implementing the Movement Strategy recommendations. During the first set of Global Conversations on Nov. 21 and 22, we focused on initiatives that should be globally prioritized and coordinated. We invite you to read the selected global priorities. What do you like about them? What is missing? And what would make you want to play an active role in implementation? Share your thoughts in advance and continue the conversation on December 5 and 6.
Looking forward to seeing you again, or for the first time, on December 5 and 6.
MPourzaki (WMF) (talk) 20:58, 25 November 2020 (UTC)
Sunday January 10 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, and November SWAN meetings, and June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including SWAN input on Interim Global Council and Movement Charter, this month we are meeting on Sunday January 10, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
To start the exchange of ideas on the IGC early, and to help prepare before the SWAN calls, we have set up and invite everyone to participate at this etherpad. If you like a more interactive way of discussing, we have also made a jamboard. Check here for more details. |
--Pharos (talk) 18:38, 1 January 2021 (UTC)
Call for Feedback: Community-and-Affiliate Board Seats
[edit]Hi there! The WMF starts a Call for Feedback about community-and-affiliated seat selection processes, resulting from the recent approval of bylaws amendments. This call for feedback is going to start on Monday Feb 1 and will run until March 14.
Full details will be published on Monday at Call for Feedback:Community Board Seats. Discuss on the Talk page for general comments. Translated pages welcome discussions in multiple languages. If you are a user of Telegram, you can receive updates in the announcement Telegram group or join the discussion in this discussion Telegram group.
Furthermore we are organizing three different office hour sessions (for different time zones) on Tuesday, Feb 2 (see Call for Feedback:Community Board Seats). There we will introduce the call for feedback and will be available for any questions and comments.
We are looking for a broad representation of opinions. We welcome conversations in any language and in any channel. If you want us to organize a conversation or a meeting for your wiki project or your affiliate, please contact us. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 21:12, 27 January 2021 (UTC)
Project Grant Open Call
[edit]This is the announcement for the Project Grants program open call that started on January 11, with the submission deadline of February 10, 2021.
This first open call will be focussed on Community Organizing proposals. A second open call focused on research and software proposals is scheduled from February 15 with a submission deadline of March 16, 2021.
For the Round 1 open call, we invite you to propose grant applications that fall under community development and organizing (offline and online) categories. Project Grant funds are available to support individuals, groups, and organizations to implement new experiments and proven ideas, from organizing a better process on your wiki, coordinating a campaign or editathon series to providing other support for community building. We offer the following resources to help you plan your project and complete a grant proposal:
Weekly proposals clinics via Zoom during the Open Call. Join us for #Upcoming_Proposal_Clinics|real-time discussions with Program Officers and select thematic experts and get live feedback about your Project Grants proposal. We’ll answer questions and help you make your proposal better.
- Video tutorials for writing a strong application
- General planning page for Project Grants
- Program guidelines and criteria
Program officers are also available to offer individualized proposal support upon request. Contact us at projectgrants@wikimedia.org if you would like feedback or more information.
We are excited to see your grant ideas that will support our community and make an impact on the future of Wikimedia projects. Put your idea into motion, and submit your proposal by February 10, 2021!
Please feel free to get in touch with questions about getting started with your grant application, or about serving on the Project Grants Committee. Contact us at projectgrantswikimedia.org.
RSharma (WMF)MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 07:56, 28 January 2021 (UTC)
Sunday February 21 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, and January SWAN meetings and June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates, this month we are meeting on Sunday February 21, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
To help set priorities for the SWAN agenda, and also to help manage which global conversations should be a focus in general, we have set up and invite everyone to participate at this SWAN priorities form.
Possible topics include Community Board seats, Interim Global Council, Strategy prioritization follow-up events, Branding, Universal Code of Conduct, Grant strategy, and WMF CEO search. That is a lot of things, which are most important to cover in our upcoming SWAN meeting? |
--Pharos (talk) 18:49, 15 February 2021 (UTC)
Call for Feedback: Community Board seats - Midpoint Update
[edit]Hi all, I am writing here to let you know a few things:
- The third weekly report is now available for the Call for Feedback: Community Board seats.
- This is the middle of the Call for Feedback, which means we are halfway through! If you have not joined the conversation, please do so. The facilitation team does not want to miss hearing your feedback.
- For the second half of the Call for Feedback the plan is to promote further discussion around four topics that need disentanglement: regional quotas, candidates' skills, vetting of candidates, and the connection of Board elections with the Global Council and the Regional Hubs.
Do reach out if you have any questions or comments. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 17:34, 25 February 2021 (UTC)
Four panel discussions - Call for Feedback: Community Board seats final sprint
[edit]The Facilitation team invites you to a round of panel sessions March 12 - 14 in the last days of the Call for feedback: Community Board seats.
We are confirming guests and times, and we are updating the wiki pages accordingly. Expect 90-minute sessions with video recording: 45 minutes for a panel to dive deep into possible scenarios followed by 45 minutes to continue the conversation with open mic for all participants. You can share your questions and comments now on the panel Talk pages. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 17:42, 5 March 2021 (UTC)
Sunday March 21 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, January, and February SWAN meetings and June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Grants relaunch and Community Board seats, this month we are meeting on Sunday March 21, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(Note that the UTC times of and are the same as before, although some places have had daylight savings time changes since our last meeting).--Pharos (talk) 04:12, 17 March 2021 (UTC)
Call for Feedback: Community Board seats - Main Report draft comment period
[edit]We have concluded the Call for Feedback: Community Board seats. Thank you everyone who participated.
During the Call for Feedback period from February 1 to March 14, a team of 10 facilitators organized open and inclusive community discussions to gather feedback about ideas for trustee selection processes for community-and-affiliate Board seats. Some facilitators had a regional focus; some had a language focus. The intention was for the combined facilitation team to obtain a fair representation of the movement’s diversity and create a report for the Board. The facilitation team used the Weekly Reports as the main source of information to create the main report.
A draft of the Call for Feedback: Community Board seats main report is now available. It will be available for community comment until Monday, March 29.
After the community comment period the facilitation team will send the main report to the Board. The feedback in the main report informs the Board’s decision about these potential changes to trustee selection processes, procedures, and tools to meet the goals of the Board.
Please reach out if you have any questions or comments. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 13:11, 24 March 2021 (UTC)
Community Resilience & Sustainability office hour April 17 15:00 UTC
[edit]Hi all! The Community Resilience & Sustainability team at the Wikimedia Foundation is hosting an office hour led by its Vice President Maggie Dennis. Topics within scope for this call include Movement Strategy coordination (recently transferred to CR&S), Trust and Safety (and the Universal Code of Conduct), Community Development, and Human Rights. Come with your questions or feedback, and let’s talk! You can also send us your questions in advance.
The meeting will be on April 17 at 15:00 UTC check your local time.
You can check all the details on Meta. Hope to see you there!
Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 19:50, 8 April 2021 (UTC)
Sunday April 25 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, January, February, and March SWAN meetings and June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Interim Global Council + Movement Charter, WMF Resolution about the upcoming Board elections, Community Resilience and Sustainability role in Movement Strategy coordination, Grants Strategy Relaunch, Wikimedia Enterprise / OKAPI, and WMF Executive Transition
This month we are meeting on Sunday April 25, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(Note that the UTC times of and are the same as before, although some places may have had daylight savings time changes since our last meeting).--Pharos (talk) 18:47, 21 April 2021 (UTC)
Resolution about the upcoming Board elections
[edit]Hi All! The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees met last week to decide on a plan for the 2021 Board elections. The Board Governance Committee created this proposal, based on the Call for Feedback about Community Board Seats. Please check the related announcement for details. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 16:23, 22 April 2021 (UTC)
Invitation for Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos 2021
[edit]Hello there,
We are inviting you to participate in Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos 2021, a global contest scheduled to run from July through August 2021.
Participants will choose among Wikipedia pages without photo images, then add a suitable file from among the many thousands of photos in the Wikimedia Commons, especially those uploaded from thematic contests (Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Folklore, etc.) over the years.
In its first year (2020), 36 Wikimedia communities in 27 countries joined the campaign. Events relating to the campaign included training organized by at least 18 Wikimedia communities in 14 countries.
The campaign resulted in the addition of media files (photos, audios and videos) to more than 90,000 Wikipedia articles in 272 languages.
Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos (WPWP) offers an ideal task for recruiting and guiding new editors through the steps of adding content to existing pages. Besides individual participation, the WPWP campaign can be used by user groups and chapters to organize editing workshops and edit-a-thons.
The organizing team is looking for a contact person to coordinate WPWP participation at the Wikimedia user group or chapter level (geographically or thematically) or for a language WP. We’d be glad for you to reply to this message, or sign up directly at WPWP Participating Communities.
Please feel free to contact Organizing Team if you have any query.
Kind regards,
Tulsi Bhagat
Communication Manager
Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos Campaign
Message delivered by MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 04:48, 3 May 2021 (UTC)
Who are the Election Volunteers in your community?
[edit]Would you like to get more people taking part in the Wikimedia Foundation’s Board of Trustees election?
The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees announced the plan for the 2021 Board elections. That plan includes outreach and communication support for the Board elections. The Board election facilitators will:
- Inform communities of the trustee selection process
- Invite communities to engage in voting
- Encourage people representing emerging Wikimedia communities to run as candidates
Voter turnout in prior elections was about 10% globally. It was better in communities with volunteer election support. Some of those communities reached over 20% voter turnout. We know we can get more voters to help assess and promote the best candidates, but to do that, we need your help.
We are looking for volunteers to serve as Election Volunteers. Election Volunteers should have a good understanding of their communities. The facilitation team sees Election Volunteers as doing the following:
- Promote the election in their communities’ channels
- Organize discussions about the election in their communities
- Translate messages for their communities
Who are the Election Volunteers to connect your community with this movement effort? Is it you? Or someone you know? Check out more details about Election Volunteers and add your name next to the community you will support in this table or get in contact with a facilitator. We aim to have at least one Election Volunteer for Wiki Projects in the top 30 for eligible voters. Even better if there are two or more sharing the work.
Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 19:45, 3 May 2021 (UTC)
First Community Affairs Committee office hour on May 13
[edit]Hello, all. The Board of Trustees’ Community Affairs Committee (CAC) is hosting its first office hour on May 13, 2021 at 19:00 UTC.
The CAC is a new Board of Trustees committee established to assess, explore and address current and future community-related efforts. The Committee's Charter lists its full responsibilities, with the first 3 being a priority for this coming year. As part of our commitment to foster better communications with the Wikimedia Movement Community, and based on feedback received from community members requesting more availability from the Board of Trustees, the CAC will be hosting its first Office hours.
All the details are on Meta. Send registration requests and questions to: askcacwikimedia.org. Please help us spread the word by sharing this message with your local / online communities. Hoping to see as many of you as possible! Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 20:39, 4 May 2021 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee Call for Candidates - June 2021
[edit]This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The main role of the AffCom is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and update the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees as well as advise them on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of five to fifteen members, selected at least once every year, to serve two-year terms.
Being a part of the AffCom requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a mix of different skill sets in our members.
- Responsibilities
- Availability of up to 5-8 hours per month
- Participate in monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings
- Commitment to carry out assigned tasks in a given time.
- Facilitate and support communications
- Affiliate Support and growth
- Required and Recommended Abilities, Skills, Knowledge for Affiliations Committee Members
Strong interpersonal relationship among members of the committee and also with the Wikimedia community members. Across all committee members, there are additional relevant skills as well as requirements which help to support the committee and its sustainability which include both required and relevant general skills
- Required
- Fluency in English
- Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration
- International orientation
- Relevant for all members
- Public Communications (English writing and speaking skills)
- Skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Documentation practices
- Interviewing experience
- Experience with, or in, an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Teamwork: Project and people management skills to coordinate and collaborate with different parties on a shared plan and see it through to completion.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to evaluate various solutions, consider multiple interests and points of view, revisit unresolved issues, seek compromise and work and communicate across languages and cultures.
Given the expectations for maintaining the course in 2021 and preparing for potential 2021 transitions as part of the Movement Strategy implementation process, it is important that we are also clear about two different skill sets critical to committee support at this time. The first skillset is oriented to understanding affiliate dynamics and organizational development patterns to successfully process affiliate applications for recognition; the other is oriented to conflict prevention and intervention support for affiliates in conflict.
- Relevant to Affiliate Recognitions
- Administration & Attention to detail
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Awareness of the affiliates ecosystem and models and understanding of community building, organizational development, and group dynamics
- Relevant to Conflict Prevention & Intervention
- Communication skills for active listening, clear instruction and turn-taking.
- Stress Management skills for maintaining patience and positivity
- Emotional intelligence to maintain awareness of emotions of oneself and others to practice empathy, impartiality, and mutual respect.
- Facilitation, negotiation, and mediation skills to guide diverse individuals and groups toward cooperation.
- Ability to work within a team
Do you have relevant skills and interest to support movement affiliates?
We are looking for people who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee members will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
- Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2021 member selection process will include a public review and comment period and a self-assessment survey for candidates to share their skills and experience. This self-assessment information will help the committee to identify the skill sets relevant to our affiliate support processes. We invite you to apply for membership to the committee and join us in supporting the affiliates. The data shared in the self-assessment will only be made available to the committee and the relevant staff support. The nomination, candidate Q&A, and endorsements will be posted on Meta for public review at https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/Candidates/June_2021. Here the global community is welcome to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.
Once the nomination window closes June 30, 2021, the sitting members who are not candidates for re-election in this cycle will deliberate and then vote, taking into account all inputs from the meta page, self-assessment, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and committee member discussion.
A final decision will be made in late-July 2021, with new members to be notified for onboarding in August.
- How to apply
If you are interested in joining the committee, please:
Step 1. Post your application on the nomination page by 30 June 2021. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant education, experience, abilities, skills, knowledge, availability, and motivation for joining the committee.
Step 2. Complete the self-assessment survey between June 01, 2021 and June 30, 2021.
- The privacy statement that applies to the survey can be found here.
- NOTE: The survey will take 15 mins. Please do not close your browser. If you need a break, you are advised to keep the browser open. In case of losing the link, please reach out to mkaur-ctrwikimedia.org
- This survey must be completed before Steps 3 & 4, as it will provide more background as to the type of work and expectations of members of AffCom.
Step 3. Answers the following questions:
- NOTE: Questions 1-3 are required for all candidates.
- Question 4 & 5 should be answered by those interested in joining the Recognitions subcommittee.
- Question 6 & 7 should be answered by those interested in joining the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee.
- If you are willing to nominate yourself for both subcommittees, answer all questions.
- What roles have you served across any Wikimedia projects and affiliates that you think have prepared you for this role?
- AffCom members need to manage time, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and diverse situations across the global movement. How do you envision managing these?
- Members of AffCom serve on one of two subcommittees: Recognitions OR Conflicts Intervention. Which one of these are you most interested in serving on?
- If you are interested in serving on the Recognitions subcommittee, what do you think makes a group of Wikimedians ready to function together as an affiliate?
- If you are interested in serving on the Recognitions subcommittee, what do you think are the benefits and responsibilities of functioning as formal affiliates?
- If you are interested in serving on the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee, please describe your experience working with conflicts resolution.
- If you are interested in serving on the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee, please describe how you have helped build consensus and support diversity.
Step 4. Once you have completed the above, send an email announcing your application to affcomwikimedia.org before the application deadline.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
On behalf of the committee,
-- FULBERT (talk) 15:30, 15 May 2021 (UTC) via MassMessaging
Join the new Regional Committees for Grants
[edit]Dear all,
We hope this email finds you well and safe. The COVID 19 situation continues to affect many of us across the globe and our thoughts are with everyone affected. We are also aware that there are several processes currently in progress that demand volunteer time and we do not want to add more work to anyone's plate.
We do want to draw your attention to our new Regional Committees for Grants though as they are an opportunity for you to have an active say in the future of our Movement!
📣 So today, we invite you to join our new Regional Committees for Grants! 📣
We encourage Wikimedians and Free Knowledge advocates to be part of the new Regional Committees that the WMF Community Resources team is setting up as part of the grants strategy relaunch [1]. You will be a key strategic thought partner to help understand the complexities of any region, provide knowledge and expertise to applicants, to support successful movement activities, and make funding decisions for grant applications in the region.
👉Find out more on meta [2].
Regional Committees will be established for the following regions:
- Middle East and Africa
- SAARC [3] region (Includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka)
- East, Southeast Asia, and Pacific (ESEAP) region
- Latin America (LATAM) and The Caribbean
- United States and Canada
- Northern and Western Europe
- Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)
👉All details about the Committees and how to apply can be found on meta [4]. Applications have to be submitted by June 4, 2021!
If you have any questions or comments, please use the meta discussion page [5].
Please do share this announcement widely with your Network.
Best wishes,
JBrungs (WMF) (talk) 07:54, 21 May 2021 (UTC) on behalf of the Community Resources Team JBrungs (WMF) (talk) 07:54, 21 May 2021 (UTC)
UCoC Affiliates consultation report
[edit]Hello,
We are pleased to announce the completion of the Universal Code of Conduct Affiliates consultation process early this month. The summary report of the direct consultations and survey is now available at this Meta page: https://w.wiki/3Pew.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to leave a message on the talk page of the report, or contact Mervat (msalman-ctr@wikimediaorg) and Ramzy (ramzym-ctr@wikimediaorg).
Regards,
UCoC Team, Wikimedia Foundation
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 08:51, 27 May 2021 (UTC)
Sunday June 6 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, January, February, March, and April SWAN meetings, as well as last June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter + Movement Strategy/Events, WMF Board elections, Wikimania 2021, and Grants Regional Committees.
This month we are meeting on Sunday June 6, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and – *Note that we have shifted the second call an hour earlier in UTC time due to popular demand and to accomodate daylight savings*.)--Pharos (talk) 20:16, 3 June 2021 (UTC)
2021 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees Call for Candidates
[edit]The 2021 Board of Trustees election is coming soon. Candidates from the community are needed to fill the available seats.
The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees oversees the Wikimedia Foundation's operations. Community trustees and appointed trustees make up the Board of Trustees. Each trustee serves a three year term. The Wikimedia community has the opportunity to vote for community trustees.
Wikimedia contributors will vote to fill four seats on the Board in 2021. This is an opportunity to improve the representation, diversity, and expertise of the Board as a team.
Who are potential candidates? Are you a potential candidate? Find out more on the Call for Candidates announcement.
Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 22:24, 9 June 2021 (UTC)
Wikimania 2021: Affiliate Program Submissions and Scholarships
[edit]Dear Wikimedia Affiliates,
Wikimania 2021 will be hosted virtually for the first time in the event's 15-year history. Since there is no in-person host, the event is being organized by a diverse group of Wikimedia volunteers that form the Core Organizing Team for Wikimania 2021.
Event Program - The program design of this Wikimania accommodates affiliates for them to curate a portion of the program. Wikimedia affiliates have an opportunity to host a series of their own sessions.
Below are some links to guide you through;
Please note that the deadline for submission is 18th June 2021.
Affiliate Scholarships - Scholarships are available to all Wikimedia movement affiliates to support practical access to and participation in Wikimania 2021 in their communities. Please read more about it in the Affiliate Announcement section here.
Office Hour - If you are left with questions, the COT will be hosting some office hours (in multiple languages), in multiple time-zones, to answer any programming questions that you might have. Details can be found here.
Best regards,
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 13:22, 15 June 2021 (UTC)
On behalf of Wikimania 2021 Core Organizing Team
An invitation to discuss three questions regarding the Movement Charter drafting committee
[edit]Hi there! This is an invitation to discuss three questions that need answers to create the Movement Charter drafting committee:
- What composition should the committee have in terms of movement roles, gender, regions, affiliations and other diversity factors?
- What is the best process to select the committee members to form a competent and diverse team?
- How much dedication is it reasonable to expect from committee members, in terms of hours per week and months of work? Should the initial members commit for the whole duration of the project or should renewals be expected?
The objective is to collect questions, opinions, ideas, points of agreement and disagreement. A first report of this conversation will be published by the end of Friday, June 25 to inform the Global Conversations on the 26-27 of June.
Find more about the questions and conversations in other languages.
I am glad to join meetings or community conversations to pose the questions and receive feedback. Please reach out if you would like me to attend any meeting or community conversation.
Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 22:34, 16 June 2021 (UTC)
Final Call for Candidates for AffCom - June 2021
[edit]This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
This is a final Call for Candidates for the June 2021 Affiliations Committee election.
If you are interested in running, please post your application and follow all four steps on the nomination page by 30 June 2021.
If you know somebody you think may be interested, please share this with them and encourage them to consider it. If you have any questions about this process or the requirements, please email affcom@wikimedia.org before the application deadline or reach out to any of the current members.
On behalf of the AffCom elections committee,
--- FULBERT (talk) 14:15, 20 June 2021 (UTC) via MassMessaging [[Category:AffCom Elections June 2021|]]
Announcing the confirmed candidates for the 2021 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees election
[edit]The 2021 Board of Trustees election opens 4 August 2021. Candidates from the community were asked to submit their candidacy. After a three week long call for candidates, there are 20 candidates for the 2021 election.
The Wikimedia movement has the opportunity to vote for the selection of community-and-affiliate trustees. The Board is expected to select the four most voted candidates to serve as trustees. Voting closes 17 August 2021.
The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees oversees the Wikimedia Foundation's operations. The Board wants to improve their competences and diversity as a team. They have shared the areas of expertise that they are currently missing and hope to cover with new trustees.
How can you get involved? Learn more about candidates. Organize campaign activities. Vote.
Read the full announcement.
Best,
The Elections Committee
Announcement posted by User:Xeno (WMF) at 18:33, 2 July 2021 (UTC)
2021 Board of Trustees election confirmed candidates and campaign events
[edit]Hi everyone! The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees election is coming soon. There are regional campaign events where you can meet the candidates. The team of facilitators supporting this Board election has planned some activities for the campaign period. Are you searching for another language or regional conversation? Community members are encouraged to organize activities in their own communities. We do ask that any activities intended to involve candidates remain respectful of their time, since candidacy can be very time-consuming. Please list activities you organize on the Board election page on Meta so that more people can find them.
Voting for the 2021 Board of Trustees election opens on 4 August 2021 and closes on 17 August 2021. The Elections Committee chose Single Transferable Vote for the voting system. This voting system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. This helps voters share their preferences more clearly than simple support or oppose votes. If your top-choice candidate already has enough votes to be selected or will not win, your vote will be moved to your second-choice candidate. And so on. The facilitation team came up with a fun example. More information will be coming mid-July. Learn more about voting requirements, the process, and frequently asked questions about voting. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 18:39, 16 July 2021 (UTC)
Universal Code of Conduct News – Issue 2
[edit]Hey there! I'm delivering this second edition of the Universal Code of Conduct newsletter. It has important information about the upcoming enforcement draft guidelines review. Let me know if you have any questions. We are looking for volunteers interested in translating key material and helping to organize local reviews of the guidelines. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 18:40, 16 July 2021 (UTC)
Universal Code of Conduct News
Issue 2, July 2021Read the full newsletter
Welcome to the second issue of Universal Code of Conduct News! This newsletter will help Wikimedians stay involved with the development of the new code and will distribute relevant news, research, and upcoming events related to the UCoC.
If you haven’t already, please remember to subscribe here if you would like to be notified about future editions of the newsletter, and also leave your username here if you’d like to be contacted to help with translations in the future.
- Enforcement Draft Guidelines Review - Initial meetings of the drafting committee have helped to connect and align key topics on enforcement, while highlighting prior research around existing processes and gaps within our movement. (continue reading)
- Targets of Harassment Research - To support the drafting committee, the Wikimedia Foundation has conducted a research project focused on experiences of harassment on Wikimedia projects. (continue reading)
- Functionaries’ Consultation - Since June, Functionaries from across the various wikis have been meeting to discuss what the future will look like in a global context with the UCoC. (continue reading)
- Roundtable Discussions - The UCoC facilitation team once again, hosted another roundtable discussion, this time for Korean-speaking community members and participants of other ESEAP projects to discuss the enforcement of the UCoC. (continue reading)
- Early Adoption of UCoC by Communities - Since its ratification by the Board in February 2021, situations whereby UCoC is being adopted and applied within the Wikimedia community have grown. (continue reading)
- New Timeline for the Interim Trust & Safety Case Review Committee - The CRC was originally expected to conclude by July 1. However, with the UCoC now expected to be in development until December, the timeline for the CRC has also changed. (continue reading)
- Wikimania - The UCoC team is planning to hold a moderated discussion featuring representatives across the movement during Wikimania 2021. It also plans to have a presence at the conference’s Community Village. (continue reading)
- Diff blogs - Check out the most recent publications about the UCoC on Wikimedia Diff blog. (continue reading)
Thanks for reading - we welcome feedback about this newsletter.
Sunday July 25 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, January, February, March, April, and June SWAN meetings, as well as last June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter + Drafting Committee, WMF Board elections, Wikimania 2021, and Grants Regional Committees.
This month we are meeting on Sunday July 25, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and – *Note that we have shifted the second call an hour earlier in UTC time due to popular demand and to accomodate daylight savings*.)--Pharos (talk) 14:47, 22 July 2021 (UTC)
Delay of the 2021 Board of Trustees election
[edit]We are reaching out to you today regarding the 2021 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees election. This election was due to open on August 4th. Due to some technical issues with SecurePoll, the election must be delayed by two weeks. This means we plan to launch the election on August 18th, which is the day after Wikimania concludes.
For information on the technical issues, you can see the Phabricator ticket.
We are truly sorry for this delay and hope that we will get back on schedule on August 18th. We are in touch with the Elections Committee and the candidates to coordinate next steps. We will update the Board election Talk page and Telegram channel as we know more. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 22:17, 4 August 2021 (UTC) Read this message in other languages
Call for Candidates for the Movement Charter Drafting Committee
[edit]Movement Strategy announces the Call for Candidates for the Movement Charter Drafting Committee. The Call opens August 2, 2021 and closes September 1, 2021.
The Committee is expected to represent diversity in the Movement. Diversity includes gender, language, geography, and experience. This comprises participation in projects, affiliates, and the Wikimedia Foundation.
English fluency is not required to become a member. If needed, translation and interpretation support is provided. Members will receive an allowance to offset participation costs. It is US$100 every two months.
We are looking for people who have some of the following skills:
- Know how to write collaboratively. (demonstrated experience is a plus)
- Are ready to find compromises.
- Focus on inclusion and diversity.
- Have knowledge of community consultations.
- Have intercultural communication experience.
- Have governance or organization experience in non-profits or communities.
- Have experience negotiating with different parties.
The Committee is expected to start with 15 people. If there are 20 or more candidates, a mixed election and selection process will happen. If there are 19 or fewer candidates, then the process of selection without election takes place.
Will you help move Wikimedia forward in this important role? Submit your candidacy here. Please contact strategy2030wikimedia.org with questions. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 22:17, 4 August 2021 (UTC)
Universal Code of Conduct: Enforcement draft guidelines review
[edit]The Universal Code of Conduct Phase 2 drafting committee would like comments about the enforcement draft guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC). This review period is planned to begin 17 August 2021.
Community and staff members collaborated to develop these draft guidelines based on consultations, discussions, and research. These guidelines are not final but you can help move the progress forward. Provide comments about these guidelines by 17 October 2021. The committee will be revising the guidelines based upon community input.
Everyone may share comments in a number of places. Facilitators welcome comments in any language on the draft review talk page or by email. Comments can also be shared on talk pages of translations, at local discussions, or during round-table discussions and conversation hours.
There are planned live discussions about the UCoC enforcement draft guidelines:
- Wikimania 2021 session (recorded 16 August)
- Conversation hours - 24 August, 31 August, 7 September @ 03:00 UTC & 14:00 UTC
- Roundtable calls - 18 September @ 03:00 UTC & 15:00 UTC
The facilitation team supporting this review period hopes to reach a large number of communities. Having a shared understanding is important. If you do not see a conversation happening in your community, please organize a discussion. Facilitators can assist you in setting up the conversations.
Discussions will be summarized and presented to the drafting committee every two weeks. The summaries will be published here.
The full announcement and translations can be found here.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 22:52, 20 August 2021 (UTC)
Voting opens for the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees
[edit]Voting for the 2021 Board of Trustees election is now open. Candidates from the community were asked to submit their candidacy. After a three week long Call for Candidates, there are 19 candidates for the 2021 election.
The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees oversees the Wikimedia Foundation's operations. The Board wants to improve their competences and diversity as a team. They have shared the areas of expertise that they are hoping to cover with new trustees.
The Wikimedia movement has the opportunity to select candidates who have the qualities to best serve the needs of the movement for the next several years. The Board is expected to select the four most voted candidates to serve as trustees. This term starts in September and lasts for three years. Learn more about the Board of Trustees in this short video.
Vote now until August 31.
Below is some useful information about the election process.
Learn more about the candidates
Candidates from across the movement have submitted their candidatures. Learn about each candidate to inform your vote. The community submitted questions for the candidates to answer during the campaign. Candidates answered the list of community questions collated by the Elections Committee on Meta.
Vote
Voting for the 2021 Board of Trustees election opened on 18 August 2021 and closes on 31 August 2021. The Elections Committee chose Single Transferable Vote for the voting system. The benefit of this is voters can rank their choices in order of preference. Learn more about voting requirements, how to vote, and frequently asked questions about voting.
Please help in the selection of those people who best fit the needs of the movement at this time. Vote and spread the word so more people can vote for candidates. Those selected will help guide the Wikimedia Foundation and support the needs of the movement over the next few years.
The full announcement and translations are available here. Please reach out with any questions. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 23:06, 20 August 2021 (UTC)
Results for the most contended Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees election
[edit]Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2021 Board election. The Elections Committee has reviewed the votes of the 2021 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees election, organized to select four new trustees. A record 6,873 people from across 214 projects cast their valid votes. The following four candidates received the most support:
- Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight
- Victoria Doronina
- Dariusz Jemielniak
- Lorenzo Losa
While these candidates have been ranked through the community vote, they are not yet appointed to the Board of Trustees. They still need to pass a successful background check and meet the qualifications outlined in the Bylaws. The Board has set a tentative date to appoint new trustees at the end of this month.
Read the full announcement here.
Xeno (WMF) 01:45, 8 September 2021 (UTC)
Sunday September 26 SWANniversary Party and All-Affiliates Strategic Meeting
[edit]Join the SWANniversary on September 26 as we mark the first year of the Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network!
We will have the regular All-Affiliates Strategic Meeting, to be followed by a SWANniversary Party in the after hours session, likely through spatialized chat on WorkAdventure.
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, January, February, March, April, June, and July SWAN meetings, as well as last June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, we'll look together at strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter + Drafting Committee, WMF Board elections, Wikimania 2021, and Grants Regional Committees.
This month we are meeting on Sunday September 26, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and .)--Pharos (talk) 20:09, 21 September 2021 (UTC)
Movement Charter Drafting Committee - Community Elections to take place October 11 - 24
[edit]See translations of this message.
Dear fellow Wikimedians,
This is an update from the Movement Charter process. We have closed the call for candidates on September 14 for the Drafting Committee and now have a pool of candidates with diverse backgrounds to choose from.
The 15 member committee will be selected with a 3-step process:
- Election process for project communities to elect 7 members of the committee.
- Selection process for affiliates to select 6 members of the committee.
- Wikimedia Foundation process to appoint 2 members of the committee.
Communities elect 7 members: This announcement is related to the community elections, which will take place in a time period of 2 weeks from October 11 to October 24. We look forward to a wide participation across the communities to create the committee to curate the writing of the Movement Charter. The Election Results will be published on November 1.
Affiliates select 6 members: Parallel to the election process, all affiliates asked to contribute as well: All affiliates were divided into eight geographic and one ‘thematic’ region (check the list), and each region chooses one person who will act as a selector for that region. These 9 selectors will come together to select 6 of the committee (from the same pool of candidates). The selection results will be published on November 1.
Wikimedia Foundation appoints 2 members: Finally, the Wikimedia Foundation will appoint two members to the committee by November 1.
All three processes will be concluded by November 1, 2021, so that the Movement Charter Drafting Committee can start working by then.
For the full context of the Movement Charter, its role, as well the process for its creation, please have a look at Meta. You can also contact us at any time on Telegram or via email (wikimedia2030wikimedia.org).
Best regards, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 20:33, 24 September 2021 (UTC)
Voting to elect members to the Movement Charter drafting committee is now open (October 12 - 24)
[edit]Voting to elect members to the Movement Charter drafting committee is now open. In total, 70 Wikimedians are running for 7 seats in these elections.
Voting is open from October 12 to October 24, 2021.
We are piloting a voting advice application for this election. It helps show which candidates hold positions similar to the choices entered.
According to the set up process, the committee will initially consist of 15 members in total. 7 members elected in this process, 6 members selected by Wikimedia affiliates, and 2 members appointed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Up to 3 additional members may be appointed by the committee, and steps may be taken to replace members as needed.
More details and the voting link is here.
Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions about this process.
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 02:40, 15 October 2021 (UTC) (Movement Strategy & Governance Team, Wikimedia Foundation)
Learn how the Implementation Grants can support your Movement Strategy plans
[edit]We are excited to announce the reopening of the Movement Strategy Implementation Grants. This program funds projects that advance a specific Movement Strategy initiative. The projects can be big or small, but they must all make a case for advancing one initiative. Affiliates that have received funding from the Simple/Annual Plan Grants are welcome to apply.
Read more about the criteria, what to apply for, and how to apply.
Best regards,
Movement Strategy and Governance Team
Wikimedia Foundation
15:31, 21 October 2021 (UTC)
Movement Charter Drafting Committee election Call to Action: Vote now!
[edit]Your participation is needed. Community elections for the Movement Charter Drafting Committee last until October 24 (23:59 AoE). We have gathered just over 700 votes. It would be great to increase community participation. Let’s try to double that number! Please vote before October 24. Best, JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 17:02, 22 October 2021 (UTC)
Sunday October 31 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
Following up on the August, September, October, November, January, February, March, April, and June, July, and September SWAN meetings, as well as last June's All-Affiliates Brand Meeting, as well as strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter Drafting Committee Set Up Process, Next Steps for Brand Work, 2021, Wikipedia Asian Month 2021, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday October 31, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and – *Note that we have shifted the second call a half-hour later in UTC time due to WikidataCon*.)--Pharos (talk) 01:57, 29 October 2021 (UTC)
Meet the new Movement Charter Drafting Committee members
[edit]The Movement Charter Drafting Committee election and selection processes are complete.
- The election results have been published. 1018 participants voted to elect seven members to the committee: Richard Knipel (Pharos),Anne Clin (Risker),Alice Wiegand (Lyzzy),Michał Buczyński (Aegis Maelstrom),Richard (Nosebagbear),Ravan J Al-Taie (Ravan),Ciell (Ciell).
- The affiliate process has selected six members: Anass Sedrati (Anass Sedrati),Érica Azzellini (EricaAzzellini), Jamie Li-Yun Lin (Li-Yun Lin),Georges Fodouop (Geugeor),Manavpreet Kaur (Manavpreet Kaur),Pepe Flores (Padaguan).
- The Wikimedia Foundation has appointed two members: Runa Bhattacharjee (Runab WMF) and Jorge Vargas (JVargas (WMF)).
The committee will convene soon to start its work. The committee can appoint up to three more members to bridge diversity and expertise gaps.
If you are interested in engaging with Movement Charter drafting process, follow the updates on Meta and join the Telegram group.
With thanks from the Movement Strategy and Governance team
JKoerner (WMF) (talk) 23:35, 11 November 2021 (UTC)
Sunday November 28 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Hubs+Hubs Workshop, Movement Charter+Drafting Committee, WMDE's 'Future of Wikimedia Governance' proposal, Wikipedia Asian Month 2021, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday November 28, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and , note that some areas recently experienced daylight savings time changes).--Pharos (talk) 20:19, 24 November 2021 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee (AffCom) Call for candidates - January 2022
[edit]Translations are available.
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The main role of the AffCom is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and update the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees as well as advise them on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of five to fifteen members, selected at least once every year, to serve two-year terms.
Being a part of the AffCom requires communication with volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a mix of different skill sets in our members.
- Responsibilities
- Availability of up to 5-8 hours per month
- Participate in monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings
- Commitment to carry out assigned tasks in a given time.
- Facilitate and support communications
- Affiliate Support and growth
- Required and Recommended Abilities, Skills, Knowledge for Affiliations Committee Members
Strong interpersonal relationship among members of the committee and also with the Wikimedia community members. Across all committee members, there are additional relevant skills as well as requirements which help to support the committee and its sustainability which include both required and relevant general skills
- Required
- Fluency in English
- Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration
- International orientation
- Relevant for all members
- Public Communications (English writing and speaking skills)
- Skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Documentation practices
- Interviewing experience
- Experience with, or in, an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Teamwork: Project and people management skills to coordinate and collaborate with different parties on a shared plan and see it through to completion.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to evaluate various solutions, consider multiple interests and points of view, revisit unresolved issues, seek compromise and work and communicate across languages and cultures.
Given the expectations for maintaining the course in 2022 and preparing for potential 2022 transitions as part of the Movement Strategy implementation process, it is important that we are also clear about two different skill sets critical to committee support at this time. The first skillset is oriented to understanding affiliate dynamics and organizational development patterns to successfully process affiliate applications for recognition; the other is oriented to conflict prevention and intervention support for affiliates in conflict.
- Relevant to Affiliate Recognitions
- Administration & Attention to detail
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Awareness of the affiliates ecosystem and models and understanding of community building, organizational development, and group dynamics
- Relevant to Conflict Prevention & Intervention
- Communication skills for active listening, clear instruction and turn-taking.
- Stress Management skills for maintaining patience and positivity
- Emotional intelligence to maintain awareness of emotions of oneself and others to practice empathy, impartiality, and mutual respect.
- Facilitation, negotiation, and mediation skills to guide diverse individuals and groups toward cooperation.
- Ability to work within a team
Do you have relevant skills and interest to support movement affiliates?
We are looking for people who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee members will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
- Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2022 member selection process will include a public review and comment period and a self-assessment survey for candidates to share their skills and their experience. This self-assessment information will help the committee to identify the skill sets relevant and supportive to our affiliate support processes. We invite you to apply for membership to the committee and join us in supporting the affiliates. The data shared in the self-assessment will only be made available to the committee and the relevant staff support. The nomination, candidate Q&A, and endorsements will still take place posted on Meta for public review at January 2022 page. Here the global community is welcome to provide comments and feedback about each candidate.
Once the nomination window closes 31 January 2022, the sitting members who are not candidates for re-election in this cycle will deliberate and then vote, taking into account all inputs from the meta page, self-assessment, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and committee member discussion.
A final decision will be made in late-February 2022, with new members to be notified for onboarding in February.
- How to apply
If you are interested in joining the committee, please:
Step 1. Post your application on the nomination page by 31 January 2022. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant education, experience, abilities, skills, knowledge, availability, and motivation for joining the committee.
Step 2. Complete the self-assessment survey between January 1, 2021 and January 31, 2021.
- The privacy statement that applies to the survey can be found here.
- NOTE: The survey will take 15 mins. Please do not close your browser. If you need a break, you are advised to keep the browser open. In case of losing the link, please reach out to mkaur-ctrwikimedia.org
- This survey must be completed before Steps 3 & 4, as it will provide more background as to the type of work and expectations of members of AffCom.
Step 3. Answers the following questions:
- NOTE: Questions 1-3 are required for all candidates.
- Question 4 & 5 should be answered by those interested in joining the Recognitions subcommittee.
- Question 6 & 7 should be answered by those interested in joining the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee.
- If you are willing to nominate yourself for both subcommittees, answer all questions.
- What roles have you served across any Wikimedia projects and affiliates that you think have prepared you for this role?
- AffCom members need to manage time, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and diverse situations across the global movement. How do you envision managing these?
- Members of AffCom serve on one of two subcommittees: Recognitions OR Conflicts Intervention. Which one of these are you most interested in serving on?
- If you are interested in serving on the Recognitions subcommittee, what do you think makes a group of Wikimedians ready to function together as an affiliate?
- If you are interested in serving on the Recognitions subcommittee, what do you think are the benefits and responsibilities of functioning as formal affiliates?
- If you are interested in serving on the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee, please describe your experience working with conflicts resolution.
- If you are interested in serving on the Conflicts Intervention subcommittee, please describe how you have helped build consensus and support diversity.
Step 4. Once you have completed the above, send an email announcing your application to affcomwikimedia.org before the application deadline.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and/or the committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a webinar call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
On behalf of the committee,
--FULBERT (talk) 13:18, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee (AffCom) Call for advisors - January 2022
[edit]Translations are available.
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for new members!
The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia Chapters, Thematic Organizations, and User Groups – is looking for advisors!
The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and advise the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
We are looking for advisors who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee advisors selected will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.
AffCom advisors can engage with the committee in a variety of capacities:
- Consultant
Individuals with extensive movement experience can be engaged as Consultants for specific cases or initiatives by AffCom.
- Trainer
Individuals with specific expertise may be engaged for short-term projects for training AffCom or Affiliates. They might also lead the Capacity Building initiatives for AffCom or affiliates.
- Observer
AffCom can request specific or all advisors to act as an observer in different cases to ensure neutrality & compliance with guidelines.
- AffCom Support
Development of Policies: While advisors cannot create legally binding policies for the committee, they can help create policies that provide direction and support for the committee.
Planning and Implementing Community Relations: The advisors are long-term wikimedians & also include influential community leaders who can be effective at spreading the word about initiatives and services.
Supporting Subcommittees: The advisors can support subcommittees that have assigned tasks in specific areas.
Other Tasks: Advisors can be engaged to address a specific need. Such engagements are usually short-lived and are disbanded as soon as their specific goals are met.
- Key skills
We look for a healthy mix of different skill sets in our advisors, including the following key skills and experience:
- Strong understanding of the structure and work of Wikimedia affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Availability of up to 2 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly two-hour voice/video meeting
- International orientation and ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
- Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organizing are a plus.
- Fluency in English is required; skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Experience with or in an active Wikimedia affiliate is a major plus.
- Strong track record of effective collaboration (such as evidenced skills at facilitation, mediation, negotiation, and so forth) is a major plus.
- Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
- Selection process
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2022 advisors selection process will include a public review and comment period. All applications must be posted on Meta between January 01 and January 31, 2022 at Affiliations Committee/Advisors/2022, and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate. At the end of the nomination period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made in February 2022, with new advisors expected to begin later that month.
- How to apply
If you are interested in advising the committee, please submit your candidacy on Affiliations Committee/Advisors/2022 between January 01 to January 31, 2022. Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee as an advisor.
- The advisor role you would like to serve
- Answers to the following three questions:
- How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?
- What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years?
- What do you feel you will bring as an advisor to the committee that makes you a uniquely qualified candidate?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the committee. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
On behalf of the committee,
--FULBERT (talk) 13:17, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
Movement Strategy Implementation Grants
[edit]The Movement Strategy and Governance team wishes you a good start of the new 2022! As we begin this year, we look forward to seeing more collaboration, increased support and connection between communities and affiliates. We would like to use this chance to share some information on the Movement Strategy Implementation Grants that aim to support volunteers and affiliates looking to help in implementing the Movement Strategy Initiatives within their communities.
These grants support big and small projects that aim to take the current state of an initiative and push it one step forward. Apply for a grant to implement a Movement Strategy initiative with a budget up to $25,000. We understand that ideas flow at their own pace, so Movement Strategy Implementation Grants are designed to be flexible with no set deadline. Your applications are welcome at any time. Applications received after the 15th of each month will be reviewed in the following month.
Get in touch with us if you would like to discuss your project proposal or if you need more information about the program. The Movement Strategy and Governance team is happy to host conversations regarding these grants. Conversations may help answer your questions, develop your ideas, and connect with other communities with similar interests. Please visit this meta page to look at some suggested examples, and you are welcome to join the “MS – Grants Community of Practice” group on Telegram!
Best regards, Movement Strategy and Governance team.--SOyeyele (WMF) (talk) 19:07, 8 January 2022 (UTC)
(Initial Review) Notification of Affiliate Expiration - Renewal pending submission of reporting
[edit]Greetings group contacts,
This is a notification to bring to your attention that your organization is currently past due on its required annual reporting. Wikimedia Affiliates are required to submit an annual activity report covering the entirety of the 12-month agreement period in order to prompt review for a renewal. Reports must be written in English, posted to meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal.
This page is used to track how organizations and groups are meeting reporting requirements described in their agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation (e.g. chapter agreements, thematic organization agreements, user group agreements). It is the central place where affiliates can add reports about their activities, share their plans, and even news or social media channels with the wider movement. When new reports are available, organizations and groups should add them to this page to keep their columns up to date.
As noted on the meta Reports page, your organization’s 2021 annual reporting became past due in 2021-12-07. Please be sure to:
- Post your 2021 annual reporting to the meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal as soon as possible to return to compliance with your user group agreement.
- Check that your group’s page is also up to date with past report links for historical record-keeping, and
- Please send an email to Wikimedia-l in order to share with a movement-wide audience.
If you have any questions or need any further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to wadportalwikimedia.org.
Best regards,
Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal
Subscribe to the This Month in Education newsletter - learn from others and share your stories
[edit]Dear community members,
Greetings from the EWOC Newsletter team and the education team at Wikimedia Foundation. We are very excited to share that we on tenth years of Education Newsletter (This Month in Education) invite you to join us by subscribing to the newsletter on your talk page or by sharing your activities in the upcoming newsletters. The Wikimedia Education newsletter is a monthly newsletter that collects articles written by community members using Wikimedia projects in education around the world, and it is published by the EWOC Newsletter team in collaboration with the Education team. These stories can bring you new ideas to try, valuable insights about the success and challenges of our community members in running education programs in their context.
If your affiliate/language project is developing its own education initiatives, please remember to take advantage of this newsletter to publish your stories with the wider movement that shares your passion for education. You can submit newsletter articles in your own language or submit bilingual articles for the education newsletter. For the month of January the deadline to submit articles is on the 20th January. We look forward to reading your stories.
Older versions of this newsletter can be found in the complete archive.
More information about the newsletter can be found at Education/Newsletter/About.
For more information, please contact spatnaikwikimedia.org.
Subscribe to the This Month in Education newsletter - learn from others and share your stories
[edit]Dear community members,
Greetings from the EWOC Newsletter team and the education team at Wikimedia Foundation. We are very excited to share that we on tenth years of Education Newsletter (This Month in Education) invite you to join us by subscribing to the newsletter on your talk page or by sharing your activities in the upcoming newsletters. The Wikimedia Education newsletter is a monthly newsletter that collects articles written by community members using Wikimedia projects in education around the world, and it is published by the EWOC Newsletter team in collaboration with the Education team. These stories can bring you new ideas to try, valuable insights about the success and challenges of our community members in running education programs in their context.
If your affiliate/language project is developing its own education initiatives, please remember to take advantage of this newsletter to publish your stories with the wider movement that shares your passion for education. You can submit newsletter articles in your own language or submit bilingual articles for the education newsletter. For the month of January the deadline to submit articles is on the 20th January. We look forward to reading your stories.
Older versions of this newsletter can be found in the complete archive.
More information about the newsletter can be found at Education/Newsletter/About.
For more information, please contact spatnaikwikimedia.org.
Question about the Affiliates' role for the Call for Feedback: Board of Trustees elections
[edit]Hi All,
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Call for Feedback: Board of Trustees elections so far. The Movement Strategy and Governance team suggested another question was still under discussion. As of today, we announce the last key question:
How should affiliates participate in elections?
Affiliates are an important part of the Wikimedia movement. Two seats of the Board of Trustees due to be filled this year were filled in 2019 through the Affiliate-selected Board seats process. A change in the Bylaws removed the distinction between community and affiliate seats. This leaves the important question: How should affiliates be involved in the selection of new seats?
The question is broad in the sense that the answers may refer not just to the two seats mentioned, but also to other, Community- and Affiliate-selected seats. The Board is hoping to find an approach that will both engage the affiliates and give them actual agency, and also optimize the outcomes in terms of selecting people with top skills, experience, diversity, and wide community’s support.
The Board of Trustees is seeking feedback about this question especially, although not solely, from the affiliate community. Everyone is invited to share proposals and join the conversation in the Call for Feedback channels. In addition to collecting online feedback, the Movement Strategy and Governance team will organize several video calls with affiliate members to collect feedback. These calls will be at different times and include Trustees.
Due to the late addition of this third question, the Call will be extended until 16 February.
Best, Movement Strategy and Governance.--SOyeyele (WMF) (talk) 10:56, 24 January 2022 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee (AffCom) Member & Advisor Elections - Final Reminder for January 2022
[edit]Translations are available.
This is a friendly reminder that the Affiliations Committee – which is responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing and sustaining Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is seeking new members and advisors! The deadline to post your application on the Member nomination page and Advisor nomination is 31 January 2022.
If you know somebody you think may be interested, please share and encourage them to consider applying. If you have any questions please email affcom@wikimedia.org before the application deadline or reach out to any of the current members. Good luck to all the candidates!
On behalf of the committee,
FULBERT (talk) 17:32, 25 January 2022 (UTC)
Sunday February 27 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Hubs+Dialogue, Movement Charter, Universal Code of Conduct+Enforcement Voting, Brand, International Women's Day+Gender Gap and WikiForHumanRights campaigns, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday February 27, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and ).----Pharos (talk) 18:05, 23 February 2022 (UTC)
Sunday April 3 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including UCoC Voting, Hubs Global Conversation held + CEE Hub update, Movement Charter + Leadership Development Working Group, Desktop Improvements, Celebrate Women in March + International Women's Day, Wikimania 2022 survey concluded + Wikimedia Hackathon 2022 May 20-22 + local events, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday April 3, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and , note that some areas recently experienced daylight savings time changes).--Pharos (talk) 17:36, 29 March 2022 (UTC)
Sunday May 8 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including 2022 Board of Trustees Call for Candidates, Movement Charter/Content preliminary narrative, Human Rights Policy Community Conversations, Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan Feedback, IP blocking and Open Proxies discussion, Wikimedia Hackathon 2022 May 20-22 + local events, and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday May 8, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and , note that some areas recently experienced daylight savings time changes).--Pharos (talk) 18:08, 3 May 2022 (UTC)
2022 Wikimedia Hackathon - May 20th - 22nd
[edit]
Hello all, This is to invite you for this year's Wikimedia Hackathon from May 20-22. We hope to see you there! You can share the update with your community as well. The main event will be held online this year. We have an open call for sessions on our schedule page. If you'd like to host a session, you can simply pick an open slot in the category which best fits your topic. The developer advocacy team also put together some suggestions for how to create a fun session.
We will share more information soon about how to join the online space. You can also check through the list of local meetups holding around the world, you may find any closer to you. If you have any enquiry or translation requests, please contact hlepp@wikimedia.org
Best regards, James Popoola On behalf of the 2022 Wikimedia Hackathon Committee. |
James Moore200 (talk) 16:53, 5 May 2022 (UTC)
Sunday June 5 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter, Hubs Global Conversation this June, WMF Proposal for Movement Strategy Forum, New rounds of WMF Conference Funds including in-person events, WMF Proposal for Sound Logo Contest, WMF Elections Analysis Committee selection, wikimania:Program submissions due June 10 (scholarship and local event grants due June 3) and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday June 5, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and ).--Pharos (talk) 20:49, 31 May 2022 (UTC)
Sunday July 3 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Movement Charter, Hubs Global Conversation last week, Affiliate voting period to shortlist WMF Board candidates (July 1-15), Wikimania updates, Desktop improvements, Wikimedia Enterprise first customers, Call for program submissions and updates for a global diversity of regional/linguistic Wiki-Conferences, Wikidata:Wiki Mentor Africa and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday July 3, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and ).--Pharos via MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 12:55, 30 June 2022 (UTC)
The 2022 Board of Trustees election Community Voting period is now open
[edit]Hi everyone,
The Community Voting period for the 2022 Board of Trustees election is now open. Here are some helpful links to get you the information you need to vote:
- Try the Election Compass, showing how candidates stand on 15 different topics.
- Read the candidate statements and answers to Affiliate questions
- Learn more about the skills the Board seeks and how the Analysis Committee found candidates align with those skills
If you are ready to vote, you may go to SecurePoll voting page to vote now. You may vote from August 23 at 00:00 UTC to September 6 at 23:59 UTC. To see about your voter eligibility, please visit the voter eligibility page.
Best,
Movement Strategy and Governance
This message was sent on behalf of the Board Selection Task Force and the Elections Committee
TCappelletto (WMF) 11:17, 23 August 2022 (UTC)
The 2022 Board of Trustees election Community Voting is about to close
[edit]Hello,
The Community Voting period of the 2022 Board of Trustees election started on August 23, 2022, and will close on September 6, 2022 23:59 UTC. There’s still a chance to participate in this election. If you did not vote, please visit the SecurePoll voting page to vote now. To see about your voter eligibility, please visit the voter eligibility page. If you need help in making your decision, here are some helpful links:
- Try the Election Compass, showing how candidates stand on 15 different topics.
- Read the candidate statements and answers to Affiliate questions.
- Learn more about the skills the Board seek and how the Analysis Committee found candidates align with those skills
- Watch the videos of the candidates answering questions proposed by the community.
Best,
Movement Strategy and Governance
-- TCappelletto (WMF) 15:12, 31 August 2022 (UTC)
Revised Enforcement Draft Guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct
[edit]Hello everyone,
The Universal Code of Conduct Enforcement Guidelines Revisions committee is requesting comments regarding the Revised Enforcement Draft Guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC). This review period will be open from 8 September 2022 until 8 October 2022.
The Committee collaborated to revise these draft guidelines based on input gathered from the community discussion period from May through July, as well as the community vote that concluded in March 2022. The revisions are focused on the following four areas:
- To identify the type, purpose, and applicability of the UCoC training;
- To simplify the language for more accessible translation and comprehension by non-experts;
- To explore the concept of affirmation, including its pros and cons;
- To review the balancing of the privacy of the accuser and the accused
The Committee requests comments and suggestions about these revisions by 8 October 2022. From there, the Revisions Committee anticipates further revising the guidelines based on community input.
Find the Revised Guidelines on Meta, and a comparison page in some languages.
Everyone may share comments in a number of places. Facilitators welcome comments in any language on the Revised Enforcement Guidelines talk page. Comments can also be shared on talk pages of translations, at local discussions, or during conversation hours. There are a series of conversation hours planned about the Revised Enforcement Guidelines; please see Meta for the times and details.
The facilitation team supporting this review period hopes to reach a large number of communities. If you do not see a conversation happening in your community, please organize a discussion. Facilitators can assist you in setting up the conversations. Discussions will be summarized and presented to the drafting committee every two weeks. The summaries will be published here.
-- Thank you, TCappelletto (WMF) 17:39, 14 September 2022 (UTC)
Invitation to attend “Ask Me Anything about Movement Charter” Sessions
[edit]Hello all,
During the 2022 Wikimedia Summit, the Movement Charter Drafting Committee (MCDC) presented the first outline of the Movement Charter, giving a glimpse on the direction of its future work, and the Charter itself. The MCDC then integrated the initial feedback collected during the Summit. Before proceeding with writing the Charter for the whole Movement, the MCDC wants to interact with community members and gather feedback on the drafts of the three sections: Preamble, Values & Principles, and Roles & Responsibilities (intentions statement). The Movement Charter drafts will be available on the Meta page here on November 14, 2022. Community wide consultation period on MC will take place from November 20 to December 18, 2022. Learn more about it here.
With the goal of ensuring that people are well informed to fully participate in the conversations and are empowered to contribute their perspective on the Movement Charter, three “Ask Me Anything about Movement Charter" sessions have been scheduled in different time zones. Everyone in the Wikimedia Movement is invited to attend these conversations. The aim is to learn about Movement Charter - its goal, purpose, why it matters, and how it impacts your community. MCDC members will attend these sessions to answer your questions and hear community feedback.
The “Ask Me Anything” sessions accommodate communities from different time zones. Only the presentation of the session is recorded and shared afterwards, no recording of conversations. Below is the list of planned events:
- Asia/Pacific: November 4, 2022 at 09:00 UTC (your local time). Interpretation is available in Chinese and Japanese.
- Europe/MENA/Sub Saharan Africa: November 12, 2022 at 15:00 UTC (your local time). Interpretation is available in Arabic, French and Russian.
- North and South America/ Western Europe: November 12, 2022 at 15:00 UTC (your local time). Interpretation is available in Spanish and Portuguese.
On the Meta page you will find more details; Zoom links will be shared 48 hours ahead of the call.
Call for Movement Charter Ambassadors
Individuals or groups from all communities who wish to help include and start conversations in their communities on the Movement Charter are encouraged to become Movement Charter Ambassadors (MC Ambassadors). MC Ambassadors will carry out their own activities and get financial support for enabling conversations in their own languages. Regional facilitators from the Movement Strategy and Governance team are available to support applicants with MC Ambassadors grantmaking. If you are interested please sign up here. Should you have specific questions, please reach out to the MSG team via email: strategy2030@wikimedia.org or on the MS forum.
We thank you for your time and participation.
On behalf of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee,
TCappelletto (WMF) 15:38, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
Sunday November 13 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Wikimedia Research Fund, 2023 Ombuds commission and Case Review Committee appointments process, feedback on consultation and community session of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee, various Wikimania topics: (ideas/suggestions for Wikimania 2023, expressions of interest for Wikimania 2024 and beyond, expressions of interest to join Wikimania Steering Committee), and other ongoing activities.
This month we are meeting on Sunday November 13, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
(UTC meeting times are and
UTC times are different from before, and also note that some areas may have recently experienced daylight savings time changes.).--MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 18:18, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
Join the Movement Charter Regional Conversation Hours
[edit]Hi all,
As most of you are aware, the Movement Charter Drafting Committee (MCDC) is currently collecting community feedback about three draft sections of the Movement Charter: Preamble, Values & Principles, and Roles & Responsibilities (intentions statement).
How can you participate and share your feedback?
The MCDC is looking forward to receiving all types of feedback in different languages from the community members across the Movement and Affiliates. You can participate in the following ways:
- Attend the community conversation hours with MCDC members. Details about the regional community conversation hours are published here
- Fill out a survey (optional and anonymous)
- Share your thoughts and feedback on the Meta talk page
- Share your thoughts and feedback on the MS Forum:
- Preamble
- Values & Principles
- Roles & Responsibilities (statement of intent)
- Send an email to: movementcharterwikimediaorg if you have other feedback to the MCDC.
If you want to learn more about the Movement Charter, its goals, why it matters and how it impacts your community, please watch the recording of the “Ask Me Anything about Movement Charter” sessions which took place earlier in November 2022.
Thank you for your participation.
On behalf of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee
-- TCappelletto (WMF) (talk) 16:49, 2 December 2022 (UTC)
Notification of upcoming reporting due date
[edit]Greetings group contacts,
This is a notification to bring to your attention that your organization reporting date is coming up in 30 day(s). Wikimedia Affiliates are required to submit an annual activity report covering the entirety of the 12-month agreement period in order to prompt review for a renewal. Reports must be written in English, posted to meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal.
This page is used to track how organizations and groups are meeting reporting requirements described in their agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation (e.g. chapter agreements, thematic organization agreements, user group agreements). It is the central place where affiliates can add reports about their activities, share their plans, and even news or social media channels with the wider movement. When new reports are available, organizations and groups should add them to this page to keep their columns up to date.
As noted on the meta Reports page, your organization’s 2023 annual reporting will be due in 2023-01-07. Please be sure to:
- Post your 2023 annual reporting to the meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal as soon as possible to return to compliance with your user group agreement.
- Check that your group’s page is also up to date with past report links for historical record-keeping, and
- Please send an email to Wikimedia-l in order to share with a movement-wide audience.
If you have any questions or need any further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to wadportalwikimedia.org.
Best regards,
Dumisani Ndubane
Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Movement Charter: End of the community consultation round 1
[edit]Hi everyone,
On behalf of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee (MCDC), we would like to thank everyone who has participated in our first community wide consultation period on the Movement Charter.
People from across the Movement shared their feedback and thoughts on the content of the Movement Charter. If you have not had the chance to share your opinion yet, you are welcome to do so still by giving the drafts a read and filling out the anonymous survey, which is accessible in 12+ languages. The survey will close on January 2, 2023. You are invited to continue to share your thoughts with the MCDC via email too: movementcharter@wikimedia.org.
What’s next?
The Movement Strategy and Governance team will publish the final report with the summary of the feedback received in January 2023. It will be shared with the MCDC and the communities via different distribution channels.
After receiving the final report, the MCDC will review the suggestions and communicate the changes by providing an explanation on how and why suggestions were or were not adopted in the next versions of the drafts. There will be additional ways to engage with the Movement Charter content in 2023, including early feedback on a proposed ratification process and new drafts of different chapters in the second quarter of 2023.
We invite you to sign-up to the MCDC monthly newsletter, it will be delivered to the Talk page of your choice. Monthly updates are available on Meta to remain updated on the progress of the MCDC.
Interested people can still sign-up to become a Movement Charter Ambassador (MC Ambassador) to support their community. The MC Ambassadors Program grant program will restart accepting applications from both individuals and groups ahead of the next round of consultations in the second quarter of 2023.
We thank you for your participation, time and effort in helping to build the Charter for our Movement!
On behalf of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee,
TCappelletto (WMF) 17:01, 16 December 2022 (UTC)
Voting now open on the revised Enforcement Guidelines for the Universal Code of Conduct
[edit]Hello all,
The voting period for the revised Universal Code of Conduct Enforcement Guidelines is now open! Voting will be open for two weeks and will close at 23:59 UTC on January 31, 2023. Please visit the voter information page on Meta-wiki for voter eligibility information and details on how to vote.
For more details on the Enforcement Guidelines and the voting process, see our previous message.
On behalf of the UCoC Project Team,
-- TCappelletto (WMF) 18:54, 19 January 2023 (UTC)
Universal Code of Conduct revised enforcement guidelines vote results
[edit]The recent community-wide vote on the Universal Code of Conduct revised Enforcement Guidelines has been tallied and scrutinized. Thank you to everyone who participated.
After 3097 voters from 146 Wikimedia communities voted, the results are 76% in support of the Enforcement Guidelines, and 24% in opposition. Statistics for the vote are available. A more detailed summary of comments submitted during the vote will be published soon.
From here, the results and comments collected during this vote will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for their review. The current expectation is that the Board of Trustees review process will complete in March 2023. We will update you when their review process is completed.
On behalf of the UCoC Project Team,
-- Thank you, TCappelletto (WMF) 18:23, 15 February 2023 (UTC)
Call for early input on the proposed Movement Charter ratification methodology
[edit]Hello all,
The Movement Charter Drafting Committee (MCDC) is collecting early input from the Wikimedia movement on the proposed methodology for the ratification of the Movement Charter from April 10 to 28, 2023. Ratification of the Movement Charter is planned to take place in early 2024 according to the timeline.
There are six questions that the MCDC requests your input on. Please share your feedback by:
- Commenting on the Meta talk page
- Commenting on the Movement Strategy forum
- Joining the community conversation hours
Conversation hours
The MCDC also invites everyone interested in sharing their feedback on the proposed methodology to join the community conversation hours:
- Community conversation hour #1: 18 April at 10:00 UTC (your local time)
- Community conversation hour #2: 24 April at 17:00 UTC (your local time)
The language of conversation hours is English. Please comment if you need language support. Please note that language interpretation will be provided if at least 3 people expressed interest to participate in the following languages: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian and Spanish.
On behalf of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee,
-- TCappelletto (WMF) 20:09, 12 April 2023 (UTC)
Invitation to join the Wikimedia Affiliate strategy discussions
[edit]Hope this message finds you well. I am sharing an update about the Wikimedia Foundation Affiliate strategy initiative. In November, Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees announced the beginning of Wikimedia Foundation Affiliate strategy.
We are working on the next steps of the Affiliate strategy. We invite you to a session with the Board of Trustees, AffCom, and supporting staff to provide input into this process. These sessions will be conducted in groups and the language will be English. If you are able to attend one of these meetings, please sign up here. If you prefer a 1:1 session for a detailed discussion, please reach out to me. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please respond via the survey or in writing to askcac@wikimedia.org or on the Talk page.
This message was also sent by email to affiliate primary contacts.
Best, MKaur (WMF) 22:30, 22 May 2023 (UTC)
WikiWomenCamp 2023 Scholarship Application
[edit]Hello all,
We are thrilled to announce the opening of the scholarship applications for Wiki Women Camp 2023 which will run from 20-23 October in New Delhi, India. The scholarship application deadline is July 4th, end of the day (anywhere in the world), and applicants will receive notification of decisions in mid-July.
Please submit your application directly through the provided forms available here.
If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at admin@wikiwomencamp.org.
Cheers,
Maffeth.opiana (talk) 11:25, 23 June 2023 (UTC)
On behalf of the WikiWomenCamp 2023 Team
Sunday July 16 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting (Global Council focus, now available in ar, es, fr!)
[edit]The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas on the Wikimedia 2030 strategy process. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for a future Global Council.
We'll focus on strategic and outreach topics of mutual concern to all affiliates including Wikimania Singapore, Future of SWAN, Movement Charter/Content new sections (particularly Movement Charter/Content/Global Council), other activities you submit, and we will top it all off with a grand finale AI Happy Hour / Doom Hour!
This month we are meeting on Sunday July 16, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
UTC meeting times are and
Note that we are now meeting on Zoom, with interpretation in the 2nd session in (Arabic) (Spanish) (French)--Pharos (talk) 02:41, 12 July 2023 (UTC)
Call for Affiliates & Call for Trainers WikiWomenCamp 2023
[edit]Dear all,
The WikiWomenCamp 2023 team is excited to announce that the calls for Affiliates and Trainers are open now!
- Self-funded affiliates attendance
If your affiliate is interested, kindly fill out the registration form by 8 August 2023, anywhere on earth. Please note that self-funded attendance means participants will be responsible for their travel, accommodation, visa (if required), and related expenses. We have 10 seats reserved for affiliates. Here is the form link: Google Forms
- Trainers
The call for trainers to facilitate gender-focused sessions at WikiWomenCamp 2023 is open. To propose your session(s), please submit the application form by 8th August 2023. More details about the call for trainers (benefits for trainers and key dates) are here: m:WWC2023/Program
To read more about the camp, please visit: m:WikiWomenCamp 2023
Cheers,
Maffeth.opiana (talk) 03:37, 29 July 2023 (UTC)
On behalf of the WWC23 team
Call for Highlight Videos for WikiWomenCamp 2023
[edit]Dear Community Members,
As we gear up for the upcoming WikiWomenCamp in India, we are excited to announce a unique opportunity to share your incredible work and its impact with the global community.
What We're Looking For: We invite you to submit short (3-5 minute) videos highlighting your projects, initiatives, or efforts that have made a significant difference in addressing gender gaps. We know that many of you are doing remarkable work in various corners of the world, and we want to shine a spotlight on your achievements.
Why Short Videos: Our camp sessions are extensive, covering a wide range of topics and discussions. In the interest of time and with a commitment to showcasing the amazing initiatives across our movement, we believe that short videos are an effective way to capture and share the essence of your work.
How Your Videos Will Be Used: The selected videos will be featured on our social media channels and played during breaks at the camp. This provides an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your work to a broader audience and inspire others to get involved or collaborate with you.
Submission Guidelines:
- Videos should be 3-5 minutes in length.
- Please focus on the impact of your work, highlighting how it contributes to addressing gender gap.
- Be creative and engage in your presentation.
- Ensure video quality is clear and audible.
- Narration (optional): If possible, include a brief voiceover or text captions to provide context and explanation.
- Language: While English is preferred for wider accessibility, videos in other languages are also welcome. Kindly ensure that non-English videos are accompanied by English subtitles or captions.
Submission Deadline:
To be considered for inclusion in our camp programming, please submit your videos by Thursday, 28th September 2023. Late submissions may still be featured later on our social media channels.
How to Submit:
To avoid any issues with file sizes, we recommend using a file transfer service like WeTransfer or Google Drive while sharing your videos with us at admin@wikiwomencamp.org. In your email, include a brief description of your project, affiliate name / your name or username, and contact information.
We believe that your stories and experiences are powerful tools for change. By sharing them with our community, you contribute to a collective effort to bridge the gender gap and empower women and girls worldwide.
Thank you for being a part of the camp initiatives, and we look forward to receiving your inspiring videos.
Warm regards,
WikiWomenCamp 2023 COT
Maffeth.opiana (talk) 09:57, 21 September 2023 (UTC)
Introducing the Wikimedia photo library and a workshop invite
[edit]Dear Wikimedia affiliates communications leads,
We are so excited to share a new resource with you: The Wikimedia Photo Library. In it you will find high quality images that help to tell the story of free knowledge. We hope that this library will help you in the important work you do as a communication lead. Alongside this library, we’ve also updated guidelines on how to effectively use imagery to tell brand stories.
Curious to learn more about these resources?
We will be holding a short workshop for 45 minutes on Tuesday 3 October 2023, at 16:00 UTC (add event to your calendar) and again on Thursday 5 October at 7:00 UTC (add event to your calendar) to accommodate different time zones. During these workshops, we will walk you through some examples of images that align with the Movement Brand Guidelines, some basics of quality photography and answer any questions you may have about this topic.
The need for a Wikimedia Photo Library
Our research showed that there are lots of photos available from Wikimedia events, usually featuring people using computers. There were very few images showing mobile editing or reading, and even fewer showing people using the projects in their everyday lives.
These images are the first steps in creating a photo library that is representative of the whole movement. We have added images that are aligned with the Movement Brand Guidelines in this category on Wikimedia Commons. Photography is a powerful tool to create cohesion in Wikimedia communication. Our hope is that all of you will help to build this resource out with images from your region.
By continuing to add to this category, we will be helping one another tell more impactful stories of the free knowledge movement – learn how on the Brand portal on Meta-wiki.
Thank you so much and please let me know if you have any questions. We hope to see you at one of the workshops!
Best,
Samir and the Brand Studio team --MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:53, 23 September 2023 (UTC)
Follow up on the last message about the photography workshop
[edit]Hi everyone,
This is a reminder about our photography sessions happening this week. Also, some people reached out with concerns about not being able to open the links to meetings in the previous message. Please find a direct link to the Google Meet sessions here:
Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions. If you have any questions please reach out to selsharbatywikimediaorg . --MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 08:21, 2 October 2023 (UTC)
Opportunities open for the Affiliations Committee, Ombuds commission, and the Case Review Committee
[edit]You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki.
More languages • Please help translate to your languageHi everyone! The Affiliations Committee (AffCom), Ombuds commission (OC), and the Case Review Committee (CRC) are looking for new members. These volunteer groups provide important structural and oversight support for the community and movement. People are encouraged to nominate themselves or encourage others they feel would contribute to these groups to apply. There is more information about the roles of the groups, the skills needed, and the opportunity to apply on the Meta-wiki page.
If you are aware of participants in your affiliate who may be interested in these roles, please share this message with them.
On behalf of the Committee Support team,
Keegan (WMF) (talk) 20:22, 18 October 2023 (UTC)
Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy: Summary and Report
[edit]Dear Wikimedia affiliate,
Last year, the Wikimedia Foundation Board announced they started the process with creating an Affiliates Strategy in collaboration with the Affiliations Committee, the affiliates, and the broader communities with the intention to develop a strategy that will help guide the Foundation’s immediate work in supporting affiliates for the next few years, with a primary focus on the recognition process, as a direct responsibility of the Board.
Over several months, the Wikimedia Foundation Board engaged with an outside consultant to drive a review process of what work the Foundation was doing to support affiliates. The end goal was to have several recommended actions.
You can read more about the findings and the recommendations on this Meta-Wiki page.
Best,
MPossoupe_(WMF)21:28, 23 October 2023 (UTC)
Save the date: Celtic Knot Wikimedia Language Conference, September 2024 is coming to Ireland!
[edit]Hello all,
We are very happy to announce that the conference dedicated to minoritized languages on the Wikimedia projects will be back for its 7th edition, to be held in Waterford City, Ireland, in September 2024. The exact date will be announced as soon as possible.
Getting back to its roots, in the Celtic languages and nations, the event gathers people from communities and languages that are underrepresented on the Wikimedia projects. It is a place where people working on growing and maintaining their communities can meet, learn from each other, and support each other on topics like community growth, technical tools, or collaboration with partners.
Celtic Knot 2024, will be an in-person event, held in Waterford, Ireland's oldest city which has an abundance of cultural heritage and history. We are currently exploring options to make conference resources (talks, panels, etc.) available to those who are unable to attend in person.
We are currently gathering input from the community to build a conference tailored to your needs: whether you attended a previous edition of the Celtic Knot or not, if you are involved in underrepresented languages on the Wikimedia Projects, please take a few minutes to fill in the community survey (available in English, Irish and Welsh), and make sure to share the information with your local group. The survey is open until January 21st. Many thanks in advance!
As we are starting to build the concept and the program, we will regularly improve the existing event pages on Meta and post updates on the talk page of the event.
The core organizing team is composed of Amy O’Riordan (WCI), Sophie Fitzpatrick (WCI), Daria Cybulska (WMUK), Richard Nevell (WMUK), supported by Léa Lacroix (community engagement consultant). If you have ideas or suggestions, if you would like to get involved in the conference, feel free to contact any of us.
We’re looking forward to seeing you at the Celtic Knot!
Táimid ag ullmhú An Chomhdháil Celtic Knot 2024, beidh do chuid tuairimí an-tábhachtach dúinn chun tuiscint a fháil ar cad atá uait agus ó Mhuintir na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta ón gcomhdháil seo. Is imeacht Comhdháil Celtic Knot 2024 a gcuireann béim ar theangacha a bhfuil faoi ghannionadaíocht i gcúrsaí Wikimedia agus seans maith do dhaoine a bhfuil ag obair ar na tionscadail a bhualadh le chéile chun eolas agus scileanna a roinnt. Beidh Éireann mar thír óstach i mí Mean Fómhair 2024.Líon amach an suirbhé!
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Sophie Cailínréalta (talk) 15:36, 11 January 2024 (UTC)
(First Reminder) Notification of Affiliate Expiration - Renewal pending submission of reporting
[edit]Greetings Sameichel, Smirkybec,
This is a notification to bring to your attention that your organization is currently past due on its required annual reporting. Wikimedia Affiliates are required to submit an annual activity report covering the entirety of the 12-month agreement period in order to prompt review for a renewal. Reports must be written in English, posted to meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal.
This page is used to track how organizations and groups are meeting reporting requirements described in their agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation (e.g. chapter agreements, thematic organization agreements, user group agreements). It is the central place where affiliates can add reports about their activities, share their plans, and even news or social media channels with the wider movement. When new reports are available, organizations and groups should add them to this page to keep their columns up to date.
As noted on the meta Reports page, your organization’s 2024 annual reporting became past due in 2024-01-07. Please be sure to:
- Post your 2024 annual reporting to the meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal as soon as possible to return to compliance with your user group agreement.
- Check that your group’s page is also up to date with past report links for historical record-keeping, and
- Please send an email to Wikimedia-l in order to share with a movement-wide audience.
If you have any questions or need any further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to wadportalwikimedia.org.
Best regards,
Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal
--User:DNdubane_(WMF) 17:38, 7 February 2024 (UTC)
Feedback invited on proposed requirements for affiliates & user groups recognition changes
[edit]- You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Dear Wikimedia Affiliates,
Following up on the development of Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy, we would like to invite you to give feedback on requirements for affiliates & user groups recognition changes. You can find the details of the proposed changes in this message from Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees liaisons to the Affiliations Committee, as well as the ways to give your feedback.
We have also reached out to your contact persons via the emails provided.
Best regards,
Xeno (WMF) (talk) 14:40, 9 February 2024 (UTC)
(Second Reminder) Notification of Affiliate Expiration - Renewal pending submission of reporting
[edit]Greetings Smirkybec, Sameichel,
This is a notification to bring to your attention that your organization is currently past due on its required annual reporting. Wikimedia Affiliates are required to submit an annual activity report covering the entirety of the 12-month agreement period in order to prompt review for a renewal. Reports must be written in English, posted to meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal.
This page is used to track how organizations and groups are meeting reporting requirements described in their agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation (e.g. chapter agreements, thematic organization agreements, user group agreements). It is the central place where affiliates can add reports about their activities, share their plans, and even news or social media channels with the wider movement. When new reports are available, organizations and groups should add them to this page to keep their columns up to date.
As noted on the meta Reports page, your organization’s 2024 annual reporting became past due in 2024-01-07. Please be sure to:
- Post your 2024 annual reporting to the meta via the Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal as soon as possible to return to compliance with your user group agreement.
- Check that your group’s page is also up to date with past report links for historical record-keeping, and
- Please send an email to Wikimedia-l in order to share with a movement-wide audience.
If you have any questions or need any further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to wadportalwikimedia.org.
Best regards,
Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal
--User:DNdubane_(WMF) 15:22, 8 March 2024 (UTC)
- Dear Wikimedia Affiliates Data Portal Team,
- Thank you for the reminder and apologies for the delay. We have had some major staff changes at WCI this year. The report is now available.
- Thank you and kind regards,
- Sophie
- Project and Communications Manager
- Wikimedia Community Ireland Cailínréalta (talk) 13:53, 11 March 2024 (UTC)
The full draft of the Wikimedia Movement Charter will soon be shared
[edit]- You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Hi there,
The Movement Charter Drafting Committee is happy to announce that the full draft of the Movement Charter will be published on April 2nd, 2024. This will kick off the community engagement period from April 2nd to April 22nd.
The Movement Charter is a proposed document to define roles and responsibilities for all the members and entities of the Wikimedia Movement, including to lay out a new Global Council for movement governance.
Everyone in the Wikimedia Movement is invited to share opinions on the full version of the Charter draft – this is the last chance to offer feedback before the Charter draft is updated for the ratification vote in June 2024.
How to share your feedback?
- share your message or question on the Movement Charter Talk page;
- attend a community drop-in session on April 4th at 15.00-17.00 UTC;
- or email movementcharter@wikimedia.org.
Read the Committee's latest updates for more information.
On behalf of the MCDC,
RamzyM (WMF) 13:58, 28 March 2024 (UTC)
The full Movement Charter draft awaits your review on Meta
[edit]- You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Hi everyone,
The full draft of the Movement Charter has been published on Meta for your review.
Why should you care?
The Charter is important as it will be an essential document for the implementation of the 2030 strategy recommendations. Participating in the Charter discussions means that you ensure that your voice is heard and your interests are represented in shaping the future of the Movement.
Community Engagement – April 2nd to April 30th, 2024
The Movement Charter Drafting Committee (MCDC) cordially invites everyone in the Wikimedia movement to share feedback on the full draft of the Movement Charter.
Let your voice be heard by sharing your feedback it in any language on the Movement Charter talk pages, attend a community drop-in session, or email movementcharter@wikimedia.org.
Please read the Committee's latest updates for more information.
Thank you.
On behalf of the MCDC,
RamzyM (WMF) 13:07, 3 April 2024 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee News (January-March 2024)
[edit]You can find this newsletter translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Quarterly newsletter sharing news and events about the work of Wikimedia's Affiliations Committee.
Affiliate Recognition and Derecognition: Recognition of Cyprus, Botswana, Niger, and Telugu user groups
Affiliate Activities Report: Reports from Belgium, South African, and Ukrainian chapters
AffCom Movement Contribution: AffCom engagement with the new Affiliates Strategy and Movement Charter drafts
AffCom Administration: New AffCom members and advisors
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 12:55, 18 April 2024 (UTC)
Board of Trustees selection call for candidates
[edit]Hello all,
The call for candidates for the 2024 Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees selection is now open from May 8, 2024 - May 29, 2024 at 23:59 UTC. The Board of Trustees oversees the Wikimedia Foundation's work, and each Trustee serves a three-year term. This is a volunteer position.
This year, the Wikimedia community will vote to fill four (4) seats on the Foundation Board in August 2024. You can see the timeline of the full selection process here.
Traits
Wikimedia is a global movement and seeks candidates from the broader community. Ideal candidates are thoughtful, respectful, community-oriented and align with the Wikimedia Foundation mission. Candidates should think about what experiences and perspectives they will bring to the Board.
The Board would like to find perspectives and voices that are essential but underrepresented in our movement. Accordingly, all candidates will be asked to include statements in their application that speak to their experiences in the world and in the movement and share how those experiences have equipped them to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Trustees commitment
Trustees serve a three year term and can serve up to three consecutive terms. The expectation is that Trustees serve on at least one of the Board’s committees. The time commitment is about 150 hours per year, excluding travel. This time is not evenly spread throughout the year. The time is concentrated around meetings.
Trustees requirements
English is the language of business for the Board. Candidates must be fluent in written and spoken English. Previous experience serving on a collective decision-making body, especially Boards or committees, and significant experience in Wikimedia (or equivalent) movement building and organizing are expected from candidates.
Apply
Candidates from all projects and communities who meet the criteria to become a Wikimedia Trustee are welcome to apply. Could you - or someone you know - be a good fit to join the Wikimedia Foundation's Board of Trustees? Encourage them to run for election. Candidates can find information and submit their nomination on the candidate application page. If you want to learn more about the role of Trustees or have questions, refer to this candidate resources page.
Community questions for candidates
All community members, including affiliates, are invited to submit questions for the Board of Trustees candidates to answer. From the list of questions, the Election Committee selects 5 questions for candidates to answer, which the candidates are expected to answer. The selected questions may be a combination of what’s been submitted from the community, if they’re alike or related. Questions can be submitted between May 8 - June 12 at 23:59 UTC. Learn more about how to submit your questions on this Meta-wiki page.
Best regards,
The Elections Committee and Board Selection Working Group
MPossoupe_(WMF) 18:33, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
Feedback invited on Procedure for Sibling Project Lifecycle
[edit]- You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Dear Wikimedia Affiliates,
The Community Affairs Committee (CAC) of the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees invites you to give feedback on a draft Procedure for Sibling Project Lifecycle. Affiliates play important roles in the Movement, working with communities and external partners, and thus they bring valuable perspectives to the table. We warmly welcome you to the conversations. In addition, please share information about this with your affiliate membership, and any project communities your affiliate works with or supports. You can also help translate the procedure into more languages so that people can join the discussions in their language.
This draft Procedure outlines proposed steps and requirements for opening and closing Wikimedia Sibling Projects. It aims to ensure any newly approved projects are set up for success. This is separate from the procedures for opening or closing language versions of projects, which is handled by the Language Committee. It is also separate from the closing projects policy.
You can find the details of the proposal on this page, as well as the ways to give your feedback from today until the end of the day on June 23, 2024, anywhere on Earth.
We have also reached out to your contact persons via the emails provided.
On behalf of the CAC,
RamzyM (WMF) 16:08, 21 May 2024 (UTC)
The final text of the Wikimedia Movement Charter is now on Meta
[edit]- You can find this message translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Hi everyone,
The final text of the Wikimedia Movement Charter is now up on Meta in more than 20 languages for your reading.
What is the Wikimedia Movement Charter?
The Wikimedia Movement Charter is a proposed document to define roles and responsibilities for all the members and entities of the Wikimedia movement, including the creation of a new body – the Global Council – for movement governance.
Join the Wikimedia Movement Charter “Launch Party”
Join the “Launch Party” on June 20, 2024 at 14.00-15.00 UTC (your local time). During this call, we will celebrate the release of the final Charter and present the content of the Charter. Join and learn about the Charter before casting your vote.
Movement Charter ratification vote
Voting will commence on SecurePoll on June 25, 2024 at 00:01 UTC and will conclude on July 9, 2024 at 23:59 UTC. You can read more about the voting process, eligibility criteria, and other details on Meta.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment on the Meta talk page or email the MCDC at mcdc@wikimedia.org.
On behalf of the MCDC,
RamzyM (WMF) 08:43, 11 June 2024 (UTC)
Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy: Affiliate health criteria and changes to User Group recognition process
[edit]- This communication has been adapted from the original message.
Dear all,
We would like to thank all of you who shared feedback with us during this phase of the Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy process that started in November 2022, both on- and off-wiki. You can read the report from the first phase here.
Since that point, AffCom has been working with the Board of Trustees, Foundation staff, affiliates, and wider community members to enable them to provide appropriate guidance to affiliates regarding what it means to be an active and healthy Wikimedia organisation. As a result of those conversations, the committee has voted to adopt the following 10 criteria for affiliates, grouped into four main areas:
- Goal delivery
- Organisational Development
- Good governance & communication
- Financial & legal compliance
- Affiliate health & resilience
- Leadership & Inclusion
- Diverse, skilled, and accountable leadership
- Diversity balance (especially gender)
- Universal Code of Conduct compliance)
- Engagement & Collaboration
- Internal (membership) engagement
- Community connection
- Partnerships & collaboration
You are encouraged to read more details about each of these criteria here, including guidance on how each can be met. All criteria will be tracked for all affiliates, except for the criteria around financial and legal compliance, which only apply to those affiliates receiving funds and/or that are incorporated.
Staff and AffCom are working on streamlining affiliate reporting requirements, and responding to feedback raised during the community feedback period about the reporting burden. The new requirements of data collected in reports would be useful also for different Foundation teams and departments, and allow for the creation of detailed regional or global reports that demonstrate affiliate health and impact.
In July 2024, AffCom will work to finalise the implementation plans for the changes to the affiliate requirements and application process. In August 2024, updates will be made to Meta-wiki and other supporting platforms.
You can follow the process here.
The insights from the 2023 process also included recognising a need to strengthen AffCom processes for evaluating potential User Groups’ furtherance of shared movement goals, sustainability, and general ability to be healthy and active movement participants. AffCom has adopted a revised process for User Group recognition, and will be pausing new User Group recognitions until September 2024.
No immediate changes are happening, except the pause of considering new User Group recognitions until September, for applications received after today, June 12, 2024. Once more detailed implementation plans are developed, there will be an update here and on the relevant Meta pages with the next steps after Wikimania.
To provide your feedback, please leave a comment on the main talk page on Meta.
Alternatively, you can join AffCom's open office hours on June 19 at 14:00 UTC or request a conversation as a part of Talking:2024. You can use the Let’s Talk to sign up for a time to speak with us.
Looking forward to your feedback!
Best regards,
Nat, Mike & Lorenzo
Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees Liaisons to the Affiliations Committee
Sunday June 23 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting (WMF BoT statement on Movement Charter ratification)
[edit]Hello everyone!
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas about current developments in the Wikimedia Movement. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for further Wikimedia 2030 strategy process work.
At this meeting we will focus on the recent statement by the WMF Board of Trustees liaisons statement on the Movement Charter in which the liaisons stated that they will be recommending the Board of Trustees not to ratify the final draft of the Movement Charter. The community and affiliate votes on the ratification are supposed to start on Tuesday, 25 June. This meeting offers a venue to discuss the situation and formulate the "next steps".
This month, we are meeting on Sunday, June 23, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
Nadzik (talk) 16:30, 22 June 2024 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee News (April-June 2024)
[edit]You can find this newsletter translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Quarterly newsletter sharing news and events about the work of Wikimedia's Affiliations Committee.
Affiliate Recognition and Derecognition: Recognition of Madagascar, Senegal, Republic of Congo, and Namibia user groups
Affiliate Activities and Compliance Report: Activities reports around the world
AffCom Conflict Intervention: Six active conflicts, no new reports for Q4
AffCom Movement Contribution: AffCom engagement at Wikimedia Summit and ESEAP Conference
AffCom Administration: Officers elections and departing members
Upcoming AffCom Events: AffCom at Wikimania 2024
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 16:20, 15 July 2024 (UTC)
Sunday July 28 Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network meeting (Results of Movement Charter ratification)
[edit]Hello everyone!
The Strategic Wikimedia Affiliates Network (SWAN) is a developing forum for all Wikimedia movement affiliates to share ideas about current developments in the Wikimedia Movement. It expands on the model of the All-Affiliates Brand Meeting to help lay some of the groundwork for further Wikimedia 2030 strategy process work.
At this meeting we will focus on the results of the Movement Charter ratification. We will also discuss the aftermath of the Board of Trustees' decision to veto the Movement Charter, including their recent proposals. We will also cover updates about upcoming Wikimania 2024.
This month, we are meeting on Sunday, July 28, and you are all invited to RSVP here.
Nadzik (talk) 19:55, 18 July 2024 (UTC)
Affiliations Committee News (July-September 2024)
[edit]You can find this newsletter translated into additional languages on Meta-wiki. Please help translate to your language
Quarterly newsletter sharing news and events about the work of Wikimedia's Affiliations Committee.
Affiliate Recognition and Derecognition: Recognition of Togo, Wayúu, and Singapore user groups
Affiliate Activities and Compliance Report: Activities reports around the world
AffCom Conflict Intervention: Updates on conflict intervention cases
AffCom Movement Contribution: AffCom engagement at Wikimania
AffCom Administration: Results of the officers elections
Upcoming AffCom Events: AffCom at WikiIndaba and a strategy meetup
Other Movement News: Regional conferences, mental health support, and new committee support inbox