Wikimédia France/Groupes de travail/Groupes thématiques/Wikimania/Déclaration d'intérêt de WMFr

Wikimania
Wikimania
Courriel	remy.gerbet@wikimedia.fr
Référent·es	Rémy Gerbet WMFr
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	Déclaration d'intérêt de WMFr ; Lieux

Expression of interest: France

Abstract/description

In a few sentences tell us about your submissions. What made you and your community want to host the next Wikimania?

Organizers

Wikimédia France

A core team of local or regional volunteers heavily involved with the Wikimedia movement will be responsible for organizing the conference. This team will be supported by the Wikimania Steering Committee, the Wikimedia Foundation, and professional event organizers.

Requirements

Interested community groups do not need to have a venue selected, contracts drafted or sponsors lined up. This is why we are starting the process early. Please provide solid information about the points below to help our decision making. We will be taking into account various factors about potential sites and hosts especially the cost, accessibility, security, global rotation of Wikimania, and the strength of the organizing team. We hope to announce the location of the 2024 Wikimania by March, 2023. If you are interested in hosting a Wikimania in 2025 or later, you can submit your expression here as well.

Keep in mind previous cities and regions We love to bring Wikimedians together in different parts of the world to connect with diverse cultures and local communities, sharing the sum of our knowledge and the magic of Wikimania at different destinations. We also aim to leave a lasting legacy of projects and partnerships wherever we go. We have hosted Wikimania since 2005 in the following locations. It might be time for your region to welcome the world: Frankfurt (Western Europe), Boston (North America), Taipei (East Asia), Alexandria (North Africa), Buenos Aires (Latin America), Gdansk (Central & Eastern Europe), Haifa (West Asia), Washington DC (North America), Hong Kong (East Asia), London (Western Europe), Mexico City (Latin America), Esino Lario (Western Europe), Montreal (North America), Cape Town (Sub-Saharan Africa), Stockholm (Northern Europe), and Singapore (South East Asia). We encourage expressions of interest from regions who have not recently hosted Wikimania.'

Venue + lodging

It is ideal for the venue to be close to an international airport and not require extensive travel upon arrival. Wikimania should be held in a venue that is reasonably priced and ideally near the lodging and/or with easy transportation options. Lodging should be reasonably priced. The venue should be able to handle approximately 1000 participants in person. In addition to a large auditorium for plenary sessions, the venue should have meeting spaces that can accommodate multiple tracks of events and meetings. Nice to have: Meeting space that supports socializing and is close to restaurants :)

Paris area

Travel + visas

An easy, accessible visa process is key to international participation. This could mean few visa restrictions, accessible electronic visas, or embassies / agencies found in many global cities Wikimedians would be traveling from.

France is the third most present country in number of embassies in the world, with 163 embassies. As the main organizer of the French WikiConvention since 2016, Wikimedia France has also gained a solid experience about visa applications.

Paris area is very well connected and has several international airports (Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Paris Beauvais) and major trains stations (Paris Montparnasse, Gare du Nord...), allowing people to come from all continents and most countries. The inner Paris area has a solid public transportation network with 14 subways lines. Disabled access in parisian transports network will be a lot better in 2025, thanks to the 2024 Olympic games.

Facilities + services

Accessible healthcare infrastructure including medical facilities and well-practiced COVID-19 protocols. Plans for a reliable, fast internet infrastructure, especially enterprise grade wireless networks at all Wikimania facilities.

As the capital region, Paris and its area offer all facilities such as: hospitals, shops, transportation services, cultural sites.

Safety + security

Personal safety of participants is of highest priority. This means environments welcoming of people’s different identities, expressions, affiliations, races, genders and abilities. Freedom of expression; local legislation and government policies should not put any participants at an unacceptable risk due to their activities with the movement.

Alternate locations

Do indicate the alternate countries and cities you find best to hold Wikimania should an unexpected event happened in the original location.

Time

Additional

Seamless virtual integration with in-person components is a high priority for a hybrid conference. Wikimedians should equally be able to remotely participate at Wikimania.Any other details that you think would be helpful for the Wikimania Steering Committee. A goal and vision for how the conference might leverage a project or an issue that is of importance to the hosting team, country or region. List any previous experience in hosting events.