I just want to add my 2p on this. I raised my eyebrows last year when so many people were invited to WMCON but I could see the rationale for one-off face-to-face strategy conversations.
However I am concerned by the idea that WMCON is now turning into a large, standing, deliberative/representative body and losing focus on supporting affiliates' impact. WMCON can never be a representative group for the movement, let's not try. Chris On 24 Oct 2017 17:30, "Lodewijk" <lodew...@effeietsanders.org> wrote: > While it is true that there are now for *some* languages also organizations > that have it as their specific goal to support those (Amical has been doing > that for Catalan for a long time, though), this is not the case for most > major languages. In the whole field of affiliates, including user groups, > most are tied to a geography, rather than other factors. > > Even in an outreach, engagement, communication perspective, we have always > held off on calling the affiliates 'representative'. In this context it > would even go a step further: it would make them *politically* > representative. This could be particularly painful when an editing > community does not feel represented (for example, because the user group > that has their language as focus, if any, is the subset of users that likes > to focus on a subset of topics that is not the focus of most of the > community. > > While lines between focus areas blur, and our movement diversifies, this > does not necessarily mean the roles changed that much. > > If your goal really is to make it representative, then you either have to > make affiliates more representative, or you have to invite other people. > > I'm looking forward to Cornelius' response on what the underlying goal is > for this change, because I suspect his proposed change of wording is not > cutting it yet. > > Lodewijk > > On Tue, Oct 24, 2017 at 4:56 AM, Joseph Seddon <jsed...@wikimedia.org> > wrote: > > > The conference was born from the old affiliate model but that is not > > representative of where we are now and for all its flaws and advantages, > > the affiliate model has become very different. > > > > Affiliates in some cases really do represent, projects, languages and > > topics to varying degrees. > > > > In some cases maybe affiliates really should be their local language > > representatives. There is a difference though between representative in > an > > outreach, engagement or communication role with that of legal > > representative. > > > > The line blurs with each passing year and particularly as affiliates gain > > in their experience. Maybe the conference should reflect the new roles > and > > responsibilities being carved out by the evolving affiliate model. > > > > Seddon > > > > > > > > On Tue, Oct 24, 2017 at 10:45 AM, Michael Maggs <mich...@maggs.name> > > wrote: > > > > > Agreed. This would change the conference significantly. Its purpose has > > > always been to discuss matters of common interest to movement > > > *organisations*. Organisations attend on their own behalf and not as > > > representatives for any wider groups such as speakers of a specific > > > language, or editors of any particular Wikipedia. > > > > > > Michael > > > > > > > On 23 Oct 2017, at 19:54, Isaac Olatunde <reachout2is...@gmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > I share Lodewijk's concerns here. My understanding is that local > > chapters > > > > have no control/authority over any language community. Unless we want > > > > language communities to be under the control of local chapters or > user > > > > groups, language communities should be allowed to choose their > > > > representatives if they must be represented. > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > > > Isaac. > > > > > > > > On Oct 23, 2017 7:16 PM, "Lodewijk" <lodew...@effeietsanders.org> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > That all depends on the goals that the conference sets itself, as > > always > > > :) > > > > > > > > As I understood it, the conference is intended for structured and > > > organized > > > > groups, rather than to be a representative forum for the whole > > movement. > > > In > > > > 2017, I understood there to be mostly two events taking place in the > > same > > > > location - with some overlap in program. In that sense, this was > quite > > a > > > > unique situation because of the strategic process. > > > > > > > > The first question would be whether you accept each challenge as a > > goal. > > > If > > > > being representative of the whole movement becomes the goal, the > > > structure > > > > probably needs to be overhauled much more, and the default invitation > > for > > > > all groups may have to be reconsidered. One representative from the > > > > Japanese community wouldn't cut it, then (for example). > > > > > > > > On the other side, I could also imagine a different goal, which would > > be > > > to > > > > fill certain gaps in input diversity from the participants. This > could > > be > > > > input from certain language communities, or from certain cultures > where > > > we > > > > even lack readership. This would make more sense to me - as it would > > not > > > > imply a representation as much. In part it would lead to a similar > > > > consideration and outcome, but it would force you to also consider > > other > > > > areas where input is lacking from. For example, allied movements or > > > project > > > > communities beyond Wikipedia (for example, the collective of > developing > > > > language communities in Africa or communities that are > > > government-blocked - > > > > of which I'm uncertain if they are covered by affiliates). This would > > > also > > > > send the message to the communities you ask to send a representative > > what > > > > you expect of such participant (if that would indeed be your goal). > > > > > > > > There could be many other goals of course, that you (plural) could > have > > > in > > > > mind. I'm not sure which applies best. I would suggest not to deviate > > > from > > > > the official line that chapters don't represent language communities, > > > > though. That is, unless this official line has changed. > > > > > > > > Warmly, > > > > Lodewijk > > > > > > > > On Mon, Oct 23, 2017 at 10:56 AM, Cornelius Kibelka < > > > > cornelius.kibe...@wikimedia.de> wrote: > > > > > > > >> Hi Lodewijk, hi JP, > > > >> > > > >> Over the last years, we received the feedback that the Wikimedia > > > > Conference > > > >> would not be as (globally) representative as it could or should be. > > For > > > > the > > > >> Wikimedia Conference 2017, several “Community Leaders” were invited > to > > > the > > > >> conference to be heard for the Movement Strategy process, but the > > > >> selection/invitation process was not as clear as it could have been. > > > >> > > > >> To be more representative on a global scale and to have more > different > > > >> people from different regions present at the conference, we needed > > > clear, > > > >> transparent and non arbitrary criteria. However, there is no > solution > > > that > > > >> covers every possible challenge. Therefore, we chose to give this > > > approach > > > >> – with clear criteria – at least a try for the Wikimedia Conference > > > 2018. > > > >> Also, as we expect more changes in the Movement in the upcoming > year, > > > this > > > >> approach is a try for 2018 only, as an overhaul of the whole concept > > of > > > > the > > > >> Wikimedia Conference will be needed anyway. > > > >> > > > >> Additionally, I want to highlight this, because this was criticized > in > > > the > > > >> past as well, all regularly eligible affiliates may send at least > two > > > >> representatives. > > > >> > > > >> I’m aware that this approach implies challenges, though. I’m happy > to > > > >> receive suggestions on how to come up with equally clear and > > transparent > > > >> criteria. > > > >> > > > >> Best regards, > > > >> > > > >> Cornelius > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> On 23 October 2017 at 19:37, Jean-Philippe Béland < > > > jpbel...@wikimedia.ca> > > > >> wrote: > > > >> > > > >>> I share the questions of Lodewijk > > > >>> > > > >>> On Mon, Oct 23, 2017, 19:22 Cornelius Kibelka, < > > > >>> cornelius.kibe...@wikimedia.de> wrote: > > > >>> > > > >>>> Of course, I meant: > > > >>>> > > > >>>> "The registration process will start on November 24, *2017* and > will > > > >> end > > > >>>> sharply (no exceptions), on January 15, 2018." > > > >>>> > > > >>>> Thank you > > > >>>> Cornelius > > > >>>> > > > >>>> -- > > > >>>> > > > >>>> Cornelius Kibelka > > > >>>> > > > >>>> Program and Engagement Coordinator (PEC) > > > >>>> for the Wikimedia Conference > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> Am 23.10.2017 18:04 schrieb "Cornelius Kibelka" < > > > >>>> cornelius.kibe...@wikimedia.de>: > > > >>>> > > > >>>>> Dear Wikimedians, dear representatives of Wikimedia affiliates, > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> A few weeks ago, we announced that the next Wikimedia Conference > > > > will > > > >>>> take > > > >>>>> place from April 20 to 22, 2018 at the Mercure Hotel in > > > >> Berlin-Neukölln > > > >>>>> (same location as in 2017). This email contains information about > > > > the > > > >>>>> program themes and the Eligibility Criteria for invited > affiliates > > > >>>>> including the relevant reporting deadlines. > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> == Program Themes == > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> As in the previous editions of the conference, the Wikimedia > > > >> Conference > > > >>>>> 2018 will again focus on three core themes. > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Movement Strategy: In November 2017, phase 2 of the Wikimedia > > > >>> Movement > > > >>>>> Strategy Process will start. Its main goal will be to answer > the > > > >>>> question > > > >>>>> "How do we implement the strategic direction", which means > > > >>>> identifying the > > > >>>>> roles and resources needed for execution, and the activities it > > > >>>> involves. > > > >>>>> In order to ensure participation from the organized part of the > > > >>>> movement in > > > >>>>> this next phase, we will again host a three-day track on > movement > > > >>>> strategy. > > > >>>>> This track will be designed together with the Wikimedia > > > >> Foundation. > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Partnerships in the Wikimedia Movement: Wikimedia organizations > > > >> and > > > >>>>> groups have a wide variety of experiences and knowledge in > > > > working > > > >>>> with > > > >>>>> partners to achieve our mission. Based on the conversation at > the > > > >>> last > > > >>>>> Wikimedia Conference, Wikimania, and regional Wikimedia > > > >> conferences, > > > >>>> we aim > > > >>>>> to continue to offer a space for conversations, experience > > > > sharing > > > >>> and > > > >>>>> learning around partnerships within and outside the Wikimedia > > > >>>> movement. > > > >>>>> This track will be designed together with the Wikimedia > > > >> Foundation’s > > > >>>> Global > > > >>>>> Reach & Partnerships team, WMDE’s Partnerships & Development > team > > > >>> and > > > >>>> the > > > >>>>> volunteer “Partnerships group”. > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Capacity Building & Learning: The Wikimedia Conference > currently > > > >> is > > > >>>>> one of the main spaces for learning and sharing among Wikimedia > > > >>>> affiliates. > > > >>>>> Again, we will host a track with sessions that are designed > > > >>> according > > > >>>> to > > > >>>>> the participants’ needs, wishes and experiences. This track > will > > > >> be > > > >>>>> designed in close consultation with WMF’s Learning & Evaluation > > > >>> team, > > > >>>> and > > > >>>>> will complement the pre-conference Learning Days. > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> == Eligibility Criteria == > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> The eligibility criteria for participating in the Wikimedia > > > >> Conference > > > >>>>> 2018 are aligned to the Affiliates’ Agreements with the Wikimedia > > > >>>>> Foundation. > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Chapters, Thematic Organizations and User Groups must have shown > > > >> signs > > > >>> of > > > >>>>> recent activity (within the last six months) and be up-to-date on > > > >> their > > > >>>>> reporting by the eligibility deadline (December 15, 2017). > > Moreover, > > > >>>>> affiliates need to have been officially recognized by the > Wikimedia > > > >>>>> Foundation before April 19, 2017. > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> == Participant number regulation == > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Chapters, Thematic Organizations and User Groups may send two > > > >>>>> delegates. Chapters and Thematic Organizations which employ at > > > >> least > > > >>>> 0.5 > > > >>>>> FTE by Sep 1, 2017, may send one additional delegate who is a > > > > paid > > > >>>> staff > > > >>>>> member. > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Allied organizations may send two delegates. > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> The biggest ten language/project communities (by numbers of > > > > active > > > >>>>> editors [>5 edits/month]) that are not represented by any > > > >> affiliate, > > > >>>> or > > > >>>>> have an affiliate, which is not eligible because it was > > > > recognized > > > >>>> after > > > >>>>> April 19, 2017, may send one delegate. > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> As per September 2017, the biggest communities without an > > > >>>>> (eligible) affiliate representation are the Japanese, > > > >> Vietnamese, > > > >>>> Tamil, > > > >>>>> Bengali, Slovak, Croatian, Hindi and Malay, Wikimedia > Commons > > > >> and > > > >>>>> Wikivoyage communities. > > > >>>>> - > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> The user groups West Bengal Wikimedians User Group (for the > > > >>> Bengali > > > >>>>> community), Hindi Wikimedians User Group (for the Hindi > > > >>>> community), Wikimedia > > > >>>>> Community User Group Malaysia (for the Malay community), as > > > >> well > > > >>> as > > > >>>>> the Commons Photographers User Group (for the Wikimedia > > > > Commons > > > >>>>> community) and the Wikivoyage Association (for the > Wikivoyage > > > >>>>> communities) may send one delegate. For the language > > > >> communities > > > >>>> (Japanese, > > > >>>>> Vietnamese, Tamil, Slovak, Croatian), decision finding and > > > >> making > > > >>>> process > > > >>>>> on who will be the one person sent to the conference, need > to > > > >> be > > > >>>> made in > > > >>>>> the public (on-wiki). > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> == Registration timeline == > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> The registration process will start on November 24, 2018 and will > > > > end > > > >>>>> sharply (no exceptions), on January 15, 2018. The link will be > > > >> provided > > > >>>> on > > > >>>>> Meta.[1] > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> If you have any questions regarding the registration process or > the > > > >>>>> Wikimedia Conference, please > > > >>>> <https://maps.google.com/?q=Conference,+please&entry= > gmail&source=g > > > > > > >> do > > > >>>> not hesitate to send us an e-mail to > > > >>>>> wm...@wikimedia.de. > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Warm regards, > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Daniela Gentner & Cornelius Kibelka > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Wikimedia Conference team > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Conference_2018 > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> -- > > > >>>>> Cornelius Kibelka > > > >>>>> Program and Engagement Coordinator (PEC) > > > >>>>> for the Wikimedia Conference > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. | Tempelhofer Ufer 23-24 | 10963 > Berlin > > > >>>>> Tel. (030) 219 158 26-0 > > > >>>>> http://wikimedia.de > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Stellen Sie sich eine Welt vor, in der jeder Mensch an der Menge > > > >> allen > > > >>>>> Wissens frei teilhaben kann. Helfen Sie uns dabei! > > > >>>>> http://spenden.wikimedia.de/ > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens > > e. > > > >> V. > > > >>>>> Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts > > > > Berlin-Charlottenburg > > > >>>> unter > > > >>>>> der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig anerkannt durch das > Finanzamt > > > >> für > > > >>>>> Körperschaften I Berlin, Steuernummer 27/029/42207 > > > >>>>> > > > >>>> _______________________________________________ > > > >>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > >>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > >>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > >>>> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > >>>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/ma > > ilman/listinfo/wikimedia-l > > > , > > > >>>> <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsu > > bscribe> > > > >>> _______________________________________________ > > > >>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > >>> wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > >>> wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > >>> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > >>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/ma > > ilman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > >>> <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject= > unsubscribe> > > > >>> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> -- > > > >> Cornelius Kibelka > > > >> Program and Engagement Coordinator (PEC) > > > >> for the Wikimedia Conference > > > >> > > > >> Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. | Tempelhofer Ufer 23-24 | 10963 Berlin > > > >> Tel. (030) 219 158 26-0 > > > >> http://wikimedia.de > > > >> > > > >> Stellen Sie sich eine Welt vor, in der jeder Mensch an der Menge > allen > > > >> Wissens frei teilhaben kann. Helfen Sie uns dabei! > > > >> http://spenden.wikimedia.de/ > > > >> > > > >> Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e. > > V. > > > >> Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts > Berlin-Charlottenburg > > > > unter > > > >> der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig anerkannt durch das Finanzamt > für > > > >> Körperschaften I Berlin, Steuernummer 27/029/42207 > > > >> _______________________________________________ > > > >> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > >> wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > >> wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > >> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > >> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/ > mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l > > , > > > >> <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject= > unsubscribe> > > > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > > wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/ > mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/ > mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > > wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Seddon > > > > *Advancement Associate (Community Engagement)* > > *Wikimedia Foundation* > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wik > > i/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > wiki/Wikimedia-l > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > wiki/Wikimedia-l > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
