Taking note of several new types of organizational structures that will be recognized by WMF and eligible to receive WMF grants.
From my understanding of the way that it will work, this organization is a good example of a thematic organization that could be affiliated with WMF. FloNight ♥♥♥♥ 18:57, 30 June 2012 (UTC)
I think one thing that may be missing from the current vision is a statement of principles. Normally for GLAM activities, we try not to require any institution to adhere to any kind of ideological orthodoxy as long as they are interested in working with us in some way. That's a good policy. I think, though, that laying out some principles—and nothing too scary, but something about open content, increasing free access to holdings, a commitment to engaging and collaborating with the public, things like that—might be a good exercise, and help ensure that the Consortium is made up of our truest allies, not just the merely curious. I see this as similar to the "Freedom Declaration" idea that has been floating around for a while, and if it were drafted by Consortium members from all the different stakeholder groups, it would be a good way of making sure that cultural professionals are involved from the start in such a statement. Dominic· t 23:25, 1 July 2012 (UTC)
I am a Wikipedian in Residence at Consumer Reports. This institution is not "GLAM" - it is not a "gallery, library, archive, or museum", and people would more likely call it a research institution and publisher. It may or may not be a cultural organization; science and engineering are cultural institutions but less connected to the concept of GLAM.
In the future I expect that Wikipedians in Residence will be popularly positioned even further from what people call culture, and likely in nonprofit, for profit, and governmental organizations which people would not call cultural institutions. I suspect that non-cultural support for Wikipedia will be more popular than cultural support simply because non-cultural organizations have hugely more money for educational outreach and public learning programs than do cultural organizations.
Does this GLAM consortium want affiliation with only cultural institutions, or is its purpose more about doing Wikipedia outreach with any kind of institution? From what I understand about this consortium, its purpose is to help cultural organizations and the Wikipedia community connect. Why is its purpose not simply to help organizations and the Wikipedia community connect? There is little difference in best practices based on whether the organization is cultural or not, so why make the distinction and create the potential for exclusion and divide? Or perhaps I should ask, to what extent does the proposed GLAM Consortium model exclude non-cultural institutions? Blue Rasberry (talk) 13:11, 2 July 2012 (UTC)
However, to take an example, OCLC isn't strictly a cultural institution either, but they clearly identify with the cultural sector, and we in the GLAM-Wiki sphere clearly identify with them. The GLAM-Wiki US Consortium isn't doing anything new here; it's just using the "GLAM" the same way it has been used on Wikipedia all along. We've always interpreted the label somewhat loosely, but I think there is value in the term, in grouping together a set of organizations that tend to have common values and practices, similar types of resources, and are already operating in broadly the same field. Perhaps a better question is what scope you are imagining, because it sounds to me like you are suggesting any company or organization should be welcome, but I think that would dilute the group's shared purpose. (And, in practice, I think there is much less community appetite for partnerships with for-profit organizations than you suggest.) Dominic· t 13:59, 2 July 2012 (UTC)
Over the course of various email threads some suggestions have been made regarding ways to communicate and share information within the Consortium. I am compiling them all here in order to further the discussion. LoriLee ( talk) 23:41, 6 September 2012 (UTC)
An open chat platform used often by Wikipedians, but unfamiliar among most GLAM professionals. Arguments can be made for and against; so discuss away.
The GLAM-US mailing list is likely the most efficient means of communicating on a platform comfortable for both Wikipedians and GLAMs. This makes the most sense in regards to ongoing discussions, announcing projects and events, asking general questions, and planning for other Consortium-wide activities (such as the above mentioned public chats/hangouts.)
Most of the best forms of broadcast (rather than dialogue) we're already doing; these include:
In summary, it is my suggestion that Broadcasting remain on the blog, newsletter, and social media channels, and that dialogue remain predominately on the email list (GLAM-US), with discussion and decisions being copied to the GLAM/Consortium wiki page for future reference. Additionally, the idea of having a regularly scheduled chat that is off of email and wiki, either in the form of a public Google Hangout or otherwise, is a good means for allowing dialogue in a focused way. This component is what likely will require further discussion in regards to what platforms best suit both Wikipedians and GLAM Professionals' needs. It may be that it shifts depending on the information being presented (maybe sometimes it's a Twitter chat, other times a Google Hangout, or even possibly an IRC chat.) Please do continue to discuss these options! LoriLee ( talk) 23:41, 6 September 2012 (UTC)
Thank you for your interest in furthering the Wikimedia goals as a user group focused on GLAM-Wikimedia collaboration.
I would like to ask a few questions to have all the relevant information in one place (one-two sentence or 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. Please know, that there are no "expected" or wrong answers.
Thank you for your time in answering these questions. These help us get a feel for your group and allows us to move forward with the recognition process quickly. -- Bence ( talk) 13:34, 11 June 2013 (UTC)
Fellow GLAM supporters, please see the following invitation re: Wikimedia LGBT:
Wikimedia LGBT is a proposed thematic organization that seeks to promote the development of content on Wikimedia projects which is of interest to LGBT communities. Proposed activities include outreach at LGBT events, Wikimania and other Wikimedia events, an international campaign called Wiki Loves Pride, and work on safe space policies, among other collaborations and interwiki projects. Active Wikimedians are welcome to join this cause! Please consider adding your name as a participant/supporter. Current tasks include translating pages, building a strong framework at Meta, and achieving user group status (with the eventual goal of becoming a thematic organization). Your feedback is welcome on the discussion page.
I am sending invitations to all chapters, user groups and thematic organizations at Meta. The consortium links me back to English Wikipedia, hence the invitation here on this talk page. One goal of Wikimedia LGBT would be to support GLAM projects and work with LGBT-related archives, community centers and museums. Thanks for your consideration. -- Another Believer ( Talk) 17:40, 1 November 2013 (UTC)
Will anyone be representing the GLAM-Wiki Consortium at Wikimedia Conference 2014? I understand chapters and established user groups and thematic organizations can attend by invitation. -- Another Believer ( Talk) 21:35, 24 February 2014 (UTC)
This is an update from the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee. Translations are available.
The Affiliations Committee is requesting comments on proposed best practices for Wikimedia user group logos. The committee will seek community input until Saturday, May 24, 2014. After considering the community's input, the Affiliations Committee will publish on Meta-Wiki guidelines for Wikimedia user group logos.
There is already a standard format used by chapters, and that format is being applied to thematic organizations as well. Chapters and thematic organizations have also worked with Wikimedia Foundation legal in the past on custom logos. Wikimedia user groups may also create custom logos, and the new trademark policy allows for logos to be based off the community or Wikimedia Foundation logos. However, there remains a question of the best practice for standard user group logos.
Please make any comments or ask any questions on Meta-Wiki at Affiliations Committee/RFCs/Wikimedia user group logos.
Thank you - Wikimedia Affiliations Committee
Posted by the MediaWiki message delivery on 23:08, 14 May 2014 (UTC) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
The Affiliations Committee is looking for new members. The committee's work requires communication with volunteers all over the World, negotiating skills and cultural sensitivity and the ability to understand legal texts. We try to get a healthy mix of different skill sets in our members.
Members are usually selected every twelve months for staggered two-year terms. The applications will be voted on by the current members not seeking re-election, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisers, WMF staff and board liaisons based on the membership criteria. A final decision will be made by the end of October 2014, with new members expected to join on or around 1 November 2014.
Please read the full call for candidates for more information, membership criteria, and details on how to apply.
Best regards,
Carlos Colina
Chair, Affiliations Committee
Posted by MediaWiki message delivery on behalf of the Affiliations Committee, 07:46, 5 September 2014 (UTC) • Translate • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
Hi All, I did not get the notice about the October GLAMout, and was not able to attend the November GLAMout, but was there a December GLAMout? And is anyone organizing a January or February GLAMout? I was initially excited about the GLAMout format moving from a national to a global monthly Hangout, but it also seems to require a lot more coordination, both in terms of time and scheduling, and in notifying all the stakeholders/interested parties, and I worry that U.S. participation has dropped off. It looks like the November GLAMout and the October GLAMout were hosted by Wikimedia Nederland and Wikimedia Sweden- are we working off of a rotating structure now for hosting or is any chapter or group in particularly responsible for the Global GLAMouts? I might propose that we develop a sign-up sheet for hosting future Global GLAMouts, and/or considering to continue to have U.S. GLAMout in addition to the Globally organized ones. Perhaps Wikimedia NYC could host these, rotating with Wikimedia D.C., Wikimedia Cascadia, and any other especially interested individuals, in the future... Thoughts? OR drohowa ( talk) 16:06, 8 January 2015 (UTC)
The GLAM-Wiki US Consortium Advisory Board Meeting is occurring the weekend of March 21st-22nd, 2015 to discuss the shared goals and interests of the GLAM-Wiki U.S. Consortium. Documentation of the meeting will be forthcoming. OR drohowa ( talk) 17:37, 22 March 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
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:
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) 01:30, 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.
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 02:53, 4 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.
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:
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.
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.
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 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 other languages. • 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:
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 other languages. • Help
Greetings,
This is a notification to bring to your attention that your organization is currently past due on its required annual reporting. and has expired. Wikimedia User Groups 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, and linked on the meta Reports page.
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 annual reporting became past due July 2014 and your user group agreement remains expired. If you wish to reapply for your user group status. please be sure to:
If we do not hear from you or receive this reporting on the reports page within the next 30 days, your group's name and logo will be removed from the affiliates page and your information and page link will be migrated to the Formerly Active Affiliates page rather.
If you have any questions or need any further guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Best regards, JAnstee (WMF) ( talk) 23:59, 14 July 2016 (UTC)
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 other languages. • Get help • Subscribe or unsubscribe.
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:
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 other languages. • Get help
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:
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 other languages. • Get help
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.
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.
In addition to the Board elections, we will also soon be holding elections for the following roles:
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