Mailing List Archive

2009/2/13 Ziko van Dijk <zvandijk@googlemail.com>:
> Hello,
>
> There are some language versions of Wikipedia who have no relation to a
> chapter or cannot create a chapter, or where a chapter would not be
> suitable. Examples:
> - nation-less languages such as Latin, Esperanto
> - diaspora languages or Wikipedia communities, such as Kurdish, Swahili
>
> Sometimes it would be useful to have a kind of organisation for these
> language editions, not chapters, but something else, for PR purposes,
> contacts with language institutions etc.

Chapters handle stuff like that on a country level, the WMF handles
stuff like that on a project level. Does that not work? Members of
project communities can handle PR and contact relevant bodies
perfectly well without needing to be a legally recognised entity (they
can get help from the WMF where necessary).

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Ziko van Dijk wrote:
> Hello,
>
> There are some language versions of Wikipedia who have no relation to a
> chapter or cannot create a chapter, or where a chapter would not be
> suitable. Examples:
> - nation-less languages such as Latin, Esperanto
> - diaspora languages or Wikipedia communities, such as Kurdish, Swahili
>
> Sometimes it would be useful to have a kind of organisation for these
> language editions, not chapters, but something else, for PR purposes,
> contacts with language institutions etc.
>
> Kind regard
> Ziko
>
>
Hello Ziko,

I am very sympathetic with your idea. In principle the WMF welcome any
form of community organizations that would help us to promote our
mission and our ideals. These organizations must not be officially
recognized as chapters, but we still consider them as a very important
part of the whole project. I think that this is not only my personal
oppinion but the oppinion of the foundation and of the board.

So, this said. I would say, go ahead and create such organizations. Even
though these organization are no chapters, they would still get support
from the foundation if the foundation can afford it and consider the
actions of the organization is in line with our mission.

Ting

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Just a (useless?) reminder: all projects are language-based, all
chapters are state-based.

Nemo

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Ziko van Dijk wrote:

> Sometimes it would be useful to have a kind of organisation for
> these language editions, not chapters, but something else, for
> PR purposes, contacts with language institutions etc.

Both the Kurdish and Swahili Wikipedia have a high ratio of users
living in Germany and Sweden. As for language institutions, the
Kurdish Library (www.kurdishlibrary.org) is in Stockholm and I
(used to) know the manager (unless they reorganized recently).

If (?) there are people in these Wikipedia communities who want
the framework (and financing) of a chapter, I'm sure the German
and Swedish chapters can help out. Who are the people who want to
organize something? How can we help?

The German chapter might be restricted to spending money inside
Germany. The Swedish chapter doesn't have that restriction. But it
might still be possible to print folders or posters in Germany and
send them to whereever they are needed.


--
Lars Aronsson (lars@aronsson.se)
Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se

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