Mailing List Archive

Re: [Wikimedia-l] [Covid-19] Postponing Wikimania Bangkok until 2021
We are indeed investigating remote options not just for Wikimania, but for
many events, meetups and conferences for 2020 and beyond. Please feel free
to join the meta page and conversation around the tools and paradigms for
doing remote events.

Meta page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki
/WikiProject_remote_event_participation
CROW (Conference Remote Options for Wikimedians) Telegram chat:
https://t.me/joinchat/FE0P5FlfxzREOMlLljnNcA

-Andrew Lih
Author of The Wikipedia Revolution
US National Archives Citizen Archivist of the Year (2016)
Knight Foundation grant recipient - Wikipedia Space (2015)
Wikimedia DC - Outreach and GLAM
Previously: professor of journalism and communications, American
University, Columbia University, USC
---
Email: andrew@andrewlih.com
WEB: https://muckrack.com/fuzheado
PROJECT: Wikipedia Space: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:WPSPACE



On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 12:32 AM Thomas Shafee <thomas.shafee@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Regarding remote participation Wikimania 2020:
>
> The *Research Data Alliance* has moved it's current conference that was
> meant to be over the next five days to in stead be online across 18 march -
> 10 Apr (several sessions of high interest to wikimedians):
>
> - *https://www.rd-alliance.org/rda-virtual-plenary-programme
> <https://www.rd-alliance.org/rda-virtual-plenary-programme> *
>
> What was previously $700 is now free and was re-organised with only 1
> week's notice. Possible learning items for a remote Wikimania? It's a mixed
> working-group and plenary session based format that is highly relevant to
> wikimedia movement.
>
> All the best,
> Thomas
>
> On Thu, 19 Mar 2020 at 13:33, Roman Bustria Jr. <bustrias@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Thank you Katherine for this update.
> >
> > We at ESEAP confirm that Wikimania will not happen this year. We
> appreciate
> > your support and understanding on this recent development.
> >
> > We will continue to collaborate with the Wikimania Steering Committee and
> > the Wikimedia Foundation with the remaining tasks to be done and plan
> > accordingly for next year.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Kind regards,
> >
> > Butch Bustria
> > Head of Communications
> > ESEAP Wikimania Organizing Team
> >
> > On Thu, Mar 19, 2020, 4:57 AM Katherine Maher <kmaher@wikimedia.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Dear everyone,
> > >
> > > As a part of the Wikimedia movement’s ongoing response to the COVID-19
> > > pandemic, we are postponing Wikimania Bangkok 2020. This decision was
> > made
> > > with the full support of the ESEAP host team and Wikimania Committee.
> > > Together, we will hold Wikimania in Bangkok in 2021.
> > >
> > > We are filled with sadness to not see you all in Bangkok in August.
> > > However, we are confident that this is the best possible decision for
> the
> > > well-being of our global community and public health overall. This
> > decision
> > > was proposed by the ESEAP organizers in line with their countries’
> > response
> > > to the COVID-19 pandemic and is in line with recommendations from the
> > World
> > > Health Organization (WHO).
> > >
> > > You are certain to have many questions. We hope to answer some of your
> > > questions below. We will continue to answer questions on the Wikimania
> > > Meta-Wiki page and on the Wikimania Telegram group chat (more
> information
> > > below).
> > >
> > >
> > > *== What does “postponing” Wikimania mean? ==*
> > > We will not host an in-person Wikimania in 2020. We are rescheduling
> > > Wikimania Bangkok until 2021. The ESEAP organizing team[2] will
> continue
> > > their work as a regional collaborative between affiliates in the East,
> > > South East, and Pacific regions to host us in Thailand next year.
> > >
> > > The hotel and venue[3] in Bangkok will remain the same. We have not yet
> > > finalized dates for 2021. We will work with the ESEAP team and
> Wikimania
> > > Steering Committee to confirm new dates. We will let you know these
> dates
> > > by the end of 2020.
> > >
> > > The good news is that Wikimania 2021 will coincide with Wikipedia’s
> 20th
> > > birthday year. We expect this to be a truly memorable Wikimania -- an
> > > opportunity to celebrate reconnection after a year apart, along with
> the
> > > remarkable accomplishment of two decades of free knowledge.
> > >
> > > *== Will there be an alternative to the in-person event? ==*
> > >
> > > There are no plans by the 2020 Wikimania hosts to organize a virtual,
> > > online event. Hosting Wikimania is a lot of work. The ESEAP team is
> > > committed to hosting the best possible in-person event in Bangkok in
> > 2021.
> > > Therefore, they will not have the capacity to organize a virtual
> > Wikimania
> > > this year.
> > >
> > > However, the Wikimania committee, the ESEAP host team, and the
> Wikimedia
> > > Foundation all recognize that other members of the community may be
> > > interested in organizing a remote, global Wikimedia event for 2020.
> > > Although the Wikimedia Foundation does not have the capacity at this
> time
> > > to lead the organizing of a virtual online conference, we recognize
> > others
> > > may have the desire to do so.
> > >
> > > We welcome discussion about online events. Interested parties are
> welcome
> > > to contact the Wikimania Steering Committee and Wikimania Foundation
> > staff
> > > for advice on the Wikimania Meta-Wiki page[1].
> > >
> > > We are also considering proposals for improving the capacity of
> > > communities to organize local virtual convenings, and for how we can
> > > support communities in organizing impromptu local and regional
> Wikimedia
> > > events once the pandemic passes. As the situation has been changing
> > rapidly
> > > we are still working on specifics and will share more information in
> the
> > > coming weeks.
> > >
> > > *== What does this mean for scholarship applications? ==*
> > >
> > > We are working on a plan for how to process Wikimania 2020 scholarship
> > > applications.[4] We will share more information in the coming weeks.
> > >
> > > *== How was this decision made? ==*
> > >
> > > This recommendation was made by the ESEAP organizers based on what we
> > know
> > > about the current COVID-19 global health pandemic and current WHO
> > > guidelines. The decision was made together with the ESEAP team in
> > > consultation with the Wikimania Steering Committee and Wikimedia
> > > Foundation. Together we are fully and unanimously aligned around this
> > > decision.
> > >
> > > Although we are genuinely sad to not have the opportunity to see you
> all
> > > this year, we also are fully supportive of this decision in all of our
> > best
> > > interests. It allows our ESEAP community hosts to focus on the
> immediate
> > > needs of their families, local Wikimedia communities, and local
> > communities
> > > as a whole. It is in line with global public health guidance and aligns
> > the
> > > Wikimedia movement as a responsible actor in support of our common
> public
> > > good.
> > >
> > > We want to thank all volunteers and affiliates that have been involved
> > > with planning Wikimania. We’re especially appreciative of the ESEAP for
> > > their leadership, flexibility, and compassion, as we have worked
> together
> > > to make some difficult decisions on this important event.
> > >
> > > *== Where can I learn more about Wikimania 2021? ==*
> > >
> > > There are a number of channels where Wikimania is regularly discussed
> and
> > > where plans for 2021 will be posted as they develop. We welcome all
> > > interested participants to bring together our collective wisdom and
> > > creativity to discuss what happens next with Wikimania. You can find
> > these
> > > channels here:
> > >
> > > - Wikimania wiki: https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania
> > > - Wikimania mailing list:
> > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
> > > - Freenode IRC channel: #wikimania
> > > - Telegram group chat: https://t.me/wikimaniachat
> > >
> > > *== Where can I learn more about COVID-19 and Wikimedia? ==*
> > >
> > > We know the Wikimedia community as generous and altruistic.
> > > Unsurprisingly, many volunteers have started applying their skills and
> > > attention to this current global pandemic. The Foundation created a
> page
> > on
> > > Meta-Wiki where we can share and document the steps the Foundation and
> > > movement members are taking and ways to participate. We invite you to
> > join
> > > us in documenting more about our collective response:
> > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/COVID-19
> > >
> > >
> > > *== Thank you ==*Our world, and many of our lives, have changed rapidly
> > > over these past few weeks. Yet we can look to history to take comfort
> > that
> > > crises are also often moments when people put aside differences,
> > prioritize
> > > community and care, and find ways to connect. The sense of community
> and
> > > purpose within the Wikimedia movement is a powerful rejoinder to these
> > > uncertain times.
> > >
> > > This is a moment in which not only what we do, but how we do it, will
> > make
> > > a meaningful impact on the world. We are so grateful for all that you
> do
> > as
> > > a movement to continue to rise to the challenges of our moment.
> > >
> > > Please, stay safe and take care.
> > >
> > > Katherine, on behalf of the:
> > >
> > > - ESEAP Core Organizing Team
> > > - Wikimania Steering Committee
> > > - Wikimedia Foundation Events Team
> > >
> > > P.S. You can help translate and share this message via Meta-Wiki: <
> > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2020>
> > > You can also find additional information about Wikimedia's other
> actions
> > > regarding COVID-19 on Meta-Wiki:
> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/COVID-19
> > >
> > > [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2020
> > > [2] https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2020:Organizers
> > > [3] https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2020:Venue
> > > [4] https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/Scholarship_Committee
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > Katherine Maher (she/her)
> > >
> > > Executive Director
> > >
> > > Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Wikimania-l mailing list
> > > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
> > >
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