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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