[Wikimedia-l] Smart partnerships with strong external stakeholders a way forward?

Dear colleagues, This thread is the consequence of my thinking over Jennifer's concerns [1] to what I've seen as a routine progress report on Wikimedia Education Program Russia, which she later kindly deciphered to me off the list (see below for original). We periodically see signs of various individuals or interest groups using Wikipedia to their advantage on a limited scale, so Jennifer is rightly pondering on how should Wikimedians develop relationships with strong partners theoretically capable of abusing our supposedly neutral projects: governments, businesses, NGOs, various religious & ideological groups, etc. Wikimedia communities want to welcome new active users in large numbers, so we are to follow the principle of good intentions, trust them and help them to learn how to operate onwiki. At the same time, can we feel comfortable that we can prevent the loss of control over what's going on in our projects or being fully overtaken by some outside party interested to push its own agenda using Wikimedia platforms? I believe we have all means for this. I am also confident that to advance towards the world of Wikimedia movement vision [2] & Wikipedia purpose,[3] we need to make sure that every human being feels welcome on our projects & interested in their sustainable growth. Before we start similar 360 degree stakeholder engagement initiatives within 6 official UN languages, those of G20 and maybe even any primary language of a sovereign UN member, my guess is we might want to test such initiatives in a less tense setting, working closely with government & publicly-funded institutions, private sector, non-profits or individuals in an environment with less interference from political, ideological or commercial interests. Best candidates are probably mid-sized projects in the language of some non-sovereign ethnic nation that represent little to no interest for whatever outside organized party to gain control of. In the Russian Federation, we are currently in the process of such an experiment around Wikipedia & other Wikimedia projects in Tatar, which I happen to speak by birth within this language community. When starting on this path in the fall of 2018, I was comforted to learn about "Kumusha takes Wiki" initiative, that was implemented in 2013-2014 in French-speaking Cote d'Ivoire and English-speaking Uganda with the support of by Orange Foundation & presented during WikiIndaba 2014.[4] As a member of Wikimedia Russia, I am documenting our steps in WMRU-wiki both in the regional [5] as well as in the linguistic development aspects, [6] periodically sharing progress reports with the wider public via [wikimedia-ru] list,[7] Wikimedia Community Languages of Russia on Facebook [8] & Russian Wikinews, for my colleagues from other regions of Russia with strong regional languages & other members of the community to be able to apply whatever we learn, if they find it appropriate for their socio-economic environments.[9] The working hypothesis is that giving all speakers of Tatar or whatever other language the feeling of collective ownership of respective language Wikimedia projects should be a safe way forward. Our progress reports are almost exclusively in Russian, which is the best medium of communication in my case: I am currently working on this almost alone, whilst local stakeholders reasonably expecting to see some track-record, proofs and other explanatory materials before getting onboard at every step of the way. Tatar is not dominant language even within the region with high concentration of Tatar speakers, whilst the share of English speakers in Russia is @ 5%, even less in case of Tatarstan. Tatar is a language spoken mainly by an eponymous defacto stateless ethnic group of over 5 million people living predominantly inside the Russian Federation (second in number after ethnic Russians). It has a second official language status within the Republic of Tatarstan (a region-subject of the Russian state since 1552, home to about 1/3 of Tatars, amounting here to slightly over 50%), where Russian is clearly dominant in politics, economics, education, social life, etc. even among Tatars themselves. With its current 85000 articles & under 100 active participants a month Tatar Wikipedia seems a good fit - it's in Top-10 websites in respective language (including groups in Facebook & VK social networks) thanks to being part of Wikimedia constellation. We seem to be in ideal circumstances to pilot this with least consequences for Wikimedia movement, as WMF is neither fundraising in Russia (no grant money this way), nor allowing local affiliates to place fundraising banners/links in respective language Wikipedias & other Wikimedia projects over the geographic territory of Russia. At the same time, we received a blessing of a respected Senior elder, retired Ex-President of Tatarstan, having the title of UNESCO Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue,[10] whilst Wikimedians from other projects in the languages of Russia called on Tatar community to make it successful to scale it throughout the country.[11]   Going forward, I would suspect Tatarstan goverment that shows its interest to make Wikimedia Education Program part of Tatar language curriculum might eventually want to sign an MOU or a similar document with the Wikimedia Foundation and/or local affiliates (just like Mexican ministry of Culture, Government of the Indian State of Maharashtra, Italian Ministry of Education or Nigerian Tourism Development Board, to mention just a few cases I have personally read about). We don't see this happening in the English-speaking part of Wikimedia world, probably for cultural reasons, but everywhere else it seems to be a natural step in formalizing partnerships relations. All Tatars are at least bilingual and bi-cultural, so tolerance levels for differing points of view are generally quite high  edit wars around ethnic, civil & other identity related topics rare. regards, farhad P.S. Jennifer, Republic of Tatarstan was never an independent state & 2008 independence you mention is likely to be confusion with the Republic of Abkhazia or the Republic of Southern Osetia that gained their independence from the Republic of Georgia. Landlocked inside Russia, Tatarstan claimed its limited sovereignty at the collapse of Soviet Union (as it was unable to become the 16th Republic of USSR due to the dissolution thereof), at the same time showing it's intent to clearly stay associated with the nascent Russian Federation. Respective association documents were signed in 1994, some 14 years before the event you mention. We have Russian passports, serving in the Russian military, our athletes competing for the national teams.  First President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev & First President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin were friends & colleagues since Soviet Union times, growing through the ranks in parallel, having shared many meals together over the decades in power. [1] https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2019-April/092265.html [2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Vision [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Purpose [4] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Kumusha_Takes_Wiki/en [5] https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Smart_region/Tatarstan [6] https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Smart_region/Multilingualism/Tatar [7] https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-ru/ [8] https://www.facebook.com/groups/1942496925980407/ [9] https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Умный_регион/Направления/Региональное_многояз… [10] https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2018-October/091151.html [11] https://ru.wikinews.org/wiki/Комментарии:Минтимер_Шаймиев_встретился_с_тата… -- Farhad Fatkullin - Фархад Фаткуллин http://sikzn.ru/ Тел.+79274158066 / skype:frhdkazan / Wikipedia:frhdkazan / Wikidata:Q34036417 23.04.2019, 21:33, "Jennifer Pryor-Summers" &lt;jennifer.pryorsummers(a)gmail.com&gt;om>: > Farhad > > When a government adds contributing to Wikipedia to its national curriculum, especially if it involves spending public time and money, it is likely to expect that both the pre-existing material and the additional controbutions to reflect the requirements of that national curriculum, which in turn are likely to reflect the national values and spcific positions.  For example, Tatastan has claimed independence from Russia as recently as 2008.  Can we be sure that the Tatar-language and Russian-language Wikipedia entries will be independent of any official position on this and other sensitive questions of national importance? > > JPS > > On Tue, Apr 23, 2019 at 8:02 AM Фархад Фаткуллин / Farhad Fatkullin &lt;frhd(a)yandex.com&gt; wrote: >> Dear Jennifer, >> >> I feel you have put more thought into your question than I can grasp right away. >> >> Please give me more context and some examples to help me understand whatever might be of possible concern in this piece of Wikimedia Education Program Russia related progress news. >> >> I would prefer to respond in full without causing back & forth ping-pong. >> >> Thank you in advance, >> farhad >> >> -- >> Sent from Yandex.Mail for mobile >> >> 20:15, April 22, 2019, "Jennifer Pryor-Summers" &lt;jennifer.pryorsummers(a)gmail.com&gt;om>: >>> Farhad >>> >>> I assume that under this arrangement, the editorial independence of the >>> contributors and content will remain inviolable? >>> >>> JPS >>> >>> On Mon, Apr 22, 2019 at 5:22 PM Фархад Фаткуллин / Farhad Fatkullin < >>> frhd(a)yandex.com&gt; wrote: >>> >>>>  Regional department of education (elementary & secondary education) & >>>>  Kazan Federal University today received instructions signed by the >>>>  President of Tatarstan on integrating Wikimedia Education Program >>>>  opportunities into the curricula of educational establishments of the >>>>  Republic. I was asked for some guidance on the topic before tonight, so >>>>  prepared what I could in Russian >>>>  https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-ru/2019-April/005086.html >>>>  We are in the country with a centralized education system culture, so >>>>  project owner will be the ministry, with Wikimedians serving as >>>>  stakeholders, consultants & guides. >>>> >>>>  On March 1st we fielded 2 speakers for EDU RUSSIA 2019 conference >>>> >>>>  https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CEE/Newsletter/February_2019/Contents/Russi… >>>> >>>>  On April 11-12 our Bashkir colleagues (WUG BAK) were invited to speak @ >>>>  their regional teachers' conference (photoes & report in Russian - >>>>  https://ru.wikinews.org/wiki/?curid=221169 ) & their regional deputy >>>>  minister recalled our speakers in Kazan >>>> >>>>  Right now our judges are checking some 200 pre-qualified ttWP articles >>>>  created by 67 previously untrained school teams in the framework of Tatar >>>>  4.0 contest. Prizes provided by local partner, introduction to the contest >>>>  video, Messenger support, participant & article tagging, prequalification & >>>>  assessing on volunteering time. 10 best teams to be publicly awarded at >>>>  Ğabdulla Tuqay memorial event downtown Kazan on April 26. >>>>  Contest in Tatar - https://tt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Проект:Татар_4.0 >>>>  Lessons learnt in Russian - >>>>  https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Умный_регион/Многоязычие/Татарский/Татар_4.0 >>>> >>>>  This all follows our February presentation >>>>  https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CEE/Newsletter/February_2019/Contents/Russi… >>>> >>>>  regards, >>>>  farhad >>>> >>>>  -- >>>>  Farhad Fatkullin - Фархад Фаткуллин http://sikzn.ru/ Тел.+79274158066 / >>>>  skype:frhdkazan / Wikipedia:frhdkazan / Wikidata:Q34036417 >>>> >>>>  08.02.2019, 22:23, "Фархад Фаткуллин / Farkhad Fatkullin" &lt;frhd(a)yandex.com >>>>  >: >>>>  > Some news: >>>>  > >>>>  > I managed to get vocal approval of the proposal to transfer >>>>  Wiki-competencies to Tatarstan public by Federal Deputy Prime-Minister >>>>  Maxim Akimov and had Regional President Rustam Minnikhanov express his >>>>  invitation to the subject-minister (Vice Prime-Minister of Tatarstan - >>>>  InfoComm minister Roman Shaykhutdinov) to prepare necessary proposals for >>>>  organizing the process in a successful scalable way. I will have to do more >>>>  thinking and writing now so as to try have this implemented first in my >>>>  Republic, then across Russia. >>>>  > >>>>  > I was given less than a minute during pre-Conference tour of the project >>>>  stands prepared by corporations and state enterprises (without slides or >>>>  any visual support), so I had to skim to the very facts and the value >>>>  proposition that would get their attention. >>>>  > >>>>  > On a more tangible side, https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Selet_WikiSchool >>>>  that I started back in 2016, will get support from the regional budget & >>>>  thus expand. Currently this is on the shoulders of a team consisting of >>>>  high-school senior, a University freshman and a sophomore/junior from one >>>>  rural school. >>>>  > >>>>  > regards, >>>>  > farhad >>>>  > >>>>  > -- >>>>  > Farkhad Fatkullin - Фархад Фаткуллин http://sikzn.ru/ Тел.+79274158066 / >>>>  skype:frhdkazan / Wikipedia:frhdkazan >>>>  > >>>>  > 17.01.2019, 18:35, "Фархад Фаткуллин / Farkhad Fatkullin" < >>>>  frhd(a)yandex.com&gt;gt;: >>>>  >> Dear colleagues, >>>>  >> >>>>  >> You can track my preparation in English @ >>>>  https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Умный_регион/05.02.2019/en (date move to >>>>  accommodate VIP participants' schedules). >>>>  >> >>>>  >> I had to skim my original 18 minute text to under 7. >>>>  >> >>>>  >> I intend to touch on most of what had to go via the Slides which will >>>>  accompany my talk. >>>>  >> >>>>  >> Tatar components will be prepared last, as Russian and English are >>>>  best tools for getting feedback from across the Wiki-world. >>>>  >> >>>>  >> regards, >>>>  >> farhad >>>>  >> >>>>  >> -- >>>>  >> Farkhad Fatkullin - Фархад Фаткуллин http://sikzn.ru/ Тел.+79274158066 / >>>>  skype:frhdkazan / Wikipedia:frhdkazan >>>>  >> >>>>  >> 14.01.2019, 19:10, "Фархад Фаткуллин / Farkhad Fatkullin" < >>>>  frhd(a)yandex.com&gt;gt;: >>>>  >>> Dear colleagues, >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> This is a heads-up on the fact that on Jan.29 I will be speaking in >>>>  Tatar (with simultaneous interpretation of my words into Russian) at the >>>>  Republic of Tatarstan Ministry for ICT closing conference for 2018 in front >>>>  of the President of the Republic, Russia's Federal minister for ICT, >>>>  members of Tatarstan government, industry & the press, possibly some >>>>  participants from nearby regional ministries. >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> I will have some 7-10 min to present on >>>>  https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Smart_region , rough English translation >>>>  for the base page completed today. >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> It will be a basic intro level talk accompanied by slides about >>>>  some things that can be appropriately mentioned without overburdening the >>>>  public hearing about Wiki-community activities for the first time in their >>>>  lives. I will email you draft text around the end of the week (once I am >>>>  comfortable with it), with some ideas on the slides I will play along my >>>>  speech and a list of recommended follow-on measures. >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> Expected outcome: Presidential instruction to the Tatarstan >>>>  government to for a cross-departmental working group to study what ICT >>>>  ministry led Wikimedia working group (since August 2018) has came up with & >>>>  look into possible way of integrating this into Tatarstan social life (I >>>>  was offered to formulate it myself today). >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> Other related Wikimedia Russia news: >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> * On or around Feb.8, we are to have first follow-on introduction of >>>>  Wikipedia Education Program to wider professors & students' body of Kazan >>>>  Federal University Institute for International Relations, with director of >>>>  which we had a productive meeting on Dec.21, following the events described >>>>  in >>>>  https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CEE/Newsletter/December_2018/Contents/Russi… >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> * On Feb.28-March 1 we are invited to field speakers for >>>>  http://eduforumkazan.ru/ (attended by Russia's Federal Minister for >>>>  Education and her team) >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> regards, >>>>  >>> farhad >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> -- >>>>  >>> Farkhad Fatkullin - Фархад Фаткуллин http://sikzn.ru/ Тел.+79274158066 / >>>>  skype:frhdkazan / Wikipedia:frhdkazan >>>>  >>> >>>>  >>> 05.11.2018, 17:22, "Фархад Фаткуллин / Farkhad Fatkullin" < >>>>  frhd(a)yandex.com&gt;gt;: >>>>  >>>> Dear colleagues, >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> Below is my October activities report & description of upcoming >>>>  events >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> 1) On Oct.13-14 at >>>>  https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_CEE_Meeting_2018 we presented >>>>  some of the things we are doing in Russia (FYI: without any WMF grants). >>>>  See details at >>>>  https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CEE/Newsletter/October_2018/Contents/Russia… >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> 2) On Oct.20 I had a two hour long meeting with the Deputy head of >>>>  Tatarstan Presidential Adiministration responsible for internal policy >>>>  http://president.tatarstan.ru/eng/apparat/structure?person_id=19792&dep… >>>>  who officially invited me to engage Wikimedia Russia and other Wikimedia >>>>  movement volunteers to develop "Smart wiki-region" roadmap for regional >>>>  authorities throughout the Russian Federation to start learning about the >>>>  Wikimedia movement and understanding how partnering therewith could be of >>>>  mutual interests. This was a follow up of the Oct.1 meeting with Mintimer >>>>  Shaimiev >>>>  https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2018-October/091151.html, >>>>  but mainly around my last year's musings I finally finished translating >>>>  into English today @ >>>>  https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Frhdkazan/Wiki4RegionalDevt >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> 3) On Oct.23 We have started growing the project on WMRU-wiki at >>>>  https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Умный_регион (currently in Russian only), >>>>  using also eponymous thread at [wikimedia-ru] mailing list (last message >>>>  https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-ru/2018-November/004914.html >>>>  ). >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> 4) In mid-November we are expecting to have a presentation of the >>>>  project and our domestic experience >>>>  https://ru.wikimedia.org/wiki/Selet_WikiSchool at the large meeting >>>>  called on by the ex-President of Tatarstan, State Councillor to the >>>>  Republic, UNESCO Special envoy for Intercultural Dialogue Mintimer Shaimiev >>>>  http://shaimiev.tatarstan.ru/eng - with invitation of >>>>  >>>> * First Deputy Head of the Tatarstan Presidential Administration ( >>>>  http://president.tatarstan.ru/eng/apparat/structure?person_id=32&depart… >>>>  ), >>>>  >>>> * a large body of regional ministers >>>>  >>>> ** Tatar community affairs >>>>  http://prav.tatarstan.ru/eng/pravit/3.htm >>>>  >>>> ** Education and science >>>>  http://mon.tatarstan.ru/eng/rukov/minister.htm >>>>  >>>> ** ICT http://mic.tatarstan.ru/eng/minister.htm >>>>  >>>> ** Culture http://mincult.tatarstan.ru/eng/rukov/minister.htm >>>>  >>>> ** Youth affairs >>>>  http://prav.tatarstan.ru/rus/pravit/ministr-min-molodezhi >>>>  >>>> * head of regional media holding >>>>  http://tatmedia.tatarstan.ru/eng/director.htm >>>>  >>>> * head of the Institute of Tatar encyclopedia >>>>  http://antat.ru/ru/ite/staff/5679/ >>>>  >>>> * head of the House of Friendship of Nations of Tatarstan >>>>  http://addnt.ru/house/management/director/ >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> 5) Tomorrow morning I will be meeting with the Vice-Primier - >>>>  Minister for the ICT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Shaykhutdinov >>>>  for preliminary discussions, then my high-school senior Timerkhan >>>>  https://tt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Кулланучы:Тимерхан will assist him the next >>>>  day at the preparatory meeting with >>>>  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mintimer_Shaimiev. >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> 6) I didn't yet have time to think in detail about the potential >>>>  schedule or invited participants of the first public Wiki-seminar in >>>>  Tatarstan, meant to expose locals to the Wikimedia movement and its best >>>>  practices even if only via the video-conference (which I mentioned in the >>>>  previous update), because I am doing this in between of my rather demanding >>>>  work and some limited family life. The topic will most likely surface among >>>>  other things tomorrow. >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> regards, >>>>  >>>> farhad >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> -- >>>>  >>>> Farkhad Fatkullin - Фархад Фаткуллин http://sikzn.ru/ Тел.+79274158066 / >>>>  skype:frhdkazan / Wikipedia:frhdkazan >>>>  >>>> >>>>  >>>> 04.10.2018, 08:32, "Pine W" &lt;wiki.pine(a)gmail.com&gt;om>: >>>>  >>>>> Hi Farhad, >>>>  >>>>> >>>>  >>>>> I'm very impressed with your successes so far. >>>>  >>>>> >>>>  >>>>> My main concern is how much of this you seem to be doing by >>>>  yourself. I >>>>  >>>>> hope that you have a group of people who are collaborating with >>>>  you so that >>>>  >>>>> you don't feel responsible for doing everything personally, and >>>>  that you >>>>  >>>>> aren't putting yourself into personal financial difficulty due >>>>  to the >>>>  >>>>> amount of time that you're spending on Wikimedia activities. >>>>  >>>>> >>>>  >>>>> Regarding which people would be good to invite to a conference, >>>>  I think >>>>  >>>>> that GLAM and educational organizations would be natural >>>>  partners so I >>>>  >>>>> suggest starting with them. >>>>  >>>>> >>>>  >>>>> WMF might be willing to provide you with some advice and/or >>>>  funding for >>>>  >>>>> GLAM or education related work if you request it, although the >>>>  wait times >>>>  >>>>> for WMF "Rapid Grants" funding seem to have become lengthy, so I >>>>  suggest >>>>  >>>>> that if you want funding from that program that you should >>>>  request it at >>>>  >>>>> least two full months in advance and not rely on receiving it in >>>>  time for >>>>  >>>>> any particular deadline. >>>>  >>>>> >>>>  >>>>> I'm glad to hear that you're participating in Wikimedia CEE and >>>>  I hope that >>>>  >>>>> the affiliates in that group can provide you with good advice. >>>>  >>>>> >>>>  >>>>> Best wishes, >>>>  >>>>> >>>>  >>>>> Pine >>>>  >>>>> ( https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pine ) >>>>  >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>  >>>>> 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(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>  >>>>> Unsubscribe: >>>>  https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto: >>>>  wikimedia-l-request(a)lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe&gt; >>>> >>>>  _______________________________________________ >>>>  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(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>>>  Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >>>>  <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@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(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>