Hi all, is there any update on this? Has any progress been made to start a conversation with the community organizers about this? As an organizer, the months of silence (and the last month of silence) on this are a little saddening. Thanks, Lodewijk On Mon, Aug 24, 2020 at 12:24 PM Lydia Hamilton &lt;lhamilton(a)wikimedia.org&gt; wrote: > Hi Lodewijk, > > Thank you for your feedback. We look forward to the forthcoming > September release of detailed guidance that will allow Community members to > assess their ability to safely host events and activities during the > current pandemic circumstances. > > I’d like to respond to some of your comments: > > "It looks like your email was written to include a place where you want > to gather this feedback." > > -- Feedback will be gathered on the guidance Meta talk page, which will > reside in the Grants portal. > > "I'm assuming we're talking only about local events of limited size > (probably a different risk profile applies for larger and/or > travel-involved activities)." > > -- The guidance will address events of all sizes. > > "As an organizer, it is nice to have clarity where possible. Crisp > definitions that translate well, are very helpful." > > -- Agreed. The guidance will be reviewed for clarity, ease of use and > ease of translation. > > "I can't imagine an identical set of constraints to apply across > countries." > > -- The guidance will include a host of assessment criteria that will > allow Community members to evaluate the specific characteristics of their > proposed event/activity, including location. > > "I'm confident that you already reached out to many affiliates to get > their input ealy on." > > -- Yes. We will be evaluating and testing the guidance with selected > affiliates prior to release on Meta. > > Kind Regards, > Lydia > > Lydia Hamilton (she/her) > Director of Operations > Wikimedia Foundation > > On Mon, Aug 24, 2020 at 2:41 PM Anusha Alikhan &lt;aalikhan(a)wikimedia.org&gt; > wrote: > >> >> >> >> >> *From: *effe iets anders &lt;effeietsanders(a)gmail.com&gt; >> *Subject: **Re: [Wikimedia-l] [Covid-19] An update on in-person >> gatherings* >> *Date: *August 10, 2020 at 8:43:04 PM EDT >> *To: *Wikimedia Mailing List &lt;wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org&gt; >> *Reply-To: *effeietsanders(a)gmail.com, Wikimedia Mailing List < >> wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org&gt; >> >> Thank you Katherine for this update, >> >> I'm much looking forward to a more nuanced policy. I think it is clear >> that >> the standing policy (no in-person activities of any size, around the >> world) >> is past its expiration date and can't realistically be maintained any >> longer in its broad interpretation. With the current policy, we're >> risking >> people just ignoring it when they feel no legal obligation to follow it. >> >> I hope that we can have an updated policy to provide a little more >> flexibility sooner than later, even if that means that it is a first >> phase >> of making things more nuanced. For example, we could carve out >> exceptions >> for countries where there is a clear 'safe' situation (even if we all >> know >> this is a very relative thing). Wiki Loves Monuments is about to start, >> and >> it would be nice if we could make sure that updates can be considered in >> the planning as much as possible - especially as this is happening in >> many >> different countries, and traditionally mostly outdoors anyway. >> >> It looks like your email was written to include a place where you want >> to >> gather this feedback. Did a link go missing? >> >> For what it's worth, I do have some thoughts about such an updated >> policy, >> from the viewpoint as someone who would have to comply. I'm assuming >> we're >> talking only about local events of limited size (probably a different >> risk >> profile applies for larger and/or travel-involved activities). I'm >> obviously no epidemiologist or public health policy expert, and I >> suspect >> many of these are already front and center in your thinking: >> - As an organizer, it is nice to have clarity where possible. Crisp >> definitions that translate well, are very helpful. >> - Given how different the public health situations are around the >> world, I >> can't imagine an identical set of constraints to apply across countries. >> - Acceptance is important. For example, I know there are a large number >> of >> countries where the wearing of masks is considered an accepted good >> practice, while there are other countries where this is seen as counter >> productive (with a heavier reliance on distance, for example). I know >> this >> is a touchy subject in the US >> - I wouldn't expect the WMF to interpret each country's public health >> policy, at the risk of being always behind. Carving out exceptions for >> countries that are notorious for not developing responsible policy, >> seems >> fair though (although that seems an interesting problem for the >> communications department...). >> - Reduce bureaucracy to a minimum. Some may be needed to help people >> through the thinking process, but it's also a deterrent to actually >> follow >> the policy. >> >> The balance between simplicity and nuance seems a hard one to strike. A >> bright line would be great, but that most likely conflicts with the >> realism. >> As so many governments are experiencing, it must be terribly complex to >> strike a right balance between requiring all recommendations to be >> followed >> and actually get people to endorse and support such requirements. The >> WMF >> only has limited leverage, and I would hate it to see people actively >> looking for loopholes. Because we both know that if anyone can find >> them, >> it's a Wikimedian. I would strongly recommend that the policy is such, >> that >> people will want to follow it, even if they don't have to. >> >> I can appreciate the underlying thought pattern that seems to underpin >> your >> mentioned focus: help people assess, inform about best practices and >> suggest alternatives. Those feel like helpful building blocks. I hope >> that >> the various communities will share many responsible ways as they get >> creative with organizing within those guidelines. I'm confident that you >> already reached out to many affiliates to get their input ealy on. >> >> Warmly, >> Lodewijk >> (member of the Wiki Loves Monuments international team, but responding >> in a >> personal capacity) >> >> On Fri, Aug 7, 2020 at 2:31 PM Katherine Maher &lt;kmaher(a)wikimedia.org&gt; >> wrote: >> >> Hi all, >> >> If this were a more predictable year, Wikimedians from around the world >> would be together this weekend at Wikimania Bangkok 2020, in the warm >> hospitality of our remarkable Wikimedia ESEAP hosts. We’d be preparing >> for >> a weekend of inspiring presentations, serendipitous meetings, and >> fascinating conversations with Wikimedians from dozens of projects, >> languages, and communities. >> >> I miss these moments of togetherness, and seeing people in person. Even >> though we’re mostly known as an online community, in-person events have >> always been part of the fabric of the Wikimedia movement. They are how >> we >> have built working partnerships, friendships, and the skills that >> support >> these remarkable projects over the years. >> >> In March, I sent messages out to the movement, asking grantees to >> postpone >> or cancel their in-person events until the World Health Organization >> declares the COVID-19 pandemic over. Today, that seems wistfully >> optimistic >> -- that we’d have this all wrapped up in six months! As we enter August >> the >> COVID-19 pandemic is still with us and seems likely to be part of our >> lives >> for some time to come. >> >> *== Safer events guidance ==* >> As we all learn to adapt and live with this new reality, we at the >> Foundation want to offer more adaptable support for Wikimedia >> convenings. >> >> We're already improving support for online events, but as different >> countries and regions start to offer more flexible guidance for >> in-person >> gatherings and travel, we expect to see more community interest for >> resuming in-person meetings (with appropriate precautions). We want to >> respond to this interest with tools and resources to help you assess >> your >> options, including whether your community can more safely host an >> in-person >> Wikimedia event. >> >> We are developing some tools to support your decision-making process, >> including a risk assessment calculator, to help you evaluate your own >> situation. *Importantly, this will also include guidance on when not to >> hold an event.* This tool is developed in a way that should be flexible >> to >> use for all community members, regardless of your country and the size >> of >> your event. >> >> We’re also creating a checklist of precautions, including resources with >> tips and suggestions for how to prepare, evaluate, and follow up on any >> event. Finally, we’re working to create a list of suggested types of >> events, such as walking tours, photo hunts, and community picnics, all >> of >> which can help meet the demand for safer in-person gatherings. >> >> *== Your feedback ==* >> Living through a global pandemic of this scale is new for all of us -- >> and >> the best way to navigate this change is with the support of your >> community. >> In that spirit, the events team will start reaching out to affiliate >> leaders and potential grantees next week for their feedback and advice >> on >> these proposed resources. We’re asking for your help shaping these >> tools to >> make them as useful as possible for our diverse global community, with >> all >> the varied contexts our movement works in. >> >> I look forward to sharing more about these tools, as well as additional >> information about event support and grants toward the end of August. >> >> Until then, please stay safe and take care -- I look forward to the next >> time we see each other again. >> >> Katherine >> >> -- >> >> Katherine Maher (she/her) >> >> CEO >> >> Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> &lt;wikimedia-l-request(a)lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe&gt;&gt; >> >>