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
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).
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
Just a (useless?) reminder: all projects are language-based, all chapters are state-based.
Nemo
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.
wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org