Hi,
Please find response to this statement on Meta <
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_India#Support_for_our_commun…
Also cross-posting it here
<Begin Message
Thank You for your
response. I will be happy to provide few clarifications
and would also like to ask few questions. It would be grateful to receive
your response.
- *unable to secure a license to act as a fiduciary organization* :
Wikimedia India which is registered under Karnataka Societies Act, 1960 is
governed by rules, procedures, legislation's and jurisdictions within the
Republic of India. Wikimedia India submits its annual report to the
registrar office for the Karnataka society every financial year beginning
1st April till 31st March.
- *is not currently legally registered as a charity in India to accept
funding from the Foundation.* : This is not a government license to
attain utility which can be accessed by all if things are in order.
Repeated best efforts are being made to attain the said license. Several
times on public platform such information has been shared and sharing again
for visibility here
<https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/06/07/democracies-need-a-little-help-from-their-friends/
. *Has WMF done some independent research on
the same ?* Grateful to
receive a response.
- *The Foundation and Affiliations Committee both hope that this
licensing and registration can be secured, and that the chapter will take
all the steps needed to be eligible for recognition.* : As follow-up to
the second statement this is not a utility license. *What is the view of
Foundation and Affiliations Committee on Chapter's zero budget activities ?*
*As asked by the Affiliations Committee would running programs and
taking the movement forward not meet sufficiency and having WMF grants be a
necessary criteria for sufficiency ?*
- *we expect two more to be announced by AffCom in the coming weeks.* There
is public information about Wikipedians of Goa User Group
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipedians_of_Goa_User_Group> which
can also be found on the Application Pipeline
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_movement_affiliates/Applications_Pipeline
page
but there is complete secrecy about the second User Group. *Why has
Chapter's view also not recorded for the same ?* It is mandatory for the
Affiliations Committee to approach the existing affiliates in the same
Geographical area.
Thank You. Looking forward to hearing.
<End Message
On Thu, 18 Jul 2019 at 16:50, Chris Koerner <ckoerner(a)wikimedia.org> wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> Wikimedia projects are supported by you—a
network of generous
> individual volunteers, groups, and organizations around the world.
> Together, you collaboratively enrich, grow, and advance the Wikimedia
> projects and free knowledge mission.
> You may have heard about the Affiliations
Committee’s decision to
> recommend the de-recognition of Wikimedia India. Some community
> members have asked what this means for the future of WIkimedia
> communities in India. We want to share more information about the
> AffCom decision, and reaffirm our commitment to and support for our
> many communities across India.
> The Affiliations Committee is a
community-run body of volunteers that
> represents and supports Wikimedia affiliates. After several years of
> working with Wikimedia India to bring its activities in line with
> chapter requirements [1], the Affiliations Committee recommended in
> June 2019 that the Wikimedia Foundation not renew the chapter
> agreement.
> Wikimedia India was first recognized as a
chapter in 2011. In 2015, it
> experienced difficulties meeting chapter agreement obligations.
> Working with the Affiliations Committee and the Foundation, the
> chapter developed a plan of action and returned to good standing by
> 2017. However, between 2017 and 2019 the chapter was unable to secure
> a license to act as a fiduciary organization, and is not currently
> legally registered as a charity in India to accept funding from the
> Foundation. The Foundation and Affiliations Committee both hope that
> this licensing and registration can be secured, and that the chapter
> will again be eligible for recognition.
> We are grateful for the vibrant, growing
community in India who has
> shown great leadership and created significant impact within our
> global movement. The Foundation currently supports eight Indic
> language community user groups, and we expect two more to be announced
> by AffCom in the coming weeks. We receive more than 700 million
> pageviews to Wikipedia every month from readers in India, and the
> growth of the Indic community is a top priority for the future of
> Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects.
> The Republic of India is of great
importance to the Wikimedia
> movement. The Wikimedia Foundation remains committed to supporting
> volunteer editors, contributors, readers, and donors across India.
> We’re grateful for all of your continued and growing efforts to
> support Wikimedia projects and our free knowledge mission. We look
> forward to continuing our work with you together.
> On behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation,
> Valerie D’Costa
> Chief of Community Engagement
> Wikimedia Foundation
> You can help translate this message on
Meta. [2]
> [1]
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_chapters/Requirements
> [2]
>
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:CKoerner_(WMF)/Support_for_our_communi…
> Sent by Chris Koerner (he/him)
> Community Relations Specialist
> Wikimedia Foundation
>
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