Hello everyone,
I wanted to give you all a brief update on a couple of advocacy-related matters. I'm really happy to report that in the last couple of days Wikimedia UK has signed theLyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development http://www.lyondeclaration.org/I believe this is an important statement for us to make, underscoring our belief that: "increasing access to information and knowledge across society, assisted by the availability of information and communications technologies (ICTs), supports sustainable development and improves people’s lives."
The second policy item for update is the Free Knowledge Advocacy Group EU https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/EU_policy position paper on copyright reform https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/EU_policy/Position_Paper_on_EU_Copyright. Wikimedia UK has now signed this paper, joining several other European chapters and other open knowledge organisations. This work is important on a European level as collectively the FKAGEU is making a strong case for copyright reform favourable to the Wikimedia and open knowledge movement. The main areas of interest the group is working on are harmonisation of freedom of panorama across the EU to the most liberal model, the public domain licensing of publicly funded works, and the right to use orphan works. What is particularly pleasing is that there is a variety of non-Wikimedia organisations now participating in this work. I hope that in time the work of the growing FKAGEU will begin to link up with the work of the Open Coalition to further amplify our voice and empower our sector.
If you'd like to know more, please do contact me directly or reply to the list and I will respond.
Thanks and regards,
Stevie