Hi everyone

Ian Gilfillan (Greenman) will be sending out an email soon welcoming everyone to the mailing list.  In the meantime, just an introduction from me and the organisation I work for:  We are local non profit org The African Commons Project (TACP) and we promote and advocate open content and less restrictive intellectual property laws, especially in a digital environment.  We are helping out with the coordination of setting up a South African Wikimedia Chapter basically to helping out local Wikipedians in this process because we - as the rest of you do - really see a space for a Chapter here in South Africa to forward the aims of the Wikimedia Foundation.

The process that SA is following, and has been followed elsewhere around the world with other Wikimedia Chapters, is to gather the people and in this instance to hold a workshop where the objectives and goals of the Chapter will be discussed and debated, as well as the best formal structure that the Chapter should take.

We're looking at holding the workshop in Johannesburg over one full day and half day on the following day.  However, I would like to offer two options:  first option full day Friday, 6th August and half day Saturday, 7th August OR alternatively full day Saturday, 7th August and then half day Sunday, 8th August.    As most of you work and have other commitments, please let's discuss quite urgently what would best suit you.

There are a number of Wikipedians from Cape Town and so those of you from the fairest Cape will have to fly up to Joburg to attend the workshop.  There are some travel 'scholarships' available which will be given to cover limited travel and accommodation so also let me know urgently if you would need one!

Many thanks

Kerryn

 
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KERRYN MCKAY
The African Commons Project

email me at:  kerryn@africancommons.org
phone me:  +2711 486 0211, cell:  +27 82 334 6165,
skype me:  kerrynmac