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Hi,

Following my demand, the Ouvaton cooperative has offered to host a read only mirror of the French Wikipedia with a budget of 1000 euros for a year in hardware and bandwidth. For that it is necessary that a non profit organisation to be set up in France. I drafted a project of status for this according to French law. It is available at http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Wikipédia:Statuts_pour_une_association_en_France

I think I may not have been very clear. Ouvaton is a cooperative of independant webmasters. As an example, it is supportive of our ideas (free software, etc.). It offers to host a mirror of Wikipedia for FREE. They would give Wikipedia up to 1000 euros a year in material and bandwidth. A few people in the French Wikipedia have already offered to take care of the technical details of this mirror. Now I have been told than a mirror in France would not help much. How the offer of Ouvaton can be used?

Secondly Ouvaton asked than an organisation (not an individual) need to be legally responsible for this mirror. Upon further asking, it said that Wikimedia Foundation or a European organisation can be this organisation.

The idea of a French or European non profit organisation was also to collect donations. Potential avantages : easing money transfer and issuing tax deductible receipts. Yes a French non profit can collect donations and issue tax deductible receipts. [1] There is also the possibility in Belgian law to set up a European organisation with similar capabilities. cf. http://www.notaire.be/info/societes/031_loi_sur_les_asbl.htm (in French)

We have more and more requests for public talks about Wikipedia in France : three in 2003 and two more are already planned in 2004. A local organisation would help to organise this (to print leaflets, posters...). Someone also suggests to set up an French non profit called "The friends of Wikipedia" for this. What do you think?

Regards, Yann

[1] "La loi n°87-571 du 23 juillet 1987 sur le développement du mécénat précise que désormais, le don manuel (celui qui n'est pas pratiqué sous acte notarié) est légalement autorisé pour toutes les associations déclarées."

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