[Foundation-l] thank you

[Michael Snow]

phoebe ayers wrote:
> For the people who were at Wikimania, there was a lengthy thank-you
> session at the end where we got to applaud the volunteers and staff
> who worked hard on the conference. But I would just like to reiterate
> that, and give my personal thanks to:
>
> * Mido, for leading the bid and planning (with all of the stress for
> months on end that entails -- just ask any of the former organizers),
> thereby giving many of us the chance to meet our Egyptian colleagues
> and have a great conference
>
> * Moushira -- I recognized and sympathized with the way you were
> frantically running around during the conference :)
>
> * Nada, Abdel, Ahmed, and lots and lots of other people I didn't meet
> (and people I did meet but can't remember the names of); you guys
> pulled it off!
>
> * The BA staff generally, but especially Drs. Ismail Serageldin and
> Noha Adly for being supportive of the conference, for putting the
> considerable organizational weight of the BA behind it, and for
> offering up your resources and space to us; I hope that we are able to
> work together in the future, as two organizations with truly shared
> goals.
>
> * Delphine, as always, for tying up a thousand loose ends,
> coordinating Foundation-side work, making reconnaissance trips to
> Alexandria, and on and on :)
>
> * The Foundation staff, especially Jay and Cary for getting little
> things done like press and scholarships
>
> * Lodewijk and Jakob for doing nearly all the organizational work on
> the program, off-site and on; and all the program reviewers
>
> But thanks especially to everyone who showed up, especially those who
> took the risk of flying in from far away, and those who came from
> nearby who didn't know much about Wikipedia and wanted to find out
> more. It was great to see old friends and make new ones. I did not
> work on the organization of this year's conference as much as in past
> years, so I got the somewhat novel experience of going as an attendee
> -- you get to attend sessions that way, it turns out :)
>   
Looks like Phoebe beat me to the punch. I was working on my own 
thank-you note to write, after getting some help listing more of the 
names that should be thanked, but I want to echo everything she said. My 
participation seems to be moving in the opposite direction from hers - 
compared to my previous Wikimania experience in Boston, I made it to 
fewer sessions, not more - but I enjoyed all those I participated in and 
got a taste of many different aspects of the Wikimedia community.

As Phoebe mentions, this is a bit similar to the appreciation expressed 
in the closing ceremonies, but many people who will read this were not 
there for that, and some of the people who deserve thanks were not 
physically present either. It's a testament to our collaborative spirit 
that even when some of the community gathers in person, it will be 
backed by the work of others who aren't in attendance themselves. So I'd 
like to again thank those Phoebe named and add a few more, although 
there are inevitably some whose names I may not know to recognize their 
contributions.

In addition to Mido, others from the planning team that developed the 
Alexandria bid and had the vision and belief in Wikimedia's potential in 
Egypt and the Arab world - thanks to Shipmaster (an example of someone 
who was not at Wikimania, but helped put it together), Hamdy, Amr, and 
the Egyptian Wikimedia community.

Along with Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Bibliotheca 
Alexandrina, and Dr. Noha Adly - thanks to the staff of the ICT 
department, especially Moushira, Monia, and Omneya. They were a great 
help before, during, and after the conference.

For those who contributed their hard work throughout Wikimania, either 
in preparation or the day-by-day activities - thanks to the amazing 
local volunteers, especially Nada, Ashraf, Mohamed, and Ahmed. Thanks 
also to the dedicated international volunteers, such as Jakob, Lodewijk, 
Casey, Mark, Aphaia, and many more (including those who could not 
attend), for things like working on the program committee, helping with 
the website, and a variety of other places help was needed. Not to 
mention the foundation staff: Delphine, Cary, and Jay working in 
Alexandria, and Lisa and Erica for their help from San Francisco.

On behalf of the Wikimedia Foundation, I'd like to again thank all of 
these people, along with the speakers and attendees who helped make 
Wikimania a success. Without all of you, none of this would have been 
possible. I look forward to another exciting Wikimania next year in 
Buenos Aires.

--Michael Snow