[Foundation-l] Concern for the safety of Wikimanians in Alexandria

[Aude]

As a reminder, here is the judging criteria:

* Accommodations
* Funding
* General location
* Internet access
* Local laws, customs, attitudes, and culture
* Press
* Organizing team
* Rotation of location
* Social areas
* Cost
* Venue
* Visa/immigration issues

http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2008/Judging_criteria

The quality of the organizing team (their track record), rotation of
location, costs, and venue are key advantages to their bid.  The venue is
being provided to us for free, which means keeping the costs down.  The
quality of the venue is also high, being a modern facility, good size, etc.


Rotation of locations is also key.  At the last Wikimania in Taipei, some
people travelled great distances to come to Wikimania, though a large
contingent of the attendees come from the local area or region. This summer
is an opportunity to help address systematic bias, by involving people from
the local region in Egypt, Jordan, and other areas of the Middle East and
Africa at Wikimania.  I think rotating the locations like this is a good and
important thing, given the mission of the Foundation (even if it means going
some places with much different culture).
As far as security is concerned, I think attendees will find that Egypt is
one of safest places, with violent crime rare.  Tourism is a very important
component of the Egyptian economy, and I know they do take security very
seriously and provide added protection for tourists, for conferences and
such events.  I think you will also find kind hospitality of people there.
The fact that they have a track record is also very important, and it means
the local people in Alexandria are all the more used to foreigners and
people of all race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

The visa/immigration issues are a negative for holding Wikimania in the
United States (in Atlanta).   I would say the bids were on par, with the
exception of the "local laws, customs, ..." issue with is a weak point but
not enough so to say we can't have Wikimania there.  Also, remember they big
for Wikimania 2007 and lost out to Taipei.  They were professional about
that, and came back to bid again.

http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2007/Bids

http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2007/Alexandria#Major_Conferences_held_in_the_library

For 2009, it will be good to have Wikimania in a different type of place, in
a different part of the world, so as to afford the opportunity to attend to
others.  For this summer, I very much look forward to coming to Alexandria,
meeting new people and seeing some of the same folks again.  I don't think
my gender and other personal factors will be a problem at all.

Cheers.

-Aude