[Foundation-l] Partecipation in Wikimania 2011

[Birgitte SB]

--- On Wed, 8/11/10, wiki-list at phizz.demon.co.uk <wiki-list at phizz.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> From: wiki-list at phizz.demon.co.uk <wiki-list at phizz.demon.co.uk>
> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Partecipation in Wikimania 2011
> To: "Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List" <foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010, 1:27 PM
> Yaroslav M. Blanter wrote:
> >> Isn't there supposed to be a boycott?
> >>
> > http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/jun/20/internationaleducationnews.highereducation
> >> _______________________________________________
> > 
> > This is bullshit. There are always people who for
> instance never take an
> > air flight - should we also complain that they do not
> have an opportunity
> > to travel to Wikimania which is on a different
> continent?
> > 
> 
> OH I was just pointing out that there is an academic
> boycott of Israel, 
> of course one is at liberty to break or not participate in
> such, just 
> like those who turned up at Sun City.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artists_United_Against_Apartheid
> 
> One has to decide where one stands on such issues, does one
> not?
> 

There seem to regularly be similar issues.

Boston  there was people from some countries who could not get visas - People have suggested Wikmania never be held in US because not everyone would be allowed to enter

Taipei   there were diffculties for some PRC residents.

Alexandria  there were boycotts/ethical issues over the executions of LBGT Egytians - People suggested Wikimania never be held in a country where LBGT folks are persecuted 

These issues are not really good arguments for never having Wikimania in certain countries.  They are good arguments for rotating Wikimania amoung a large variety of different sorts of countries.

Birgitte SB