[Foundation-l] Fwd: Wikimedia Brasil + WMF

[Ray Saintonge]

I'm happy to hear this.  As a member of the Chapters Committee, I look 
forward to being helpful.

Ray

On 08/27/11 5:29 PM, CasteloBranco wrote:
> The letter was written collaboratively and announced in IRC, village
> pump, mailing list, facebook, twitter, ... so i think it does represent
> the views of all Brazilians who are interested on it. We do know a legal
> structure is now essential,  and we are developing the legal structure
> (rewriting the bylaws, contacting lawyers and accountants, and so on).
> So, we agree on this, Ray: our higher priority is to develop a legal
> entity, for now.
>
> During the first months, it would be great to get some help from the WMF
> Office. That's why we are offering our support, and suggesting ways on
> how to better work together. The chair on the board is this, a
> suggestion. We can discuss another ways to do it, and your opinion is
> welcome.
>
> Castelo
> [[:m:User:Castelobranco]]
> Wikimedia Brasil
>
> Em 27/08/2011 21:00, Ray Saintonge escreveu:
>> I find this all very sad.  Who are the Brazilian volunteers, and how
>> effectively do they represent the views of those Brazilians who are
>> truly interested in Wikipedia in their country. The simple fact is that
>> an agreement entered into by an ad hoc group binds no-one except the
>> individuals that sign it.
>>
>> At one time a chapter was authorized for Brazil, but a refusal to build
>> a legal structure led to the withdrawal of the authorization. It may
>> seem like so much paperwork and bureaucracy, but there are times when a
>> legal structure is essential for moving forward.
>>
>> I think that developing such a legal entity should be a high priority
>> for Brazilian Wikipedians to ensure that Wiki activities in Brazil are
>> controlled by Brazilians. At the same time I don't think there is any
>> value to having a WMF appointee on your board; such a person would find
>> it difficult to function under circumstances of perpetual conflict of
>> interest.  No other chapter has such a clause.
>>
>> Ray
>>
>>
>> On 08/27/11 12:11 PM, CasteloBranco wrote:
>>> For your information
>>>
>>> The Brazilian community is offering WMF a letter of agreement, which was
>>> collaboratively written.
>>> After the Brazilian participants shared their experience on what
>>> happened in Haifa, the whole community had one week to discuss and edit
>>> the content, which is now available on Meta.[1]
>>>
>>> Castelo
>>> [[:m:User:Castelobranco]]
>>> Wikimedia Brasil
>>>
>>> [1]
>>> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Proposed_letter_of_agreement_between_Wikimedia_Foundation_and_Brazilian_volunteers
>>>
>>>
>>>      Proposed letter of agreement between Wikimedia Foundation and
>>>      Brazilian volunteers
>>>
>>> On August 5, 2011, during Wikimania 2011
>>> <http://br.wikimedia.org/wiki/Brasil_no_Wikimania/2011>, on Haifa,
>>> Israel, a meeting between Wikimedia Brasil and Wikimedia Foundation was
>>> held. The meeting, which was also attended by representatives of
>>> Wikimedia Portugal and Wikimedia Argentina, provided a discussion about
>>> the ongoing Wikimedia Projects in Brazil and the interaction between the
>>> future WMF office in the country and the local chapter.
>>>
>>>
>>> The understanding of Brazilian members along the meeting was that:
>>>
>>>     1. Brazil is a strategic priority for Wikimedia Foundation.
>>>     2. Wikimedia Foundation will set up an office in Brazil in order to
>>>        stimulate the development of projects to increase the penetration of
>>>        Wikipedia in Brazil. This process was already launched with the
>>>        search for locations, hiring lawyers and the search for a
>>>        professional to manage it.
>>>     3. Wikimedia Foundation understands that the Brazilian community and,
>>>        thus, the chapter under formation still doesn't have the capacity to
>>>        be completely self-managed.
>>>     4. Wikimedia Foundation aims to develop the existing programs in
>>>        Brazil, like "Campus Ambassadors", though it still doesn't have a
>>>        specific development program for Brazil.
>>>     5. Wikimedia Foundation wants to conduct researches about the lusophone
>>>        community.
>>>     6. Wikimedia Foundation already has liaisons with Brazilian
>>>        organizations, like /"Positivo"/.
>>>     7. The members of the Brazilian community want to colaborate with
>>>        Wikimedia Foundation.
>>>     8. The members of the legal chapter under formation are afraid of
>>>        losing the legitimacy of the local community among society after the
>>>        establishment of the WMF office. Wikimedia Brasil has apprehension
>>>        of not having control over what was raised locally, and of the loss
>>>        of sources of revenue due to internal competition.
>>>
>>>
>>> Based on this understanding, participant members of the Brazilian
>>> community decided to:
>>>
>>>     1. Support the creation of Wikimedia Foundation office in Brazil which,
>>>        as explained at the meeting, will have the goal of fostering the
>>>        realization of partnerships and events with the community and the
>>>        external audiences, provisionally and until the local chapter have
>>>        enough structure to develop such activities directly.
>>>     2. Suggest that the office maintains goals to work for the development
>>>        of the local community and not only fundraising or the realization
>>>        of business agreements.
>>>     3. Recommend to Wikimedia Foundation that its activites in Brazil are
>>>        achieved with maximum transparency and envolvement of Wikimedia
>>>        Brasil, allowing the local volunteers to participate at the various
>>>        stages of ongoing projects and also in those that will be launched
>>>        at the country.
>>>     4. Recommend to Wikimedia Foundation that its goals and existing plans
>>>        to Brazil are shared with Wikimedia Brasil.
>>>     5. Recommend to Wikimedia Foundation to orientate its projects,
>>>        partnerships and possible proposals of interested sponsors to the
>>>        local chapter, giving some opportunity to Wikimedia Brasil.
>>>     6. Propose the creation of a tatical planning for Brazil, based on
>>>        Wikimedia's strategic planning, with the participation of WMF office
>>>        and Wikimedia Brasil for the construction of a development program
>>>        to Brazil.
>>>     7. Propose to Wikimedia Foundation to make room available in its WMF
>>>        office directorship, provided by statue, for a chosen Wikimedia
>>>        Brasil representative, consequently, chosen by the local community.
>>>        Or, that the Wikimedia Foundation enjoy the legal chapter structure
>>>        of Wikimedia Brasil to seek its goals; We want to offer the position
>>>        of one director on our legal chapter, provided by statue, to
>>>        Wikimedia Foundation.
>>>     8. Assist the establishment of the office with the volunteer
>>>        participation of Wikimedia Brasil in activities of organization and
>>>        achievement of knowledge inherent to local peculiarities, such as:
>>>        contracting services, choice of location and understanding of the
>>>        legislation.
>>>     9. Assist in the construction of a portfolio of activities and in the
>>>        resources search to achieve the same.
>>> 10. Suggest to Wikimedia Foundation to stimulate the existing activites
>>>        of Wikimedia Brasil and possibly the model of /"Mutirões"/.
>>>
>>>
>>> Wikimedia Brasil
>>>