[Foundation-l] Wikimedia India Program Trust

[Hisham]

hisham

On Nov 11, 2011, at 2:41 PM, Lodewijk wrote:

> Hi,

I'm taking the liberty of speaking for both the Trust and the Chapter in some of my response here - so India Chapter, please do correct me if I'm not accurately reflecting your position anywhere.
> 
> thanks a lot all for exmplaining the differences. I would be very much
> interested to know more about the ''relationship'' between the trust and
> Wikimedia India. You seem to suggest that trustees get appointed by (or on
> the advice of - not sure of the legal wording) the WMF - but will Wikimedia
> India be involved in that too? Since they are the chapter in that country I
> could imagine them to have a say in it.

We (the Trust) will be preparing a trustee selection plan that will outline this.

> 
> How closely will this trust and the chapter work together? You mention that
> there is communication etc - but is cooperation likely to become the
> default or the exception?

I think the Trust and the Chapter both bring unique strengths (as outlined by Gautam) which I see as complimentary.  I would think that cooperation is the default - and this is something that we (Chapter & Trust) will actively work towards.  The points I made in my earlier note about communication are an important first step in that - but not the only step.  The joint initiative that we (Chapter & Trust) are working at identifying and working together on is another step.  I am sure there will be others.

> 
> And how will it work with regards of who will be the primary point of
> contact in India for institutions who want to partner with Wikimedia? Will
> they have to approach one of the two or whichever they like (and if they
> dont get the answer they like, can they just approach the other?). Will the
> chapter and the trust be competing with each other or collaborating?

I think different situations will require different approaches - often times determined by the requirements or circumstances of the partnering institution.  If I can illustrate, the partnership point of contact for something like the WikiConference is the Chapter.   For something else, it might well be the Trust.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, there is so much to be done - including just on partnerships alone - that there will be very little case or cause for competition.  

If as you illustrate, someone does not get the answer they want from either the Chapter or the Trust, we (Chapter & Trust) will make sure we communicate with each other so that both of us are fully in the know and can act appropriately.

Best 

hisham