Now that I managed to catch your attention… I want to remind you that
tomorrow will be the last day to apply for the FDC.
Unfortunately, I decided not to run for another term, because of the heavy
workload in my workplace and my roles in Wikimedia Israel
But I want to tell you a bit about my last two years in. I'm part of this
great movement for more than a decade: I took part in many project,
committees and I serve as chairperson and spokesperson.
I was part of the FDC process for 2 years as a grantee. I didn't always
like the FDCs recommendations, but I have always appreciated the mission
and the importance of this committee. I only learned how much the work this
committee do is so important once I had joined.
If you really care for this movement, and you really want to influence –
the FDC is the right place for you.
Don't get me wrong. It's not an easy task. Not at all. Maybe beside of the
WMF's board, this is the most time-consuming role. 5 days' deliberations in
S.F in November, 3 days' deliberations in Warsaw in May. And you have to
read endless reports and proposals before each deliberation (I counted 319
pages before the November's deliberations).
But – this big but – you really have power to change. Your voice is matter.
I was so lucky to sit in one room with so many talented volunteers and
FDC's staff. To really discuss with them about the impact of each
organization within the movement. To evaluate programs, sometime to
recommend to expend some of them, sometimes to recommend stop them. To ask
tough questions – about what the ROI of each thing that we do. And where we
want to see the Wikimedia's organizations, which have such an important
role within this movement.
Just a few weeks ago, during my last FDC's deliberation, I wrote to my
colleagues an email about one of our decisions. I wrote them and mentioned
the main reason why I joined the committee, and It's because I see a great
importance of the committee to "protect" the donor's money. Millions of
donors every year put their trust in our movement when they donate their
money to the Wikimedia movement.
And for me, the FDC is the part of the movement which is in charge to
oversee this donations and to take care that every dollar is been spend
properly. "for me each dollar worth like a million dollar, and as such, we
have to justify every spending we approve".
Each one of the committee members may express his responsibility and reason
to be part of it differently, but this is how I see it.
If you join the FDC you will work hard, but trust me, you will learn a lot,
and you will take part in the most interesting discussions and decision
making process this movement have to offer.
And in a personal note, this is my goodbye from my role within this
committee. It's was an amazing two years. I can't put into words the amount
of appreciation I have for this amazing team. Each one of them is truly
devoted for the movement. They are not so famous as the WMF's board
members, you will not see many of them in Wikimania and others
international conferences, as they do their amazing work behind closed
doors.
I'll miss all of them. And I hope I'll have the opportunity to join them
back in the future.
Itzik
*Regards,Itzik Edri*
Chairperson, Wikimedia Israel
+972-54-5878078 |
http://www.wikimedia.org.il
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