[Foundation-l] International Wikimedia structure

Mon Jun 21 19:07:04 UTC 2004

--- Arne Klempert <wikipedia at klempert.de> wrote:
> I am something irritated by some suggestions on meta regarding the
> international structure of Wikimedia. There are made suggestions,
> aligning local Chapter at a language, instead of aligning at a country,
> for example Wikimedia Francophone and Wikipedia Esperanto. IMHO that is
> the wrong way. Please look at other international non profit
> organizations how they do that.

I very much agree with this. 

Anybody who wants to participate in a local chapter should be able to. The only
limitation is the amount of travel the person is able/willing to do. Thus local
chapters should serve *nations* not languages. 

> The following points are important to me:
> 
> * There should be as clear as possible a separation between projects and
> chapters because all projects are international and should remain widely
> self-determined.
> 
> * Chapters should not primarily spend their money for projects in a
> certain language but on all projects, as far as legally possible.
> 
> * There should be no sub-chapters on national level (i.e. Wikimedia
> Austria as a sub-chapter of Wikimedia Germany). Each national chapter
> should be directly assigned to the Foundation. Exceptions could be
> meaningful for regional chapters, which could be subordinated to the
> national chapters.
> 
> The bylaws of Wikimedia Germany consider these principles. I would be
> glad, if future chapters would do this likewise.
> 
> We should create an international organization to promote *together* all
> international projects and not create an accumulation of single
> organizations, which primarily promote "their" projects.

Wow! I'm very impressed with the amount of thought that went into Wikimedia
Germany's bylaws. The above points seem to be very important and logical. I
suggest a Wikimedia board committee look at the Wikimedia Germany's bylaws in
detail and form some basic principles upon which all future chapters are
organized (each chapter would write its own bylaws but those bylaws would have
to be ratified by the Wikimedia Foundation's board which in turn would use a
set of principles to guide them). I for one would like to form a regional
chapter of the as-yet-to-be-created Wikimedia United States chapter. 

-- Daniel Mayer (aka mav)

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