Dear all
Earlier this week the Wikimedia Foundation, along with twelve Wikimedia
affiliates including Wikimedia UK, published an open letter
<https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2024/04/23/open-letter-protect-wikiped…>
calling on UN Member States to include commitments in the Global Digital
Compact that can allow online public interest projects, such as Wikipedia,
to thrive. This was accompanied by emails to specific dignitaries—including
(for example) the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UK Mission
to the UN, Dame Barbara Woodward—as well as a media and social media
campaign.
Signatories of the letter call on the UN Member States to embrace a
positive vision for the internet’s future in which diverse communities
anywhere are empowered and supported to build and operate free and open
knowledge projects.The letter
<https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2024/04/23/open-letter-protect-wikiped…>
currently
has over 100 signatures and we are hoping for volunteer editors to sign in
an individual capacity, as well as for organised groups to sign. *Please
consider signing yourself, and perhaps sharing via social media. *
The Global Digital Compact is a UN initiative to create an international
doctrine to help ensure that digital technologies are used responsibly and
for the benefit of all, while addressing the digital divide and fostering a
safe and inclusive digital environment. The Global Advocacy team at the
Wikimedia Foundation is working with a core group of affiliates
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Global_Digital_Compact_Wikimedia_Advocacy_C…>
on
our response to this initiative and our first project together has been the
creation and distribution of the open letter.
Thanks for your support for this initiative.
Best wishes
Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
Hi everyone,
If you’re in the area, please join the first Exeter Wikimeet on Sunday 5th May 2024!
Find more details & add your name to the attending list on the event page Wikipedia: Meetup/Exeter<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/Exeter>.
Feel free to share with anyone that would be interested in attending.
All the best,
Tatjana Baleta
Wikimedia Visiting Fellow at the Global Systems Institute
Dear all
I wanted to share with you the Global Majority Wikimedia Tech Priorities
<https://eu-west-1.protection.sophos.com/?d=wikimedia.org&u=aHR0cHM6Ly9tZXRh…>,
which have been created as a way of investigating Wikimedia's technological
infrastructure and its associated challenges through the perspectives of
Global South communities. The project was facilitated by Wiki Movimento
Brasil and CIS-A2K (India), with the participation of nine other Global
Majority affiliates with tech capacity; and I am circulating this on their
behalf.
The communities involved are hoping to receive support from individual
contributors and Wikimedia organisations. They will be *gathering
signatures until Thursday 2nd May*, after which they are planning to launch
the Priorities at the upcoming Wikimedia Hackathon in Estonia. If this is
something you can support, details of how to sign are at the bottom of the
page on Meta.
Best wishes
Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
Hi everyone,
It’s time for the fifth edition of the Coolest Tool Award!! 🎉
Tools play an essential role at Wikimedia, and so do the many volunteer
developers who experiment with new ideas, develop & maintain local & global
solutions, and enhance the experience for Wikimedia communities.
We’d like to invite you all to nominate your favourite & most used tools
and help us celebrate the people who create them!
To nominate your favourite tools, simply follow this link:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award#Coolest_Tool_Award_2024.
Feel free to submit multiple nominations by completing the form as many
times as you'd like. The deadline for Nomination is* May 10th 2024.*
For further details on the nomination and selection process, the Coolest
Tool Award Academy, and the upcoming award ceremony, please visit
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award.
The award is organized & selected by the Coolest Tool Academy. We plan to
award the coolest tools in a variety of categories (see last year’s
categories for an example). Excitingly, we're returning to an in-person
event for the first time since 2019, with winners set to be unveiled at
Wikimania 2024.
Thank you immensely for your participation and recommendations. Together,
let's celebrate innovation and collaboration within the Wikimedia community!
Regards,
On behalf of the Coolest Tool Academy 2024
Dear all
Some of you may have seen this already on Wikipedia Weekly but I wanted to
draw your attention to a fundraiser
<https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-help-nada-leave-gaza-to-get-chevening-sch…>
to enable the Wikipedian and doctor Nada Al Farra to leave Gaza in order to
attend an interview for a Chevening Scholarship. Nada has an offer from
Greenwich University to study a Masters in Global Health Management, and if
successful the Chevening Scholarship would cover all fees and other costs.
This fundraiser is specifically for the border crossing fees at Rafah.
Please don't feel obliged to contribute, but I wanted to share the link in
case anyone feels able to make a small donation:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-help-nada-leave-gaza-to-get-chevening-sch…
Best
Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
Dear all
We are currently recruiting for a new *Head of Development and
Communications* at Wikimedia UK, and would very much welcome applications
from Wikimedians with relevant skills and experience.
The details of the role are on our wiki here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Head_of_Development_and_Communications
The role will primarily be home based so we welcome applicants
from anywhere within the UK. Salary and other benefits are listed at the
link above. The closing date for applications is *28th February 2024.*
Huge thanks to Natasha Iles, who will be leaving us in April after three
and a half years as the inaugural postholder in this role. Natasha has been
a created and committed member of the Senior Management Team since joining
us in autumn 2020, and is working hard to ensure a smooth transition to the
successful candidate.
Best wishes
Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
