[Foundation-l] International Wikimedia structure

Mon Jun 21 00:44:57 UTC 2004

Arne Klempert 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 agree with this---local chapters should be for reasons of local 
convenience, particularly legal issues like tax-deductability of 
donations, ease of fundraising and local advertising, and so on.  Making 
them language-based doesn't really address this, except for the people 
who happen to be in the country the foundation is based in.  This 
shouldn't be language-based---an English-speaking German should be able 
to join the German Wikimedia branch and continue to work primarily or 
exclusively at en: if he or she desires; a German-speaking American 
should likewise be able to join the US Wikimedia branch and continue to 
work primarily or exclusively at de:.  Language-type issues should be 
done on the Wikimedia Foundation level---the international 
organization.  Perhaps language-coordination working groups could be set 
up within it, but there's no good reason I can see to tie these to 
national foundations of a particular country.  Another disadvantage of 
that approach is that those in smaller countries are more discriminated 
against---why should a German-speaking person from Switzerland have to 
"report to" a foreign Wikimedia branch in Germany, for example?

-Mark