I'm happy to hear this. As a member of the Chapters Committee, I look forward to being helpful.
Ray On 08/27/11 5:29 PM, CasteloBranco wrote: > The letter was written collaboratively and announced in IRC, village > pump, mailing list, facebook, twitter, ... so i think it does represent > the views of all Brazilians who are interested on it. We do know a legal > structure is now essential, and we are developing the legal structure > (rewriting the bylaws, contacting lawyers and accountants, and so on). > So, we agree on this, Ray: our higher priority is to develop a legal > entity, for now. > > During the first months, it would be great to get some help from the WMF > Office. That's why we are offering our support, and suggesting ways on > how to better work together. The chair on the board is this, a > suggestion. We can discuss another ways to do it, and your opinion is > welcome. > > Castelo > [[:m:User:Castelobranco]] > Wikimedia Brasil > > Em 27/08/2011 21:00, Ray Saintonge escreveu: >> I find this all very sad. Who are the Brazilian volunteers, and how >> effectively do they represent the views of those Brazilians who are >> truly interested in Wikipedia in their country. The simple fact is that >> an agreement entered into by an ad hoc group binds no-one except the >> individuals that sign it. >> >> At one time a chapter was authorized for Brazil, but a refusal to build >> a legal structure led to the withdrawal of the authorization. It may >> seem like so much paperwork and bureaucracy, but there are times when a >> legal structure is essential for moving forward. >> >> I think that developing such a legal entity should be a high priority >> for Brazilian Wikipedians to ensure that Wiki activities in Brazil are >> controlled by Brazilians. At the same time I don't think there is any >> value to having a WMF appointee on your board; such a person would find >> it difficult to function under circumstances of perpetual conflict of >> interest. No other chapter has such a clause. >> >> Ray >> >> >> On 08/27/11 12:11 PM, CasteloBranco wrote: >>> For your information >>> >>> The Brazilian community is offering WMF a letter of agreement, which was >>> collaboratively written. >>> After the Brazilian participants shared their experience on what >>> happened in Haifa, the whole community had one week to discuss and edit >>> the content, which is now available on Meta.[1] >>> >>> Castelo >>> [[:m:User:Castelobranco]] >>> Wikimedia Brasil >>> >>> [1] >>> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Proposed_letter_of_agreement_between_Wikimedia_Foundation_and_Brazilian_volunteers >>> >>> >>> Proposed letter of agreement between Wikimedia Foundation and >>> Brazilian volunteers >>> >>> On August 5, 2011, during Wikimania 2011 >>> <http://br.wikimedia.org/wiki/Brasil_no_Wikimania/2011>, on Haifa, >>> Israel, a meeting between Wikimedia Brasil and Wikimedia Foundation was >>> held. The meeting, which was also attended by representatives of >>> Wikimedia Portugal and Wikimedia Argentina, provided a discussion about >>> the ongoing Wikimedia Projects in Brazil and the interaction between the >>> future WMF office in the country and the local chapter. >>> >>> >>> The understanding of Brazilian members along the meeting was that: >>> >>> 1. Brazil is a strategic priority for Wikimedia Foundation. >>> 2. Wikimedia Foundation will set up an office in Brazil in order to >>> stimulate the development of projects to increase the penetration of >>> Wikipedia in Brazil. This process was already launched with the >>> search for locations, hiring lawyers and the search for a >>> professional to manage it. >>> 3. Wikimedia Foundation understands that the Brazilian community and, >>> thus, the chapter under formation still doesn't have the capacity to >>> be completely self-managed. >>> 4. Wikimedia Foundation aims to develop the existing programs in >>> Brazil, like "Campus Ambassadors", though it still doesn't have a >>> specific development program for Brazil. >>> 5. Wikimedia Foundation wants to conduct researches about the lusophone >>> community. >>> 6. Wikimedia Foundation already has liaisons with Brazilian >>> organizations, like /"Positivo"/. >>> 7. The members of the Brazilian community want to colaborate with >>> Wikimedia Foundation. >>> 8. The members of the legal chapter under formation are afraid of >>> losing the legitimacy of the local community among society after the >>> establishment of the WMF office. Wikimedia Brasil has apprehension >>> of not having control over what was raised locally, and of the loss >>> of sources of revenue due to internal competition. >>> >>> >>> Based on this understanding, participant members of the Brazilian >>> community decided to: >>> >>> 1. Support the creation of Wikimedia Foundation office in Brazil which, >>> as explained at the meeting, will have the goal of fostering the >>> realization of partnerships and events with the community and the >>> external audiences, provisionally and until the local chapter have >>> enough structure to develop such activities directly. >>> 2. Suggest that the office maintains goals to work for the development >>> of the local community and not only fundraising or the realization >>> of business agreements. >>> 3. Recommend to Wikimedia Foundation that its activites in Brazil are >>> achieved with maximum transparency and envolvement of Wikimedia >>> Brasil, allowing the local volunteers to participate at the various >>> stages of ongoing projects and also in those that will be launched >>> at the country. >>> 4. Recommend to Wikimedia Foundation that its goals and existing plans >>> to Brazil are shared with Wikimedia Brasil. >>> 5. Recommend to Wikimedia Foundation to orientate its projects, >>> partnerships and possible proposals of interested sponsors to the >>> local chapter, giving some opportunity to Wikimedia Brasil. >>> 6. Propose the creation of a tatical planning for Brazil, based on >>> Wikimedia's strategic planning, with the participation of WMF office >>> and Wikimedia Brasil for the construction of a development program >>> to Brazil. >>> 7. Propose to Wikimedia Foundation to make room available in its WMF >>> office directorship, provided by statue, for a chosen Wikimedia >>> Brasil representative, consequently, chosen by the local community. >>> Or, that the Wikimedia Foundation enjoy the legal chapter structure >>> of Wikimedia Brasil to seek its goals; We want to offer the position >>> of one director on our legal chapter, provided by statue, to >>> Wikimedia Foundation. >>> 8. Assist the establishment of the office with the volunteer >>> participation of Wikimedia Brasil in activities of organization and >>> achievement of knowledge inherent to local peculiarities, such as: >>> contracting services, choice of location and understanding of the >>> legislation. >>> 9. Assist in the construction of a portfolio of activities and in the >>> resources search to achieve the same. >>> 10. Suggest to Wikimedia Foundation to stimulate the existing activites >>> of Wikimedia Brasil and possibly the model of /"Mutirões"/. >>> >>> >>> Wikimedia Brasil >>> _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
