Thanks for raising this important issue Anass. We've all been victims of this problem, and I need to say it's a waste of resources and time for everyone involved - administration that goes into flight and hotel reservations for a person who won't come because of a visa. Time consumed by the ups and downs one needs to do to sort out the visa.
I think we really need to have deep conversations as a movement where we outline the true advantages of in-person events vs online events. Best, Bobby Shabangu On Tue, 16 Aug 2022 at 21:00, Mike Peel <em...@mikepeel.net> wrote: > Hi Risker, > > I broadly agree - there are a lot of benefits from in-person meetings, > mostly from spontaneous meetings, but not so much for the actual program! > > Different people also work in very different ways. With your second > point, internet connectivity problems, interface challenges, and finding > it difficult to socalize --- but in person --- are also relevant for > some (including myself ;-) ). > > Perhaps the reverse approach would be better then? Really focus on those > who have never had the opportunities, to solve their problems, and mix > with others at the conference - and for most regular attendees, get them > to attend online and not take up so much of the meeting resources? > > "it is critical that we don't consider the presence of those who face > greater challenges in attending in-person as non-essential." - I > completely agree with this, but on the flip side, don't consider it > essential that you have to attend in-person to participate equally. > Particularly if you can't attend in-person for any reason (family > commitments, travel restrictions, funding, medical issues, etc...). > > Thanks, > Mike > > On 16/8/22 19:41:31, Risker wrote: > > I see where you are coming from, Mike. At the same time, there is > > something fundamentally different about an in-person event. From my own > > experience, some of the most valuable learnings I have taken from > > in-person events have been completely unplanned; in particular, > > developing personal relationships with people from other parts of the > > world or from other projects. We should be doing our best to ensure that > > people from all over the world have the opportunity to have these > > experiences, as they have been fundamental to our growth as a movement. > > A lunchtime walk, a random encounter at breakfast, or a casual > > introduction has often turned into an action plan to collaborate. These > > things don't really happen during online meetings and conferences. > > > > There are also plenty of issues with online meetings, too. Connectivity > > problems, software challenges, and the fact that it's much more > > difficult to socialize online are just the beginning. > > > > Hybrid, yes. But it is critical that we don't consider the presence of > > those who face greater challenges in attending in-person as > > non-essential. Their ability to participate in the same way as someone > > from a country with easy access is, in some ways, even more important. > > > > Risker/Anne > > > > On Tue, 16 Aug 2022 at 13:51, Mike Peel <em...@mikepeel.net > > <mailto:em...@mikepeel.net>> wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > Rather than worrying about visa problems, why not use the experiences > > we've learnt over the last few years with virtual meetings? Make sure > > that the meeting is fully hybrid - with remote attendees being able > to > > participate equally with those in person? Wouldn't that be a fairer > > approach to make sure that all who need to attend can do so? > > > > Thanks, > > Mike > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines > at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > Public archives at > https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/CVRMU46EBKY7W24OAUBJBGQDE7GYPDVC/ > > To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines > at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > Public archives at > https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/A5L4TLWLZYUMJIZGLDLBO23K4EMDAOTC/ > To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-le...@lists.wikimedia.org
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