[okfn-be] Wikimedia Belgium

[Romaine Wiki]

Hello Pieter,

Thanks for the idea, but it would limit too much our possibilities and opportunities. I shall explain.

One of the reasons why we would like our own chapter, Wikimedia Belgium, is to be able to use the brand Wikimedia Belgium. We are only allowed to use this when we are officially registered with our own board, bylaws and responsibilities with the Wikimedia Foundation. We would like to say: "this project is organized by Wikimedia Belgium". At the moment we can only say: "this project is organized by some users from Wikimedia projects". We would like to use the name and logo, and our connection with Wikipedia/sisterprojects/Foundation to have a strong background to the public and organizations we have contact with. Another reason is that we then are largely funded by the Wikimedia Foundation.

We have done several projects in the past years, but without the official name and the mentioned connections and background it is harder to set up and organize projects. We also had already a small meeting to set up our chapter, and with this meeting we had a sense of feeling that we do want our own organisation.

Perhaps there is more possible then I think, but still this is what a lot of users wish for. They have been waiting long for it, while our neighbouring countries already have their own organization for years. So our goal is to set up our own organization.

However, this doesn't mean we can't work together, I think that will be the case. At least I must say, thanks for giving us the possibility!

Greetings - Romaine



--- On Mon, 11/19/12, Pieter Colpaert <pieter.colpaert at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Pieter Colpaert <pieter.colpaert at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [okfn-be] Wikimedia Belgium
To: "Romaine Wiki" <romaine_wiki at yahoo.com>
Cc: okfn-be at lists.okfn.org, Tanguy.DeLestre at agoria.be, "Cedric De Vroey" <cedric.devroey at gmail.com>, "Jeroen De Dauw" <jeroendedauw at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, November 19, 2012, 7:36 AM

Hi Romaine,
we would very much like that, but let's be pragmatic. Founding an organisation in Belgium is a lot of work and you will need a lot of commitment from certain people merely on the administrative level.
The reason why we have founded OKFN Belgium is primarily to be an umbrella organisation for organisations supporting the open way of working. iRail for instance started as a separate organisation but is now merging with OKFN Belgium. Creative Commons Belgium started immeadiately under OKFN Belgium, but has its own authenticity, own working group board and is responsible for their own budgets.

My preference, therefore not the only possibility, would be to start a wikimedia chapter as an okfn working group. What do you think?
Kind regards,
Pieter
Op 19-nov.-2012 07:57 schreef "Romaine Wiki" <romaine_wiki at yahoo.com> het volgende:

Hello all, 

After busy work the successful Wiki Loves Monuments in Belgium and Luxembourg, we are back on the track of founding Wikimedia Belgium, as chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation.


Currently we are planning a meeting to talk about the founding. Currently we are thinking of the afternoon of 30 November in Brussels. This because in the evening we have our prize giving ceremony of Wiki Loves Monuments.


Wikimedia Belgium will be I think independent, but at the same time we would like to support, work together, and engage partnerships with projects and organizations which have roughly the same goals as we have.


Maybe I am a little bit too early with this message, but I was wondering if some of you might be interesting in thinking
 with us in founding Wikimedia Belgium.

Greetings,
Romaine

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