[okfn-be] openKnowledge being representative of Belgium

Tue Mar 3 03:24:32 UTC 2015

Dear all,

I a recent mail on the Belgian OSM mailing list we have discovered the 
mapper of the month Pierre Parmentier :

Fr: http://osm.be/fr/content/contributeur-du-mois-pierre-parmentier
Nl: http://osm.be/nl/content/mapper-van-de-maand-pierre-parmentier

In his interview, Pierre says he regrets that the OSM-be community is 
not a separated asbl/vzw.

I have asked on the list 

 > Could you please Pierre let us know why you think that the current 
setup of OSM-be being
 > under the umbrella of OpenKnowledge.be is not suitable ? (unless the 
fact, that can be 
 > adapted if we want to I suppose, that the directors of openknowledge 
do not represent 
 > today Belgium in a fair way : the directors are all native Flemisch 
speakers, the are 
 > no directors who are native French or German speakers !)

I respect the "doers" way of going : the people who act are recognized.

As such, Pieter has initiated okfb.be and as acted as a very effective 
president and I thank him immensely for that. 
And all other directos have done a great job I suppose, (I don't know 
all of them personnally).

As much as I really appreciate that we still have ONE OpenKnowledge, 
not splitted along the traditionnal
Belgian borders (I don't like borders personnally), typically 
linguistic, I regret though that today, the OpenKnowledge 
board of directors does not reflect Belgian diversity. 

This is in my opinion a weak point that we shall be pointed at when we 
shall go and as for recognition/money
to some institutions.

I think that this point must be addressed.

I repeat : this does not mean in any way that the current board is not 
effective, nor that the people in charge 
for example of the last OpenBelgium conference did not do a great job. 
All the contrary. Simply : it does not
reflect an important fact.

Much thanks for the consideration,

Best regards,

Nicolas 
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