[okfn-discuss] Open Knowledge Festival 2015 - Location Thoughts

Tue Oct 14 07:27:43 UTC 2014

On 13 October 2014 18:53, Everton Zanella Alvarenga <tom at okfn.org.br> wrote:

> I want join this discussion later making more general comments, but I want
> to say a big +1 to moving OKFestival to other regions of the globe, if we
> want to becoe a really OKI, not an OK"I". I am aware of the big challenges
> this implies, but we should not fear challenges and I know we can tend to
> stay in the confort of our homes trying to change the world. That is pretty
> common with the engaged high middle class here in Brazil or those chair
> intellectuals (those intellectuals who create theories about the world from
> their desks) trying to solve social problems.
>

Any thoughts on the actual criteria and how we assess them or on the issues
about the risks in a move of location (for next year). As I've said earlier
I very much appreciate the desire to move around - and share it - but I
also see some very real practical facts (re financing, organization etc).

> Regardins visa policy in Brazil, it seems to be quite open as compared to
> several countries (some European friends are jeaulous when I tell I don't
> need a visa to go to Russia ;D):
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Brazil
>
> Europe is not the center of the world since a long time.
>

To be clear that has nothing to do with some idea that "Europe being the
centre of the world" - as your comment seems to imply - but is driven by
practical considerations and the sort of criteria I set out ;-)

Rufus

> P. S. [Off-topic] Once I saying as a joke (with some trutth behind it)
> about the bad location of Wikimedia Foundation office in San Francisco
> (awful timezone) whilst enjoying a shade in the northeast of Brazil. I
> still wonder, why not an office in the northeast of Brazil? :)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom
>
> 2014-10-08 16:01 GMT-03:00 Rayna <rayna.st at gmail.com>:
>
> Hey all,
>>
>> Just a quick thought because we are all speaking of immigration policies.
>> It is unfortunately quite a mistake to consider that Europe because of
>> Schengen is the worst place on Earth. Africa is not much better: visas are
>> required for any country. Even though I am a European citizen, I don't get
>> that easily through. Visas are applied to other African nationals too, for
>> granting an entry to an African country. Personally, I am quite uneasy
>> spending money on visas (80 euros minimum for a visa to Ivory Coast for
>> instance); I am especially uneasy leaving my fingerprints and being
>> physically searched upon arrival and departure in African airports.
>>
>> I have no idea how it is handled in LatAm or Asia, but I fear there is no
>> safe haven :(
>>
>> As much as I would argue in favour of a non-Western location, I think
>> that very few of the actual community will be able to make it without
>> financial aid. And it might be far more expensive to take in charge
>> 6-10-hour flights for people, for example.
>>
>> I would thus argue in favour of Berlin for the 2015 edition, and support
>> the suggestion someone had in a previous email to start thinking of a new
>> non-Western location for 2016 right now. It would more specifically allow
>> for a sort of sustainability plan to emerge. I would also vote against
>> London not because I don't like it (quite the contrary!) but because Berlin
>> is way cheaper in terms of everyday activities and accommodation. Lastly,
>> you could also bootstrap some mapping of who has more troubles going to
>> Berlin rather than to London.
>>
>> My 2 cents,
>> Rayna
>>  On Wed, 8 Oct 2014 17:35:15 +0100, Rufus Pollock <rufus.pollock at okfn.org>
>> said:
>>
>>     > Also and thoughts on the *specific criteria* by which we should
>>     > evaluate location options?
>>
>> In addition to the venue itself:
>>
>>   - A place with a humane immigration apparatus so as to allow people
>>     wishing to attend to do so with as little barrier as possible and
>>     that treats them with resepect as they cross borders.
>>
>>   - Also a place where good food and decent accommodation is available
>>     at as low a cost as possible.
>>
>> In my opinion the first criterion could well do with being extended
>> beyond those attending and meetings should not be scheduled in places
>> with generally discriminatory immigration policies. Sadly that means
>> most of Europe, but if it must be Europe we can pick the best of a bad
>> lot.
>>
>> -w
>> _______________________________________________
>> okfn-discuss mailing list
>> okfn-discuss at lists.okfn.org
>> https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-discuss
>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-discuss
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> okfn-discuss mailing list
>> okfn-discuss at lists.okfn.org
>> https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-discuss
>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-discuss
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Everton Zanella Alvarenga (also Tom)
> Open Knowledge Brasil - Rede pelo Conhecimento Livre
> http://br.okfn.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> okfn-discuss mailing list
> okfn-discuss at lists.okfn.org
> https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/okfn-discuss
> Unsubscribe: https://lists.okfn.org/mailman/options/okfn-discuss
>
>

-- 

*Rufus PollockFounder and President | skype: rufuspollock | @rufuspollock
<https://twitter.com/rufuspollock>Open Knowledge <http://okfn.org/> - see
how data can change the world**http://okfn.org/ <http://okfn.org/> | @okfn
<http://twitter.com/OKFN> | Open Knowledge on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/OKFNetwork> |  Blog <http://blog.okfn.org/>*

The Open Knowledge Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation.  It is
incorporated in England & Wales as a company limited by guarantee, with
company number 05133759.  VAT Registration № GB 984404989. Registered
office address: Open Knowledge Foundation, St John’s Innovation Centre,
Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.okfn.org/pipermail/okfn-discuss/attachments/20141014/8251ccfb/attachment-0002.html>