Meeting:Committee (2024-05-20)

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15 April 2024

Committee meeting

20 May 2024

17 June 2024

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See also the list of all meetings.

• Present: Bunty Avieson, Tom Hogarth, Jeremy Ludlow, Elliott Bledsoe, Kelly Tall, Peter Neish, Amanda Lawrence, Alice Woods
• Apologies: Belinda Spry, Emily Mierisch,

Previous meeting

• Monday 15 April 2024 Meeting:Committee_(2024-04-15)

2024-04-15-Wikimedia Australia Board meeting

Decision

Decision: That the minutes of the Monday 15 April 2024 meeting be accepted
Moved: Bunty Avieson; seconded: Jeremy Ludlow; outcome: approved

Notes:

Matters for noting

Executive Officer Report

Wikimedia Summit in Berlin

Amanda Lawrence (president) and Belinda Spry (Exec Officer) attended the 3 day Summit in Berlin which focussed mainly on the Draft Movement Charter with affiliates and key stakeholders providing significant feedback and suggestions. Since then the Board of Trustees have posted a response on Meta. The current timeline indicates that from 25 June―9 July 2024 there will be a Ratification vote for the Movement Charter.

Belinda also spent a day with 25 EO’s focussing on specific topics and issues for affiliates which was incredibly worthwhile. Overall it was an outstanding experience and many vital connections and potential future partners and projects identified. We received many positive comments about the impact and the strides we are making in Australia.

Partner Projects

Partner projects are all still on track and progressing well. One has already concluded, so the remaining three will wrap up at the end of this month with a full report in next month’s Board meeting.

First Nations and Wikipedia Report

Responses to the draft First Nations report have been summarised and provided to Professor Bronwyn Carlson. Waiting on her response, and planning for release by end of May (see Matters for Noting).

Draft Year 2 report for WMF grant reporting

Belinda has started drafting the Year 2 Grant report, which is due to be submitted on 15 July 2024. Staff will also add statistics, details and information where relevant. Planning to have a full draft ready for review at the 15 June Board meeting.

International conferences

Belinda Spry will be presenting with the ESEAP Prep Council, and Alice Wood and Belinda Spry will provide a lightning session on the Alice Springs Library images project.

There is only one known Australian member to receive a scholarship to the Wikimania conference.

AIATSIS Core Cultural Learning online foundation course

Please continue to access the AIATSIS Learning Ground - Core training modules and if your time permits, join 30 minutes before each Board meeting to reflect on what you’ve learnt.

Staff leave

Belinda Spry is on two weeks annual leave immediately after the ESEAP KK24 conference, and will return Monday 27 May. WMAU staff are covering Exec Officer duties during this time.

ESEAP Conference

Proposal for a summit in the Philippines in 2025 and the next conference in 2026. (TBC)

President’s report

Berlin Summit

It was great to be able to attend, meet people and engage heavily in the movement charter discussion. Implications of the Charter for Affiliates in relation to hubs not entirely clear. Important to read the supplementary documents as well as the charter to understand the changes proposed. A vote to ratify the Charter will be held between 25 June―9 July 2024.

Met representatives from Whose Knowledge User Group (main website https://whoseknowledge.org/) a global campaign that centres the knowledges of marginalized communities (the majority of the world) online, including in Wikimedia projects. They may provide opportunities to collaborate on knowledge diversity and particularly First Nations communities.

WMF Global Digital Compact Advocacy

(see Meta for ongoing updates)

• Open Letter by WMF and the Advocacy Working group including Amanda representing WMAU published on 23 April 2024 can be found online https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2024/04/23/open-letter-protect-wikipedia-global-digital-compact/. (or at the Wikimedia Foundation website)
• Amanda Lawrence emailed the letter (24/04/2024) to HE Mr James Larsen, Australia's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. No response as yet.
• Open letter has a total of 216 signatures so far. These signatures represent 50 different countries, as well as 24 organizations such as Open Knowledge Foundation and Creative Commons.
• WMF has received positive responses from UN staff, Member States, and civil society organizations. Feedback has indicated these groups appreciate Wikimedia's voice in this discussion given our unique position as a tech platform that is also part of civil society, as well as our structure which encompasses WMF, affiliates, and a global volunteer community. This is GREAT because that's what we've been trying to get across!
• WMF aims to use the open letter to influence key stakeholders in the GDC process to (a) remind them of our points (b) ask them what they submitted/think as a way to hold them accountable to engaging in the process.
• They will also be using the open letter to inform the general public in multiple countries about our vision for the GDC which will be ratified in September at the UN Futures summit.

Asia Pacific Internet Governance Forum, Taiwan, 2024

Amanda invited to present by WMF on advocacy panel presentation. Unable to attend.

Rights Con 2025, Taiwan

Opportunity to participate - submissions due 1 June. See notes for discussion below.

Secretary's Report

Membership Report

New members

1 new member (Victoria)

Annual members renewals

A majority of members will have received their annual membership renewal on 1 May.  There is an error in the Xero process that is still showing the email coming from the previous treasurer. This is being investigated.   However renewals are steadily flowing in.