Wikimedia Belgium

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Wikimedia Belgium is a local chapter in creation phase. A local chapter is a local organization to promote Wikimedia projects and empower knowledge, educative content creation and share, in a geographical area, in this case, in Belgium. It can represent the Wikimedia projects to the press, give conferences and presentation in public events, …

The working language of Wikimedia Belgium is English, with translation efforts to French and Dutch.

Communication means

You can subscribe to the mailing list.

When we'll be at least 2 on IRC, we'll start to hang up on Freenode #wikimedia-be IRC-kanaal. Say hello to Romaine to start the chan. There is also a webbased version. Server: irc.freenode.net, channel: #wikipedia-nl

IRC

See also: Wikimedia Belgium/IRC

On the Freenode network, #wikimedia-be channel.

Note Ereshkigal is an eggdrop (a bot) maintained by Dereckson, so it's normal if it's not very talkative ;p

Mailing list

The mailing list will be the favorite communication medium in the first phase. So don't forget to subscribe.

• To subscribe or see list info
• To send a message, send it to WikimediaBE-llists.wikimedia.org
• Archives (currently empty)

Some projects

• Wikimedia Belgium/OpenSpace
• Lobbying to get a landscape right as copyright law exception for photographies, at national level and European level.
• A en:Wikipedia:Wikipedia Loves Art in Belgium

They support the Wikimedia Belgium creation

Cf. Wikimedia Belgium/Members

If you're interested to become member of the chapter, please add yourself to the list.

FAQ

What about languages?

The Belgian contributors are mainly Dutch, French and English speaking people. The English-speakers community must be taken in consideration, by the huge rate of expat at Brussels, as the de facto capital of Europe and a full services dedicated city. [FACT: Ex-pat/non-Belgian residents in the city of Brussels outnumber natives.]

To handle language issues, the best solution successfully applied in Belgian IT and chemical corporates) is to use English as default language for mail or IRC meeting exchanges and, as on Meta, work with a translator team to produce any documents in these 3 languages.

The interest of the German speaking community should be evaluated.

I don't speak English!

We'll make a best effort to translate all documents in Dutch, French and English.

You can expect QUICKLY a translation in your language.

You'll also ask a volunteer a translation.

And the people not speaking English are free to talk in Dutch or French.

Can you give me some samples of concrete actions Wikimedia Belgium will make?

• Support users willing to care of a Wikimedia stand at exhibition hall
• Participate at the Foire du livre de Bruxelles...
• Help Wikinews writers to get press accreditation for events
• Help photographs to get press accreditation for events, so they can upload on Commons free pictures of personalities
• Give Wikimedia presentations in universities, schools and explain the correct usage of Wikipedia.
• Donations to Wikimedia Belgium become tax deductible which may be more of use/interest to non-members.

There isn't really contact between Dutch and French speaking people in Belgium. Why not create a Dutch local chapter and a French one?

The advantages to have a unique local chapter instead of two are:

1. We can promote collaboration. On Wikimedia projects, we work to share knowledge and collaborative work. We should show the way.
2. We'll have a greater userbase.
3. We'll have more credibility when dealing with press, institutions or authorities.
4. We can take in consideration English-speaking people.
5. The foundation have until now only accepted one chapter per country, according Anthere (but not according to Requirements_for_future_chapters#Geographical_base)
6. We'll be able to offer trilingual presentations or conferences in Dutch, French or English.

What is the old proposal status?

The 2005 proposal hasn't been achieved, because of difficulties in finding interested users. You can read the archive here.

To avoid these problems, a communication effort about what a local chapter is and can do is one of our first goals.

What is the new proposal status?

• After a brainstorm in September 2011 and with organizing Wiki Loves Monuments in Belgium and Luxembourg we are back in the run!

Current planning

1. Setting up proposal in what the set up of the organization is drafted.
2. Invite interested users to sign in on the proposal. (step 1)
3. Continue with other steps
   • Pilot programm? WLM is a success.
4. Dereckson has collected 30 € during a July 2011 meeting to start a fund to pay the ASBL/VZW statutes publication.

See also

• Step-by-step chapter creation guide