Wikimania 2016 bids/Esino Lario/Schedule

Wikimania Haifa.

Wikimania Esino Lario takes place the last week of June 2016 (21-28 June 2016).

• Pre-conference wednesday 22 June - thursday 23 June 2016
• Conference friday 24 June - sunday 26 June 2016
• Post-conference monday 27 June 2016.

Reasons for the selected dates. The last week of June has been selected for a series of important advantages it can assure: school is over in Italy so we can take advantage of transport and venues, tourism is heavy in the region in July-August, and normally it is the best weather. The availability of restaurants and accommodation would be critical in July and August, and – because of the main tourist season – we would have problems to have the support of local volunteers fully working in the area in July and August, or away for holidays. We can of course take care of everything which can facilitate the participation of attendees during the Ramadan and we can assure meals and food at the needed time.

When	What
Just before the event	* Wikimania Takes Lake Como.
Pre-conference	The pre-conference lasts two days and it includes Hackathon and/or DevCamp. Training. The pre-conference also includes the training for the volunteers, meant to prepare volunteers to fully contribute to Wikimania and to make sure the event is also a chance to share and enhance skills. Discussions and meetings for specific groups (chapters, GLAMs) Main arrivals.
Conference	The conference lasts three days and it includes the full program.
Post-conference	The post-conference lasts one day and allows meetups and the use of the collaborative space. During the post-conference the Wikimania meeting is organized.
Before and beyond Wikimania Esino Lario	To reach a wide public Wikimania is surely the right event. It highlights Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects, it can generate media coverage and it is a chance to meet people engaged in it. But to have an efficient impact on a territory (in particular in a non-English speaking country with a conference in English) the conference needs to be framed on a wider program of activities. Activities related to the Wikimedia projects in Esino Lario: presentations, meetings and training. We have already implemented three public presentations, around ten meetings, and a very cool training-game in the primary school (Wikipedia game 2013). Wikimedia Italia outreach activities. Wikimedia CH outreach act ivies. Project Alps thematic program (already involving Esino Lario, Wikimedia Italia, Wikimedia CH and institutions in the Province of Lecco, Valsassina and Ticino), which focuses in particular on North of Italy and in the Italian-speaking Switzerland and it includes. Networking with GLAMs and establishment of partnerships. Presentations about Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects. Training sessions Activities in libraries and schools.