Wikimedia CEE Hub/Malta 2026

Malta Meeting 2026 — fourth in-person meeting of the Steering Committee (SC) members, employees of the CEE Hub, which was held on 27 – 28 of March 2026 in Valetta, Malta.

Participants

CEE Hub Steering Committee members: Toni Sant, Başak Tosun, Klára Joklová, Iglika Ivanova, Gorana Gomirac, Shahen Araboghlian, Vera Pelhan, Armen Mirzoyan, Mārtiņš Bruņenieks
CEE Hub staff: Barbara Klen, Karolina Gruszczyk, Mohammad Heidarzadeh
Guests: Jessica Stephenson, Wikimedia Foundation

Topics

The main focus of the Malta meeting was clarifying the CEE Hub’s augumentation strategy, reviewing Year 4 activities and working group roles, preparing for the SC elections, evaluating GRDC impact, and discussing the Hub's Conflict of Intrest policy. Other topics included communication strategy, and planning for Wikimania and CEE Meeting.

Agenda

Friday, March 27

Year 4 overview, working groups, roles, and alignment on yearly plan
CEE Hub goals for 2026 and WMF evaluation/support
COI discussion and next steps, including draft policy planning
Review of core CEE Hub work areas: organisational capacity, programmatic support, communications, governance, Youth Group, grants
Augmentation: current community support, including CA communities and other requests
SC governance and upcoming elections: process and technical solutions

Saturday, March 28

Augmentation and mission conclusions for Year 5
CEE Hub strategy session with GRDC impact discussion
SC governance and elections: overview and hybrid meeting with Electoral Commission
Communication strategy updates
GDPR discussion
Wikimania and CEEM planning: scholarships, registration, participation rules, delegate selection, and recommendations
Discussion of community situations impacting the Hub
Summary and next steps

Summary

During the Malta meeting:

Year 4 activities and working groups were reviewed. Key updates included the hub taking over Rapid Grants management and reassignments in WGs. SC and staff alignment on metrics and KPIs was planned for mid-June 2026.
COI policy drafting was initiated. A group of the SC members offered drafting a proposal to present at the April 7 SC meeting. Discussions emphasized transparency, simplicity, and potential conflict of loyalty.
Governance discussions included upcoming SC elections, hybrid meeting with the election committee, and voting system prototype review.
GRDC impact and strategy session highlighted funding principles, eligibility, and priorities for the CEE+CA region. The committee does not directly control WMF funds but guides regional allocations.
Communication strategy updates covered internal vs external communications, social media, GDPR, and CRM compliance.
Planning for CEEM included open calls for scholarships, registration procedures, encouraging new participants, and standardizing delegate selection processes.
Key outcomes included alignment on work areas, drafting policies for COI and augumentation, upcoming SC elections preparation, and planning for Year 5 initiatives.