Wikimedia Conference 2015/Programme/27
27: Building bridges between WMCON & Wikimania
How to move forward
Ivan & Cornelius
- What was this session about?
For the first time, WMDE tries to to build a bridge between WMCON and Wikimania. Cornelius talked about the ideas and plans how to do that.
- What are the next steps to be taken?
- Cornelius plans to publish the documentation of the WMCON, which includes further steps and ways to process on certains topics and issues
- There will be a Call to Action and further regular updates about what’s going on regarding the WMCON topics
- There will be an own pre-conference day before the Wikimania for all WMCON participants, where they can update each other about the topics, work on them and solve eventual blockers
- Who is the person to reach out to?
Reach out to Cornelius, the Program and Engagement Coordinator for the Wikimedia Conference.
- Photos
- Useful links for your preparation
This session documentation was approved by one of the speakers.
Session Documentation
- Original Description
- In this session, Ivan and Cornelius want to give a perspective for the Wikimania 2015. Ivan will briefly present the whole event, including programme and venue. Cornelius, in his role as the Program and Engagement Coordinator of the Wikimedia Conference, will present and discuss plans and ideas for the “WMCON Pre-Conference Day” of the Wikimania (Thursday, July 16). In this dedicated space before the Wikimania, WMCON participants (and other interested) have the opportunity to continue their work and conversations started at the Wikimedia Conference in Berlin. One idea is to have several responsibles for certain topics, which will give an update about their ongoing conversations and work there as well.
- Desired Outcome
- We want to create awareness and motivation for the upcoming Wikimania -- which will take place just nine weeks later.
- Audience
- Everyone who is also participating in the Wikimania 2015
- Session Format
- Presentation / talk (30 min), Q&A (15 min)
- Speaker
- Ivan Martinez (Wikimania Organizer, WMMX), Cornelius Kibelka (Program and Engagement Coordinator, WMDE)
- Summary of the session
First, Cornelius introduced the idea of his job (Program and Engagement Coordinator) with the main goal to make the Wikimedia Conference a more productive and sustainable conference format. This includes to ensure that essential conference topics are constantly been worked on and further developed. One of the steps to ensure this will be to build a bridge between the Wikimedia Conference and the Wikimania in Mexico City.
Some weeks after the Wikimedia Conference Cornelius will publish the documentation the conference, which will include next steps and ideas of the speakers. All participants are encouraged to further work on the topics. A pre-conference day at the Wikimania (on Thursday) will provide the space for all in Mexico present participants of the Wikimedia Conference to update each on the results and the status of the discussions and solve eventual blockers.
Afterwards, Ivan took over and presented (slides are here) details and aspects of the Wikimania 2015 in Mexico City. He expressed his idea to have continuity of the Wikimania 2015 in Mexico and the Wikimania 2016 in Italy and the organisers are in constant contact with London’s and Esino Lario’s team.
After having both presented, the stage was opened for questions and feedback. Someone said that it’s the responsibility of each participant to inform their community back home about what happened at Wikimania [and Wikimedia Conference], but asked how to prevent the impression that WIkimania is an “incentive” or a “privilege” to go. Ivan said that didn’t have an answer, Cornelius said he know the problem, especially about the exclusivity of the Wikimedia Conference. However, as he said, the reason why the WMCON is closed (and not open for everyone) is to ensure a safe space for critical discussions and decisions. One participant expressed his feeling that the “long travel” to WMCON were a strong dis-incentive and the organisers should learning templates. Furthermore, there should be possibilities for other people to learn what happened at the conference, some sessions should be recorded.
One participant said that the Wikimania scholarships shouldn’t be seen as a reward, they should only enable (to) work. S/he sees a decentralisation of the events and less focus on the single event “Wikimania” as a solution for that.
Cornelius asked the audience how to keep people engaged in the weeks and months after the conference. One participant suggested to ask people after 1, 2, 3 months what they have done based on the conference and create regular reports of the results of the conference.
Finally, Ivan explained some aspects about the Community Village at the Wikimania, where all affiliates have the chance to present themselves and their work.