Wikimedia Europe and Friends

About Us

Wikimedia Europe and Friends logo

Wikimedia Europe and Friends is a group that organizes quarterly calls and other formats to bring together affiliates and volunteers who have a link with "Europe" to exchange updates, discuss strategic topics and inspire each other with best practices. Its quarterly conference calls are organised by volunteers with support from Wikimedia Deutschland. We try to find a mix between movement strategy, inspiration and best practices. The calls are announced through the Wikimedia Europe Updates Mailing list and the agenda is set by all the participants. As the name implies: all European affiliates and friends are welcome to join (so basically everyone).

How does this relate to Wikimedia Europe?

‘’Wikimedia Europe and Friends’’ has organised meetings for European affiliates and all who feel connected since 2020. It’s an informal group without any statutes. Though the current organizers are also members of affiliates like WMDE and WMNL, ‘’Wikimedia Europe and Friends’’ isn’t an official project of any affiliate. Wikimedia Europe has been an official Wikimedia Affiliate since 2023. Its members are 31 chapters, usergroups and thematic organizations from Europe. Its scope is to formalize and coordinate cooperation between different affiliates and support them i.e. with fundraising. Core aspects are advocacy, capacity building and support with EU funding.

Wikimedia Europe and Friends is happy to include topics of Wikimedia Europe as well as topics from any other affiliates to the calls. The invitation is open to anyone who has a link with “Europe” and we invite 60+ affiliates. Our topics are things we can work on together, in any area you think would benefit from it.

Our Work

The different conference calls

In-person sessions and workshops

Other resources

How-to guide to design and facilitate workshops to discuss Affiliate - Communities relationships
Poster about Affiliate - Communities relationships in Europe

History

How did this get started?

In May 2020, the Movement Strategy recommendations were published. So we reasoned that it was time to figure out how to implement them. Wikimedia affiliates play a major role in the implementation phase. They know their needs and wishes as well as the communities' needs and wishes. They know which resources, capacities and skills they can add. The idea was to bring these motivations and opportunities together and to offer meetings, maybe platforms, where we can benefit from cooperation and leave any competition mode behind. Wikimedia Österreich, Wikimedia Deutschland, and Wikimedia Nederland started this together with a joint idea: We don't need to wait until all structures and governance changes are completed - since this will take its time. In the meantime we can exit the waiting room and start doing things. Together.

Name Change

In January 2023 we decided (together with Wikimedia Europe) to rename our meetings from “Wikimedia European Affiliates Cooperation” to "Wikimedia Europe and Friends". Every meeting will feature the usual "what are we all working on" and Movement Strategy issues but will also feature updates from Wikimedia Europe. As usual anyone is welcome, whether you are a member of Wikimedia Europe or "just a friend". Who is driving this?

Contact

And support from Wikimedia Deutschland - Eva Martin (WMDE) and Nicole Ebber (WMDE).