Welcome to the first issue of the AffCom News! The newsletter distributes relevant news and events about the work of Wikimedia's Affiliations Committee. This issue covers January-March 2024.
AffCom is responsible for overseeing the recognition and derecognition process for Wikimedia movement affiliates (Chapters, Thematic Organizations, and User Groups).
Here are the new Wikimedia Affiliates that were recognized in the past quarter:
29 February 2024: Wikimedia Community User Group Niger has been recognized as a user group for a one-year renewable period (resolution). The group "is a community of volunteers whose objective is to promote the free sharing of knowledge, to write and to improve the projects of the Wikimedia foundation in Niger."
29 February 2024: Telugu Wikimedians User Group has been recognized as a user group for a one-year renewable period (resolution). The group is "a group of Wikimedians which work on growth and promotion of Telugu Wikimedia projects, develop necessary skills and promote collaboration within Telugu Wikimedians and the broader Wikimedia movement."
1 March 2024: Wikimedia Community User Group Cyprus has been recognized as a user group for a one-year renewable period (resolution). The group is an "official group of users of Cypriot Wikimedia projects who are interested in organizing and participating in outreach activities on national and international level."
1 March 2024: Wikimedia Community User Group Botswana has been recognized as a user group for a one-year renewable period (resolution). The group is "an independent Wikimedia User group which is Officially Recognised by the Wikimedia Foundation to serve volunteers of the republic of Botswana."
No Wikimedia Affiliates were derecognized in the past quarter.
AffCom participates in Wikimedia movement conversations that relate to the affiliate system or where the Committee's experience and expertise would be otherwise beneficial, including answering questions about the affiliate system, providing advice relevant to affiliates or potential affiliates, and sharing knowledge and lessons related to operating as a committee with other movement bodies.
In the past quarter, AffCom members or the committee as a whole participated in these conversations:
Affiliates Strategy conversations: the Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy report, which was published in October 2023, identified a need to streamline the role of AffCom on Wikimedia Affiliates recognition, while identifying issues. After conversations with AffCom, the Board liaisons identified two big areas for improvement in the current work with affiliates related to recognition, which is: 1) requirements for affiliates; and 2) improving the workflows around the creation and recognition of user groups. Throughout February-March 2024, AffCom joined the Board in the community review period of the proposed Affiliates Strategy, which included three live conversations and a discussion at Meta-wiki.
Between 17 October and 17 November 2023, an open nomination period to the Affiliations Committee was open. The number of members AffCom needs to recruit was not set, as there was the intentional delay in selecting new members last year (announced in December 2022, as AffCom was “a key input for the Board in developing the Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy”) but it has created a need to stagger selection as all AffCom members term come to end at the same time: 31 December 2023.
At the start of the nomination period, two AffCom advisors were converted to join the committee full-time, for a term ending 31 December 2024:
Maor Malul (Maor X): former AffCom member between 2013 and 2019, during which time he served first as chair and then as co-chair; and
Aleksey Chalabyan (Xelgen): who has already been providing considerable value as an advisor since his appointment in 2022.
In addition, these incumbent AffCom members are continuing their term:
Başak Tosun (Basak), for a term continuing until 30 June 2024; and
Joy N. Y Agyepong (Joy Agyepong), for a term continuing until 30 June 2024;
Following the nomination period, the following individuals are appointed to the AffCom:
Jeffrey Keefer (FULBERT), for a renewed term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2027;
Mehman Ibragimov (|Mehman), for a renewed term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2027;
Suyash Dwivedi (Suyash.dwivedi), for a renewed term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2027;
Agus Damanik (Agus Damanik), for a new term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2027;
Mari Avetisyan (Մարի Ավետիսյան), for a new term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2027;
Harriet Henry Bayel (Mwintirew), for a new term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2027; and
Maciej Artur Nadzikiewicz (Nadzik), for a new term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2027.
Finally, the following non-voting advisors were appointed for a one-year term running from 1 March 2024 to 28 February 2025:
2022-12-07 The Board of Trustees has adopted the revised charter for the Affiliations Committee.
2022-11-30 The term of the serving AffCom members was prolonged to the end of 2023, and as per the decision of the Board of Trustees, and no elections are held in late 2022. The Board has invited AffCom to work on Affiliate Strategy.
2022-04-09Joy Agyepong and Benoît Prieur have been appointed to the Affiliations Committee as new members. In addition, incumbent member Mehman Ibragimov has been re-appointed for an additional term.
2021-12-19 The AffCom is seeking new members and advisors! Applications are accepted from January 1 to January 31. Also, everyone can share endorsement and comments for prospective members and advisors.
2021-06-01 The AffCom is seeking new members! Applications are accepted from June 1 to June 30. Also, everyone can share endorsement and comments for the June 2021 candidates.
2021-02-07 The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group User Group has been recognized as a user group for a one-year renewable period.
2019-03-07 Affiliations Committee has officially appointed Kirill Lokshin as Chair, Emna Mizouni as Vice-Chair, Sami Mlouhi as Secretary, and Olushola Olaniyan as Treasurer, for a one-year term.
2019-02-21 Following the December 2018 Call for Candidates, three new members were appointed and two members were reappointed in the Affiliations Committee.
2018-08-10 The Affiliations Committee has published a list of Next Questions for the communities in Brazil, after the de-recognition of WCUGB and Wiki Education Brazil.
2018-08-09 In the coming weeks an Affiliate Data survey will be launched to reach out to update key information about all affiliates.
2018-01-23 Following the December 2017 Call for Candidates, three new members were appointed and two members were reappointed in the Affiliations Committee.
2016-06-23 The Affiliations Committee convened at the Wikimania 2016. The committee presented a session at the last day of Wikimania about Wikimedia affiliates.
2016-06-07 Kentucky Wikimedians User Group is recognized as a user group for a one-year renewable period.
2016-05-31 Wikimedia of Latvia User Group is renewed for an additional one-year renewable period as a Wikimedia user group.
2016-05-31 Wikimedia Tunisia User Group is renewed through December 31, 2016 at which time they may again renew for an additional one-year term.
2016-05-27 Wikimedians in Thailand is renewed for an additional one-year renewable period as a Wikimedia user group.
2016-05-24 Wikimedia Community Brazilian Group of Education and Research is renewed for an additional one-year renewable period as a Wikimedia user group.
2014-11-04 Manuel Schneider, Ganesh Paudel, Emily Temple-Wood, Ting Chen, and Anirudh Singh Bhati are appointed to the Affiliations Committee for two-year terms. Bence Damokos and Lodewijk Gelauff have decided to resign from the Affiliations Committee due to personal commitments.
2014-10-20 The Affiliations Committee approves the travel of Salvador Alcántar to attend Iberoconf 2014 (Iberoamerican Wikimedia Conference 2014) to meet and negotiate with current and prospective affiliates.
2014-04-11 Vice-chair Cynthia Ashley-Nelson passed away in her sleep while attending the Affiliations Committee annual meeting in Berlin.
2014-04-10 New officers were selected for the committee. Carlos Colina is chair, and Cynthia Ashley-Nelson is vice-chair for a term ending April 1, 2015.
2013-09-17 The report of the Affiliations Committee's Wikimania meeting is now available on Meta.
2013-07-31 The Affiliations Committee will be holding an in-person meeting at Wikimania on 6–7 August, and will be present at the Chapters Village on 9–11 August. We encourage all Wikimania attendees to reach out to us in person. We apologize for any delay in responding to e-mails during this time as our members will be working and travelling.
2013-03-17 New officers were selected for the committee. Bence Damokos is chair, Carlos Colina vice-chair and Maria Sefidari is serving as treasurer until March 2014.
2012-12-12 If you want to help the creation of new thematic organizations, apply for AffCom membership!
2012-11-16 For thoughts regarding the naming of thematic organizations, see the talk page.
2012-06-18 As the model of thematic organizations is new, there might be certain changes in policy, recommendations and best practices over time. Please have this page on your watchlist in order not to miss any announcements.