CIS-A2K/Events/India Strategy Meet

Translate this page

As a planned follow-up activity of the Wikimedia India Summit 2024, One of the MCDC members and CIS-A2K are committed to fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment for discussing the Movement Charter and beyond. By ensuring continuous dialogue and active participation, we aim to empower our representatives and community members to contribute effectively to the Wikimedia movement’s growth and development.

Background

The Wikimedia India Summit 2024, held in March 2024, served as a crucial pre-summit event for Wikimedia Summit representatives. This event provided a platform for representatives to discuss and refine the agenda of the upcoming Wikimedia Summit over two days. During this summit, MCDC member from South Asia and A2K (Access to Knowledge) facilitated a collaborative debrief session with South Asia representatives to delve into ongoing discussions and to strategize future activities.

Recognizing the need for continued dialogue and collaboration, CIS-A2K and one of the MCDC members have planned a series of follow-up activities post-summit. These activities aim to ensure that representatives can further discuss, share, and convey the key points and conversations from the summit with the South Asia communities.

Objective

The primary objective is to sustain and deepen the conversation on the Movement Charter, ensuring active participation and contribution from the South Asia communities in shaping the future of the Wikimedia movement.
Future collaborations and action items to be discussed as an Indian community.

Planned Activities

Initial Call with the MC Ambassadors

Date: June 21, 2024 Details:

A detailed template will be shared with all representatives. An initial call will be scheduled to explain the template, its significance, and how representatives can effectively use it to communicate with their communities.
Second, it will be a preparatory call with the ambassadors to have an open community call with South Asia Community to explain Movement charter, voting process and ratification.
Third, one of the MC Ambassadors will make an announcement regarding the call in South Asia open Community call.

Indic Community Engagement Call

Date: June 22, 2024
Details: A follow-up call will be conducted with South Asia Community to explain Movement charter, voting process and ratification. To engage communities on larger level, the ambassadors will also encourage their own community members to participate in discussions.

In-Person Event

Date: June 28 - 29, 2024
Location: Chandigarh (Mohali Club)
Details: An in-person event will be held to facilitate deep discussions, collaborative planning, and effective sharing of insights. This event will provide a platform for representatives to discuss the finalized Movement Charter and have strategic discussions for future of the affiliates.

Program

Time	Session	Agenda
Day 1
9:00 am – 11:00 am	SESSION: Movement Charter: Review & Feedback- I	Summit review – Rachit (WMF) Feedback- Review feedback from BoTs, WMDE, CEE, SWAN: Pavan (CIS-A2K) Deal breakers- Report from WMDE about the Summit asks from the Charter & deliveries – Tanveer Hasan (CIS)
11:30 am – 1:00 pm	SESSION: Movement Charter: Review & Feedback- II	Community engagement – Shreya and Aafi MC Special Community Call preparation – Iflaq and Manavpreet Kaur
2:00 pm – 7:00 pm	SESSION: Impact plan for Indian affiliates/ communities	Hub Conversation – Suyash Dwivedi & Manavpreet Kaur Tech Coucil – Nivas & Jay Prakash Forming a task force- Strategy: Nivas (CIS-A2K) & Nitesh (CIS-A2K) Special Open Community Call : MC Ambassdors (Iflaq, Sandeep Kaur, Chinmayee Mishra, Bharatesha, Aafi and others)
Day 2
09:00 am – 11:00 am	Movement Charter: Community Feedback – Tanveer Hasan (CIS)	To discuss & draft overall feedback from Indian MC Ambassadors to the Movement Charter
11:15 am – 12:30 pm	Community Engagement: Action Plan & Closing Remarks	Community Engagement: Action Plan : Nivas & Nitesh Closing Remarks : Tanveer (CIS)

Report

This report contains the overall key points of the discussion and feedback from the participants or Indian Community representatives.

India Strategic Meet in Chandigarh, 28-29 June 2024

In the city of Chandigarh, sixteen members of the Indian Wikimedia community met on June 28-29, 2024, to discuss the movement charter. This meeting was more than just an exchange of ideas; it was a convergence of passionate voices striving to shape the path forward. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation, reflecting the high stakes of their deliberations.

The outcome of the meeting was that each attendee provided their opinions, which ranged from positive to negative to neutral. Over the course of the two days, our discussions focused on the pros and cons of the Movement Charter and the implementation of tasks for South Asia affiliates in the future. This comprehensive dialogue aimed to ensure that all voices were heard and that a balanced approach could be developed moving forward.

Reasons for Supporting the Charter

First Step Towards Change

The charter marks an important first step toward change.
Volunteer bodies will have the authority to decide on resource distribution.
Emphasis on decentralising power from centralised entities to volunteers.

Benefits and Safety

Ensures safety from harassment for volunteers.
Maintains volunteer status while providing more opportunities.
Promotes subsidiarity with decision-making by volunteers.
Resource allocation will be managed by the community and those familiar with ground realities.
Acknowledges that while the start may not be perfect, it is a positive step forward.
Increases visibility of the movement's structure and workflows.

Engagement, Principles, and Values

Continuous engagement with strategy is crucial for a futuristic approach.
The new values proposed by the charter will significantly contribute to the movement's growth.
The proposed principles and values are appreciated.

Impact on Volunteers and Governance

Minimal difference for volunteers in their day-to-day roles.
Essential changes for evolution and growth.
Provides fair opportunities to experiment and review modifications.
Resource distribution managed by the Global Council (GC).
Conflict resolution becomes a shared responsibility.
Work and power are distributed, not exclusive to one entity.
Structured governance and accountability.
Effective management of resources and workflows.

Rights, Responsibilities, and Autonomy

Clear rights and responsibilities are defined.
Transparent distribution of work power.
Autonomy for volunteers is emphasized.
Decentralized resource distribution.
Decision-making by volunteers for volunteers.
Clear structure and guidelines for new groups.

Principles and Values

Principles and values are well defined.
The GC as a centralized governance proposal is a good introduction.
Provides a systematic framework, initiating change with a first step forward.

Agreement and Support

Volunteer consensus is that this work should not be redone but rather built upon.
Executive support with the assumption that gaps will be addressed.
Shared values and principles are emphasized.
Subsidiarity and autonomy are central.
Volunteer empowerment is prioritized.
Rights and duties are clearly defined.

Recommendations
Roles, Responsibilities, and Support Structures

Clarify and strengthen support structures for better guidance and efficiency.

Fund Distribution and Pilot Programs

Provide detailed guidelines for fund allocation.
Recommend conducting pilot programs with continuous consultation from experts, allied organisations, and the community.
Address unclear power distribution and collaboration with partners.

Global Council (GC) and Volunteer Base

Clarify and improve the structure and formation of the GC.
Ensure transparent operation of the GC using the community fund.
Avoid expanding to 100 volunteers due to the current small volunteer base.
Ensure inclusivity and fair representation, not just by creating seats but by fostering actual participation.

Challenges and Localised Approach

Recognize the significant time and effort invested in consensus building.
Address the gap between the mandate to write a charter and the expectation to create a GC, which lacks organisational support and may reduce impact.
Acknowledge the heavy workload and management tasks for volunteers.
Emphasise the need for a localised approach and inclusion of movement partners central to the movement but omitted in the draft.

Reasons for Not Supporting the Charter

Accountability and Resource Challenges

The WMF can be more accountable than volunteers.
Rapid change is resource-intensive and challenging.
The current structure struggles to keep up with technical advancements; focus should be on technological progress rather than internal restructuring.
Affiliates face excessive adaptation pressure regarding support structures, which can be avoided.
Funding remains the biggest challenge. The GC will operate on the community fund, further reducing finances for the community. Dependence on WMF for funding and staff limits the council's operational independence.

Selection Process and Volunteer Protection

The GC member selection process via global voting is considered unfair; regional voting is preferred.
Existing UCoC doesn’t address false legal actions against volunteers.
Volunteer bodies are less accountable compared to WMF.
Fear that GC will set unattainable standards for affiliates.
The roles of partners and allies are not clearly defined.
The composition of the GC does not reflect the representation it aims to achieve.

Governance

Challenges remain in achieving transparency and effective self-governance.

Implementation Concerns

Volunteers have a generational gap, affecting their perspectives.
The community needs recognition as a dynamic movement.
Implementation of Movement Strategy (MS) initiatives is urgent and important to be completed by 2030.
There is a lack of support from partner organisations and inadequate resource distribution.
Affiliates must navigate local laws and policies which are not considered in the draft.
The draft doesn't account for external factors influencing the free knowledge movement.
Role of movement partner organisations is not recognised and taken into account while defining entities.

Draft and Structure Issues

Many statements in the draft need further clarification.
Expanding to a 100-member council could create issues with consensus and timelines.
Making a volunteer group accountable presents challenges.
Subsidiarity is appreciated.

Some other Concerns

The Movement Charter (MC) Ambassador process and dissemination of the MC idea to communities were challenged by constrained timelines and resources. The GC should improve on this.
The MC's emphasis on self-organisation is not reflected in the voting process. Two major movement entities have been missed due to their definition.
Principles of equity, inclusivity, and resilience were not prioritised. Movement organisation definitions do not reflect realities.
There are marginal decisions in the draft that need refinement.
The voting process for GC should be modified.
Focus on technological advancement needs clarity.
equity will translate to actions requires further explanation.

Consensus and Influence

Reaching a consensus on the charter presented several challenges. Nearly two third of the attending members had supportive opinions towards the charter. The diverse opinions reflect the complexity and significance of the changes proposed. It is essential to acknowledge the value of these differing perspectives as they offer a comprehensive view of the community's needs and concerns. The committee's opinions and decisions can significantly influence the larger audience, as they represent the voices and experiences of the broader community. By addressing the concerns and recommendations presented, the charter can be refined to better meet the community's needs, fostering a more inclusive and effective movement. The respectful and collaborative approach taken in this meeting underscores the commitment to working together for the betterment of the Wikimedia movement.