[Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances

2022-03-14 Thread Коля Красный via Wikimedia-l 

For your information WMF doesn’t allow donations from Russia since 2014. That 
was noted several times (for example  https://habr.com/ru/post/242987/  (in 
Russian)). Russian Wikimedia community repeatedly asked to transfer donors from 
Russia
to a Russian chapter donations page, but that was mostly left on read. So, WMF 
has no any finances from Russia for at least 8 years.
  
>Понедельник, 14 марта 2022, 22:36 +03:00 от Galder Gonzalez Larrañaga 
>:
> 
>I would understand that the non-existing Wikimedia United Stated Chapter 
>should need to check if they have investments in/from Russia. The Wikimedia 
>Foundation receives donations worldwide, including Russian citizens. And we 
>provide knowledge to everyone, including Russian citizens. Blocking ourselves 
>when many wikimedians around Russia, Ukraine and many other countries are at 
>risk, is not only bad for our mission, is also risky for our contributors.
> 
>--
>From: Nathan < nawr...@gmail.com >
>Sent: Monday, March 14, 2022 4:26 PM
>To: Wikimedia Mailing List < wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >
>Subject: [Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances
> 
>I read the original e-mail as asking for something more than implementing 
>recent sanctions. I hope and assume that the WMF has already taken the 
>necessary steps to ensure that its activities are in compliance with 
>applicable laws. 
> 
>I agree with Gerard that the WMF is different from Facebook, and its mission 
>may make taking steps beyond those required by sanctions unnecessary or 
>undesirable. I know there is a BDS-esque movement afoot against Russian 
>interests, but "are you now or have you ever supported Russian interests" is 
>in a category of questions that the WMF should very carefully consider before 
>posing to any party. What may make sense for major corporations may not be 
>appropriate for non-profits with an exclusively educational and explicitly 
>global mission. 
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--
Nikolay Bulykin (User:Красный)
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances

2022-03-14 Thread Galder Gonzalez Larrañaga 
I would understand that the non-existing Wikimedia United Stated Chapter should 
need to check if they have investments in/from Russia. The Wikimedia Foundation 
receives donations worldwide, including Russian citizens. And we provide 
knowledge to everyone, including Russian citizens. Blocking ourselves when many 
wikimedians around Russia, Ukraine and many other countries are at risk, is not 
only bad for our mission, is also risky for our contributors.

From: Nathan 
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2022 4:26 PM
To: Wikimedia Mailing List 
Subject: [Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances

I read the original e-mail as asking for something more than implementing 
recent sanctions. I hope and assume that the WMF has already taken the 
necessary steps to ensure that its activities are in compliance with applicable 
laws.

I agree with Gerard that the WMF is different from Facebook, and its mission 
may make taking steps beyond those required by sanctions unnecessary or 
undesirable. I know there is a BDS-esque movement afoot against Russian 
interests, but "are you now or have you ever supported Russian interests" is in 
a category of questions that the WMF should very carefully consider before 
posing to any party. What may make sense for major corporations may not be 
appropriate for non-profits with an exclusively educational and explicitly 
global mission.
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Emerging human rights concern related to invasion of Ukraine

2022-03-14 Thread geni 
On Mon, 14 Mar 2022 at 02:57, Ramzy Muliawan  wrote:
> I fail to see how *not* widely publishing the Human Rights Policy can help 
> better protect the human rights of Wikimedians,

Because it avoids making the project an explicty activist one in that area.

>particularly when we are now looking at the dire and rapidly declining 
>protection of the freedom of expression globally.

Irrelivant unless the foundation has the strenght to enforce the
policy. Which it does not.

> We can debate how the implementation of this policy should look like,

How would that help with anything?

>but suggesting that it directly contribute making current situation worse is a 
>pretty disingenous take.

And that would be a strawman.
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[Wikimedia-l] Leadership Development Working Group: Apply to join!

2022-03-14 Thread Cassie Casares 
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Hello everyone,

Thank you to everyone who participated in the feedback period for the
Leadership
Development Working Group

initiative. A summary of the feedback

can be found on Meta-wiki. This feedback will be shared with the working
group to inform their work. The application period to join the Working
Group is now open and will close on April 10, 2022. Please review the
information about the working group

, share with community members who might be interested, and apply if you
are interested

.

Thank you,

The Community Development team

Cassie Casares
Program Support Associate
Community Development
Wikimedia Foundation
ccasa...@wikimedia.org
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances

2022-03-14 Thread Nathan 
I read the original e-mail as asking for something more than implementing
recent sanctions. I hope and assume that the WMF has already taken the
necessary steps to ensure that its activities are in compliance with
applicable laws.

I agree with Gerard that the WMF is different from Facebook, and its
mission may make taking steps beyond those required by sanctions
unnecessary or undesirable. I know there is a BDS-esque movement afoot
against Russian interests, but "are you now or have you ever supported
Russian interests" is in a category of questions that the WMF should very
carefully consider before posing to any party. What may make sense for
major corporations may not be appropriate for non-profits with an
exclusively educational and explicitly global mission.
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances

2022-03-14 Thread Lane Chance 
"we do not support any government"? Nothing in my original email
indicated or presumed the Wikimedia Foundation supported any
government.

A governance review would be for the Wikimedia Foundation to define
the terms for. Taking into account legally binding sanctions and
governmental guidelines would be in the interest of the Wikimedia
Foundation. Ignoring sanctions from the US Government when your bank
account is in the USA and you are subject to US law would be reckless,
while ensuring that the Wikimedia Foundation understands how well they
and their board members and advisers comply with the law is not a sign
of "support" for a government.

Your emails assert statements in my original email that were not
there. Your reply made me appear to be attacking "the Russian people",
which you have not withdrawn. That is bad faith, especially
considering you do not know my connection to Russia. My original email
is fine, please do not put words in my mouth to make an argument.
That's neither informative nor civil, it's just a way to shut down a
public question rather than allowing a healthy discussion of good
financial governance and organisational transparency at the board
level.

Lane

On Mon, 14 Mar 2022 at 09:51, Gerard Meijssen  wrote:
>
> Hoi,
> As far as I am aware we do not support any government. We do not have 
> interests or investments that support any and all governments. So it is 
> wonderful that you are so happy for the WMF to spend effort on a hypothetical.
>
> As to taking offence, you apparently expect that you and your intentions are 
> self evident and you do not need to reciprocate those sentiments. Wonderful, 
> thank you for your interaction.
> Thanks,
>   GerardM
>
> On Mon, 14 Mar 2022 at 10:02, Lane Chance  wrote:
>>
>> A governance review to check where investments or interests "support
>> the actions of the Russian government" is nothing similar to calling
>> "The Russian people" an enemy.
>>
>> A Wikimedia Foundation review or independent assessment would sensibly
>> take into account sanctions and recommendations that governments in
>> the EU and USA have published for all their international trade with
>> Russia, and confirm there are no ethical or compliance conflicts for
>> the Wikimedia Foundation.
>>
>> Having a review is not "escalation", nor have I made any claim about
>> money being "well spent". A review is the simplest way to ensure
>> appropriate transparency.
>>
>> Please avoid making bad faith accusations of using a "page out of the
>> playbook" of escalation when they have done no such thing. It is
>> manipulative and unwelcome when you know nothing about who you are
>> attacking.
>>
>> Lane
>>
>> On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 at 14:02, Gerard Meijssen  
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > Hoi,
>> > A reality check. With a Wikipedian in jail in Belarus, it is easy to grasp 
>> > that Wikipedia is not the flavour of the month in either Belarus or in 
>> > Russia by the "powers that be".
>> >
>> > When you compare Wikimedia projects to Facebook, the glaring difference 
>> > between them is money. Our money has as a goal to educate and inform 
>> > people. Our mission is to do this with a neutral point of view. When we 
>> > consider the war waged by Russia, our neutral view is on offer and a view 
>> > that we should provide as long as we can.
>> >
>> > The Russian people are not necessarily the enemy, arguably they are not. 
>> > Our money spent in Russia supports our aim of informing and educating the 
>> > Russian people, all the money spent is well spent.
>> >
>> > We do not have to borrow a page out of the playbook that is escalation. We 
>> > should not because of what we stand for.
>> > Thanks,
>> >  GerardM
>> >
>> > On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 at 11:27, Lane Chance  wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Several organizations, including pension companies, have been
>> >> withdrawing their investments that may indirectly support Russia's war
>> >> in Ukraine. Similarly there have been several news reports of
>> >> directors stepping down from companies where their personal interests
>> >> and or past history is now seen to be in conflict with the ethical
>> >> values of the organisation they represent.
>> >>
>> >> Has the board of the Wikimedia Foundation or the board of the
>> >> Endowment Fund asked for a governance review for their connections of
>> >> people (including trustees and advisers), received donations, outgoing
>> >> funding or investment funds that may even indirectly or
>> >> unintentionally support the actions of the Russian government?
>> >>
>> >> As an example, the founder of Cendana Capital, a global venture
>> >> capital company, is an adviser for the Endowment Fund, but I can not
>> >> find a specific governance report for Cendana Capital for financial
>> >> interests connected Russia. Being "global", it's hard to imagine there
>> >> is none or has never been any.
>> >>
>> >> References
>> >> https://wikimediaendowment.org/#advisory-board
>> >>

[Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances

2022-03-14 Thread Gerard Meijssen 
Hoi,
As far as I am aware we do not support any government. We do not have
interests or investments that support any and all governments. So it is
wonderful that you are so happy for the WMF to spend effort on a
hypothetical.

As to taking offence, you apparently expect that you and your intentions
are self evident and you do not need to reciprocate those sentiments.
Wonderful, thank you for your interaction.
Thanks,
  GerardM

On Mon, 14 Mar 2022 at 10:02, Lane Chance  wrote:

> A governance review to check where investments or interests "support
> the actions of the Russian government" is nothing similar to calling
> "The Russian people" an enemy.
>
> A Wikimedia Foundation review or independent assessment would sensibly
> take into account sanctions and recommendations that governments in
> the EU and USA have published for all their international trade with
> Russia, and confirm there are no ethical or compliance conflicts for
> the Wikimedia Foundation.
>
> Having a review is not "escalation", nor have I made any claim about
> money being "well spent". A review is the simplest way to ensure
> appropriate transparency.
>
> Please avoid making bad faith accusations of using a "page out of the
> playbook" of escalation when they have done no such thing. It is
> manipulative and unwelcome when you know nothing about who you are
> attacking.
>
> Lane
>
> On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 at 14:02, Gerard Meijssen 
> wrote:
> >
> > Hoi,
> > A reality check. With a Wikipedian in jail in Belarus, it is easy to
> grasp that Wikipedia is not the flavour of the month in either Belarus or
> in Russia by the "powers that be".
> >
> > When you compare Wikimedia projects to Facebook, the glaring difference
> between them is money. Our money has as a goal to educate and inform
> people. Our mission is to do this with a neutral point of view. When we
> consider the war waged by Russia, our neutral view is on offer and a view
> that we should provide as long as we can.
> >
> > The Russian people are not necessarily the enemy, arguably they are not.
> Our money spent in Russia supports our aim of informing and educating the
> Russian people, all the money spent is well spent.
> >
> > We do not have to borrow a page out of the playbook that is escalation.
> We should not because of what we stand for.
> > Thanks,
> >  GerardM
> >
> > On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 at 11:27, Lane Chance  wrote:
> >>
> >> Several organizations, including pension companies, have been
> >> withdrawing their investments that may indirectly support Russia's war
> >> in Ukraine. Similarly there have been several news reports of
> >> directors stepping down from companies where their personal interests
> >> and or past history is now seen to be in conflict with the ethical
> >> values of the organisation they represent.
> >>
> >> Has the board of the Wikimedia Foundation or the board of the
> >> Endowment Fund asked for a governance review for their connections of
> >> people (including trustees and advisers), received donations, outgoing
> >> funding or investment funds that may even indirectly or
> >> unintentionally support the actions of the Russian government?
> >>
> >> As an example, the founder of Cendana Capital, a global venture
> >> capital company, is an adviser for the Endowment Fund, but I can not
> >> find a specific governance report for Cendana Capital for financial
> >> interests connected Russia. Being "global", it's hard to imagine there
> >> is none or has never been any.
> >>
> >> References
> >> https://wikimediaendowment.org/#advisory-board
> >> https://wikimediafoundation.org/role/board
> >> https://www.cendanacapital.com
> >>
> https://www.funds-europe.com/news/blackrock-suspends-purchase-of-russian-securities-in-active-and-index-funds
> >>
> https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/13/mps-pension-fund-drops-russian-linked-investments-in-protest
> >>
> >> Lane
> >> ___
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> wikimedia-l-leave@lists.wikimedia.orgwriting
> >
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[Wikimedia-l] Re: Wikimedia Foundation governance and Russian finances

2022-03-14 Thread Lane Chance 
A governance review to check where investments or interests "support
the actions of the Russian government" is nothing similar to calling
"The Russian people" an enemy.

A Wikimedia Foundation review or independent assessment would sensibly
take into account sanctions and recommendations that governments in
the EU and USA have published for all their international trade with
Russia, and confirm there are no ethical or compliance conflicts for
the Wikimedia Foundation.

Having a review is not "escalation", nor have I made any claim about
money being "well spent". A review is the simplest way to ensure
appropriate transparency.

Please avoid making bad faith accusations of using a "page out of the
playbook" of escalation when they have done no such thing. It is
manipulative and unwelcome when you know nothing about who you are
attacking.

Lane

On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 at 14:02, Gerard Meijssen  wrote:
>
> Hoi,
> A reality check. With a Wikipedian in jail in Belarus, it is easy to grasp 
> that Wikipedia is not the flavour of the month in either Belarus or in Russia 
> by the "powers that be".
>
> When you compare Wikimedia projects to Facebook, the glaring difference 
> between them is money. Our money has as a goal to educate and inform people. 
> Our mission is to do this with a neutral point of view. When we consider the 
> war waged by Russia, our neutral view is on offer and a view that we should 
> provide as long as we can.
>
> The Russian people are not necessarily the enemy, arguably they are not. Our 
> money spent in Russia supports our aim of informing and educating the Russian 
> people, all the money spent is well spent.
>
> We do not have to borrow a page out of the playbook that is escalation. We 
> should not because of what we stand for.
> Thanks,
>  GerardM
>
> On Sun, 13 Mar 2022 at 11:27, Lane Chance  wrote:
>>
>> Several organizations, including pension companies, have been
>> withdrawing their investments that may indirectly support Russia's war
>> in Ukraine. Similarly there have been several news reports of
>> directors stepping down from companies where their personal interests
>> and or past history is now seen to be in conflict with the ethical
>> values of the organisation they represent.
>>
>> Has the board of the Wikimedia Foundation or the board of the
>> Endowment Fund asked for a governance review for their connections of
>> people (including trustees and advisers), received donations, outgoing
>> funding or investment funds that may even indirectly or
>> unintentionally support the actions of the Russian government?
>>
>> As an example, the founder of Cendana Capital, a global venture
>> capital company, is an adviser for the Endowment Fund, but I can not
>> find a specific governance report for Cendana Capital for financial
>> interests connected Russia. Being "global", it's hard to imagine there
>> is none or has never been any.
>>
>> References
>> https://wikimediaendowment.org/#advisory-board
>> https://wikimediafoundation.org/role/board
>> https://www.cendanacapital.com
>> https://www.funds-europe.com/news/blackrock-suspends-purchase-of-russian-securities-in-active-and-index-funds
>> https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/13/mps-pension-fund-drops-russian-linked-investments-in-protest
>>
>> Lane
>> ___
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>
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