<p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">Hi everyone,</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">There have been conversations in the OSM community about creating a more formalised group to coordinate OSM activities in the region. This would be important step to getting recognition as a local chapter of the OpenStreetMap Foundation which would in turn allow us to collaborate more closely and potentially be eligible for grants and support going forward.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">By formalised group, we were thinking of a working group that would be part of OSGeo Oceania. An initial discussion was initiated here: <a href="https://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/talk-au/2020-May/013823.html">https://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/talk-au/2020-May/013823.html</a>. Please note that this application relates to the application we made to the OSMF to have OSGeo recognised as a local chapter: <a href="https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Local_Chapters/Applications">https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Local_Chapters/Applications</a>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">Some of the objectives of a working group we discussed include:</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><ul class="ul1" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Growing the number of people contributing to OSM as well as the overall number of edits in our region.</span></li><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Coordinating with authorities and companies in the region to get access to new data for OSM, but also to show how OSM can be used by these organisations.</span></li><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Introducing students and any interested members of the public to mapping</span></li><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Coordinating mapping events to focus on thematic mapping tasks such as humanitarian mapping, bushfire mapping, wheelchair accessibility etc.</span></li><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Serving as a point of contact for anyone around the world or locally interested in engaging the Oceania OSM community.</span></li><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Running and maintaining infrastructure such as tile servers that could help to grow OSM in our region.</span></li></ul><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">To get things moving forward:</span></p><ul class="ul1" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Do you think an OSM focused working group under OSGeo Oceania is a good idea?</span></li><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">What other objectives do you think are important?</span></li><li class="li1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s2" style="font-family:Menlo-Regular;font-size:10px"></span><span class="s1">Would you be willing to lead this working group or be part of it? Leading the working group would require a formalization of the objectives and the working group team.</span></li></ul><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">Looking at the direction other countries and regions around the world have taken, I’m confident an OSM working group and eventually a local chapter would be a huge step forward for OSM as a whole in Oceania.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">Edoardo</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal;min-height:20.3px"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:17px;line-height:normal"><span class="s1">Note: I will be sharing this message in multiple channels throughout Oceania to make sure we engage a wide and representative audience.</span></p>