[Board] Potential Vietnam Chapter

[Tyler Mitchell]

Hi Jeff, hope your visit there is going well!  Here's a bit of background for the rest of the board, and maybe you, on the whole Vietnam discussion and why I started it.  I'm doing this with various potential local chapters and other international contacts, by the way...

Earlier in the month, I approached some Vietnam contacts (including Venka) to see how things were going down there since last year their gov't adopted an encouraging stance toward open source - with commitments to migrate their IT infrastructures and staff over to FOSS in 2010.  I was curious on how the local folks saw implementations happening and was asking how others of us outside could help.  Sounds like some encouraging things going on and my main reason for contacting them was to get up to date from the local members on the ground.  One thing led to another and there is a general invite to come and meet with them, which Jeff is referring to.

My hope though, in the end, was sort of like what Ravi has proposed. Where a local chapter can arrange a meeting/workshop/round table discussion and invite and !fund! for guests to come.  That's occurred in the past elsewhere (e.g. when Michael went to China) and will happen in the future as well.

It's obviously not my call on the funding question and where that fits into the budget, but thought some background might help set the stage for where this came from.  I recommend focusing on local sponsors to fund such an event.

Hope that helps,
Tyler

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff McKenna <jmckenna at gatewaygeomatics.com>
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010 7:42 pm
Subject: [Board] Potential Vietnam Chapter
To: osgeo-board List <board at lists.osgeo.org>

> Hello fellow Board members,
> 
> Some of you may be aware that there are discussions of a 
> possible 
> Vietnam local chapter formation occurring now.  In fact 
> there is talk of 
> bringing the important players together in Hanoi Vietnam on 
> March 
> 10-14th to discuss the potential reasons and benefits of forming 
> an 
> official OSGeo local chapter.
> 
> I am writing this message to you, since I am currently 'in the 
> area' of 
> these meetings (Japan) and I would like to go attend the Vietnam 
> meeting 
> as an OSGeo Director.  I am requesting that some funding be 
> provided for 
> my travel there, as well as local travel for 2 important 
> representatives 
> in Vietnam.  The meetings will take place in Hanoi.
> 
> Some of you may have traveled in SE Asia, and you know of the 
> respect 
> shown there towards OSGeo delegates.  So it will mean a lot 
> to the 
> Vietnam representatives to have a current OSGeo Director in the 
> meetings.  Venka (another former Director) will also attend 
> the meetings 
> in Vietnam (he is providing his own funding).
> 
> I am not requesting for spending money, I am requesting that my 
> actual 
> travel (flight from Japan to Vietnam, and hotel) be covered, as 
> well as 
> local travel for 2 Vietnam delegates.  I will provide 
> receipts for all 
> travel.  The estimate is:
> 
> Flight:       700 USD
> Hotel:        300 USD
> Local travel: 600 USD
> 
> (hotel is very cheap in Vietnam)
> 
> I think this is a great opportunity, especially since I happen 
> to be in 
> the area.
> 
> Please provide your thoughts, and let me know how we can move 
> forward. 
> Thanks.
> 
> -jeff
> 
> 
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