Wikimania 2006 is over, but other international Wikimedia gatherings have followed close behind. This past weekend saw the Chinese Wikimedia Conference 2006 take place in Hong Kong, and the Wikimedia Conference Netherlands in Utrecht is just a few days away. The Signpost takes a brief look at these events and at the bids so far for Wikimania 2007 and 2008.

The Chinese Wikimedia Conference 2006, the first Wikimedia event billed as such to be held in Asia, took place this past weekend, 26 August and 27 August, in Hong Kong. Media archives of the conference are online, including Skypecast audio recordings, IRC transripts, and a few collections of photographs.

A Dutch Wikimedia event, the Wikimedia Conference Netherlands, is planned for this coming Saturday, 2 September, in Utrecht. Details in Dutch may be found on the Dutch chapter's wiki.

Wikimania 2006 archives are still available as well. Links to slides are gradually being added to the proceedings as they come in.

As always, feedback, comments, and suggestions for next year can be left on the conference site, which will remain up as an archival site in the future.

A number of city bids have been put forward to host Wikimania next year; some seem willing to host the conference sometime farther in the future. Bids for 2008 and beyond may be started at any time.

The bidding process involves gathering and presenting information on where and how the event might take place, with what kind of local support (gratis conference space or lodging, and strong local sponsorship or community support is a plus). The city with a successful bid will host the 2007 conference. The deadline to submit a bid for 2007 is 10 September, 2006; the final decision will be made at the end of September.

The unofficial (read: "in progress", some more complete than others) bids submitted so far, listed below, all have at least one interested bid supporter and a brief description of the available sites and facilities.

Middle East and Asia

• Alexandria - added by Evan on 16 August 2006
• Hong Kong - added by Jdforrester on 7 August 2006
• Singapore - added by Terence Ong on 2 August 2006
• Taipei - added by 219.79.40.154 on 16 August 2006

Australia

• Australia - added by Angela on 4 April 2006

Europe

• Geneva - added by Jacoplane on 6 August 2006
• Istanbul - added by Cool Cat on 4 August 2006
• UK - added by Zanimum on 10 January 2006

North America

• Chicago - added by Dralwik on 4 May 2006
• Las Vegas - added by Zanimum on 10 January 2006
• Orlando - added by Flcelloguy on 16 August 2006

• Toronto (2008) - added by Zanimum
• Wikimania-2008-on-Air (2008) - added by Hanno
• Seattle (2009) - added by Brassratgirl
• Denver (2009) - added by Seth Ilys

[[Category:Wikipedia Signpost Special report archives 2006}0828 Interwiki]]