Here are my Exemplar Wave 8 recognitions, plus my Sphere recognitions for those contributing to the Social Media & Web Platforms Sphere. Thank you all!

First, my Exemplar Wave 8 recognitions:

Albert, during the L3 Q&A panel at the Middle East Judge Conference in Dubai, you raised likely the most important and complicated topic for the local community to be discussed. You were brave yet respectful, and your approach to the topic was always trying to build bridges and solve the ongoing problem with a particular TO.

I am grateful for that, not only because you’re pushing the community to see that taking sides is not productive, but also because you are the only one who seems to understand that problems need to be tackled, and can’t be just swept under the rug.

You have taken on your own to not only hold the community accountable for allowing certain behaviors from said TO, but also you are the one trying to drive the change and come to a solution. To this end you have volunteered to try work with this TO in an effort that won’t be pleasant for you, but that you consider a personal responsibility. You are at least trying, and that means a lot to me.

Thank you for your heart-warming initiative to translate cards into arabic to help refugee children integrate in your community. In these selfish modern times we are living it is more important than ever to show compassion and generosity to those who have lost everything. Thanks so much!

Thank you Mitja for your efforts in compiling the Regional L2 questions for Alfonso’s project. You delivered very comprehensive results and analysis that were very useful not only for Alfonso and his team, but also for me and Giorgos to better understand the current state of the region.

Thank you Olivier for taking the initiative of live streaming the Middle East Judge Conference. You were able to get everything set up in a record time and you made sure that throughout the day everything went smooth. Lots of people have watched the presentations online and it makes me very happy to see how your continued efforts in promoting the local community keep delivering good results.

Thank you so much for sharing your insight on the PC role in our recent discussions. You have helped me understand much better what you and the others do as PCs, and your perspective has cleared some of the concerns I had about the state of the judge program lately.

Thank you for your end of the year country report. It had great analysis elements, good level of detail, and in particular I am super happy with the management you do on staffing PPTQs. I have seen in your words the great value you bring to your local community, and the efforts you make to get things done locally. My heart is touched by how you take a personal responsibility in all of this judging thing we do. I have to say that I very rarely find this kind of devotion to the community, to me caring for others and caring for getting things done is what really matters. Reading this report made me very very happy, and I am grateful for that.

Thank you Saverio for your photos from GP Rotterdam of judges having a great time at the event. Your positive attitude at events creates an atmosphere of joy and enthusiasm around you, and now thanks to your unmatched photographic skills you have managed to bring that atmosphere to all who see your pictures at home. I particularly like your use of black and white pictures, which in my opinion adds a very elegant touch to the narrative you’re building.Thank you!

Thank you Tom for your photos from GP Kuala Lumpur of judges at the event. I had heard about your enthusiasm and drive at events, so when I was told you offered to take these pictures I was sure you would deliver great results. Your pictures were very popular on the Magic Judges Facebook page, they received a lot of visits, comments and likes. Some of these comments came from your ability to manage to capture very unique facial expressions, which speaks highly of your photography skills and your attention to detail. My favorite part of your work is how there are a few of these pictures that tell a story with a short sequence of images, transporting the audience to the floor of the GP as if they were there in person. Thank you!

And now my Sphere recognitions:

Thank you Ronald for your leadership at the helm of the Judge Anniversaries project. I appreciate your efforts in effectively communicating with me to promote your projects’ posts.

Thank you Juan for your efforts in translating the Official Resources site to Spanish. You are consistently on top of everything when there are edits to the site’s content, and considering the many other things you do in the Judge Program this is even more impressive!

Thank you Michael for your leadership at the helm of the Judge of the Week project. Since you took over the project it has been like clockwork, I appreciate knowing you can be trusted to deliver new posts on time every week!

Thank you Steffen for the enthusiasm you put in everything we do together for the Social Media and Web Platforms Sphere, your positive attitude and the comradery you bring to the Sphere is very inspiring to me. Whenever we’re looking at something that we would like to improve you make it look easy, and you help providing new, innovative approaches. But above everything, you get stuff done, and I am grateful for that.

Thank you Sophie for your efforts in translating the Official Resources site to French. Even when you have been busy with the many other things you do in the Judge Program I know I can rely on you to get things done in no time!

Thank you Alejandro for taking care of the Disqualification page and documentation on the Official Resources site. I appreciate very much your attention to detail and your perseverance in always finding ways to improve this section of the site.

See my Facebook post thanking these fantastic judges!