Wikimedia Foundation

Join us in helping to make the internet a better place for free knowledge! Check out our open positions and please share with your networks! #wikipedia #freeknowledge #techjobs #nonprofitjobs #hiring #careers #remotejobs #globaljobs

Online conferences are a great way to connect across long distances, but keeping participants engaged can be a challenge. Wikimedia Ukraine has experimented with ways to make virtual events more dynamic – here are five key takeaways from their 2024 conferences. ⏱️ Keep it short and dynamic: Instead of all-day programs, programs were 4-5 hours per day, and talks were concise, with most lasting just 10-25 minutes to avoid fatigue. 🎉 Start with fun interactions: Welcome sessions included interactive maps, quick polls, and even a contest for the best home office setup to build a sense of community and connection. 💬 Encourage participation: Speakers used polls and breakout rooms to keep audiences engaged, making discussions more interactive and less like passive lectures. 📺 Make content available on-demand: Sessions were streamed or uploaded to YouTube and Wikimedia Commons with timecodes, making it easier for participants to catch up later. 📝 Gather and apply feedback: Nearly all attendees filled out feedback forms, with incentives like certificates to boost responses. Insights helped shape future events. By focusing on interactivity, accessibility, and audience engagement, Wikimedia Ukraine is making online events more meaningful and effective. Read more on how Wikimedia Ukraine is keeping attendees engaged ➡️ https://w.wiki/D36i

Why does a grandpa living in the Arctic dedicate thousands of hours to Wikipedia? For Alan Sim, the answer lies in sharing knowledge about his region with a global audience. From his home in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Sim has contributed to Wikipedia articles about everything from airports in the North to important local communities like the Kátł'odeeche First Nation. His dedication has made the remote corners of Canada more visible to the whole world. Sim’s journey with Wikipedia began in 2005, when he decided to try editing on his PalmPilot. Starting with articles on Canadian airports and weather equipment, he has since become one of only 440 active administrators trusted to oversee English Wikipedia. His username, CambridgeBayWeather, refers to his earlier career at the local weather station. Originally from the United Kingdom, Sim moved to Canada nearly 50 years ago and has called the Arctic home ever since. His contributions help Wikipedia connect readers worldwide to the people, places, and stories of Canada’s North. "I'm hoping that people will find what I've put on there interesting", he says. "They'll learn something about the North, I hope." Sim has now made over 250,000 Wikipedia edits. If you are interested in sharing knowledge about your own region, Sim encourages you to try editing Wikipedia. Read more about his journey, via CBC ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dqbaapS7

Next week, the Wikimedia Foundation and volunteers will be at RightsCon, talking about open knowledge, cultural preservation, and linguistic diversity. Join our sessions, several with our partners, and if you are there in person, come visit our booth and say hello! 👋

The Portuguese language just got two new words: wikipedista and wikimedista 🎊 The Lisbon Academy of Sciences, which oversees the official Portuguese Language Dictionary, has recognized these terms – acknowledging the growing influence of Wikimedia projects and digital collaboration in knowledge and culture. A wikipedista is someone who writes, edits, or reviews Wikipedia articles, helping ensure reliable, freely accessible knowledge. A wikimedista contributes across Wikimedia projects like Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikisource, or bridges institutions with the Wikimedia community (wikimedista em residência). This milestone isn’t just about language; it’s a recognition of the dedication of volunteers worldwide who make knowledge more open and accessible. By adding these words, the Portuguese community embraces the collaborative spirit shaping how we learn and share information. Read more about this development in the link in bio. Learn more about this development ➡️ https://w.wiki/D36W

With over 500 languages spoken across the country, Nigeria is full of linguistic diversity. The Nigerian Language Oral History Documentation Project is a vital initiative by Wikimedia User Group Nigeria aimed at preserving Nigeria's rich linguistic heritage. To combat linguistic erosion, the project focused on documenting and digitizing the oral histories of Nigeria's Indigenous languages, particularly those at risk of extinction. By recording audiovisual materials of native speakers sharing stories, histories, and cultural narratives, the initiative ensured that these languages are preserved for future generations. The collected materials are hosted on platforms such as Wikimedia Commons, Wikitongues, the United States Library of Congress, and the Internet Archive, ensuring their accessibility and longevity. Learn more about the project ➡️ https://w.wiki/3ppe

The Wiki Loves Languages edit-a-thon celebrated linguistic diversity with impressive results! Participants created 75 new articles about Indian languages and their speakers, enriching Wikipedia’s representation of India’s vast linguistic landscape. India is home to over 780 languages, but dozens are at risk, with many lacking coverage on Wikipedia. This event aimed to change that. This initiative not only celebrated India’s linguistic richness, but also showcased how technology can safeguard cultural identities. It reinforced Wikipedia’s role in preserving heritage and making knowledge accessible to all. Learn more about how Wiki Loves Languages is preserving linguistic diversity ➡️ https://w.wiki/Cy32

Did you know? The Wikimedia Commons community votes to spotlight a Picture of the Day for every day of the year – a stunning image freely shared for the world to enjoy 🌍✨ Wikimedia Commons is a free media repository that hosts over 100 million images, videos, and sounds, all shared openly for anyone to use. The Picture of the Day showcases the incredible contributions of community photographers who believe in the power of free knowledge. In today’s picture, a stunning water reflection captures the sunset over the Xe Don River in Pakse, Laos, with gray and orange clouds painting the sky. Three boats rest peacefully moored to the riverbank, adding to this scenic moment. It is a featured picture on Wikimedia Commons, which means it is considered one of the finest images on the website, as appointed by editors. Check out today’s Picture of the Day and past featured photos ➡️ https://w.wiki/7dzN

A passion for knowledge and a drive for impact – Aliva Sahoo’s Wikimedia journey is nothing short of inspiring. What started as a simple edit turned into a decade-long journey of learning, collaboration, and personal growth. From writing Wikipedia articles to contributing to Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, User:Aliva Sahoo discovered a passion for sharing free knowledge. Along the way, she developed research skills, made lasting connections, and found purpose in bridging knowledge gaps, particularly in Odia, a classical Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Indian state of Odisha. Her journey also led to real-world impact. Through Wikimedia, she has engaged with a global network of like-minded contributors, participated in outreach events, and helped newcomers find their own paths within the movement. For Aliva, voluntary work on Wikimedia is about empowerment, community, and shaping the world’s knowledge. Learn more about her journey within the Wikimedia movement ➡️ https://w.wiki/_q52A

Ever wanted to build a Wikipedia Town? Now there's a handbook for that! 📖 A seasoned Japanese Wikipedian, Kazuto Aoki, has published a comprehensive guide on how to organize Wikipedia Town events. These are collaborative gatherings where communities come together to research and improve Wikipedia using local history, archives, and libraries. These edit-a-thons bridge the gap between digital and real-world knowledge, empowering participants to document their town’s history while making information freely accessible to all. With insights from a decade of experience, the handbook covers everything from event planning and research strategies to fostering partnerships with institutions like museums and cultural centers. It also highlights the impact of Wikipedia Town events in preserving local heritage and strengthening digital literacy. Whether you are a librarian, a historian, or just passionate about knowledge-sharing, this guide gives you the tools to turn local stories into lasting resources. Read more about the handbook ➡️ https://w.wiki/CxSX