[Wikimediaindia-l] [Press]: The Hindu : "World heritage site tag sought for Wikipedia"

[Surya Prakash]

Yeah! I have read it just now in the paper. Very happy. Shared it with
friends...

:)

Please show your support here
https://wke.wikimedia.de/wke/Special:Petition?setlang=en

Let's make the 12,600 to 1,00,000....

:) Please do support.

*$U®¥∩*

http://goo.gl/RoMyo.com <http://FirefoxSurya.blogspot.com>



On 7 June 2011 07:51, CherianTinu Abraham <tinucherian at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> *The Hindu : "World heritage site tag sought for Wikipedia"*
> http://wiki.wikimedia.in/In_the_news
>
> *If you thought that a world heritage site is something ancient and should
> have a physical form, wikipedians think otherwise. They are out to seek a
> world heritage site tag to their website.*
> *
> *
> *An on-going petition, called “Wikipedia for World Heritage,” has garnered
> the support of 12,600 people. It aims at getting Wikipedia, the free online
> encyclopaedia in over 270 languages, tagged as a potential “World Heritage
> Site” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
> Organisation (UNESCO). The petition is based on the view that Wikipedia is
> “predestined to become the first ever digital World Heritage Site as it is a
> pioneer project of the digital age, carrying the ancient idea of common and
> free knowledge into the third millennium.”*
> *
> *
> *“It is a brilliant idea. Wikipedia is an Internet property that deserves
> nomination [to the heritage list],” says Arun Ramarathnam, Executive
> Committee member, Wikimedia India chapter.*
> *
> *
> *While he said it was time traditional definitions of heritage as
> buildings and monuments evolve to include digital resources, Cherian Tinu
> Abraham, Wikipedia administrator, who thought the site “represents a
> masterpiece of human creative genius” (a UNESCO criterion), says, “I am
> excited about the idea, it is unprecedented.” The site provides free access
> to knowledge to everyone, enabling cooperation beyond national and cultural
> barriers. “Can the world think of a life without Wikipedia? It is a truly
> global heritage project recording human history from every corner of the
> world,” he says.*
> *
> *
> *Says Harinath Pudipeddi, a software professional: “Definitely, Wikipedia
> can claim a place. But it will take a little time to get there.”*
> *
> *
> *One supporter (known as “FT2” on the site) said that Wikipedia should be
> included in the heritage list because it notes and stores, historical images
> and texts on culture, knowledge, and languages. The documentation is
> especially significant for India, he said. Languages and cultures, and, with
> them, our knowledge of peoples, their history and cultural perspectives, are
> vanishing at a frightening speed. “In 2009, UNESCO reported almost 200
> Indian languages were going silent. With them die their heritage and culture
> — and a part of the soul of India,” says FT2.*
> *
> *
> *That process is not limited to India. “It's a worldwide cultural heritage
> phenomenon,” he says. Ancient materials degrade and some are lost forever
> like “Bo,” one of the world's old languages, which went extinct in the
> Andaman Islands in 2010, when its last speaker died. Now, efforts are on to
> at least document the dying “Nuumte Oote” language in Mexico.*
> *
> *
> *Jimmy Wales, Co-founder, Wikipedia, says: “Wikipedia is now a part of
> world culture in a way that no one could have anticipated several years ago.
> It is a voluntary humanitarian effort pursued as a charitable project to
> bring free knowledge to everyone. It is now a part of our shared heritage as
> human beings.”*
> *
> *
> *“UNESCO has also recognised abstract ideas such as flamenco dancing and
> French cuisine. So we think it is time to think broadly about the meaning of
> culture and how we can support culture broadly in the digital age. A
> recognition of Wikipedia would signal that it is time to take digital
> culture seriously.”*
>
>
> Regards
> Tinu Cherian
> http://wiki.wikimedia.in/In_the_news
>
>
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