FYI

-- Leila Zia Head of Research Wikimedia Foundation

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Franziska Putz fputz@wikimedia.org Date: Wed, Aug 27, 2025 at 2:49 AM Subject: [African Wikimedians] Apply for RightsCon 2026 | Lusaka, Zambia To: Mailing list for African Wikimedians < african-wikimedians@lists.wikimedia.org>

Hi all,

The RightsCon deadline is fast approaching - don’t miss your chance to submit a session! The submission deadline is *September 12th* (we expect this deadline to be extended by one week). Application guidance below.

RightsCon https://www.rightscon.org/, hosted by Access Now, is an important global digital rights conference that brings together activists, academics, industry, civil society, and more to discuss pressing issues related to human rights in the digital age. Wikimedians have a long history of presenting at RightsCon (see 2025 https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/01/17/wikimedians-will-promote-cultural-preservation-and-knowledge-diversity-at-rightscon-2025-tune-in/ & 2023 https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/09/14/takeaways-from-rightscon-22-a-conversation-with-wikimedians/), and I encourage this group in particular to consider sharing your work.

*Where and when: *RightsCon will take place in Lusaka, Zambia, May 5-8th, 2026. This is a hybrid event.

*Travel support:* RightsCon provides a handful of travel scholarships. Their policy and process from last year https://www.rightscon.org/rc25-travel-support/ provide guidance on what you can expect.

*Application guidance:* RightsCon has an excellent guide to a successful proposal https://www.rightscon.org/your-guide-to-a-successful-proposal/ as well as an office hour. The next one is on Tuesday, September 2nd (4 am New York | 10 am Brussels | 4 pm Hong Kong). In the blog post links above you can see what Wikimedia topics have been successful in the past. I have also put together a resource https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QUF3a1iXvE7J7GFKiEP5OWvpX_FsiAlSR5O4Trf08Aw/edit?tab=t.0 that includes a template of the full application form as well as examples of successful applications. My extra tips are below the line.

Please feel free to schedule a time with me if you have questions, or to send me your draft application for input.

Best wishes, Ziski __

*Ziski's Tips*

- Tailor the topic to the region, either by involving allies from that area or focusing on how lessons from your specific context could carry over. - Collaborate with allies. Submit a session proposal with existing partners, or with groups you want to work with more in the future. If you do a Wikimedia only session, then you should at least include speakers from other affiliates. - Don't stick to panels. RightsCon is a fun conference because they allow a host of creative session formats. We're a fun and quirky movement, so those additional format options work well for us. Take advantage of them! - Test ideas and run workshops. The RightsCon audience is always a great group if you want to test a pitch or get feedback or ideas on a specific project or challenge you're trying to tackle. - Some areas where Wikimedians can bring a unique perspective: - Work with indigenous languages (especially in the context of AI discussions) - Promoting and preserving cultural heritage in the 21st century with open source tools so that communities can remain stewards of their histories and cultures - Epistemic justice / debates around knowledge rights and structures of power, and how these need to be addressed in the digital age - Data privacy practices - Tactical experiences! What it takes to work in a global movement, or build south-south alliances, or work with unlikely partners on a campaign, or avoid burnout, or access useful grants, etc - Using open data (WikiData!) to promote sustainable development goals

Franziska Putz (she/her)

Senior Movement Advocacy Manager

Global Advocacy, Wikimedia Foundation

Fputz@wikimedia.org

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