Hi everyone,
Wikidata turns 13 this October, and it’s time to start preparing for the birthday celebrations! Since launching on 29 October 2012, Wikidata has grown into a thriving open-source knowledge base, thanks to all of you.
Each year, we come together to mark this milestone. Events and contributions happen throughout October and November 2025, across regions and languages, online and offline.
Why we celebrate:
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To recognize the work and impact of the Wikidata community -
To connect and engage with others who care about open knowledge -
To share Wikidata with new audiences and grow the movement
How you can take part:
🎉 Join an Event: Birthday celebrations are already being planned. Whether you’re after a hands-on editathon or an informal hangout, there are many ways to get involved. 👉 Keep an eye on the list of events https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Thirteenth_Birthday/Calendar and find one near you.
🎈 Host Your Own: Organize something with your local community. A short Wikidata intro, an editathon, or even a cake-cutting meetup -- every contribution counts. 👉 Visit the birthday page for support and resources https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Thirteenth_Birthday/Run_an_event to help you promote it.
🎁 Prepare a Birthday Gift: Every year, volunteers create “birthday presents” for the community; new features, playful content, documentation, and more. 👉 Take a look at previous gifts https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Twelfth_Birthday/Presents and add your idea to this year’s list.
💬 Join the Online Call On October 29*:* we’ll host a call where people can present their gifts, share updates, and celebrate live with the global community. Details will be published soon.
💡 Need support for your event or gift idea? Microgrants are available through Wikimedia Deutschland to help cover costs. You can apply until September 1st via this Lime Survey form http://lime.wikimedia.de/index.php/897743?lang=en.
For questions, feel free to reply here, contact me directly, or leave a note on the talk page https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata_talk:Thirteenth_Birthday. If you'd like to discuss WikidataCon 2025, which will take place during the birthday period, feel free to reach out to my colleague Danny https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Danny_Benjafield_(WMDE). Looking forward to celebrating together again!
Cheers,