*Here's your quick overview of what has been happening around Wikidata in theweek leading up to 2026-01-26. Missed the previous one? See issue #715 https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Status_updates/Previous.*
*Events*
- Upcoming events https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Events:
- Reminder: Blazegraph Migration Office Hours: The WMF Wikidata Platform team https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikidata_Platform is kicking off its monthly Blazegraph migeration office hours tomorrow, 27th January, 16:00 UTC https://iw.toolforge.org/zonestamp/1769529600. These sessions focus exclusively on supporting the migration away from Blazegraph as the backend of the Wikidata Query Service (WDQS). *See the office hours page for details and future sessions. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Event:Blazegraph_Migration_Office_Hours_-_January_2026* - Art+Feminism online hands-on training session: Intro to Wikidata + Archives. January 29, 15:00 UTC (16:00 CET). Alan Ang (WMDE) https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:Alan_Ang_(WMDE) and d:User:Epìdosis https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:Ep%C3%ACdosis host this workshop on collective editing and how Wikidata connects with archives. More info and Zoom registration @ Art+Feminism.org https://artandfeminism.org/edit_a_thon/intro-to-wikidata-archives - OpenStreetMap X Wikidata Meetup #85 February 9 Time: 19:30-21:00 UTC+8 at Mozilla Community Space Taipei (Q61752245) https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61752245. - Mapping Africa: Visualizing Knowledge and Communities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czndc9Ekzb8 - 28.01.2026, 16:00 UTC. Episode #54 of the WikiAfrica Hour explores the power of maps and geospatial data.
- General Registration is Open! 2026 Wikimedia Hackathon https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/OG6M6XHHTMO7G4VVB27C4ZUJDX4VLDLE/ - May 1-3, 2026
*Press, articles, blog posts, videos*
- Blogs: Wikidata replaces the CLARIN Concept Registry in the Component Registry https://forum.clarin.eu/t/wikidata-replaces-the-clarin-concept-registry-in-the-component-registry/1205 - Papers: - Analysis and Generation of Wikidata Descriptions Focusing on Bangla Language https://odr.chalmers.se/items/4b2db132-b688-4bb1-a84c-4e614b9f1916 - A rule-based Grammatical Framework resource grammar for Bangla generates accurate, consistent Wikidata descriptions across diverse entities, achieving over 99% coverage and enhancing low-resource language content in multilingual knowledge bases. By Mohammad, (2025). - Videos: - Fact-Checking with Wikidata by Philippe Saadé https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eT_VTTeaig4&pp=0gcJCTMBo7VqN5tD - a recording of the workshop hosted by DataTalks.Club in collaboration with User:Philippe Saadé https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:Philippe_Saade_(WMDE) - Wikimedia and Biodiversity Data: A Mutualistic Relationship in the Open Knowledge Ecosystem https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wXaHJ85g88A - Collaborative Cultural Heritage Geodata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHxq0YJU-OM, session 2 of SunoikisisDC's *Digital Approaches to Cultural Heritage*. Discusses how Wikidata is used and contributes data to the field of spatial and geographic technologies. - Wikimedia projects & smell-related content: WMUK Sandbox Session https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGK0qQ3hRkA - User:Lajmmoore https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:Lajmmoore describes how to add and model sensory experiences such as smell, to Wikidata.
*Tool of the week*
- Wikidata Property Creation Helper https://property-helper.toolforge.org/ is a tool by ArthurPSmith https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:ArthurPSmith. The tool takes a property proposal page and translates it into a QuickStatements batch (and then a second one for the examples) that a property creator can use to quickly create a new property.
*Other Noteworthy Stuff*
- Wikimedia Deutschland 2026 first quarter development plan has been published: Wikidata:Linked Open Data development plan https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Linked_Open_Data_development_plan . - *Job opening:* The Wikimedia Foundation is hiring a Wikidata Platform Backend Migration Specialist (contract position) to support backend migration work on the Wikidata Query Service. This role focuses on technical work related to the migration away from Blazegraph. If you're interested in the role or want to learn more, see the full job description and application details https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/wikimedia/jobs/7545685.
*Newest properties https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:ListProperties and property proposals https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Property_proposal to review*
- Newest General datatypes: - translates from https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14094 (language(s) that this person, company or organization translates works texts from) - translates into https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14095 (language(s) that this person, company or organization translates works and texts into) - Newest External identifiers: MAX username https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14092, CriticDB game ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14093, Finnish railway station code https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14096, Sketchfab model ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14097, Sketchfab channel ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14098, Sketchfab user ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14099, BRAHMS identifier https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14100, LegiStorm person ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14101, NHK Archives program ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14102, Polski Petersburg encyclopedia ID (Polish version) https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14103, Bercail ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14104, InterSportStats athlete ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14105, Erdős Problem number https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14106, Trismegistos editor ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14107, woordenlijst lemma ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14108, European Vehicle Number https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14109, CourtListener person ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14110, Australian National Kennel Council ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Property:P14111 - New General datatypes property proposals to review: incompatible type https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/incompatible_type (instances of this type or of its subclasses cannot be instances of that type nor of its subclasses) - New External identifier property proposals to review: KaraokeTexty.cz album ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/KaraokeTexty.cz_album_ID , Biographical encyclopedia of Maros County-ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/Biographical_encyclopedia_of_Maros_County-ID , ShotOnWhat film ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/ShotOnWhat_film_ID , Biographical Dictionary of British and Irish Architects 1800-1950 ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/Biographical_Dictionary_of_British_and_Irish_Architects_1800-1950_ID , CardCow.com publisher ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/CardCow.com_publisher_ID , Stockholms SL Realtidsinformation identificator https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/Stockholms_SL_Realtidsinformation_identificator , Lost Pubs Project ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/Lost_Pubs_Project_ID , Handball Base ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/Handball_Base_ID , Handballnews.pl person ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/Handballnews.pl_person_ID , SFDb förlaga-ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/SFDb_f%C3%B6rlaga-ID , RITVA company ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/RITVA_company_ID , RITVA corporate body ID https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/RITVA_corporate_body_ID , TC Infos network identifier https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/TC_Infos_network_identifier , French Trade Mark Number https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/French_Trade_Mark_Number
You can comment on all open property proposals https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Property_proposal/Overview!
*Did you know?*
- Query examples: Wikidata Items with a frequency (hertz) within human-hearing range https://w.wiki/Hbge (source https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Request_a_query#List_only_items_that_have_a_frequency_in_hertz_and_in_our_hearing_range ) - Schema examples: WikiProject Schemas: A tutorial https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Schemas/Tutorial - to create a simple ShEx schema and apply it to a set of Wikidata items. - Newest WikiProjects https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:WikiProjects : No Longer at the Margins - 2026 Hackathon https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_No_Longer_at_the_Margins/Hackathon_2026 - WikiProject Highlights: WikiProject Bahamas - list of buildings in Nassau https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Bahamas/buildings_in_Nassau - Newest database reports https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Database_reports: Entities missing a description https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntitiesWithoutDescription - choose a language and entity type (Item or Property) and generate a list of entities that have no description. - Showcase Items https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Showcase_items : Mount Kilimanjaro https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7296 - mountain massif in Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania - Showcase Lexemes https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Showcase_lexemes: мундштук (L130056) https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Lexeme:L130056 - Russian noun (mʊnʂˈtuk) meaning "mouthpiece (of a musical instrument)", "mouthpiece (of a pipe/cigar holder)", or "a horse's bit"
*Development*
- Mobile statement editing: - We started working on supporting editing of monolingual text statements - We continued working on supporting editing of geocoordinate and quantity statements - We are fixing display issues with date statements - We continued work on showing constraint violations - GraphQL: - The security review was finished, removing a blocker to deploying GraphQL support to Wikidata - We added pagination to querying items by statement properties or values - We are extending the labels of linked entities functionality to also let you get the descriptions of the Items linked in a statement - Wikidata integration in the other Wikimedia projects: We are continuing to investigate options for further reducing the amount of Wikidata changes in recent changes and watchlist on the other wikis to reduce the size of the database tables. - Wikidata Query Service: The Wikidata Platform team is continuing the evaluation of potential replacements for Blazegraph.
You can see all open tickets related to Wikidata here https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/maniphest/query/4RotIcw5oINo/#R. If you want to help, you can also have a look at the tasks needing a volunteer https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/project/board/71/query/zfiRgTnZF7zu/?filter=zfiRgTnZF7zu&order=priority .
*Weekly Tasks*
- Add labels, in your own language(s), for the new properties listed above https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Status_updates/Next#Newest_properties_and_property_proposals_to_review . - Contribute to the showcase Item and Lexeme above https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Status_updates/Next#Did_you_know? . - Govdirectory weekly focus countries: Albania https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Govdirectory/Albania and Kosovo https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Govdirectory/Kosovo - Summarize your WikiProject's ongoing activities https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Status_updates/Next#Did_you_know? in one or two sentences. - Help translate https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:LanguageStats or proofread the interface and documentation pages, in your own language! - Help merge identical items https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:Pasleim/projectmerge across Wikimedia projects. - Help write the next summary! https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Status_updates/Next
*· Previous issue https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Wikidata:Status_updates/Previous · JosefAnthony https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:JosefAnthony talk https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User_talk:JosefAnthony ·*
Idoko Joseph (JosefAnthony)
Wikimedia Volunteer | Open Knowledge Advocate
*View my contributions https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:JosefAnthony/Contributions*