My Fellow Wikimedians,

*Scholarship applications *for Wikimania 2026 in Paris are now open! From *21–25 July 2026*, our global community will gather for the 21st edition of Wikimania, celebrating not only our shared mission of free knowledge but also the 25th anniversary of Wikipedia.

This year’s theme, “*Freedom, Equity, Reliability*”, is a powerful call to action. It’s about protecting knowledge, ensuring equity across communities, and strengthening the trust that makes our movement thrive.

If you’ve been contributing to Wikimedia projects, connecting our work with the wider open knowledge and culture ecosystem, or championing underrepresented voices, this is your moment. Scholarships cover travel, accommodation, registration, and limited travel medical insurance so you can focus on sharing, learning, and collaborating in the event.

Wikimania is a platform for transformative gatherings that strengthen our movement.

In the recent edition, some activities include:

*WikiWomen Summit* – A powerful convening that uplifts gender equity, amplifies women’s voices, and builds networks of support across Wikimedia communities.

*Convening Users with Extended Rights* – A collaborative space where administrators, stewards, and other advanced rights holders work together on safety, privacy, and policy tools, fostering trust and resilience across projects.

Let’s also think beyond the onsite gathering in Paris. The *Related Affiliate Events* program continues to be a valuable way for Wikimedia affiliates — chapters, user groups, and thematic organizations — to host local, national, and linguistic events tied to Wikimania. These could be watch parties, meetups, edit-a-thons, thematic workshops, or fully online gatherings such as video conferencing sessions that connect members across distances.

If you’re an active community member, now is the time to encourage your affiliate to explore how their existing budgets can be realigned to make these gatherings possible. Even modest reallocations can create meaningful spaces — physical or virtual — for connection, learning, and celebration, ensuring that Wikimania’s energy reaches far beyond the main venue.

Applications close on *31 October 2025*, with decisions announced in January 2026. Don’t hold back – tell your story, highlight your contributions, and include links to your work. Every voice matters, and yours could inspire others across the globe.

📌 Learn more and apply via the Wikimania 2026 Scholarships page ( https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2026:Scholarships) 📧 Questions? Reach out to the Scholarships Team at *wikimania-scholarships@wikimedia.org wikimania-scholarships@wikimedia.org*.

Let’s make Wikimania Paris a celebration of the diversity, creativity, and resilience of our movement — both in person and through vibrant local, online gatherings worldwide. I hope to see you there, not just as an attendee, but as a vital part of the story we’re writing together.

With encouragement,

Butch Bustria

On Wed, Sep 10, 2025, 11:35 PM Wikimania wikimania@wikimedia.org wrote:

Dear Wikimedians around the world,

We are delighted to announce that scholarship applications for Wikimania 2026 https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2026:Wikimania are now open! Join us 21–25 July 2026 in Paris, France, as we gather for the 21st edition of Wikimania, the annual celebration of free knowledge and the Wikimedia movement.

This year is extra special because we will celebrate the 25th anniversary https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_25of Wikipedia! Our theme “Freedom, Equity, Reliability” https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2026:Wikimania#Theme will guide us as we come together to protect knowledge, equity, and freedom.

Apply now for a Wikimania 2026 scholarship https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2026:Scholarships! Scholarships will cover travel, accommodation, registration, and limited travel medical insurance. Applications are open to candidates until October 31, 2025 (anywhere in the world). Notification of decisions will be sent in January 2026.

We encourage newcomers and Wikimedians working to connect our movement with the wider open knowledge and culture ecosystem to apply. Share your Wikimedia journey, highlight your contributions, and don’t forget to include links to your work.

Learn more and apply here: Wikimania 2026 Scholarships page https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2026:ScholarshipsQuestions? Contact the Scholarships Committee at: wikimania-scholarships@wikimedia.org.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Warmly, Afek Ben Chahed, Communications Lead, on behalf of the Wikimania 2026 Core Organizing Team

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