Hello all,
I am writing to let you know the Wikimedia Foundation has chosen to appoint Jacob Rogers, Associate General Counsel, to the Foundation advisory seat on the Universal Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee [1]. Jacob has been an attorney for the Foundation for over a decade, and in that time has helped to defend lawsuits against both the Foundation and community, as well as helped to advise on a wide range of Trust & Safety cases and policies. Jacob’s position will be to provide structured support and share his expertise regarding legal implications in a changing information environment.
The Universal Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee (U4C) [2] is a global group dedicated to providing an equitable and consistent implementation of the UCoC. For more information and the responsibilities of the U4C, you may review the U4C Charter [3].
Best regards,
Keegan Peterzell
Committee Support
Wikimedia Foundation
1. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Universal_Code_of_Conduct/Coordinating_Comm…
2. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Universal_Code_of_Conduct/Coordinating_Comm…
3. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Universal_Code_of_Conduct/Coordinating_Comm…
Dear Wikimedians,
Hope this message finds you well.
We are excited to announce that the WikiWomen Camp 2023
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiWomenCamp_2023> COT (India) is
organizing a 48-hour Marathon event to engage Wikimedia editors and
increase content in local languages. Unlike a month-long edit-a-thon, this
event will focus on intensively creating and enhancing content over a
focused 48-hour period.
The Marathon will take place in two phases:
1. Global Marathon:
We invite Wikimedia communities and Wikimedians from around the world to
participate in creating content in their respective languages. The event
will span 48 hours, with participants contributing to various Wikimedia
projects such as Wikipedia, Wikisource, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons.
This collaboration will be a great opportunity for Wikimedians across
different countries to unite and work together on one shared goal:
increasing content related to women in local languages.
2. India Marathon:
In parallel, we will host a dedicated 48-hour Marathon in India, focusing
specifically on content related to women in local Indian languages. This
in-person event will bring together selected Wikimedians who will work in
shifts to ensure continuous editing throughout the 48 hours. For this
Marathon, we will primarily focus on Wikipedia, Wikisource, and Wikidata.
The editing hours will be divided into shifts—each group will contribute
for 6-8-hour blocks, allowing for smooth transitions and maximizing
participation. Project leads from various Indian Wikimedia communities will
be selected. The leads will be responsible for designing the event and
setting the criteria for content creation.
This announcement is intended to keep you informed and involved as we
finalize the event details. We will share further updates soon, including
specific participation instructions and how you can get involved.
We hope to see your enthusiastic participation in this exciting initiative.
Together, we can make a significant impact by creating and improving
content that amplifies the voices of women in local languages.
Looking forward to your involvement!
Regards,
WikiMarathon 2025 Team
Hello Wikimedians!
This year, Filipino Wikimedians and affiliates, through the *Wiki Advocates
Philippines User Group* are hosting the Wikimedia ESEAP Strategy Summit in
Manila <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/ESEAP_Strategy_Summit_2025> on May
23-25, 2025. This strategic conversation is directed to:
- Provide an avenue for follow-up and status review of the current ESEAP
Region’s strategic direction based on the previous Summits’ conversations.
- Create open and engaging community discussions and nurture future
cross-cultural collaborations among countries in the ESEAP Region.
- Become a venue for community members to have a conversation with some
of the members of Movement Strategy Working Groups so they could guide
participants on matters or concerns that surfaced in their working group
conversations in general and scoping documents in particular. This includes
but is not limited to, providing clarifications, giving sample future
scenarios, and sharing their work experience in their designated working
groups.
- Develop a support structure for Wikimedia communities and volunteers
in organizing, volunteer engagement, and technical challenges.
We encourage recognized affiliates, community organizers, volunteer
Wikimedians, and *anyone from the ESEAP Region* who shares these global
Movement goals to join us in these conversations. To ensure meaningful
participation, we would appreciate prior knowledge on:
- ESEAP Hub, including its mission and vision;
- Wikimedia projects and the broader Wikimedia movement goals;
- Knowledge of the role of volunteers and organizations; and
- Content contribution to the wiki projects and initiating outreach
activities
To learn more about Wikimedia ESEAP Strategy Summit, you may visit this
page: *Wikimedia ESEAP Strategy Summit Manila Scholarship Process
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/ESEAP_Strategy_Summit_2025/Scholarships>.*
The deadline for application is on *February 9, 2025*.
Feel free to reach out to us or at *eseapsummit(a)wikimedia.org*
<eseapsummit(a)wikimedia.org> for your questions or clarifications.
We look forward to your participation in shaping the future of our region
and movement through the *ESEAP Strategy Summit 2025*!
Best,
*Imelda Brazal*
Executive Director
Wiki Advocates Philippines User Group
Hi everyone,
We're excited to announce the release of the *February 2025 issue of
the CEE Newsletter*! Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue
of the Newsletter.
Read the Newsletter here
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CEE/Newsletter/February_2025>
*In This Issue:*
- *International Updates:* Stay informed with the "Wikimedia
International Update Corner", covering current global contests and
upcoming conferences in 2025.
- *CEE in the News:* Discover notable mentions of CEE region activities
in "This month in Education" and "This month in GLAM" newsletters.
- *Reader's Digest:* Catch up on the latest insights and stories from
around the globe with the "Reader’s Digest".
- *Open calls and consultations: *Voice your opinion! These topics are
open to discussion. Also, please take a look at the open calls and apply!
- *Updates from Communities:* Here are just a few of the highlights:
- *Interviews: *In this newsletter you can find two interviews, one
with Claudia Şerbănuţă, one of the #1Lib1Ref 2025 organisers and
volunteers
from the Wikimedians of Romania and Moldova user group and one with Annie
Rauwerda, influencer, founder of Depths of Wikipedia instagram
channel and
future non-fiction book writer. Additionally, we have another
article from
Romania, where students shared their opinion after their
involvement in the
pilot-programme at their faculty.
*Reflections: *You can learn more about involvement of the Czech
seniors, to review the results of the Wiki Loves Monument in Russia for
2024, and also to read more about 5 biggest projects & 5 new initiatives
for Wikimedia Ukraine in 2024.
- *Announcements: *We already mentioned the Youth Conference, but
apart from this announcement, we had an article about the global
Wiki Loves
Ramadan contest, which will be held from February 25 to April 15, 2025.
We hope you enjoy this issue and find inspiration in the diverse stories
and impactful work being done by our CEE communities. Thank you for being a
part of our journey toward promoting free knowledge and collaboration.
You can read the full newsletter here
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CEE/Newsletter/February_2025> (for the
Russian version, click here
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CEE/Newsletter/February_2025/ru>). We hope
you enjoy the inspiring stories and achievements showcased by our
vibrant CEE communities.
Happy reading!
Toni Ristovski | Тони Ристовски
*CEE HUB | Program Officer*
Tel. +389 72 565 409
Web. www.wmceehub.org
*For French and Arabic, scroll down please. *
Dear Wikimedians,
To continue the Wiki In Africa
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_In_Africa> mission to encourage
access to, awareness of, and support for open knowledge in Africa and all
Wikimedia communities, we are organising an ISA campaign to improve images
related to Africa in the field of climate and weather.
More than 13000 images were uploaded in Wiki Loves Africa: Climate & Weather
<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2023> which
was organised in 2023 to capture climatic and atmospheric conditions and
uploaded those images under free license. Now, it is time to improve the
description of these images to increase their searchability and
accessibility using the ISA tool.
ISA Tool
ISA <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:ISA_Tool>is a fun,
multilingual tool that enables you to add structured data to images on
Wikimedia Commons. This improves the accessibility and searchability of
content.
Duration of the campaign:
From 1st to 28th February 2025
Prizes:
Internet bundle or Amazon gift cards worth $50 for 1st prize and $25 for
second prize.
How to join?
This video explains how to edit on ISA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLsUqDnsNKo
Then go to the campaign link <https://isa.toolforge.org/campaigns/373>and
start your play!
#PlayISA
#WikiLovesAfrica
Cheers,
.............................................
Chers Wikimédiens,
Afin de poursuivre la mission de Wiki In Africa
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_In_Africa>qui consiste à encourager
l'accès, la sensibilisation et le soutien à la connaissance ouverte en
Afrique et dans toutes les communautés Wikimedia, nous organisons une
campagne ISA pour améliorer les images liées à l'Afrique dans le domaine du
climat et de la météorologie.
Plus de 13 000 images ont été téléchargées dans le cadre de Wiki Loves
Africa : Climate & Weather
<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2023> qui a
été organisé en 2023 pour capturer les conditions climatiques et
atmosphériques et télécharger ces images sous licence libre. Il est
maintenant temps d'améliorer la description de ces images afin d'augmenter
leur capacité de recherche et leur accessibilité à l'aide de l'outil ISA.
L'outil ISA
ISA <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:ISA_Tool>est un outil
amusant et multilingue qui vous permet d'ajouter des données structurées
aux images sur Wikimedia Commons. Cela permet d'améliorer l'accessibilité
et la facilité de recherche du contenu.
Durée de la campagne :
Du 1er au 28 février 2025
Prix à gagner :
Un forfait Internet ou des cartes-cadeaux Amazon d'une valeur de 50 $ pour
le premier prix et de 25 $ pour le deuxième prix.
Comment participer ?
Cette vidéo explique comment participer à ISA :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLsUqDnsNKo
Allez ensuite sur le lien de la campagne
<https://isa.toolforge.org/campaigns/373> et commencez à jouer!
https://bit.ly/WLA23_ISA
Bien à vous,
......................................................
أعزائي الويكيميديين
مواصلةً لمهمة ويكي في أفريقيا
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_In_Africa> لتشجيع الوصول إلى المعرفة
المفتوحة في أفريقيا وجميع مجتمعات ويكيميديا والتوعية بها ودعمها، ننظم حملةً
في ويكي في أفريقيا لتحسين الصور المتعلقة بأفريقيا في مجال المناخ والطقس.
رُفِعَت أكثر من 13000 صورة في مسابقة ويكي تهوى أفريقيا: المناخ والطقس
<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Africa_2023> التي
نُظِّمَت في عام 2023 لالتقاط الظروف المناخية والجوية وتحميل تلك الصور بموجب
ترخيص حر. والآن حان الوقت لتحسين وصف هذه الصور لزيادة إمكانية البحث عنها
والوصول إليها باستخدام أداة إيسا.
أداة إيسا
إيسا <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:ISA_Tool>هي أداة ممتعة
ومتعددة اللغات تمكنك من إضافة بيانات منظمة إلى الصور على ويكيميديا كومنز.
وهذا يحسن من إمكانية الوصول إلى المحتوى وإمكانية البحث فيه.
مدة الحملة:
من 1 إلى 28 فبراير 2025
الجوائز
باقة إنترنت أو بطاقات هدايا من أمازون بقيمة 50 دولارًا للجائزة الأولى و25
دولارًا للجائزة الثانية.
كيف تنضم؟
يشرح هذا الفيديو كيفية التعديل على إيسا (باللغة الإنجليزية):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLsUqDnsNKo
ثم انتقل إلى رابط الحملة <https://isa.toolforge.org/campaigns/373> وابدأ
اللعب!
#PlayISA
#WikiLovesAfrica
تحياتي
Donia - دنيا
Dear wikimedians,
Nearly one year ago, the Graphs extension was disabled from all wikis, because there was a security issue that should be solved (https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T334940). A wide team from the WMF worked on a solution for some weeks, but after Northern Hemisphere spring ended, summer came, then the monsoon season, and now it is again summer in the Southern Hemisphere... and Graphs are still disabled. All the solutions proposed have been dismissed, but every two months there's a proposal to make a new roadmap to solve the issue. We have plenty of roadmaps, but no vehicle to reach our destination.
Seven years ago, we were discussing our Strategy for 2030. We used thousands of volunteer hours, thousands of staff hours and millions of dollars to build a really well-balanced strategy. There we concluded that "By 2030, Wikimedia will become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge". We also made some recommendations to improve the User Experience (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Recommendations/Improve_U…) and claimed that we wanted to Innovate in Free Knowledge (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Recommendations/Innovate_…). Well, the situation is now worse than it was seven years ago, let me give some examples:
* Graph extension is used in thousands of pages, some of them highly relevant, as COVID or Climate Change information. There are thousands of graphs broken now, and the only partial solution give is loading these graphs as images, instead of promoting an interactive solution.
*
Meanwhile, a place like Our World in Data has been publishing data and interactive content with a compatible license for years. (Remember, "By 2030, Wikimedia will become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge"). Trying to add this data and graphs to Wikimedia projects has been done by WikiMed, and it is technically possible, but still blocked to deploy (https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T303853).
* Wolfram Alpha is like a light year ahead us on giving interactive solutions to knowledge questions, even the silliest ones (https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=how+many+oranges+fit+in+the+Earth%3F). We have good technical articles about a lot of things, but sometimes "becoming the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge" needs to provide solutions to exact problems, like the answer to an equation, and how to solve it. That's also "free knowledge".
*
Brilliant (https://brilliant.org/) is brilliant if you want to learn lots of things, like geometry or programming. Way better than Wikipedia. But... you need to pay for it. How could we even try if we can't add anything interactive to our platforms?
* We can build interactive timelines using Wikidata, but we can't embed them at Wikipedia. Weird, because I can do it in any external page. Hopefully, Histropedia will do it better. http://histropedia.com/<http://histropedia.com/>
* We could have something very special: inline links in video and audio subtitles. We used to have them, but the new video infrastructure doesn't allow it. Imagine a world where you can watch a video and link a link in the subtitles just to know more about that.
* ...
The list can go on an on ("which phase the moon is today?"), but I think that the idea is clear. We could have interactive content, but we are going in the opposite direction, and every year we are further from our goal, because other platforms are doing it better, way better. And this seems like some wild ideas, but then I read the 2023-2024 annual plan section called "Wiki Experiences" (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2023-2024/…) and it looks like we should be going there. But we aren't.
I'm sorry if this e-mail feels bitter. My experience in the last years is that we are now further of what we need that we were before, even if many chapters and volunteers are trying to overturn it.
Thank to everyone who have been trying.
Galder