Wikimedia-l March 2025

wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org

49 participants
37 discussions

Resilience to executive orders and American government censorship
by James Campbell 27 Apr '25

27 Apr '25

Does the Wikimedia foundation have a statement or announcement on any plans they have to ensure Wikipedia still stays accurate and any attempts to remove information in order to comply with any requests by American government won’t happen ? I not that the HQ of Wikipedia is in America and so it would be subject to any executive order request, just as the smithothian museums have been The whole world is watching James

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2025 Wikimedia Hackathon - registration is now open
by Deb Tankersley 01 Apr '25

01 Apr '25

*Registration for the 2025 Wikimedia Hackathon is now open! * *(with apologies for cross-posting)* The annual Wikimedia Hackathon <https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Hackathon_2025> is organized by the Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/> in collaboration with Wikimedia User Group Turkey (WMTR) <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Turkey> and will be taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 2nd through May 4th, 2025 at the Renaissance Polat Istanbul Hotel <https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/istrn-renaissance-polat-istanbul-hote…> . The Hackathon is an on-site, in-person event. Those people who cannot attend the Hackathon in-person will be able to follow some of the program content online, but should not register using the link provided below. More information will be provided closer to the event on how to participate remotely. Registration will be open until mid April 2025, or until we reach event capacity. The Hackathon event is free for all* to attend *and each person that attends the Hackathon is required to register. - Catering (lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks) will be provided during the event. - Covid-related equipment will also be available upon request (e.g. self test kits and masks). - We’ll have discounted room codes for those that want to stay at the hotel venue, to be announced in the coming weeks. - Check if your passport is up to date and if you will need a visa (or an e-visa) to travel to Turkey, citizens of most countries can apply for an e-visa online <https://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa>. Participants are expected to book their own travel arrangements and accommodation. However, the Wikimedia Foundation is offering to take care of travel and accommodation for a limited number of scholars and you will be able to apply for a scholarship during the registration process. Scholarship applicants - please note: - *Scholarship application and Wikimedia Foundation staff sponsorship will only be available to request until December 10th, 2024. * - Priority will be given to scholars who can mentor or support in areas of high demand and staff with ambitious or impactful projects. - Those that have requested a scholarship or sponsorship will be notified by mid to late December 2024 about the status of their application. - All scholarships provided will adhere to the WMF travel policy <https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Scholarship_travel_policy> guidelines. *Scholarship to this event will cover:* - Roundtrip airfare between your city of residence and Istanbul, Turkey - arriving on May 1, 2025 and departing on May 5, 2025. - Private accommodation at the conference hotel for up to 4 nights - Medical Insurance Coverage for any scholars traveling outside of their home country. (Scholars local to Turkey will need to use their regular insurance coverage.). - Airport transfers between the Istanbul Airport (IST) and the conference hotel. - All meals will be provided for the duration of the event (lunch, drinks, snacks, and dinner will be provided on event days; breakfast will be provided by the hotel for guests staying there). In addition, dinner will be provided on Thursday before the Hackathon officially kicks off. - Fees associated with obtaining a visa to travel to Turkey (visa application fees, and travel to in-person travel visa appointment (if needed)). - Citizens of most countries can apply for an e-visa online <https://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa>. *Scholarship to this event will not cover:* - Per diem costs on travel days. - Ground transportation costs between your residence and home airport. - Insurance for your personal possessions. The Hackathon registration form runs on Pretix (a free, open-sourced third-party platform that helps organize and manage events) which may subject your data to additional terms <https://pretix.eu/about/en/privacy>. For more information on WMF’s privacy and data-handling for the Hackathon, please read the privacy statement <https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Legal:Wikimedia_Hackathon_Privacy_Sta…> . <https://pretix.eu/wikimedia/hackathon2025> If you encounter any issues while registering, or have questions about the registration process, feel free to contact the coordination team at hackathon(a)wikimedia.org. Cheers, Deb -- deb tankersley (she/her) developer outreach program management Wikimedia Foundation

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Wikipedians in Myanmar
by Jeromy-Yu Chan (Jerry~Yuyu) 01 Apr '25

01 Apr '25

Hello all It is quite a while for me to write to you in this list, and now I think I have something worth raising and breaking my long silence here. You may hear from the news of the terrible earthquake in Myanmar today. In private discussions with Wikipedians friends in our region, we notice in Myanmese Wikipedia, there was long silence without any "local" edits. So we wonder if WMF staff, relevant hubs or volunteer communities have better information about the well-being of the Myanmese Wikipedians. I doubt we have big plans for them, but I think any news about them is something we don't want to miss. During my time leading the Wikimania 2013, I did initiate a search of Myanmese Wikipedia in Myanmar and even secure one of them to visit us during the conference with external sponsorship. So I think I have some position to raise this issue. I hope everyone in our community in Myanmar and Thailand is safe and sound, and we pray for them. BR, Jeromy Jeromy-Yu Chan, Jerry Yuyu on Wikipedia Usually as Jeromyu on other SNS

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Global trends and strengthening Wikipedia’s neutral point of view
by Nataliia Tymkiv 31 Mar '25

31 Mar '25

This message is being translated into other languages on Meta-wiki. ‎ ‎العربية • español • français • português • 中文 You can help with more languages. <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/Glob…> Dear all, Maryana and I wanted to draw your attention to this Diff post from the Wikimedia Foundation [1]. It reflects work that has been done – beginning in 2022 – to identify the global trends that the Foundation and our movement as a whole need to address in asking what the world most needs from us now. To support the Wikimedia communities and reaffirm our commitment to neutrality, the Wikimedia Foundation will convene a working group of active editors, Trustees, researchers, and advisors to explore recommendations for common standards for policies on neutral point of view (NPOV) [2] for the Wikimedia projects that can protect Wikipedia, increase the integrity of all projects, and equip the volunteers trusted to administer these policies with more support. There is more information below and ways for how to contribute. You can also find this information on Meta [3]. == Global trends== This year, one of the global trends that has generated significant conversation within and beyond the Wikimedia movement relates to neutrality: how trust in information online is declining and a fragmentation of consensus about what information is true. Some believe that the world has become more complex, and people are more divided than ever. As threats to neutrality appear to be on the rise globally, NPOV [2] policy is needed now more than ever. This core principle has served Wikipedia extremely well, and has become even stronger over nearly a quarter century of volunteer contributions. How this principle of neutrality translates into NPOV policy varies across the Wikimedia projects, highlighting an opportunity for communities to learn from each other; and to explore whether common global standards for neutrality can better protect the projects (and volunteers) in an environment of expanded threats and growing regulation. Like all policies, NPOV has been refined over 24 years with thousands of inputs across hundreds of languages. Throughout this evolutionary process of community discussion, the neutral point of view principle and its application remains fundamental to our model. == NPOV policies == A cursory review of NPOV policies across different language editions of Wikipedia at a recent community workshop [4] revealed variations, inconsistencies, and many opportunities for the different Wikimedia projects to learn from each other. Users with extended rights, those trusted by their communities with administering NPOV policies, described the challenges they face when these policies are unclear or underdeveloped in some languages or projects. As public trust in news sources declines [5], editors face evolving challenges in representing views from reliable sources fairly, proportionately, and without editorial bias. As you know well, Wikipedia’s integrity – especially on evolving and contentious topics – is safeguarded by robust community governance processes, for example, a policy on dispute resolution on English Wikipedia [6] (e.g., discussion protocols, oversight mechanisms, dispute resolution channels) that prioritise a fair and balanced approach. These well-documented standards are specifically designed to prevent undue influence and preserve an independent, nonprofit model that exists nowhere else at this scale. We have seen time and time again that volunteers have a strong track record of successfully managing neutrality on contentious subjects. Stronger community-led content moderation policies that are enforced primarily by local communities protect Wikimedia projects and Wikimedians alike. == Working group on global common standards == To support these essential self-governance mechanisms, this working group [3] will ask how more common standards for NPOV policies between Wikimedia projects can protect and improve the projects and support volunteers, building on the careful consideration that developed NPOV policies over the past two decades. The intent of the working group will be to facilitate knowledge sharing about community-led policies that have made Wikipedia a highly trusted resource around the world. This will incorporate feedback from work already underway to establish policies [7] and that reflects values shared by the global Wikimedia community. An initial set of recommendations, focused first on Wikipedia language editions, will be presented to the Wikimedia Foundation’s Board of Trustees at the upcoming June 2025 meeting, alongside approval of the Foundation’s plan and budget. == This needs all of us together == The world’s reliance on Wikipedia (and Wikimedia as a whole) continues to grow – from AI chatbots to search engines to voice assistants to content reusers across the internet. At a time when we are used (and needed!) more than ever, we must reinforce our core principles and sustain our shared values. Strengthening Wikipedia’s neutrality will make it even more trusted to deliver the content that billions of people rely on around the world. Contributions are welcomed by all who care about these topics within and beyond the Wikimedia movement, on this dedicated Meta page [3] or as part of the Foundation’s annual planning conversations [8]. Thank you all, Nat Tymkiv, Board Chair Maryana Iskander, CEO [1] https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/03/27/strengthening-wikipedias-neutral-poin… [2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Neutral_point_of_view [3] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2025-2026/… [4] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Annual_Planning_Community_Workshop_(March) [5] https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/people-are-turning-away-new… [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Dispute_resolution [7] https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/01/24/help-us-collect-examples-of-community… [8] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2025-2026/… Best regards, antanana / Nataliia Tymkiv Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees *NOTICE: You may have received this message outside of your normal working hours/days, as I usually can work more as a volunteer during weekend. You should not feel obligated to answer it during your days off. Thank you in advance!*

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Last Day to Upload for Wiki Loves Folklore – Submit Your Entries Now!
by Tiven Gonsalves 31 Mar '25

31 Mar '25

Dear Wikimedians, This is a kind reminder that today is the final day to upload your contributions for Wiki Loves Folklore 2025! If you’ve captured photos celebrating folk culture, traditions, rituals, festivals, cuisine, attire, or performing arts—now is the time to share them with the world by uploading them to Wikimedia Commons. 🔗 Upload your entries here: https://w.wiki/CtDW Your contributions help preserve and document our rich and diverse cultural heritage, and they may even get featured across Wikimedia projects globally. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the folklore celebration! Let’s make this final day count—submit before midnight! With warm regards, Wiki Loves Folklore International Team 📧 support(a)wikilovesfolklore.org 🌍 https://wikilovesfolklore.org/

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DCW Updates: Welcoming our New Executive Board
by Munazza Farooqui 31 Mar '25

31 Mar '25

Dear Wikimedians, My name is Munazza Farooqui, and I am privileged to be an integral part of Deoband Community Wikimedia [1], a recognized user group affiliate of the Wikimedia Foundation. As someone deeply involved in our community's initiatives, I am delighted to share important updates about our evolving structure and leadership. In November 2024, we conducted surveys and, based on the insights gathered, we decided to transition from a consensus-based operational model to an executive board governance structure. The newly formed board consists of five voting members and three non-voting advisory members. Our first board elections [2] were successfully conducted in March 2025, and we are pleased to welcome Ariba Shoaib, Samiya Ahmed, Peerzada Ikhlas and Faiz Anjum as members of our inaugural executive board. Their term will span three years, with the exception of Faiz, who will serve as an observer member for one year. As this marks our first-ever executive board, it will be chaired by Aafi, the founder of DCW, who holds the permanent founder seat on the DCW Board [3]. More details about our board members can be found in the official announcement [4] on our website. For any inquiries, our board can be reached at board(a)dcwwiki.org Please join me in congratulating our board members as we look forward to a stronger DCW and a thriving movement! -- Munazza Farooqui Deoband Community Wikimedia Links: ------ [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Deoband_Community_Wikimedia [2] https://dcwwiki.org/DCW_Board_Elections/2025 [3] https://dcwwiki.org/DCW_Board [4] https://dcwwiki.org/Announcing_the_members_of_the_first_DCW_Executive_Board

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Re: [African Wikimedians] Re: Join Wiki Mentor Africa Hackathon today!
by Onyinyechi Onifade 28 Mar '25

28 Mar '25

Hi, Apologies for that. Please use this link to join in: https://events.zoom.us/ev/AlqGIw4zLj5LEGkDtAcxanin9i-ICyAydbnaiTLTwW4hiyKTI… Let me know if the issues still persist. Thank you, On Fri, Mar 28, 2025 at 3:12 PM baname LARE <banamelare(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Hello. We've been outside since then and we can't get in touch. > > Le ven. 28 mars 2025, 11:41, Abasili Nkemjika Kingsley < > nk.abasili(a)unizik.edu.ng> a écrit : > >> Dear Wikimedians, >> >> You're invited to join our Wiki Mentor Africa Hackathon taking place >> today at 2pm UTC. 473 registered participants and 6 satellite events in 6 >> countries across Africa. (DRC, Côté d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin Republic, Kenya >> and Cameroon. >> >> Le jour J est enfin arrivé. Notre hackathon Wiki Mentor Africa a lieu >> aujourd'hui à 14h UTC. 473 participants sont inscrits et 6 événements >> satellites sont prévus dans 6 pays d'Afrique. (RDC, Côté d'Ivoire, Ghana, >> République du Bénin, Kénya et Cameroon). >> >> Join us to hack for Open Source. >> >> #WikiMentorAfrica #Hackathon #wmahackathon2025 >> >> Thank you and kind regards, >> Kingsley Nkem >> >> FOR: IGBO WIKIMEDIANS USER GROUP >> _______________________________________________ >> African-Wikimedians mailing list -- >> african-wikimedians(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> To unsubscribe send an email to >> african-wikimedians-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> > _______________________________________________ > African-Wikimedians mailing list -- > african-wikimedians(a)lists.wikimedia.org > To unsubscribe send an email to > african-wikimedians-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org >

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Join Wiki Mentor Africa Hackathon today!
by Abasili Nkemjika Kingsley 28 Mar '25

28 Mar '25

Dear Wikimedians, You're invited to join our Wiki Mentor Africa Hackathon taking place today at 2pm UTC. 473 registered participants and 6 satellite events in 6 countries across Africa. (DRC, Côté d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin Republic, Kenya and Cameroon. Le jour J est enfin arrivé. Notre hackathon Wiki Mentor Africa a lieu aujourd'hui à 14h UTC. 473 participants sont inscrits et 6 événements satellites sont prévus dans 6 pays d'Afrique. (RDC, Côté d'Ivoire, Ghana, République du Bénin, Kénya et Cameroon). Join us to hack for Open Source. #WikiMentorAfrica #Hackathon #wmahackathon2025 Thank you and kind regards, Kingsley Nkem FOR: IGBO WIKIMEDIANS USER GROUP

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Wiki Women’s Capacity Building Workshop – Episode 3
by Jemima Antwi 27 Mar '25

27 Mar '25

Hello everyone, It's happening tomorrow! Join us for the third episode of the Wiki Women’s Capacity Building Workshop, focusing on: Writing Articles About Indonesian Women Figures How to Use Non-English Sources Effectively in Wikipedia Articles Learn best practices for researching and writing about notable Indonesian women while improving the use of non-English sources to ensure accuracy and credibility. 📅 Date: Friday 28th March, 2025 🕒 Time: 4:00 UTC 📍 Join via Zoom : Wiki Women’s Capacity Building Workshop – https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83221643445 Do well to Register: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:2025_WikiWomen%27s_Usergroup_Capacity… Let’s work together to close the gender gap and elevate the stories of remarkable women! #WikiWomen #CapacityBuilding #Indonesia #Wikipedia #WomenInHistory

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Invitation to KWUG WikiConnect Discussion Hour 3
by Bharathesha A B 25 Mar '25

25 Mar '25

Hello Everyone, We are thrilled to invite you to the 3rd edition of the *KWUG WikiConnect Discussion Hour*, featuring our esteemed speaker, *Suyash Dwivedi <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Suyash.dwivedi>*! In this session, we’ll explore an engaging discussion on *Wiki Commons*, *Photo Walk Best Practices*, and much more. The discussion hour is scheduled for *Thursday, 26 March 2025, at 19:30 IST * 📍 *Venue:* https://meet.google.com/rng-ysnp-thu 🔗* Save your spot here:* https://w.wiki/DaBu We look forward to your participation in this inspiring conversation. Warm regards, *Bharathesha AlasandemajaluKaravali Wikimedians User Group*

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Wikimedia-l March 2025