This is so close to being a good thing and then it stumbles on the cultural imperialism of English. It's like they don't understand how this is a slap in the face of many who know the WMF would never do this in their language. Had it just left out that part it would have been great. Now it's like it goes against the entire point of a global movement because those who don't speak English will always be second class members. John S. Den tors 4 maj 2023 kl 13:11 skrev Andreas Kolbe <jayen466(a)gmail.com>om>:

*Dear all, * *My name is Olushola (User: Olaniyan Olushola). I am from Africa and have been a Wikimedia since 2014 and passionate about language. I co-lead the Oral History documentation of Nigerian indigenous languages ( see more about it **here* <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Language_Oral_History_Documentation_Project/Gallery> * ). *I am part and parcel of the working group for this Journalism Award. Together with other community members and some foundation staff, we have co-created the submission guidelines and award criteria, including that articles should be English language articles published in a major outlet. Everything regarding the rationale for this award is being done in consultation with members of our African communities, aligned with our goals to increase exposure for the work we love in the region and close knowledge gaps. One thing to mention is that articles about Africa, especially written by journalists with a local perspective, must be better represented in our language Wikipedias, including English. With this being a brand-new initiative, it was the best time to learn. It is a pilot, and we all see this as an experiment to draw more attention to journalists' important role as content creators on Wikipedia. You will agree that we need to celebrate existing journalism excellence that helps fill knowledge gaps online. The working group conferred, and since this is a pilot, we decided together that it was a good idea to consider the need to limit the scope to collect data and insights easily. We understand the sentiment behind language in Africa and beyond, and we always wanted to keep everything simple. We know that no language is superior to the other, so this is a pilot. From here, we will likely assess the impact we can have before scaling. We wish to expand this initiative with more regional volunteers should it succeed - and we hope it will. We already have more than a hundred entries! Thank you Shola _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org

Hi Lodewijk, In your reply to Olushola you said: "I hope you can perhaps also clarify whether 'in English' means that the original article has to be available in English, or that some translation should be available in English." As Shola hasn't provided any clarification on this, note that the FAQ[1] for the award states: Q: My article is in French, Portuguese, Swahili, or any other language that is not English. Can I submit a translated version? A: This year’s awards are focused on articles published in English. We are *not accepting translated articles*. Best regards, Andreas [1] https://wikimediafoundation.org/our-work/open-the-knowledge/journalism-awar… On Thursday, May 4, 2023, effe iets anders &lt;effeietsanders(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: African communities that should be the judge of what shape works best for an award like this. Out of curiosity, as a way for us all to learn and maybe for Africans among us who want to participate in this conversation that you refer to, could you link to where this conversation/consultation is happening? original article has to be available in English, or that some translation should be available in English. I think the former would be much more restrictive than the latter, especially if some translation resources (including community resources) are available. olaniyanshola15(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: have been a Wikimedia since 2014 and passionate about language. I co-lead the Oral History documentation of Nigerian indigenous languages ( see more about it here ). I am part and parcel of the working group for this Journalism Award. Together with other community members and some foundation staff, we have co-created the submission guidelines and award criteria, including that articles should be English language articles published in a major outlet. consultation with members of our African communities, aligned with our goals to increase exposure for the work we love in the region and close knowledge gaps. by journalists with a local perspective, must be better represented in our language Wikipedias, including English. attention to journalists' important role as content creators on Wikipedia. that helps fill knowledge gaps online. together that it was a good idea to consider the need to limit the scope to collect data and insights easily. We understand the sentiment behind language in Africa and beyond, and we always wanted to keep everything simple. We know that no language is superior to the other, so this is a pilot. From here, we will likely assess the impact we can have before scaling. it succeed - and we hope it will. guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org

I know there are cultures in the world that regard English as a litmus test with regards to whether or not you’re educated, and was wondering if that added a layer of nuance to the conversation. However, this changed my mind: Q: My article is in French, Portuguese, Swahili, or any other language A: This year’s awards are focused on articles published in English. We are *not accepting translated articles*. While I share Cunctators enthusiasm about the Working Group, the decision to not accept even a translated article has an exclusionary impact regardless of intent. From, Emily She/her On May 5, 2023, at 8:05 AM, The Cunctator &lt;cunctator(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: While I share the concerns expressed, I'm personally enthusiastic about the thoughtfulness and initiative of the Working Group. It might help to explicitly mention the awareness of these language issues in the public presentation of this effort. On Fri, May 5, 2023, 10:45 AM Andreas Kolbe &lt;jayen466(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org

*Dear all, * *My name is Olushola (User: Olaniyan Olushola). I am from Africa and have been a Wikimedia since 2014 and passionate about language. I co-lead the Oral History documentation of Nigerian indigenous languages ( see more about it **here* <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Language_Oral_History_Documentation_Project/Gallery> * ). *I am part and parcel of the working group for this Journalism Award. Together with other community members and some foundation staff, we have co-created the submission guidelines and award criteria, including that articles should be English language articles published in a major outlet. Everything regarding the rationale for this award is being done in consultation with members of our African communities, aligned with our goals to increase exposure for the work we love in the region and close knowledge gaps. One thing to mention is that articles about Africa, especially written by journalists with a local perspective, must be better represented in our language Wikipedias, including English. With this being a brand-new initiative, it was the best time to learn. It is a pilot, and we all see this as an experiment to draw more attention to journalists' important role as content creators on Wikipedia. You will agree that we need to celebrate existing journalism excellence that helps fill knowledge gaps online. The working group conferred, and since this is a pilot, we decided together that it was a good idea to consider the need to limit the scope to collect data and insights easily. We understand the sentiment behind language in Africa and beyond, and we always wanted to keep everything simple. We know that no language is superior to the other, so this is a pilot. From here, we will likely assess the impact we can have before scaling. We wish to expand this initiative with more regional volunteers should it succeed - and we hope it will. We already have more than a hundred entries! Thank you Shola _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org

Thanks a lot, Euphemia and Olushola, As someone who was involved in the discussions about this initiative, I believe it is a positive endeavor and there is no need to be concerned about language diversity with the chosen language. This project is a trial run, and the insights gained from its execution will guide future efforts that will include other languages like Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Luganda, and more. Best regards On Fri, 5 May 2023 at 11:28, Euphemia Uwandu &lt;sharpay136(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org

To me, this award is reaching well beyond the scope of what the Wikimedia community should be doing. It does not, to me, align with our Movement Strategy's recommendations <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Recommendations> nor their initiatives <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy/Initiatives>, nor the WMF 2023-2024 Annual Plan <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2023-2024>. Just because something might be positive for the world or our community does not mean we should do such. As a gay man, I appreciate all the literature awards for LGBT+ books, but I would not support such an award from the WMF or the community. Where would this stop? Is it in scope for us to give an award for scientific research? Social justice activism? Translation software? These could all be beneficial to our community, but I don't think it would be appropriate for us to take on those endeavors. In addition I am concerned this award will have negative effects on our fundraising. I would expect that some donors, if they found out we are awarding $3,500 to journalists in no way connected to our wikis, might be less likely to donate. I think this kind of thing has happened to other non-profits. We are stretched too thin enough already. I believe that we should stick to our core activities, which stem from the documents linked to above. Thanks, Paul User:Libcub On 2023-05-04 1:47 PM, Olushola Olaniyan wrote: *Dear all, * *My name is Olushola (User: Olaniyan Olushola). I am from Africa and have been a Wikimedia since 2014 and passionate about language. I co-lead the Oral History documentation of Nigerian indigenous languages ( see more about it **here* <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Language_Oral_History_Documentation_Project/Gallery> * ). *I am part and parcel of the working group for this Journalism Award. Together with other community members and some foundation staff, we have co-created the submission guidelines and award criteria, including that articles should be English language articles published in a major outlet. Everything regarding the rationale for this award is being done in consultation with members of our African communities, aligned with our goals to increase exposure for the work we love in the region and close knowledge gaps. One thing to mention is that articles about Africa, especially written by journalists with a local perspective, must be better represented in our language Wikipedias, including English. With this being a brand-new initiative, it was the best time to learn. It is a pilot, and we all see this as an experiment to draw more attention to journalists' important role as content creators on Wikipedia. You will agree that we need to celebrate existing journalism excellence that helps fill knowledge gaps online. The working group conferred, and since this is a pilot, we decided together that it was a good idea to consider the need to limit the scope to collect data and insights easily. We understand the sentiment behind language in Africa and beyond, and we always wanted to keep everything simple. We know that no language is superior to the other, so this is a pilot. From here, we will likely assess the impact we can have before scaling. We wish to expand this initiative with more regional volunteers should it succeed - and we hope it will. We already have more than a hundred entries! Thank you Shola _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org… To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org

These are interesting viewpoints indeed. I think the connection between these awards and Wikipedia (especially in the African continent) is clearly stated in the article. In fact, if it was me who was writing this press release I would have started that sentence with: - Most African Wikipedians struggle with adding content on the English/French Wikipedia because of lack of reliable references, and " *the awards recognise the essential role journalists play in creating well-researched articles that volunteer editors use as source materials to develop content on Wikipedia....*" Colleagues, you will agree with me that there's no one size fits all solution to fix our problems. We exist in a dynamic community where something that was perfectly fine a few years ago may not work today. I personally participated in the development of the MS2030 but I was also fully aware that the recommendations of the MS2030 are not a silver bullet or a formula to solve all our problems in the movement. It is our collective thinking that by implementing the recommendations, our movement will be in a better strategic position by year 2030 to address the issues stated in the MS2030. Now does that mean we should say NO to a pilot project that the WMF consulted us to try out help close the knowledge gaps in Africa because it's not part of the MS2030 which is our silver bullet to solving all our problems? I don't know you tell me colleagues. Best regards, Bobby Shabangu On Sat, 6 May 2023 at 11:08, Mrb Rafi &lt;mrbrafi1971(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: