[Wikimedia Announcements] Wikimedia Foundation's 2010-11 Annual Report

The Wikimedia Foundation is happy to announce the release of the 2010-11 Annual Report, which is now posted on the WMF Wiki at http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Annual_Report to the meta-hosted wiki version. And for the first time, you can access translated 'summary' reports in 6 languages. Printed copies are being worked on right now (proofs being developed) and copies should be in the WMF office next week. This year we considerably expanded our multi-lingual effort by adding 6 translated 'summary' reports in Arabic, Japanese, French, German, Portugese, and Spanish. It's our first really visible multi-lingual communications product, and it took some serious coordination to time translation, design, production and wiki publishing. This year's report focusses on global celebrations around Wikipedia 10, our emerging work in India, the global education program, our mobile expansion efforts, and on our major engineering/product accomplishments and ambitions. We center the book around the amazing Arab Spring article, highlighting the inspiring quote from Wael Ghonim 'Our revolution is like Wikipedia...' The report is as much a story of the work and activities of our international community as it is a traditional report on the work of WMF through the year. We hope it's not construed as a report focussed on the work of WMF staff, rather a wide-ranging review of the work of chapters, volunteers, partners - individuals and other kinds of volunteers. We aim to enlighten the reader with the incredible range of activity and innovation in our movement - to take them beyond the idea that Wikipedia is simply text living on the web and show them a thriving and dynamic community. We also hope that the report can find an audience in those completely new to our projects and our movement. It should enlighten and deepen someone's understanding of what this world is about - spurning (requiring!) that they join us - whether as an editor, donor, partner or even employee. We open the book with the declaration 'the way the world tells its story' - an idea the report production team was fascinated by. Wikipedia grown to become the default place where all people are welcome to share their history, geography, cultures - the story of the world. The Arab Spring article stands in the center of this metaphor, a page that took shape in this extraordinary year and helped millions of people around the world develop a deeper, neutral, and timely understanding of the events that have changed the middle east and the world forever. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions. You can add comments along with the community on the meta wiki talk pages. Many thanks to the report production team: Tilman Bayer, design strategist David Peters, and our story consultant David Weir. Our communications intern AJ was also a big help. Mostly we owe huge thanks to the Wikimedians who made and shared the beautiful imagery in the book by posting it to Commons. This is an ambitious, 100% fueled-by-free-works project. I'd like to think it's one of the more unique and successful free culture printed works out there - and it wouldn't be possible without our community. Thanks and enjoy! -- Jay Walsh Head of Communications WikimediaFoundation.org blog.wikimedia.org +1 (415) 839 6885 x 6609, @jansonw