Press release:

First Wikipedia Day at ETH Zurich

Zurich, June 12th 2006 - Even though it exists just since five years the free online encyclopedia "Wikipedia" is known to many internet users throughout the world. These days there will be a presentation to the interested public in Switzerland. Talks and Workshops will be offered at the Wikipedia Day Saturday, June 17th from 10 AM to 6 PM at the ETH Zurich. Especially people with non-IT-background and occassional internet users are invited.

The GEP pavillon at the top station of the Polybahn is open all day for people who would like to learn more about the Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. One subject will be the usage of Wikipedia in school and science. Prof. Dr. Betrand Meyer (Referent of Software Development at ETH Zurich) and Prof. Dr. Beat Döbeli Honegger (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz) will hold talks on this. Additionally to further talks there will take place a panel discussion about Free Knowledge on the programme. All visitors are invited to make their first edits at the free encyclopedia. The best article will be awarded at the Writing Contest.

This first public event is organised by Wikimedia CH, Association for the Advancement of Free Knowledge - which was found at May 14th at Olten and is under the patronage of VIS - Verein der Informatik-Studierenden der ETH Zürich. This is also the first Wikipedia event in Switzerland, at the same day Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. hosts at Goettingen the "Wikipedia Academy".

For further information look at http://wikimedia.ch/wikipedia-day-2006/lang-pref/en/ .