Every year, hundreds of Wikimedians – the volunteers who make
Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects possible – come together to celebrate free
knowledge at the annual Wikimania global conference.
Now in its 17th edition, the conference looks different this year than it has in the past. As the COVID-19
pandemic continues to shape global convenings, Wikimania 2022 is, for the first time, a hybrid
event with opportunities for participants to come together virtually and in person
through more than 40 events around the world.
Taking place from 11-14 August, this year’s conference is co-organized by Wikimedia
volunteers and the Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit that supports Wikipedia
and Wikimedia projects.
The conference program includes over 120 sessions on a wide range of global topics,
including the annual Wikimedian of the Year awards, presented by Wikipedia Founder,
Jimmy Wales. The awards highlight volunteers who have gone above and beyond in
their contributions to Wikimedia projects and the wider free knowledge movement.
The conference was designed with global inclusion at the forefront, including a time–
zone friendly program, simultaneous live translation of sessions into 13 languages, and
thousands of attendees expected to join from around the world, with a majority
expected to be newcomers to Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects.
“This year’s Wikimania will be a celebration of the depth and diversity of our global
communities,” said Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation. “Wikimedia
projects offer access to reliable information across more languages than any other
platform or movement in the world. Wikimania is an opportunity to recognize this work
and to continue building – not only imagining – a world in which every single human
being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge.”
The theme of this year’s conference is the “festival edition.” After more than two years of
isolation and uncertainty amidst the global pandemic, this year’s Wikimania is meant to
spark levity, fun, and joy. The theme encourages Wikimedians to foster closer
connections with one another and celebrate what the free knowledge movement can
achieve next.
Saturday, 13 August, is the day of the conference which will highlight programming from
across the African continent at a time zone suitable for those in the region. Key
highlights of the programming include a South African traditional dance festival, a
celebration of Africa through the cultural heritage of the Igbo tribe of Nigeria, a session
highlighting youth participation, including African youth, in the Wikimedia movement, a
discussion on the strides Nigerian volunteers have taken to address climate issues
through Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects, and a look back at African Libraries’ Week.
Alongside the virtual program, there will be over 40 in-person events taking place all
over the world, organized by local Wikimedia affiliate groups. These events include
watch parties of the virtual conference, meetups, a Wiki World’s Fair, hackathons, edit–
a-thons, and cultural celebrations.
Venus Lui, Wikipedia volunteer and a member of the 2022 Wikimania Core Organizing
Team said, “I look forward to four days that strengthen and celebrate our growing
scope of content and community of volunteer editors. It will also be an opportunity to
dig into the many projects the community is working on to make free knowledge more
accessible and available than ever before – including the latest ways that we are
evolving our technology and our programs to bridge knowledge gaps.”
Wikimania 2022 highlights:
●The Wikimedian of the Year awards, led by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales. The
award recognizes exceptional volunteers in the movement across seven
categories.
●A panel session discussing examples of knowledge as a service and knowledge
equity, the two pillars of the strategic direction to guide the future of Wikipedia
and Wikimedia projects. Panelists include:
○Maryana Iskander, CEO, Wikimedia Foundation (moderator)
○Guillaume Paumier, Principal Program Manager, Wikimedia Foundation
(moderator)
○Dr. Nkem E. Osuigwe, Director of Human Capacity Development and
Training for the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions
(AfLIA)
○Olga Paredes, a Wikimedian in Bolivia working toward knowledge equity
○Lydia Pintscher, Product Manager, Wikidata
●Sessions evaluating the impact of Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects on the wider
invasion of Ukraine.
●Discussions centered on knowledge gaps in Wikimedia projects, led by volunteer
groups like Wiki Vibrance, Women in Red, and Arabic Wikimedia communities.
●Sneak-peeks and new technology improvements like the forthcoming changes
to the desktop version of Wikipedia, improvements to Wikipedia’s mobile
interfaces, and Wikifunctions, the newest Wikimedia project.
●Evaluations and lessons learned from collaborations between Wikimedians and
cultural institutions like the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative and
the African Libraries Week, produced with the African Library and Information
Associations and Institutions (AfLIA)
●Cultural and entertainment activities, including a session with Annie Rauwerda
who runs the Depths of Wikipedia social media accounts, musical and dance
performances, cultural festivals, and more.
Interested participants are welcome to review the full conference program and register
for Wikimania.
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