ESEAP Conference 2024/Report/Meqqal

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Role

• Logistics Team Member
• Wiki Kent Club Member

ESEAP

Things I Learned and Experienced in the Conference

The Day Before Conference

Meqqal

On the day of our arrival which coincided with May 9, 2024, members of the logistics team including myself were assigned to take care of the ESEAP conference participant registration desk. Our tasks include sorting various products into totebags and sorting lanyards according to user categories. We are not alone in welcoming participants from various countries. The tasks we do become very easy when there is cooperation from various user groups, especially from Indonesia who help the logistics team. This has allowed us to get to know each other and become closer to each other.

That night, a Welcome Sunset Reception & Dinner and Cultural performance was held to welcome the arrival of all participants. That night became quite a beautiful night because I members of Wikimedia Malaysia who have become friends and Wikimedian family were able to gather again.

First Day

On the first day, from as early as 8:00 am to 10:00 am, participant registration was still open. Therefore, I was assigned to manage the registration counter even though the conference had already begun with the Opening Ceremony. Despite this, I did not see it as a loss because I was still able to contribute my time and effort to the conference as a member of the logistics team.

On the first day, I finally got to attend the conference after the registration session ended. I was assigned to be a technical assistant and timekeeper in the Mahua room. During my duties, I learned a bit about the Regional Grants Committee and ESEAP Partnerships.

Additionally, I had the opportunity to learn how a teacher uses Wikipedia as a learning resource in high school. This method is actually very suitable because Wikipedia can be a source of knowledge that provides information for free and is written based on research and neutral views. I was also intrigued by the question, “how to make Wikipedia a learning resource at the elementary school level?”

In the afternoon, I learned about Wikidata presented by Pru Mitchell. This was my first time learning about Wikidata, so I focused more on learning the basics, such as how to create a new page, even though the topic presented was "The language of education in the ESEAP region."

In the evening, we went to the Cultural Village Trip, also known as Mari-mari Village. There, I learned about the history, culture, and traditions of the ethnic groups in Sabah, such as the Dusun, Bajau, and Murut. I took several pictures as contributions to the Wikimedia Commons project.

Party

Second Day

Today, I continued my duties as a member of the logistics team, where I was responsible for ensuring that both YouTube and Zoom were set up properly with clear audio so that viewers using these platforms received clear information. While carrying out my tasks, I continued to learn and understand new things in every room I was in. For example, during the lightning talk session H1 in the Timpohon room, I learned many things such as creating a Wiki Club in a University, as was the case with WikiKentClub.

I have joined many talk and lecture but there is only one thing that attrack me, that is "Looking to the Future" session where Wikimedians from several countries and communities presented on the development and future of various projects, such as Malay Wikipedia and Wikibanua, discussing how to unite the community and other projects.

In the evening, all the Wikimedians partied on the top floor of the building where we enjoyed a Live Band, Karaoke Party, Dinner Buffet, and Game Session. Although we were tired from the day's activities, this party successfully revived my spirit and allowed me to build closer relationships with other Wikimedians.

Last Day

Last day

As early as 7:00 in the morning, our ESEAP group was ready to walk to the nearby Gaya Street Sunday Market for a Photowalk activity. This activity was conducted to collect pictures related to the culture and beauty of Kota Kinabalu, which is rich in art and culture. The photos taken were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons.

One meaningful talk that I learned from was about Wikidata, presented by Wikimedia Indonesia. They shared about the pedagogical challenges in teaching Wikidata as a tool. This talk also discussed how to teach others about Wikidata in a better and more comprehensible way.

In addition, another interesting project for me was the OpenStreetMap project, where we input data into this project to complete information about a place or a building. Information from Wikidata can be included in this project, but unfortunately, information from OpenStreetMap cannot be entered into Wikidata due to validity issues. I have applied this project and intend to input data about my village into it.

At the end of the conference in the Timpohon Room, I participated in a discussion about the future of ESEAP, such as which country will host ESEAP in the coming year. This session taught me many new things about the workflow and operations of ESEAP, where all decisions are made collectively, taking many factors into consideration.

Conclution and Plan After Conference

Throughout the ESEAP conference, I have learned many important things that I will share with my close friends, especially with fellow members of the Kent Wiki Club. The new knowledge I have gained from this new project will surely enable our club to become a more advanced club while also reviving our mother tongue as a daily language.

I have also learned a lot about how to be an organizer at an international conference. There are many important aspects such as safety, logistics, PA system, management, and many other considerations that need to be addressed. Although this is my first time participating in ESEAP and my first time being an organizer, the experiences I have had will be useful for me in the long term and beneficial in various upcoming Wikimedia activities.

Therefore, after this conference, I will continue to maintain my momentum to remain active in contributing and providing support. I will also use what I have learned as a stepping stone for the Kadazandusun language and the Kent Wiki Club to further develop our mother tongue. Among other things, I will be active in Wikidata and share my knowledge about it.

Suggestion

• One of my improvement suggestions is that a briefing should be conducted before the conference, especially for organizers who have not previously experienced or managed an international program of this scale.

• Additionally, the schedule for this conference was very tight and somewhat disorganized, with many timing changes. Therefore, the discipline of presenters and time management needs to be improved.

Thank you

I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Wikimedia for organizing such a wonderful conference where I was able to learn and gain very important experiences. I am also grateful for the support given to the Kent Wiki Club in various aspects, especially in supporting the development and digitization of the Kadazandusun language. I appreciate being chosen as a member of the logistics team despite my lack of experience and knowledge. Lastly, I want to thank all the members and participants of ESEAP 2024 who have helped and shared knowledge in the development of fellow Wikimedians.