Grants:Conference/WikiConference India 2023/Report

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Outcomes and Impact

Thanks for bringing value back to the Wikimedia movement by sharing in this report. Everything you learned during your project is useful knowledge to offer future Wikimedians planning similar work.

In this first section you are asked to reflect on your initial goals and the impact the event had on your community. Remember there is no right or wrong answer. Even if your goals have changed over time, or the impact was different than what you expected. Feel free to share your long or short answer - we are happy to hear whatever you have to share.

Priorities	Activities during the conference	2 months after the conference
Strategic Discussions: Before the conference there was not any common platform where South Asia community members were interacting with each other. The theme of the conference was Strengthening the Bonds to bridge this gap. Before the conference, community calls were started to bring, involve and engage South Asia communities together.	Affiliates Strategy Session: The Board of Trustees Community Affairs Committee liaisons to the Affiliation Committee were seeking inputs from affiliates about how the Foundation should structure its overall strategy for the affiliate ecosystem. The outreach was tailored to the needs of individual affiliates, and the participating affiliate representatives were invited to join live conversations to provide guided input. Engagement and Growth panel: The panel aimed at identifying strategic opportunities for the region including stable partnerships, areas of growth, role of technology and engagement with different communities that are pursuing the common mission. Wikimedia Foundation APP conversation - Focus on collaboration with SA Communities: The conference was used to host the only in person and one of the largest Annual PLanning conversations by the WMF. The panelists shared the plans and priorities of WMF in the upcoming FY and had an interactive and open session with the audience on their plans/priorities. This became a space for the South Asian communities to get more familiar with the plans and find alignment.	The open community calls are still going on and the aim of the calls is to create a platform where the South Asian communities can meet regularly and continue collaborating. As the discussion was organized in person, and facilitated by AffCom staff liaisons, AffCom members and BoT liaisons, the engagement was a lot better than other discussions in online spaces. The affiliates have formed a telegram group and continue using the group for discussions regarding challenges, organized activities and highlights. Movement strategy was not identified as a priority for the program design, it led to the organizers planning an entire cohort on strategy for WikiWomenCamp. The designed behavioral expectations and guidelines were used as a reference by EduWiki organizers to design the EduWiki Conference’s Friendly space policy.
Capacity Building: Were there any important skills that your community wanted to learn at this conference?	Panel discussion and learning sessions with active Wikimedia Commons contributors Training around Digital Safety Support provided to emerging language communities Discussion around sister projects Renewed interest in Wikimedia projects that had become inactive (Angika WIkipedia) Advocating for Wikimedia projects that have not been highlighted before (Kashmiri Wikipedia)	Initiation of Project Pragati, inspired from Project Korikath. Growing momentum in building communities across small languages such as Gondi and Kolami Participation of Indic Wikimedians in international events as speakers (Hack-a-thon, Education Conference) Increased engagement on learning platforms initiatives by affiliates (Deoband Community Wikimedians, CIS-A2K, WMF) Revival of community led partnerships discussion such as Tamil Virtual Library Collaboration Formation of an interest group to engage and cultivate Women leadership Setting up of the good practice of publishing annual reports on public mailing lists and inviting feedback Exploring opportunities to formalise association with Wikimedia volunteers. Ongoing efforts to register as not-for-profit organisations, various models of association and governance to ensure continuous support towards their community members. Translation of modules and addition of content on Wikilearn platform for the benefit of community members.

Did your event have any impact that you did not expect, positive or negative?

Yes. The following are the positive and negative impacts from the conference.

Positive Impact:

We did not expect that there would be such engaged participation from community members who joined the Wikimedia event in recent years. ~29% of the post-event survey respondents mentioned that they joined the Wikimedia movement after 2019.
WikiWomen Camp 2023 is being organized after WikiConference India 2023 with the support of the fiscal sponsor IIIT Hyderabad.

Negative Impact:

An unintended negative impact of the conference was that a mailing list thread post-conference was started questioning the role of WMF staff in this conference by a non-attendee. The WCI team created a page on Meta-Wiki in response to the questions raised.

Please tell us about the top 2-3 innovative (new to you and your community) or things you tried this conference.

WCI 2023 Safety and Inclusion Flyer

Open Community Calls: The idea of Open Community Call was conceived as an initiative to unite and empower Indic Wikimedians to collectively engage in meaningful discussions surrounding their work. The first Open Community Call took place in December 2022; they are scheduled to take place on a monthly basis, consistently occurring on Sundays. Participation is open to all Wikimedians. Although the initial community calls centered around sharing updates related to WikiConference India 2023, the scope has evolved to encompass a broader range of community updates. These calls now serve as a platform for participants to share significant developments, achievements, and challenges within the community at-large.
Translation Buddy: Translation Buddy was an experiential concept for the conference. The purpose was to facilitate conference participants to better understand the talks delivered by the conference presenters. The conference was the confluence of Wikimedians, experienced and newcomers, speaking a diverse set of languages: the perfect platform to run Translation Buddy pilot. A Translation Buddy was someone who volunteered to interpret the material being presented on-stage to the conference participants speaking the same language. For example, a Bangla-speaking Translation Buddy helps Bangla community members to understand the material being presented on-stage in the English language.The idea behind it was to encourage community members to give on-the-spot support to their fellow Wikimedians. Assamese, Bangla, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu were the languages that required translation buddies.
POSH Training: Considering the conference space was an extension of IIIT Hyderabad, our partner institution, the POSH (Prevention of Women against Sexual Harassment) guidelines applied to the WikiConference India as well. To train the organizers, an expert was hired and the policy document was shared with all participants.
Customized Behavior guidelines (Added to the Conference toolkit): Based on the UCoC policy, the behavior guidelines were drafted and designed in an easy-to-understand format. The posters were displayed at various sites at the venue.

Were there any significant changes from the initial grant proposal?

We were able to commit to the general plan and design of the proposal but given the observations of the COT members followed by detailed discussions, the following changes were found relevant and just.

Dates: When the COT was formed, the team started bringing all the work/progress updates to one space. The COT did a reverse timeline assessment. Upon learning about the status of the actions and the pace at which they were advancing, it was considered advisable to push the conference to April.
Finances: The organizers revised the budget to book a venue that met all safety and inclusion recommendations, including well-managed visitor movement. This resulted in an increase of ₹2,173,190.25 ($26,252.14) from the initial grant request of ₹9,562,351.00 ($115,411.92). The 18% GST also contributed to the increase, bringing the total budget to ₹13,843,396. After due deliberation and review, WMF approved the requested amount.

Day one - WikiConference India 2023

Removing Hackathon from the plan: Initially we planned on hosting a Hackathon along with the conference that would focus on the technical community and creation of certain tools and scripts that would be beneficial for our content community. But since the Wikimedia Technology Summit was organized just before the conference, we decided to pivot from this plan and not host a separate hackathon which would have created an additional bifurcation in our attendee experience.

What do you think will be the long term impact of this conference?

The long-term impact of WikiConference India can be far-reaching and transformative, influencing various aspects of the Wikimedia community, knowledge sharing, and movement growth as a whole. Some potential long-term impacts include:

Sustainable Community Growth: WikiConference India is believed to be the initiation of sustained growth in the Indian Wikimedia community. By engaging new contributors (~70% of the participants) and fostering a welcoming environment, the community can continue to expand and diversify over time, resulting in an increased number of active editors and contributors.

Icebreaker Activity on Day zero of WikiConference India 2023

Rich and Diverse Content: With more contributors and sustained efforts, Wikimedia projects in India can witness the creation and improvement of a diverse range of content, including articles, images, and multimedia, in various regional languages.
Strengthened Regional Networks: The conference focussed on establishing stronger regional networks and collaborations among Wikimedians across different communities in the Indian subcontinent. This can lead to better coordination and joint efforts in addressing specific content gaps and regional community needs.
Institutional Partnerships: WikiConference India opened doors for partnerships with educational institutions, cultural organizations, and government bodies. These partnerships can lead to the integration of Wikimedia projects into academia, expansion of content on Wikipedia(s), digitization of literary heritage, and creation of support networks.

Participants involving in a workshop on Day two of WikiConference India 2023

Advocacy for Open Knowledge: Participants and attendees of the conference are expected to be advocates for open knowledge and free content. They can actively promote Wikimedia values and advocate for the importance of open access to information and knowledge sharing in the digital age.
Long-Term Collaborative Projects: WikiConference India can serve as a starting point for collaborative projects that address important issues in the Indian subcontinent. These projects can continue long after the conference, making a lasting impact on the content and scope of Wikimedia projects.
Positive Influence on Other Wikimedia Events: The success and impact of WikiConference India can inspire and influence other regional Wikimedia events.

It's important to recognize that the long-term impact of WikiConference India will depend on the sustained efforts, enthusiasm, and dedication of the Indian Wikimedia community, organizers, and participants. By working together and continuing to promote Wikimedia's values and principles, the conference's impact can be far-reaching and enduring.

Do your best to estimate the number of attendees in your event that have never attended any Wikimedia event before. How were you able to support and engage this group?

As per our post event feedback data, close to 69% of the attendees haven’t attended a national level Wikimedia event before. Assuming a variance of 9% (since more than 10 participants are experienced Wikimedians who started contributing between 2006 - 2009, which accounts for 9% of total attendees), close to 60% of the WCI 2023 attendees have never attended any Wikimedia conference or national level event before, highlighting the importance of frequent meet-ups among community members (either local or national) and outreach of events happening in and outside India.
One of the initiatives to promote information and provide updates about WikiConference India 2023 was the Open Community Call and the telegram group. These worked well in promoting information around scholarships and logistical updates of WCI 2023 pre-conference along with a few other activities happening in other communities.

Panel Discussion on Day two of WikiConference India 2023
During the conference, we took measures to create an environment that is newcomer-friendly while ensuring crucial conversations will take place among the existing stakeholders. A few of the measures we took are listed below:

Program design:

Session formats (Panel Discussion, Showcase, and Workshop) were designed in a way so that anyone can engage in conversions and know what is happening in the Wikimedia communities.
For two out of three days of the conference, we had parallel tracks so that contributors who are new to a Wikimedia event can prioritize what is important for their contributor journey.
Unconference space for participants to have informal conversations about existing initiatives/projects/campaigns and building future activities with their communities.

Post-conference, we thought of extending our pre-conference initiatives to create a platform for the new as well as experienced Wikimedians to engage in discussions, share and know about the activities happening in Indic communities, and know the journey of their fellow Wikimedians.

Do your best to estimate the number of participants who have been involved in Wikimedia activities for more than 5 years. How were you able to support and engage this group?

A post-conference survey was sent out to the participants, which revealed the number of participants engaged in Wikimedia activities as shown in the pie-chart below.
The conference program was designed in a way that it was accessible to both experienced editors and newbies. There was no barrier for participation. There were a mix of panel discussions, global and local showcases, and learning sessions.

Year in which WikiConference India 2023 attendees started their Wiki journey

Learning and next steps

Conferences and events do not always go according to plan! Please use this section considering the perspective of what future event organizers within our movement organizing a similar style conference can learn. Make sure to include lessons around work with external/ internal partners; your communication efforts; your work with the community and volunteers etc.

Odia Community sharing their learnings and experience with audience

What would you do differently next time and why? Please share with us if there's anything you wouldn't do or something future organizers should avoid.

An outline of the program design should be prepared before finalizing the venue. This would help in finalizing the venue according to the needs of the conference.
It’s important to have a backup plan keeping last-minute cancellations or changes. For instance, the organizers had to think on their feet when a panel moderator became unavailable and when there was a session cancellation at the last minute.

Was there any non-financial support that the Wikimedia Foundation could have provided that would have better supported you in achieving your goals?

It would have been beneficial to have support on process documentation, SMART indicators from the WMF before the conference through which the COT would have been able to identify and measure our success or gaps
WMF could play the role of the bridge between the learnings of the previous conference editions or share best practices from other conferences via which the impact and engagement of the planned conference could be improved
WMF could also provide support for financial management and best practices to ensure the teams create financial processes that are robust, aligned to WMF reporting, and also transparent/fair.
WMF could also play a more active role in creating a buddy system between different (past) conference organizers who could be available for the (present) COT to troubleshoot
If possible, WMF should provide some guidance or best practices to enable language and translation processes or tools.

What would you recommend on a local and/or regional level as the best next step to leverage your success and momentum? (Please consider potential new allies and partners; internal wiki collaborations; future projects etc. We don't expect you to necessarily do those, we are only looking for more ideas from your own perspective.)

To leverage the success and momentum of WikiConference India 2023 on a regional level, we would recommend the following next steps:

Establish/Strengthen a Local Wiki Community: Encourage participants from WikiConference India 2016 to establish a local Wiki community that meets regularly. This community can work together to edit Wikipedia articles, organize local Wiki events, and share knowledge within the region.

Organize Regular WikiMeetups: Plan regular WikiMeetups to maintain enthusiasm and collaboration among the participants. These meetups can include workshops, editing sessions, and discussions about topics relevant to the local community.
Collaborate with the partner Institution: The communities are advised to engage with the partner institute for programs and activities of mutual interest. The community in India has been struggling with access to financial support for years. With the regional complexities and limitations imposed on the supporting organization, CIS-A2K, the ongoing projects were paused. The conference organizers were able to build a substantial collaboration with the partner institute, which is not only bridging the access to resources (finance) challenges but is also providing support in terms of extending the faculty and staff support to organize training and events.

WikiWomenCamp is an active collaboration between the WWC organizers and IIIT in continuation of our collaboration and expanded engagement.

Group photo from Women Lunch on Day three of WikiConference India 2023

Conduct Wiki Workshops and Training: Organize Wiki workshops and training sessions to attract new contributors and provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute effectively to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.
Engage with Local Cultural and Heritage Organizations: Collaborate with museums, libraries, and cultural institutions to digitize and share their resources on Wikimedia Commons, wikisource, and relevant Wikipedia articles. This partnership can enrich Wikimedia content and promote local culture and heritage.
Participate in Global Wiki Initiatives: Encourage active participation in global Wiki initiatives, such as Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Earth, and other Wiki events that can engage the local community and contribute to global knowledge-sharing efforts.
Evaluate and Monitor Progress: Regularly assess the impact and progress of the local Wiki community's activities. Use metrics like the number of new articles, contributors, and outreach events to gauge success and identify areas for improvement. The communities can consider using tools to analyze the outcome and impact.

By implementing these next steps, the success and momentum of WikiConference India 2023 can be sustained and amplified at a local and regional level, contributing to the growth and enrichment of Wikimedia projects and fostering a culture of collaborative knowledge sharing in the region.

Does your organizing team / affiliate / user group have any plans to follow up with your attendees in the future or support efforts related to the outcomes of this conference within your community?

Throughout the course of the planning for WCI community engagement, a keen focus was put by the COT on the legacy and footprint of WCI beyond 2023; while identifying some prevalent gaps in the cross-community collaboration in the region.
Hence, in the lead-up to WCI the COT launched monthly community calls and a General telegram group where all the updates of the conference were shared along with space for community share-out and coordination.

Immediate Current/Future Plans:

The following are the proposed immediate current and future plans:

Telegram Group:

We have promoted the General Telegram group as a community space where we are seeing increased shareouts, requests for support, and updates being posted by various community members and the WMF staff.
While the Participant group will be eventually closed, we will continue to share and promote the General group among members of the South Asian movement as an informal community space

Regular Community Calls:

WikiConference India 2023 Group photo

Since inception, we have hosted 9 monthly community meetings as a space that aims to bring together the South Asian community together convene, collaborate and create
These calls are slowly being recognized as the one place to engage the South Asian community on different aspects and updates of our movement.
We are also hosting reflection sessions by South Asian participants of different international conferences to build awareness, engagement and understanding of global platforms available to our community

Initial Discussions on a WCI Steering Committee:

The WCI COT has initiated a preliminary discussion about the creation of the WCI steering committee that will work with the next organizers of WCI and create the processes, criteria and terms for the committee.
The same committee will not only focus on WCI organizing but also on creating collective platforms for increased collaboration and cooperation between the Indic Communities.

Regional Movement:

Through conversations that were enabled by WCI, we are seeing some increased movement in the region in countries like Bangladesh and Nepal. This is an indirect impact of the conference and the WCI COT would be available to support the community members in their domestic efforts.

Organizers of WikiConference India 2023

Please add any 3 operational recommendations for future events organizers.

The operational recommendations for future events organizers are as follows:

COT Formation: Even before a COT is created, the Safety & Inclusion team should be formed with the intention to draft an advisory document for all team members. Apart from this, there should be a document that highlights the baseline criteria to be eligible for joining the COT team.
Program & Venue: A basic outline of the program design should be prepared before initiating the venue scouting process. The selection of the venue should be as per the requirements of the program design & not vice versa. The venue should allow participants to engage and collaborate organically, beyond the suggested event program.
Local Support: A strong on-ground local support should be available for running the event. Local point-of-contacts for logistics simplifies access to resources.

Financial documentation

This section describes the grant's use of funds

Budget table

Please list all project expenses in a table here, with descriptions. Review the instructions here. These expenses should be listed in the same format as the budget table in your approved submission so that anyone reading this report may be able to easily compare budgeted vs. actual expenses.

Nr.	Item description	Budget	Final cost	Currency	Notes
1	Travel	₹3,759,000.00	₹3,732,377.83	INR
2	Accommodation and Food	₹4,342,800.00	₹5,229,205.91
3	Event Logistics	₹593,700.00	₹232,716.15
4	Event Management	₹862,800.00	₹844,635.89
5	Merchandise	₹275,000.00	₹294,509.12
6	Unforseen Expenses	₹866,145.00	₹327,447.01		Including the excess fund we received while converting the currency.
7	Institutional development	₹1,032,247.00	₹1,032,246.50
Subtotal		₹11,731,691.62	₹11,693,138.41
GST (18% of Total)		₹2,111,704.38	₹2,111,704.38
Total		₹13,843,396.00	₹13,804,842.79

WikiConference India 2023 SWAG kit for attendees

If you have any tips or insights on creating a budget or allocating funds, please feel welcome to share!

Summary of funding

Total project budget: (from your approved grant submission) ₹ 11,735,541.25
Total amount requested from WMF: (from your approved grant submission) ₹ 13,843,396 this includes 18% of GST ( ₹ 2,111,704.38) which we paid to govt of India
Total amount spent on this project: (this total should be the total calculated from the table above) ₹ 13,804,842.79
Total amount of WMF grant funds spent on this project: ₹ 13,804,842.79
Are there additional sources of revenue that funded any part of this project? List them here.

No

Remaining funds

The funds remaining from this grant in the amount of 38,553.21 INR were deducted from another grant payment for Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Conference Fund/3rd Wikimedia Technology Summit (WTS 2024).

Are there any grant funds remaining?

YES

Please list the total amount (specify currency) remaining here. (This is the amount you did not use, or the amount you still have after completing your grant.)

₹ 38,553.21

Note: The WCI 2023 team is yet to receive the final account statement from IIIT-H. Upon receiving the signed and verified account statement, the exact amount will be updated here and a link to the statement will be provided as well.

Evaluation

Optional - Event Evaluation Toolkit - In this page you can find a list of basic questions that the Wikimedia Foundation uses to evaluate large movement events like Wikimania and other regional and thematic events. Feel free to use any part of these questionnaires to evaluate your own event. You will find: Registration Questions; Post-event questions for participants and Follow-up questions for participants.

Anything else

Is there anything else you want to share about the conference or event?