Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Conference Fund/The 20th anniversary festival of Hebrew Wikipedia

statusFunded
The 20th anniversary festival of Hebrew Wikipedia
proposed start date2023-02-28T00:00:00Z
proposed end date2024-09-30T00:00:00Z
budget (local currency)394172 ILS
amount requested (USD)113439 USD [note 1]
amount recommended (local)123794 ILS
decision fiscal year2022-23
applicant• Michal-WMIL
organization (if applicable)• Wikimedia Israel
Review Final Report

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Applicant details

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A. Are you applying as a(n)

Wikimedia Affiliate (chapter, thematic org., or user group)

B. Full name of organization presenting the proposal.

Wikimedia Israel

F. Do you have an account on a Wikimedia project?

Yes

F1. Please provide your main Wikimedia Username.

Michal-WMIL

F2. Please provide the Usernames of people related to this proposal.

Michal-WMIL

G. Are you legally registered?

Yes

If you are applying as an individual or your group is not a legally registered nonprofit in your country, we require that you have a fiscal sponsor.

Objectives and Strategy

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1. Please state the title of your proposal.

The 20th anniversary festival of Hebrew Wikipedia

2.1. When will the event begin? Please enter the event start date.

2023-07-20

2.2. When is the last day of your event?

2023-12-20

3.1. When will you begin preparing for your event?

2023-02-28T00:00:00Z

3.2. When will you expect to complete your last event payment?

2024-09-30T00:00:00Z

4. Where will this proposal be implemented? Where will the conference take place?

Israel

5. Is it a remote or in-person event?

In-person event

5.1. What will be the total number of participants at the event? (including scholarship recipients + organizing team + other guests + self funded guests) (required)

300

6. Please indicate whether your work will be focused on one country (local), more than one or several countries in your region (regional) or has a cross-regional (global) scope.

Local

6.1. If you have answered regional, please write the country names and any other information that is useful for understanding your proposal.


7. If you would like, please share any websites or social media accounts that your group or organization has.

wikimedia.org.il/ https://www.facebook.com/WikimediaIL

8. Do you work with any thematic or regional platforms such as WISCom, CEE, Iberocoop, etc.

No

8.1. Please describe what platforms and your work with them.


9. Please describe the target participants for this event.

The target audience for this event is the "Big Israeli Tent": the general public which includes Wikipedia and non-Wikipedians. What brings them together is a strong conviction about the importance of free dissemination of knowledge in all areas that are key in fostering a developed and thoughtful society. The Israeli "Big Tent" includes our natural partners in action: the Wikipedia community, volunteers, the Ministry of Education and senior officials in the education system, academics, senior decision makers in various government ministries, and "Ed-Tech" companies such as Microsoft. Cisco, the Israeli media, senior officials in GLAM institutions: galleries, libraries, archives, museums, as well as new potential partners such as key people in the industry, etc. Along with these, the members of the sub-communities will also be invited: for example, graduates of Wikipedia editing courses in Hebrew and Arabic, and retired men and women. The celebration of the 20th birthday of the Hebrew Wikipedia consists of a number of events interwoven with each other and detailed below according to the following points: description of the event, its purpose, and target audiences Introduction: The biggest and freest Hebrew encyclopedia in the world celebrates its 20th anniversary. It is an immense human project whose unquestionable success can be described as a miracle. The importance of the Hebrew Wikipedia in facilitating access to knowledge and facts, as well as preserving and distributing them to as many people as possible, is ever-growing, particularly in this age in which information becomes available and accessible, but knowledge, facts, and truth are always debated, especially among the polarized Israeli public. With time, the Hebrew Wikipedia has started to be taken for granted, a trend that has culminated in an attitude of indifference toward it, or a lack of awareness and understanding of the meaning of its existence in Israeli society. On the one hand, its usage is ever increasing, on the other, the contribution of contents and donation of money are not equally offered. Therefore, the challenge we take upon ourselves ahead of the 20th-anniversary celebrations is to raise again and maintain the awareness of the importance of the Hebrew Wikipedia, its uniqueness, and its contribution to society, to culture and humanity as a compass of knowledge and truth. To meet this challenge, we propose a year-round program with a series of events for various audiences. A.Summer event - A special event at the presidential residence to reposition the Hebrew Wikipedia as a lighthouse of free-knowledge and fact accessibility, which leads to a dignified discourse among the various parts of Israeli society. Target audiences:

1. Policy and decision-makers
2. The community of Wikipedia users and the general public
3. Potential donors
4. Media outlets
5. The Wikipedia community

B. Autumn event - The “Night of Museums” will take place in cooperation with various museums. This program has two main goals: (1) to encourage GLAM institutes to make their information accessible to the general public; (2) to raise public awareness of the importance and contribution of Wikipedia, also among professionals in the fields of art; (3) to offer the general public an updated, innovative and relevant experience of the Hebrew Wikipedia. The “Night of Museum” program will include: (1) Wikipedians who will be hosted in museums and present or edit articles about selected works of art in real-time, as part of a guided tour in the museum; (2) the museum or a certain artist will release works of art in real-time to the Wiki platform; (3) Wikimedia Israel will present a gift to the country: screening Wikipedia articles on buildings of public institutes that will take part in the event (for example, screening on the Tel Aviv Museum building part of the Wikipedia article about the museum); (4) a barcode will be placed next to selected works of art, which will lead to the Hebrew-Wikipedia article about the work or its artist. Target audiences:

1. Managers of GLAM institutes: galleries, libraries, archives, museums
2. The community of art enthusiasts
3. Art experts from the academy and other institutes, who can potentially become Wikipedia editors in art-related topics
4. The community of Wikipedia users and the general public
5. The Wikipedia community
6. Media outlets

C. Winter event: An academic conference in cooperation with Reichman University that will discuss the core issues shared by the academy and Wikimedia Israel, in an attempt to position the Hebrew Wikipedia as an updated, reliable quality source of information and strengthen the ties with our partners at the academy, the education system and the high-tech scene. Target audiences:

1. Managers, researchers, and lecturers of academic institutes in Israel
2. Senior position holders, managers, and teachers in the education system and in Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking educational institutes
3. High-tech companies dealing with the interface between education and technology

D. “Small and Smart” is the title that will be given to a set of experiential encounters, in which the editors will receive a special experiential or cultural added value along with writing and editing Wikipedia. The goals of these encounters are - (1) to initiate a significant increase in the number of articles about topics currently unavailable on the Hebrew Wikipedia; (2) to strengthen the interpersonal ties among the local Wikipedia community, and the relations between the community and Wikimedia Israel; (3) to produce a consistent human platform for brainstorming and entrepreneurship; (4) to strengthen underrepresented communities or underrepresented topics on the Hebrew Wikipedia. Target audiences:

1. The Hebrew Wikipedia community
2. Underrepresented communities
3. Media outlets
10. Please provide the link to the event's page if you already have one.


The following questions (11-14) will refer to the Community Engagement Survey which is required in order to submit a proposal. Here is the survey form that you can copy and use (if the link does not work): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ieEI8EFf2vxjD9wN_h8-srYeRCp4fhSp7_1_wiR2jh8/edit. This survey is required to access a Conference grant.

11. How many people did you send the community engagement survey to?

20

11.1. When did you conduct the survey, and for how long?

Wikimedia Israel held several focus groups including the members of the Wikipedia community, staff, and Wikimedia board.

The focus group were held between the following dates: 04/09/22 to 01/02/23/

12. How many people responded to the survey?

20

13. What are the main objectives of the event?

1. To stimulate a new social discourse around the importance, uniqueness, and relevance of Wikipedia to Israeli society and culture.

2. To establish the importance of free knowledge, and high-quality, fact-based access in the face of current challenges such as fake news, artificial intelligence, and more.
3. To increase the Wikipedia community both in human diversity and in the fields of knowledge.
4. To create and deepen existing partnerships and to invite new partners to establish mutual relations with Wikipedia.
14. Based on survey responses, what are the most important things your community should do at the conference to achieve these objectives?

The most important things our community should do are as follows:

1. Attract new Wikipedia users by presenting their work, answering newbies' questions, and mentoring them
2. To bring together representatives of GLAM institutions with whom we collaborate regarding relevant factors in the Hebrew Wikipedia, to share common success stories and present their vision for the future.
3. To actively participate in panels or discussions during the event and help spread the importance and contribution of Wikipedia to Israeli society in all its diversity.
15. Please state if your proposal aims to work to bridge any of the identified CONTENT knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select up to THREE that most apply to your work.

Age (regency) , Geography, Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial

15.1. In a few sentences, explain how your work is specifically addressing this content gap (or Knowledge inequity) to ensure a greater representation of knowledge. (optional recommended).

The 20th - anniversary conference of Hebrew Wikipedia will bring representatives from diverse backgrounds, including Jewish and Arab educational systems, to promote knowledge and education. To address the age issue, the conference will celebrate the success of the Wikipedia editing course for seniors, highlighting the importance of intergenerational collaboration in knowledge production. To reach a wider audience, the conference will incorporate information and content regarding online events that make Wikipedia accessible to people from all over Israel, regardless of their geographical location. These elements will be highlighted during the conference, showcasing Wikimedia Israel's commitment to promoting diversity and representation in knowledge production. The conference will help bridge the content gap and ensure a greater representation of knowledge by bringing together a diverse group of people.

16. Please state if your proposal includes any of these areas or THEMATIC focus. Select up to THREE that most apply to your work and explain the rationale for identifying these themes.

Education, Culture, heritage or GLAM , Diversity

17. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities?

Gender Identity, Ethnic/racial/religious or cultural background, Age

18. Do you intend to invite or engage with non-Wikimedian individuals or organizations? If so – can you explain your intention for this outreach?

The Hebrew Wikipedia's 20th birthday celebrations allow us not only a community celebration of achievements and successes but also a celebration of diverse partnerships. The partners who walk with us along the way from the day the Hebrew Wikipedia was founded until today are a central axis that gives a different validity to the meaning of Wikipedia in the public discourse. We see these partners as an integral part of the work and existence of the Hebrew Wikipedia, and therefore they will be invited to take an active part in the upcoming events

19. What will you do to make sure participants continue to engage in your activities after the event?

Wikimedia Israel will act in the following ways to ensure the continuity of participants' involvement:

1. Online resources: open and accessible a variety of online resources that include instructional videos and guides that will help participants write and edit in the Hebrew and Arabic Wikipedia accompanied by volunteers and staff. The online courses will serve as a bridge that eliminates geographical and cultural distances.
2. Building a community: creating and developing relationships with the participants through invitations to community events, regular reports, follow-up meetings, and personal attention (celebration of birthdays, etc.) in social media.
3. Collaborative projects: inviting the participants to take an active part in future projects that will enable an experience of meaning and ongoing involvement in the world of Wikipedia.
20. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select a maximum of THREE options that most apply.

Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Coordinate Across Stakeholders, Identify Topics for Impact

Logistical Aspects

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21. Do you have any proposed venue for the event?

The Hebrew Wikipedia birthday event is a cluster of events that will occur throughout the year. The major event will take place at the President's House of Israel. Another event is a conference that will deal with the field of education and will be held at Reichman University with which we have a cooperative relationship over the years. The university is accessible to public transportation. A specific location has not yet been determined for the rest of the planned events

22. Is the event venue and hotel accessible for people with physical disabilities?

Yes

23. How many scholarships would you like to offer?

Scholarships will not be awarded since entry to the events here is free of charge

24. What expenses will the scholarship cover?

N/A

25. How will scholarship recipients be selected?

N/A

26. In which ways can Wikimedia Foundation staff support your event onsite?

Wikimedia Foundation Stuff may support us with lecturers in some fields where WMIL are lack of experts such-as: Wiki technologies, current and future - how does it work under the hood?

26.2. Do you intend to invite any WMF staff members to your event? (please note that all WMF staff travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the foundation). Please indicate what is the limit number of WMF staff members you would like to welcome at your event.

We will have the pleasure of hosting the members of WMF's team.

27. Please outline the roles and responsibilities of the organizing team for the conference.

Incumbents and responsibilities: Chairman responsible for collaborations with the President's House and Reichman University ED: Budget content and overall responsibility Events manager: Production of the actual events and publications Manager of content and training programs: content, recruitment of volunteers, and lectures

28. Do you have plans to co-organize the event with other Wikimedia communities, groups or affiliates?

No

28.1. If yes, can you please explain how you are going to co-organize the event and what responsibilities each partner will have.


29. What kind of risks do you anticipate and how would you mitigate these?

1. Financial risk: The cost of living in Israel is one of the highest in the world and the cost of living is increasing. This figure may affect the actual budget for these events. That's why the "unexpected" section of ten percent was included in the budget, which is accepted in the construction of a budget framework, along with an additional five percent that will make it possible to deal with future price increases in the economy.

2. The event program is largely based on a variety of collaborations that will be reflected in both the budget and the content. There is a risk that the collaborations will not be fully manifested, as we expect. We will deal with such a situation by harnessing our partners ahead of time as well as by preparing alternative plans for the events.
3. Media resonance: the headlines of the daily news in Israel are devoted to many sudden events. In such a situation, there is a risk of limited media exposure. In order to deal with this risk, we will take care of the processes of advertising and public relations for events in a timely manner so that their importance and contribution will enter the public consciousness
30. Friendly space policy - Please add the link to the friendly space policy that your community will be using for this event.

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Friendly_space_policies/he

Learning, Sharing, and Evaluation

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31. What do you hope to learn from your work organising this conference?

Wikimedia Israel hopes to learn the following key outcomes from the 20th-anniversary celebration of Hebrew Wikipedia: Increased Awareness: To determine if the event has created a heightened awareness amongst the general public of the importance of free knowledge, Wikipedia, and Wikimedia's mission. Community Expansion: To measure the event's success in attracting new users and contributors to the Hebrew Wikipedia community. Impact on Education: Measure the event's impact on education and Wikipedia use in schools and universities and the willingness of such institutions to collaborate with Wikimedia Israel. Collaboration with Institutions: To evaluate the level of collaboration between Wikimedia Israel and various institutions such as museums, libraries, and archives and their impact on the event. New Partnerships: Determine whether this event sowed the seeds of future collaboration with organizations or entities with which Wikimedia Israel hasn't worked yet. Empowerment of Women and uמrepresented groups: Understand how the event empowered women and underrepresented groups to participate and contribute to Hebrew Wikipedia. Quality of Content: Evaluate whether the celebration has improved the quality and relevance of Wikipedia articles in Hebrew and expanded its audience. Sustainability: Assessing the event's sustainability and its impact on the long-term development of Hebrew Wikipedia. Wikimedia Israel aims to evaluate the impact of its 20th-anniversary celebrations on the Hebrew Wikipedia community to determine whether it has achieved its goal of promoting free knowledge, education, and innovation. The event's outcome will inform plans and initiatives to expand the community's reach and enhance its content quality.

32. Main open metrics
Main Open Metrics Data
Main Open Metrics Description Target
Attendance This metric measures how many people attended all the events and their impact. A measure of attendees who are new to the conference and those who are non-Wikimedians is also important to keep track of. 300
Feedback The feedback metric provides insight into participants' experiences and satisfaction with the conference by measuring the responses gathered through surveys or interviews. N/A
Newcomers The newcomers metric tracks the success of attracting new participants to the Wikimedia movement by measuring the number of first-time attendees or newcomers at the events. 40
Underrepresented groups The underrepresented groups metric provides insight into the success of efforts to increase diversity and representation in the Wikimedia movement by measuring the attendance rate of participants from underrepresented groups in Israel. N/A
Partnerships The partnerships metric measures the conference's success in developing new relationships and networks with other organizations by tracking the number of new partnerships formed following the conference, Between Wikimedia Israel and other organizations of the wiki-friendly ecosystem in Israel. 5

Financial Proposal

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33. What is the amount you are requesting from Wikimedia Foundation? Please provide this amount in your local currency.

394172

34. Select your local currency.

ILS

Requested amount in USD
113439 USD [note 1]
  1. a b The following amount in US dollars was calculated by Wikimedia Foundation staff using the fixed currency rates. This amount is approximate and may not reflect the actual currency exchange rates on the day of submission or distribution. If the application is funded, the funding will be sent in the recipient’s local currency.
35. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1afPR5Rdm1kHJeUTREep4nWwfpddUa6QDi3SfEsRpqy0/edit?usp=sharing

36. Do you expect to receive funding for this conference from other organizations to support your work?

Yes

36.1. If yes, what kind of resources are you expecting to get?

1. Conference hall at Reichman University.

2. Conference hall at the President's House.
We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.

Yes

Please use this optional space to upload any documents that you feel are important for further understanding your proposal.
Other public document(s):

Endorsements and Feedback

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Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.

Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:

  • Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
  • Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
  • Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
  • Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
  • Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).

Endorse