Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Conference Fund/Wikidata Arabic Community Meetup

statusNot funded

Conference and Event Fund

Wikidata Arabic Community Meetup

proposed start date2024-07-01T00:00:00Z

proposed end date2024-11-30T00:00:00Z

budget (local currency)166175.63 TND

amount requested (USD)54166.61 USD

amount recommended (local)0 TND

decision fiscal year2023-24

applicant• Alli Khalil

organization (if applicable)• N/A

Friendly Space Policy

Universal Code of Conduct

Application Privacy Statement

This is an automatically generated Meta-Wiki page. The page was copied from Fluxx, the web service of Wikimedia Foundation Funds where the user has submitted their application. Please do not make any changes to this page because all changes will be removed after the next update. Use the discussion page for your feedback. The page was created by CR-FluxxBot.

Applicant details

A. Are you applying as a(n)

Group of individuals not registered with an organization

B. Full name of organization presenting the proposal.

N/A

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

Yes

F1. Please provide your main Wikimedia Username.

Alli Khalil

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

Nada.FA NANöR Csisc Ali Khalil Nassima Chahboun Yamen

G. Are you legally registered?

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.

I. Fiscal organization name.

Association CLibre

Objectives and Strategy

1. Please state the title of your proposal.

Wikidata Arabic Community Meetup

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

2024-10-25

2.2. When is the last day of your event?

2024-10-27

3.1. When will you begin preparing for your event?

2024-07-01T00:00:00Z

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

2024-11-30T00:00:00Z

4. In which country will the conference take place?

Tunisia

4.1. In which city will the conference take place?

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)

40

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.

Regional

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

The event is targeting the MENA Region and specifically the Arabic speaking countries and communities

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

www.arabicwikidata.org https://twitter.com/ArabicWikidata

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.

Our event aims to bring together a diverse group of participants in order to create an inclusive and collaborative environment that fosters learning, skill-building, and partnership development to strengthen the Wikidata community in the MENA region. We specifically target:

Active Wikimedians/Wikidata Users: We seek motivated individuals who are actively involved in contributing to Wikidata and are eager to promote its use and awareness within their local communities. While a minimum level of knowledge and involvement in Wikidata is generally required, we are open to accommodating newcomers from countries without Wikimedia affiliates who demonstrate exceptional motivation to promote Wikidata in their countries.

Community Members Representing Local User Groups: We will try to invite representatives from local Wikimedia user groups to participate in the event. These community members can play a crucial role in advocating for Wikidata by planning projects and events in their annual activity programs and annual grants.

Wikidata Experts: Our event will feature Wikidata experts who will facilitate workshops/hackathon and sessions aimed at strengthening the skills and knowledge of the Arabic community in Wikidata-related activities. These experts will share best practices, provide guidance, and offer mentorship to participants to help them become more proficient in using Wikidata effectively.

Outreach Experts (Education and GLAM): We will also engage outreach experts specializing in education and GLAM to support the initiation of projects centered around Wikidata in the region. These experts will share insights, strategies, and resources to empower participants to launch successful projects in their respective domains, leveraging Wikidata as a valuable resource for knowledge dissemination and cultural preservation.

Partnerships Experts: Additionally, we will involve partnerships experts who possess expertise in building collaborations and partnerships around Wikidata and data initiatives. These experts will offer guidance for instance on establishing partnerships with universities teaching data science, institutions willing to open their data catalogs, and other relevant stakeholders. Their insights will help participants identify potential partners and develop sustainable collaborations to enhance the use and impact of Wikidata in the MENA region.

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?

100

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

conducted on 2024/01/22 and for 2 weeks

12. How many people responded to the survey?

30

13. What are the main objectives of the event?

Design a Strategy to Promote Wikidata and Structured Data in the Region: the event aims to design a comprehensive strategy to promote Wikidata within the MENA region and Arabic content in and about Wikidata. This strategy will involve identifying short-term, mid-term and long-term goals, defining target audiences, and developing outreach and partnerships. Capacity Building and Skills Enhancement: Another key objective is to facilitate capacity building and skill enhancement among participants, particularly focusing on the Arabic community. Through workshops, sessions, and interactions with Wikidata experts, attendees will have the opportunity to enhance their skills related to WIkidata tools, SPARQL queries, Lexemes but also skills about building partnerships and starting outreach projects in Education and GLAM. Initiating new projects and tools as part of a hackathon that leverages Wikidata and structured data to address relevant challenges and opportunities within the MENA region.

14. Based on survey responses, what are the most important things your community should do at the conference to achieve these objectives?

Formulate a strategy for advancing Wikidata initiatives in the MENA region. Conduct skill-enhancement workshops for the Wikidata Arabic Community. Facilitate training sessions and workshops focused on the tools integral to Wikidata. Generate educational materials, recorded in Arabic, for widespread accessibility within the Arabic community, fostering a learning environment. Establish a network of ambassadors or representatives in each country dedicated to the promotion of Wikidata. Innovate partnership frameworks and host sessions for professionals to glean insights from their experiences, contributing to collaborative growth within the Wikidata community.

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.

Geography, Language, Important Topics (topics considered to be of impact or important in the specific context)

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).

Despite its significant potential and impact on Wikimedia projects, Wikidata presents challenges for the wiki communities in the MENA region for various reasons, as outlined on our Meta page section "Why?" https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikidata_Arabic_Community These challenges contribute to a knowledge gap, such as limited expertise among Arabic Wikimedians, and a content gap, including scarce Arabic content in and about Wikidata.

Hosting a thematic meetup dedicated to Wikidata in the Arabic region is crucial for designing a strategy to address these gaps. The event will focus on identifying achievable goals and enhancing the skills of participants and representatives from different countries. These empowered individuals will serve as knowledge multipliers when they return to their countries, sharing the knowledge gained at the meetup and facilitating further growth and development within their respective communities.

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 , Open Technology

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

Geographic

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

We aim to leverage this event as an opportunity to extend invitations to data science students, as well as representatives from local universities and research units in Tunisia, to introduce them to the vast potential of Wikidata. Our goal is to foster interest and awareness among these participants regarding the capabilities and applications of Wikidata. By doing so, we aspire to lay the groundwork for future collaborations and partnerships between our community and academic institutions, thereby enriching both the Wikidata ecosystem and the academic community.

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

Monthly community meetings will be organized to monitor the progress of the strategy plan developed during the event. These gatherings will also provide an opportunity for continuous engagement with partners, fostering collaborative initiatives aimed at promoting Wikidata. Through regular sessions, we aim to maintain momentum, address challenges, and celebrate achievements.

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, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development, Innovate in Free Knowledge

Logistical Aspects

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

The venue will be a hotel in the city of Tunis like the one that hosted Wikindaba 2018.

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

Yes

23. How many scholarships would you like to offer?

55 In total: 45 International 10 Local

24. What expenses will the scholarship cover?

Travel Accommodations Catering Visa Venue

25. How will scholarship recipients be selected?

We will implement an inclusive and diverse selection process that considers both gender and geographic location within the Arabic countries. This process will be designed to award scholarships to individuals who demonstrate:

Active engagement in Wikidata and a strong motivation to serve as ambassadors for promoting Wikidata in their respective countries.

Expertise in Wikidata and OpenData, showcasing their capability to contribute significantly to the advancement of these fields.

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

As part of our event objectives, we aim to develop a comprehensive strategy focused on building partnerships and outreach programs, particularly in the areas of education and GLAM. We believe that the expertise of Wikimedia Foundation Staff can greatly contribute to the successful realization of this goal.

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 intend to invite WMF staff that have expertise in building partnerships, Outreach programs focused on Wikidata and building communities.

up to 5 staff members will be hosted

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

Core TEAM:

• Nada.FA
• NANöR
• Csisc (from Tunisia where the event will be held)
• Ali Khalil
• Nassima Chahboun
• Yamen (from Tunisia where the event will be held)

Event Coordinator (to be hired for 3 months in Tunisia)

Fiscal Sponsor Representative and Coordinator: Habib Mhenni (based in Tunisia)

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

Yes

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

Given that the event will take place in Tunisia and acknowledging that two founding members are affiliated with Wikimedia Tunisia, we aspire to foster collaboration with Wikimedia Tunisia to enhance the organization of the event ensuring a successful and impactful event experience for all participants involved.

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

Drawing from the organizing experiences of Wikiarabia 2015 and Wikiindaba 2018, the primary risk we anticipate for the upcoming event pertains to the visa requirements for entry into Tunisia. Currently, citizens from these Arabic countries: Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Sudan, are obligated to obtain a visa to enter Tunisia.

To effectively mitigate this risk, our strategy involves initiating the participant selection process promptly. By commencing this process as soon as possible, we will ensure ample time to liaise with local authorities and facilitate the visa issuance process for participants from the aforementioned countries. This proactive approach will enable us to navigate potential visa-related challenges efficiently and optimize participation from across the MENA region.

30. Friendly space policy - Please add the link to the friendly space policy that your community will be using for this event.

We accept and will follow the Friendly Space Policy from the Wikimedia Foundation : https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Friendly_space_policy

Learning, Sharing, and Evaluation

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

Through organizing this event, we aim to gain deeper insights into the challenges associated with embracing and promoting structured data, particularly focusing on Wikidata, within the region. This includes understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities encountered by the Arabic community in this regard. By facilitating discussions, capacity building, sharing experiences, and exploring innovative solutions, we seek to pave the way for an informed strategy and effective interventions to address identified challenges and leverage existing opportunities.

32. Main open metrics

Main Open Metrics Data

Main Open Metrics	Description	Target
Wikidata Ambassadors in the Region	There will be ambassadors that will work on wikidata in their community	20
Recorded Materials	Materials related to wikidata will be recorded in Arabic for the public.	20
New Wikidata Projects	A new project related to wikidata will be launched.	5
N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A

Financial Proposal

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

166175.63

34. Select your local currency.

TND

Requested amount in USD

54166.61 USD

35. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FwsGDb0Y11IdiUIkRcySEaB0HEwAV7ySgej04wYBlHc/edit?usp=sharing

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

No

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

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

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