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WikiConvention 2015 is an international meeting for active members of Wikimedia projects set to take place in Strasbourg, France in fall 2015.

About WikiConvention

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WikiConvention is an event for the German-speaking Wikimedia community which has taken place in late summer / fall every year since 2011. Its focus is on discussing collective work on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, and its sister projects such as Commons, Wikibooks, Wikinews and Wikiversity.

Participants

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WikiConvention participants, who invest a considerable amount of their free time and energy in the development and creation of Wikimedia projects, meet at WikiConvention to discuss their daily work and coordinate a free exchange of knowledge with one another. The goals of the event are getting to know new people, strengthening networking and an intensive exchange of information within the community.

This selection of Strasbourg, Alsace, the seat of the European Parliament, as the event's location means that WikiConvention will take place in France for the first time this year. In addition to authors from Germany, Switzerland and Austria, the event is addressed toward active members from France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, along with other European countries. All in all, 200 to 300 participants are expected to attend.

The event is also addressed toward individuals who have not previously actively participated in the Wikimedia Foundation projects. In the scope of the event, local residents will also get the chance to get to know the people behind Wikipedia and its sister projects, clarify any questions they have regarding the project, and bring their own valuable suggestions into the discussions from outside.

 
Wikipedia in regional and minority languages in Europe

Program and focal point

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The WikiConvention program consists of presentations, discussions, workshops and other event formats in order to build participants' skills and knowledge, attract interested individuals to join the Wikimedia projects and discuss and launch co-operations and further developments.

The key focus of the event is set to be the Wikimedia projects in so-called "minor languages", meaning Wikipedia and other projects in the regional and minority languages of Europe. The authors of the projects in minor languages are invited to present their projects at WikiConvention 2015 and to join discussions with representatives of other regional language projects. Presentations in the authors' native languages are expressly requested. As a minimum requirement, an English translation should be available for every language used in presentation, including every regional and minority language, so that audience members can still follow presentations without knowledge of the respective language.

Financing and organization

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For representatives of minor languages in particular, as well as for other participants at WikiConvention 2015, financial support is available from the Wikimedia chapters and the Wikimedia Foundation for the cost of travel and overnight stays. Discussions on this financial support are planned for different European chapters.

WikiConvention 2015 will be organized by an international team of volunteers from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Financial support for WikiConvention 2015 and personal support from Wikimedia chapters, e.g. Wikimedia Germany, Wikimedia Switzerland, Wikimedia Austria, Wikimedia France and/or Wikimedia Netherlands is being sought.