Wikimedia MKD/Annual plan 2024
This is the annual plan of the activities of Wikimedia MKD for 2024.
Programmes
editEducation & Science
editThis programme aims to extend and maintain collaborations with educational and scientific institutions with the goals of promoting Wikipedia as an educational resource, getting students and academic staff involved in the Wikimedia movement and producing open educational resources.
It is divided into two sub-programmes:
- Education (consists of the projects Teachers' conferences, Wiki Clubs, Editing contest for students, Wiki Camp, Professors and Students Mentorships, and Wikidata Workshops); and
- Science (consists of the projects Wikiexperiments and WikiLectures).
Education
editEducation program this year includes education-related activities of underage students (secondary and high school) and teachers, which means training and teaching students how to edit Wikipedia, use Commons and contribute to the Wikipedia movement, as well as training teachers how to use Wikimedia projects as teaching tools. Students are educated mostly in the Wiki Clubs in several schools in several cities in Macedonia. Each clubs has an appointed coordinator. On the other side, for teachers we organized a conferences. Almost all of the Wiki Clubs members are using Content Translation tool. Wiki Clubs activities can be followed at this link.
We plan to organize two teaches' conferences, one in spring and one in autumn. Taking look at the past experience and success, we expect each conference to be visited by at least 65 teachers which will be trained, theoretically and practically, on using Wikipedia in classroom and also editing and improving Wikipedia.
The strength of this project are members, Wikimedians who are teachers in the same time. The big interest of teachers in the Republic of Macedonia is giving us the strength also, as the great interest points that with such conferences we are on the right track to reach them. We teach the teachers on how to use Wikipedia in the classroom, and the opportunities are big for us: we can establish collaboration with the schools; we can start Wiki Club or Wiki section in their school; we can spread the word about Wikipedia, and involve the teachers and students into editing Wikipedia articles. We cannot list any problem which may appear one day, as for now everything is smooth: teachers are interested to participate and after the conference to collaborate with us; we have volunteers who are happy to organize or to help organizing the conference; the media covered the event.
Our strength in this project so far is the reputation of the Wiki Clubs. We have opportunity to educate many students about Wikipedia, and we hope that a good number of them will continue to edit Wikipedia. The weakness is that we are not capable to answer all calls for collaboration with schools, as the volunteers will be overloaded with too many tasks.
The editing contest for students organised in April-May 2023 was highly successful with over 100 created articles, so it is our agenda again. Intended for persons from age 15 to 18, they are able to participate in a monthly editing contest where they can create articles listed for creation.
Wiki Camp is a three-day camp for underage students and members of Wiki Clubs. We plan to organize one Wiki Camp for 50 Wiki Club active members and new participants, plus 12 volunteers, teachers and Wikipedians. Adults have to be present in order to maintain the Wiki Camp. The first day, there will be session for beginners on how to edit Wikipedia. All three days we will have edit-a-thons, workshops, one wiki expedition around the event place, workshop about Commons, etc.
Strength: Our big strength for this project are our volunteers, who are ready to organize the Wiki Camp. We already have teachers ready to lead a group of students at the Wiki Camp, and also, the interest between the students is big for this kind of activity. The opportunity for us after this event is that we will be able to build connections between experienced and new participants, and also to engage new editors and future members of Wiki Clubs. The only problem we could faced with is not enough lap top computers for every student at the Wiki Camp. To avoid this, we plan to divide students into several groups while they will edit Wikipedia, using the available lap top computers.
The continuation of the Students Mentorships project in 2024 is an initiative to engage students from high schools and universities in learning how to edit Wikipedia and contribute to the platform. Start by providing an overview of the Students Mentorships project, explaining its goals, objectives, and the importance of involving students in Wikimedia initiatives. Highlight the success of past mentorship programs, if any, to showcase the positive impact they have had. Wikimedia MKD should reach out to high schools and universities and to identify at least three educational institutions that are willing to participate in the project. Establish partnerships and cooperation with these institutions to facilitate the mentorship program. Organize group training sessions and workshops for the selected students. These sessions can be conducted separately for high school and university students, depending on their specific needs and requirements.Conduct engaging and informative lectures on the principles of editing Wikipedia. Cover topics such as Wikipedia's guidelines, the importance of reliable sources, citation practices, and the collaborative nature of the platform. If the educational institutions have the necessary computer equipment, organize hands-on workshops right after the lectures. This will allow students to immediately apply the knowledge gained and start editing Wikipedia under the guidance of mentors. Assign experienced mentors to each group of students. These mentors should be volunteers with a good understanding of Wikipedia's editing process and guidelines. They will provide ongoing support and guidance to the students throughout their editing journey.
Including Wikidata Workshops as one of our Wikimedia projects for 2024 is an excellent way to expand the data-oriented platform such as Wikidata. The workshop will begin with a brief introduction to Wikidata, explaining its significance as a free and collaborative knowledge base that can be edited by anyone. Highlight its role in supporting other Wikimedia projects, such as Wikipedia, by providing structured data. Explain the goals and structure of Wikidata, emphasizing its key components like items, properties, and statements. Describe how data is organized in Wikidata and how it connects to other entities in the Wikimedia universe. Conduct training lessons that cover the essential skills needed to work with Wikidata effectively. Creating and editing Wikidata items: Teach participants how to create new items and edit existing ones, ensuring they understand the importance of accurate and verifiable information. Adding statements and references: Explain how to add statements (data) to Wikidata items and the significance of providing reliable references for each statement. Understanding properties: Educate participants about the role of properties in defining the attributes of Wikidata items and how they are linked to specific data types. Showcase best practices for organizing data in Wikidata, including how to use quantifiers and qualifiers to add context to statements. Explain the process of connecting Wikidata items with corresponding Wikipedia articles. Emphasize how these connections enrich Wikipedia content and enable data synchronization across multiple language editions.
Science
editThe science sub-programme is aimed at producing open educational resources and creating digital libraries, which will be made readily available for use in education through the Wikimedia projects. The main projects included in this sub-programme are the following:
Continuing the Wikiexperiments project as a key and significant initiative in 2024 is a way to enrich Wikipedia's content with informative and engaging videos of scientific experiments. The plan is to collaborate with academic and accredited individuals in the institutes, faculties, and universities to select a wide range of scientific experiments from various fields of natural sciences. These experiments should be visually appealing and have educational value. Film the experiments with high-quality production to ensure clarity and effectiveness. After filming the experiments, work closely with the experts to coordinate post-production activities. Edit the videos to enhance clarity and educational value. Seek approval from the experts for the final versions of the videos to ensure accuracy and scientific correctness. Consult with the experts to identify relevant Wikipedia articles where the videos could be integrated. Focus on articles that lack visual content or could benefit from the addition of video demonstrations to enhance understanding. Based on the guidance from the experts, create new Wikipedia articles or improve existing ones to provide comprehensive information related to the experiments showcased in the videos. Ensure that the articles are well-referenced and adhere to Wikipedia's guidelines. Embed the approved videos into the respective Wikipedia articles to enhance the learning experience for readers. Position the videos strategically within the articles to complement the text and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the topics. Promote the Wikiexperiments project within the Wikimedia community and beyond to raise awareness about the availability of high-quality educational videos on Wikipedia. Highlight the collaboration with academic experts to emphasize the project's credibility and value. Maintain ongoing engagement with academic experts to encourage a continuous flow of new experiments and content. Regularly update the videos and articles to keep the information current and relevant. The Wikiexperiments project can significantly enhance the educational potential of Wikipedia by providing visual demonstrations of scientific concepts and experiments. By collaborating with experts in the respective fields, you ensure the accuracy and credibility of the content, while also fostering a strong relationship between academia and the Wikimedia community.
The concept of WikiLectures, which in 2024 will be its third season, is an innovative and valuable initiative to enhance the educational content on Wikipedia. By recording video lectures delivered by experts in their respective fields, WikiLectures aims to provide comprehensive explanations of solving particular equations and related topics. These video lectures can then be inserted into relevant Wikipedia articles to improve the quality of information available to readers. Collaborate with experts in various fields of knowledge who are willing to share their expertise through video lectures. These experts should have in-depth knowledge and experience in solving specific equations and related topics. Arrange video recording sessions with the experts, capturing their lectures in a professional and engaging manner. Ensure that the video quality and audio are of high standard to provide viewers with a clear understanding of the subject matter. Work with the experts to determine the specific equations and topics they will cover in their lectures. Focus on equations and concepts that are important, relevant, and may lack comprehensive coverage on Wikipedia. After recording the video lectures, the plan is to insert lectures into the appropriate Wikipedia articles. These lectures can serve as supplementary educational material, enhancing the articles' value and understanding for readers.
Community
editThe Community programme includes a wide variety of programmes with the goals of identifying topics of interest, filling content gaps, tackling the gender gap and improving content quality. It is divided into four sub-programmes:
- Editing challenges (consists of the projects Editing days, Editing weekends, Editing competitions, CEE Spring 2024, Editing weeks, #1Lib1Ref, Edit-a-thons, and Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos;
- Community support (consists of the projects Photohunts, WikiSketch, and WikiTours;
- Expeditions (consists of the projects Wiki-, Geo-, Archaeo-, and Veloexpeditions; and
- Photo contests.
The community members have several meetings in person a month, in order to plan and schedule new activities and projects related to Wikimedia projects and promotion of Wikimedia Movement. Many times there is a need to discuss the ongoing projects or projects we plan to organize in person. As community projects we include workshops, media appearances and other public events.
In 2024 few public events will be organized, as well as workshops (on various different topics, mostly concerned with creating new articles and improving the existing ones on Macedonian Wikipedia), Wiki tours with members and underage students in GLAM Institutions that have signed a memorandum for collaboration and an Assembly meeting.
Biggest strength on this project are our volunteers and a big number of Wiki Clubs members who are trained to edit Wikipedia. The collaboration with the GLAM institutions in the Republic of Macedonia is on a high level, which is good as we hold events usually in collaboration with one of them: in order to get materials for articles, or to use their working room. The opportunities are many: organizing workshops for Wiki Club members proved to be a good way to engage the students to be more active during regular club meetings. Also collaboration with the media is on high level.
Editing challenges
editEditing Challenges encourage community members to actively contribute to Wikimedia projects by focusing on specific topics, themes, or content areas. These challenges can be time-bound events where participants are invited to edit and improve Wikipedia articles. Editing Challenges not only stimulate engagement but also help in enhancing content quality and addressing content gaps. The main projects included in this sub-programme include:
The Editing Days (EDs) project is an initiative to encourage community participation and improve content on the Macedonian Wikipedia project. By holding 24-hour editing events focused on specific topics, EDs create an engaging and accessible environment for volunteers to contribute their knowledge and expertise. The fact that EDs are held twice a week, every Tuesday and Thursday, adds a sense of consistency and predictability to the project. Regularly scheduled events can help build a dedicated community of participants who look forward to these opportunities to contribute and to be merited at the end of the year through the ranking system. The EDs project fosters a spirit of voluntarism, allowing anyone interested to take part in the editing activities. This inclusive approach encourages people from diverse backgrounds to join and contribute to the enhancement of articles. Each ED is centered around a specific topic, which adds a focused and structured approach to the editing process. The thematic focus helps participants direct their efforts towards areas that need improvement or expansion. By selecting topics that have a low number of articles and are easier to edit, the EDs project ensures that participants can get involved without feeling overwhelmed. This approach promotes a sense of accomplishment and encourages newcomers to engage in editing activities. Choosing topics with minimal expert terminology makes the content more accessible to a broader audience, including those who may not be subject matter experts. The use of plain language facilitates understanding and encourages more people to participate. The variety of topic areas, such as art, literature, geography, history, culture, and music, attracts participants with different interests and expertise. This diversity enriches the content on Wikimedia projects and helps create a comprehensive knowledge base. The EDs project can serve as a platform for community building and networking among participants who share common interests. Interactions and collaborations during these events foster a sense of camaraderie within the community. The regular editing efforts through EDs contribute to improving the quantity and quality, depth, and coverage of articles related to the chosen topics. This positively impacts the overall credibility and reliability of the information available on Wikimedia projects. Overall, the Editing Days project has the potential to foster engagement, knowledge sharing, and community growth within the Wikimedia ecosystem. By combining a structured approach, diverse topics, and a volunteer-driven ethos, the project supports the overarching mission of making knowledge freely accessible to all.
Like the Editing Days project, this Editing Weekends (EWs) explains by itself. By extending the editing period to cover the entire weekend (Saturday to Sunday), EWs provide more opportunities for volunteers to participate and contribute their expertise. By doubling the time period compared to Editing Days, EWs offer a longer and more flexible window for participants to edit articles. This extended period accommodates participants with different schedules, time zones, and availability. Choosing weekends for the EWs recognizes that many individuals may have more free time during this period, making it convenient for them to participate in editing activities. Maintaining the same concept and thematic focus as the Editing Days project provides continuity and coherence between the two initiatives. Participants can expect familiar topics and trends, creating a sense of continuity and familiarity. With a longer editing period, participants have the opportunity to delve deeper into articles, conduct more comprehensive research, and refine their contributions. This can lead to higher-quality and more detailed content. The extended duration of EWs can be particularly beneficial for complex or specialized topics that may require more in-depth research and expertise. It allows contributors to tackle challenging subjects with greater depth and accuracy.
The Editing Competitions (ECs) project is a valuable and motivating initiative to encourage active participation and content creation on Wikimedia projects. With each competition lasting for 30 days, participants have a significant timeframe to engage in editing activities and contribute valuable content. Holding three competitions in the first, third, and fourth quarters of 2024 ensures regular opportunities for community members to participate throughout the year. The predetermined schedule allows participants to plan their involvement in advance. Deciding the topics of each competition in the acting year ensures that the selected themes are relevant and align with areas where Wikimedia projects lack articles. Focusing on topics that are easy-to-edit encourages broader participation and content improvement. The 30-day duration of each competition strikes a balance between providing ample time for contributors to create substantial content and maintaining a sense of urgency and competition. Incorporating a jury of three members to evaluate article quality and awarding prizes adds an element of competition and recognition for participants' efforts. Prizes can be a powerful incentive to motivate contributors to actively engage in the competition. Combining quantity and quality of articles in determining the final rank of competitors ensures a fair assessment of their contributions. This approach values both the volume of work and the level of expertise and accuracy demonstrated in the articles. The tradition of awarding additional prizes, such as a prize for the top-rated article and the best newcomer competitor, recognizes outstanding individual achievements and fosters a sense of friendly competition within the community. The competitive nature of the ECs project can enhance community engagement and interaction among participants. Participants may share tips, provide feedback, and collaborate to improve the overall quality of their contributions. By providing a specific prize for the best newcomer competitor, the project encourages newcomers to get involved and contribute their knowledge and expertise. This can help in welcoming and integrating new members into the Wikimedia community. The ECs project has the potential to significantly impact content growth by inspiring participants to create new articles and enhance existing ones. The result is a more comprehensive and diverse knowledge base on Wikimedia projects.
CEE Spring 2024 is a 30 days stand-alone editing competition that celebrates the culture and heritage of Central and Eastern Europe. With a focus on articles loosely related to the region, this competition offers a fantastic opportunity to showcase the diverse topics and richness of the area. The competition's focus on Central and Eastern Europe brings attention to the history, culture, and contributions of this diverse region. Participants have the chance to explore and improve articles that reflect the unique aspects of these countries. As a stand-alone editing competition, CEE Spring 2023 enjoys dedicated attention and participation from contributors interested in the region. The focused theme provides a clear direction for participants and can attract both regional experts and enthusiasts from around the world. By focusing on loosely related topics, the competition has the potential to showcase the diverse and unique elements of Central and Eastern Europe. This can lead to the creation of a broad range of articles that capture the richness of the region. CEE Spring 2023 allows contributors to make a tangible impact on the visibility and quality of articles related to the region. The competition's conclusion can also be an opportunity to recognize the outstanding efforts of participants and their contributions to the Wikimedia projects.
The Editing Weeks, or Week-a-thons, looks like an dynamic and time-limited version of the Editing Competitions, designed to align with specific Wikimedian international initiatives. With a shorter weekly duration, these events provide an excellent opportunity for participants to contribute during targeted and focused periods. The Editing Weeks have a weekly duration, which means that participants can engage in editing activities and contribute throughout the week. This condensed time frame adds a sense of urgency and excitement to the project. By aligning the Editing Weeks with specific Wikimedian international initiatives, the project can tap into existing momentum and interest. This synchronization can attract more participants who are already engaged in related activities. Enhancing Wikimedia Initiatives: The Editing Weeks can complement and support larger Wikimedian initiatives, contributing to the success and impact of these international projects. The focused editing efforts can improve content related to the initiative's themes or goals. Rewarding the top three competitors encourages healthy competition and recognizes the efforts of the most active contributors. Prizes serve as incentives for participants to engage actively and strive for excellence in their editing endeavors. The limited duration of the Editing Weeks ensures that participants are fully engaged and focused on editing during that specific week. This can lead to a surge of activity and a concentrated improvement of articles. The decision to have two installments of the Editing Weeks allows for flexibility and accommodates participants with different schedules or availability. It also creates multiple opportunities for people to participate.
1Lib1Ref is a commendable international Wikimedia initiative that serves to enhance the credibility and reliability of Wikipedia articles by adding missing or insufficient references. By participating in this project since 2021, the Shared Knowledge has been actively contributing to the improvement of Wikipedia's content quality. The core objective of 1Lib1Ref is to enrich Wikipedia articles with references. By adding reliable sources to articles that lack or have minimal references, contributors bolster the credibility and verifiability of the content. Holding the initiative in January provides a focused and time-bound opportunity for participants to join forces and make a concentrated effort to improve Wikipedia articles. This synchronized time frame helps create a sense of unity and collective impact. The competitive aspect of 1Lib1Ref can serve as a motivating factor for contributors. By setting a friendly competition, participants are encouraged to be more active and productive during the initiative. As references are added to articles, Wikipedia gains credibility as a reliable and trustworthy source of information. The project's focus on verifiability aligns with Wikipedia's core principles of maintaining high-quality content. 1Lib1Ref encourages community participation by inviting editors, librarians, and anyone interested to collaborate and contribute to the improvement of Wikipedia's content. Recognizing the efforts of the top three productive participants with awards acknowledges their contributions and encourages continued engagement in future initiatives.
Organizing Edit-a-thons is an excellent way to engage the Wikimedian community and improve content on Wikimedia projects. With the goal of hosting four editions in 2024, Wikimedia MKD is taking on a commendable initiative to foster knowledge sharing and collaborative editing. Edit-a-thons are well-known and popular events within the Wikimedian community. They attract participants from diverse backgrounds and skill levels, fostering a sense of collaboration and camaraderie. The main objective of Edit-a-thons is to improve content on Wikimedia projects. By focusing on specific topics or themes during each edition, contributors can target areas that require enhancement and create well-referenced and comprehensive articles. Edit-a-thons provide a structured and focused environment for participants to contribute. The clearly defined goals and topics can encourage more people to join and actively engage in editing. Consider selecting diverse and relevant topics for each edition of the Edit-a-thons. This can attract a broader range of participants and ensure a varied and comprehensive improvement of articles across different subject areas. Emphasize collaborative editing during the Edit-a-thons. It could encourage participants to work together, share knowledge, and support each other in their editing efforts.
Another successful project from 2023 that will be intergrated this year. This international initiative, created for inserting images at their respective articles if they are lacking images, was for the first time joined by us Macedonian user group because we saw a great potential and the participants covered more than 1800 articles.
Community support
editCommunity Support sub programme plays a crucial role in fostering a healthy and collaborative Wikimedia community. This subprogram likely includes activities such as mentoring newcomers, organizing meetups, and facilitating online forums where community members can interact, share experiences, and seek assistance. Supporting the community helps to maintain a positive and inclusive atmosphere, ultimately leading to more productive collaborations and knowledge sharing. The main projects included in this sub-programme are explained below:
Photohunts are an initiative that combines outdoor photography with Wikimedia content creation. The microgrant-based approach provides an opportunity for photographers, travelers, and hikers to explore destinations, capture images, and contribute to Wikimedia Commons and related articles. The microgrant system allows participants to apply for funding by submitting proposals with specific details, such as the destination, subjects to be photographed, date, number of participants, and projected expenses. This structured approach ensures transparency and accountability in resource allocation. Photohunts encourage participants to engage in outdoor photography, capturing images of street scenes, nature, and travel experiences. The focus on contributing the images to Wikimedia Commons under the 4.0 License adds value to the broader Wikimedia community. The Photohunts are open to all individuals interested in photography and content creation. This inclusivity promotes diversity in perspectives and experiences captured through the photographs. The evaluation process by members of the SK user group ensures that proposals align with the objectives of the initiative and that the expenses are reasonable. This helps in selecting projects that have the potential for meaningful contributions. Participants are encouraged to explore destinations and subjects that may have limited representation on Wikimedia projects. This documentation helps in enriching content and providing new insights to readers. The photographs uploaded to Commons and the articles created or improved can have a lasting impact on Wikimedia projects, enhancing the visual and informational content available to readers.
The WikiSketch Lessons project is a wonderful initiative to introduce newcomers to Wikipedia editing skills in a supportive and guided environment. By providing one-on-one or group lessons, the project aims to empower individuals with limited experience to become active contributors to Wikimedia projects. The primary focus of WikiSketch Lessons is on individuals with no or little experience in Wikipedia editing. By targeting newcomers, the project helps lower barriers to entry and encourages participation from a wider audience. Offering one-on-one lessons allows for personalized attention and tailored instruction. This approach ensures that participants can learn at their own pace and receive individualized support. While the project emphasizes individual lessons, small group lectures also play a valuable role in reaching a larger audience and fostering a sense of community among participants. Providing both in-office and online lessons shows flexibility and a commitment to accommodating participants' preferences. Online lessons cater to those who may not be able to attend in person due to distance or other constraints. By providing participants with editing lessons, the project equips them with essential skills and knowledge needed to contribute to Wikipedia effectively. Allowing participants to choose the articles they wish to work on gives them a sense of ownership and agency in their editing journey. It can also lead to contributions in areas of personal interest. Having activists from Shared Knowledge as mentors ensures that participants receive guidance and support throughout the editing process. Mentors from SK can provide valuable feedback and encouragement. Through WikiSketch Lessons, participants are empowered to become active contributors to Wikimedia projects. This engagement can lead to a sense of fulfillment and a desire to continue contributing beyond the lessons.
The WikiTours project is an exciting and community-driven initiative that aims to create local content and capture the beauty and significance of various towns in Macedonia. By venturing beyond the capital city of Skopje, the project celebrates the cultural heritage and uniqueness of different places. Here are the key features of the WikiTours project:
The main focus of WikiTours is to create local content about people, institutions, buildings, organizations, history, geography, and more from the respective towns visited. This enriches Wikipedia with information specific to each location and highlights its distinct features. WikiTours project involves the participation of local people from the towns visited, fostering community collaboration. The involvement of locals adds authentic and personal perspectives to the content creation process. While local residents participate, the project also welcomes involvement from people outside the town, including participants from the capital city of Skopje. This inclusivity encourages a diverse range of perspectives and contributions. The project combines content creation with photography workshops. Participants have the opportunity to learn about editing Wikipedia articles and then capture the visual aspects of the town, including monuments, institutions, and urban features. By photographing and documenting notable places, buildings, and sites, WikiTours showcases the cultural, historical, and architectural significance of the towns. This can lead to increased recognition and appreciation of these places. The local content and photographs captured during the WikiTours project contribute to Wikimedia projects, adding valuable information and media to Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. WikiTours inspire participants to explore different towns in Macedonia and gain a deeper understanding of their local heritage and local communities. The WikiTour project can raise awareness about Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and the importance of free knowledge. It can also generate interest in local history and culture. The WikiTours project is an excellent way to celebrate and promote the diverse towns of Macedonia. By combining local content creation with photography workshops, the project engages the community in documenting and preserving the unique aspects of each location. It also strengthens the Wikimedia platforms by enriching Wikipedia with valuable information and media related to these towns.
Expeditions
editExpeditions involve community-led projects to explore and document specific topics, regions, or subjects of interest. Participants may embark on research trips or virtual expeditions to gather information and media related to their chosen themes. These expeditions can result in the creation of new articles, the improvement of existing content, and the addition of multimedia files to Wikimedia Commons, enriching the available resources for future readers and contributors. The main projects in this sub-programme include:
The Wikiexpeditions targeting rural areas of the Republic of Macedonia are a commendable effort to document and showcase the cultural heritage and notable sites in lesser-known villages and hamlets. By focusing on areas that may have limited photographic coverage and content on Wikipedia, this project ensures that rural regions receive the attention they deserve. The project specifically targets rural areas, ensuring that villages and hamlets, often overlooked in traditional media coverage, receive documentation and representation on Wikipedia. By focusing on non-photographed or poorly photographed locations, Wikiexpeditions help fill the visual gaps in Wikimedia Commons, enriching the visual content available for these areas. The Wikiexpeditions project covers a wide geographical range of notable sites in rural areas, including mosques, churches, monuments, schools, cultural institutions, and memorial museums. This documentation preserves and promotes their cultural significance. The Wikiexpeditions are conducted through two or three-day field trips involving four participants. This hands-on approach allows for comprehensive documentation and engagement with the local communities. In addition to photographs, the Wikiexpeditions engage in content coverage on Macedonian Wikipedia related to the sites and locations visited. This ensures that the information about these areas is well-documented and accessible to a broader audience. Wikiexpeditions in rural areas help showcase the cultural diversity and historical significance of these regions. The documentation and coverage contribute to the preservation and promotion of their unique heritage. The Wikiexpeditions project leaves a lasting impact by creating a comprehensive and diverse repository of images and information related to rural areas. This can be useful for researchers, travelers, and those interested in local history. Overall, the Wikiexpeditions in rural areas are a vital initiative that not only fills content gaps but also empowers local communities to actively engage in preserving and sharing their heritage. The combination of field trips, photography, and content coverage ensures a holistic approach to documenting and showcasing the cultural and historical significance of rural regions in the Republic of Macedonia.
The Geoexpeditions project is a valuable extension of the concept used in Wikiexpeditions, with a focus on notable geographical features within the territory of our country. By targeting landmarks that may have limited photographic coverage, the project aims to enrich Wikimedia Commons with visual documentation of these unique geographical sites. The project focuses on capturing and documenting notable geographical features within our country. These may include natural landmarks, landscapes, geographical formations, and other distinctive features. Similar to Wikiexpeditions, Geoexpeditions aim to fill the gaps in photographic coverage, ensuring that lesser-known geographical sites receive visual documentation on Wikimedia Commons. The one-day trip format allows for efficient and focused documentation of each geographical feature. Participants can visit multiple sites during different Geoexpeditions, maximizing coverage. Through Geoexpeditions, participants have the opportunity to engage with and explore the unique geography and natural beauty of various locations within our country. The project captures the natural beauty and diversity of geographical features, contributing to Wikimedia Commons' collection of images representing our country's landscapes. Geoexpeditions can also promote environmental awareness and appreciation for the natural heritage of our country. The visual documentation can highlight the need for preservation and conservation efforts. By uploading images to Wikimedia Commons, Geoexpeditions contribute to creating a comprehensive visual archive of our country's geographical features, making it accessible to a global audience.
The Archaeoexpeditions project is an initiative that combines outdoor exploration of archaeological sites with Wikipedia content improvement. Led by an archaeologist, the project allows participants to immerse themselves in the rich historical and cultural heritage of various municipalities. The project focuses on archaeological sites, allowing participants to learn about the history and cultural significance of these locations directly from an archaeologist. The one-day outdoor engagements provide a unique opportunity for participants to visit lesser-known archaeological sites within the municipalities or micro regions. This hands-on experience helps foster a deeper connection to the past. Having an archaeologist as a guide enhances the educational aspect of the Archaeoexpeditions. Participants can benefit from the expert's knowledge and expertise, gaining valuable insights into the historical context of the sites. Photographing the archaeological sites during the visit ensures visual documentation of these important historical landmarks. The images can later be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons to enrich related Wikipedia articles. By focusing on lesser-known archaeological sites, the project contributes to their visibility and recognition. Wikipedia articles improved through the project can provide valuable information to a wider audience. The second phase of the Archaeoexpeditions involves editing Wikipedia articles related to the respective sites. Participants can contribute to improving the content and accuracy of these articles, enriching them with new information gathered during the visit. The Archaeoexpeditions project creates a bridge between the field of archaeology and Wikimedia projects, encouraging collaboration and mutual support. The Archaeoexpeditions can attract participants from diverse backgrounds, including history enthusiasts, archaeology students, photographers, and Wikipedia editors. This fosters a sense of community and shared interest in preserving and promoting cultural heritage.
This type of expeditions proved to complement the Wikiexpeditions well in the past, especially in reaching places that are inaccessible by car. A total of two expeditions to regions with inaccessible places are planned during the year.
Photo contests
editPhoto Competitions incentivize community members to capture and contribute high-quality images to Wikimedia Commons. These competitions can focus on specific themes, events, or locations, encouraging photographers to document diverse subjects and aspects of the world. The photos uploaded through these competitions not only enrich Wikipedia articles but also contribute to the broader pool of freely licensed media available for public use. The plan is to organise two photo contests.
GLAM & Partnerships
editThis programme includes projects based on collaborations with public institutions with the goals of identifying new forms of knowledge, liberating copyrighted content and providing better access to free knowledge.
It is divided into four sub-programmes:
- GLAM (consists of the projects Wikipedian in Residence, Museums Visits, and Manaki Brothers Project;
- Partnerships (consists of the projects QRpedia, Exhibitions, Botanic Garden Skopje Project, and MakSport; and
- Open Government Data.
GLAM
editOur GLAM activities and collaborations are quite successful. In numbers: more than 3,300 files were released and uploaded on commons, more than 2,000 articles, improved or created, more than 800 references added, and we have signed memorandum for collaboration with five important GLAM Institutions in Macedonia. During the last year, we have signed memorandum for collaboration with the Museum of Natural History of Macedonia in Skopje. The point of a collaboration is to sent Wikipedian in a certaion instituion. The collaboration with the institutions is so far very good, particularly because they have helped our WiR with lots of material resources (books, magazines, images, archive materials) and human resources as well (help by the employees of the Institutions, in terms of technical help, scientific opinion and selection of the most suitable items that can be freely shared with the public).
During the course of the years, our user group maintained the strong collaboration with the institutions where we have sent WiR, which included regular visits, providing printed materials etc. The GLAM employees have shown great interest in Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects and did not hesitate to provide Wikipedians with the needed materials. Some of the employees showed interest and willingness to be part of Wikipedia and Commons (as contributors). Since GLAM institutions in the Republic of Macedonia are closed ones and not easily accessible, this warm welcome and productive collaboration was more than satisfying. However, in order not to lose these good links and good collaboration ground, we have to send Wikipedian in Residence in order to maintain the connections and expand the possibilities for further collaboration.
The benefit of collaboration with GLAM institutions are many, including: strengthening the collaboration with GLAM Instituions in Macedonia in order to educate GLAM employees on Wikimedia projects; educating GLAM employees to add references into articles, and creating new articles or improving the existing ones as the GLAM employees are high educated professionals. The implementation of WIkimedia projects within WiR's work is giving us chance to organize special events in collaboration with GLAM institutions, such as edit-a-thons, workshops and Wikipedian tours, which will bring non-WiR Wikipedians on-site to work with staff on content creation and improvement of Wikimedia projects. The GLAM institutions collaboration with us is their opportunity to be more open to the public, understand the need of digitization, as well as the need of sharing the knowledge, documents, historic photos and materials with the general public.
The plans for the activities in 2024 is to send WiR in at least three GLAM institutions. The expectations are to have two productive months because the Museum Staff was glad to establish such cooperation with us and they are willing to provide us the needed help in order to digitize as much materials as possible which can be freely shared on Wikimedia projects.
Our strengths are experienced Wikipedian in Residence, and good established collaboration with the State Archives of the Republic of Macedonia as well with the Museum of Macedonian Struggle in Skopje. We don't need to send WiR in those two institutions, as collaboration is already set on high level. We have an offer for collaboration with the several other GLAM institutions in Republic of Macedonia, and at the moment we are in negotiation of the future collaboration. Once when we will fix the nature of collaboration, the memorandum of collaboration will be signed. The organization has to sign Agreement with the WiR in order to be clear the activities the WiR is required to do: to serve as liaison between the GLAM institution and community, to engage the GLAM employees into Wikimedia activities, to establish a good collaboration and to build a sustainable platform that ensures outcomes long after the WiR has completed their service.
We don't have a weakness in this area of activities, but the threat could be lack of interest of GLAM employees to edit Wikipedia in the future, or after WiR's task is done. To avoid this, we plan to engage them in edit-a-thons, in Wiki Tours, and most important, to provide the material for articles.
The Museums Visits project is a dynamic and engaging initiative that offers different approaches to capturing and illustrating the cultural heritage held within various institutions. The planned photoshoot at a museum in 2024 will undoubtedly add valuable visual content to Wikipedia articles, enhancing the representation of these institutions and their exhibits. The project's adaptability in utilizing different approaches, such as image takeovers, photoshoots, and editing events, allows for creative and diverse contributions to Wikipedia. Engaging with museums fosters collaboration between the Wikimedia community and cultural institutions, promoting the sharing of knowledge and resources. By conducting photoshoots at museums, the project significantly enhances the visual illustration of Wikipedia articles related to cultural artifacts, exhibits, and facilities. The project contributes to the growth of Wikimedia Commons by adding high-quality images of museum exhibits and facilities, which can be used to enrich various Wikipedia articles. Illustrating Wikipedia articles with images from museums brings attention to the cultural heritage preserved in these institutions, fostering appreciation and awareness. By selecting different museums or libraries over the years, the project ensures a broad representation of cultural institutions and their unique collections. Remaining open to deciding on the specific institution to be covered in 2024 allows for adjustments based on available opportunities and resources. The project contributes to the preservation and documentation of historical artifacts and cultural objects, ensuring their accessibility for future generations. The visual content added to Wikipedia through the Museums Visits project can be valuable for educational purposes, supporting learning and research on a wide range of topics.
The collaboration with the Bitola State Archive for the Manaki Brothers Project is a significant and culturally valuable initiative. By taking over digitized images and videos produced by the Manaki Brothers, the project aims to preserve and showcase historical visual records of everyday life in Macedonia during the early 20th century. The Manaki Brothers' work holds immense historical significance as it provides a glimpse into everyday life in Macedonia during the early 20th century. Preserving and sharing this visual documentation is a valuable contribution to cultural heritage. Acknowledging the Manaki Brothers as the founding fathers of Macedonian cinematography honors their pioneering contributions to the country's film industry. The project's collaboration with the Bitola State Archive is essential for obtaining approval and accessing the digitized images and videos from the Manaki Brothers' collection. Taking over digitized images and videos ensures their long-term digital preservation, making them accessible to a wider audience on Wikimedia platforms. By adding the Manaki Brothers' digitized content to Wikimedia Commons, the project contributes to the enrichment of the Wikimedia overall projects with historical and cultural visual assets. The project showcases and promotes the cultural heritage of Macedonia, preserving the visual memory of its past for present and future generations. The Manaki Brothers' images and videos can serve as valuable resources for educational purposes, supporting research, and enriching historical understanding. Acknowledging the Manaki Brothers' contributions brings recognition and appreciation for their work and the significance of Macedonian cinematography. Collaborating with the Bitola State Archive exemplifies the value of partnership between cultural institutions and Wikimedia projects for the documentation and dissemination of historical content. The Manaki Brothers Project is an exemplary effort to preserve and share valuable visual records from Macedonia's past.
Partnerships
editThe collaboration and cooperation with other organizations and institutions in this program adds a valuable dimension to the project. By working together, the program can leverage the expertise, resources, and networks of these organizations to enhance its impact and reach. Collaborating with other organizations and institutions opens up opportunities for partnerships that can extend the program's reach and effectiveness. By combining efforts, the program can achieve more significant outcomes than it could on its own. Visiting institutions and conducting photo sessions of their exhibits and facilities allows the program to document and preserve valuable cultural and historical artifacts. These photographs can be used to enrich Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia projects, making them accessible to a global audience. Gathering existing photo archives owned by institutions can significantly expand the visual content available on Wikimedia Commons. These archives can be valuable sources of historical images that contribute to the documentation of cultural heritage. By collaborating with institutions and using their resources, the program can enrich articles on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. The content created or improved through this collaboration can enhance readers' understanding and appreciation of cultural and historical topics. The program's collaboration with institutions can support their own goals and missions, such as promoting cultural heritage, increasing public access to information, and fostering educational outreach. By documenting and preserving exhibits and facilities through photo sessions, the program contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage. Making these resources available on Wikimedia Commons ensures their accessibility and long-term digital preservation. Collaboration with other organizations allows for the exchange of expertise and knowledge. The program can learn from the experience of partner institutions and vice versa, leading to mutual learning and improvement. The collaborative nature of the program multiplies its impact, as each partner brings unique resources and strengths to the table. Together, they can achieve a more extensive and meaningful contribution to cultural heritage preservation and knowledge dissemination.
The WikiVillage project is a commendable initiative that combines cultural heritage informational preservation with Wikipedia content creation and promotion. By installing informational QR coded plaques in selected villages, the project aims to make valuable information about cultural heritage sites easily accessible to visitors and the general public. The project focuses on villages with multiple cultural heritage sites, ensuring that important historical and cultural landmarks receive proper recognition and preservation.Installing informational QR coded plaques allows visitors to access relevant information about the cultural heritage sites using their smartphones or other devices. This modern approach to information dissemination enhances the visitor experience. Field work and site visits play a crucial role in documenting the cultural heritage sites through photography. The images captured during these visits can be used on Wikipedia articles to enhance the visual representation of the sites. The editing phase involves creating new articles or improving existing ones on Macedonian and English Wikipedias. This step ensures that comprehensive and accurate information about the cultural heritage sites is available to a global audience. Promoting the QR-coded plaques ensures that visitors are aware of the availability of information through the codes. This can be done through various means, such as local media, community outreach, and online promotion. The WikiVillage project encourages engagement with the local community, as they become more aware of and involved in the preservation and documentation of their cultural heritage. The project can contribute to cultural tourism promotion by making information easily accessible to tourists and encouraging them to visit these culturally significant villages.
The Exhibitions project is a captivating and informative initiative that allows Shared Knowledge to portray various topics through compelling photos from Wikimedia Commons. By selecting a topic as the subject for each exhibition, the project provides an opportunity to showcase different aspects of the subject itself. The project's recurring nature ensures a continuous flow of engaging exhibits that can capture the attention of a diverse audience over time. The project's portrayal of various topics through photos offers a diverse range of exhibits that can cater to different interests and curiosities. The use of images from Wikimedia Commons ensures that the exhibits are built upon freely licensed content, adhering to the principles of open knowledge sharing. The combination of informative content and impactful visuals in the exhibits makes them attractive to a wide audience, from casual viewers to researchers and enthusiasts. The project may offer collaboration opportunities with local Wikimedia communities and cultural institutions in the chosen countries, fostering global partnerships.
The Botanic Garden Skopje Project sounds like a continuation of its first s and 2022’s and 2023’s success. By conducting a photoshoot of plant species not covered so far and organizing mini workshops, the project continues to contribute valuable botanical knowledge and educational opportunities. The project's photoshoot focuses on capturing images of plant species that were not covered in the previous year, ensuring a comprehensive documentation of the botanical diversity in the Botanic Garden. The mini workshops offer an excellent opportunity for participants to learn about the photographed plant species, their characteristics, ecological significance, and potential uses. By offering botanical education through workshops, the project helps raise awareness about plant diversity and the importance of preserving botanical knowledge. Collaborating with the Botanic Garden of the Faculty of Biology in Skopje strengthens the partnership between Shared Knowledge and the academic institution, fostering mutual support for botanical education and documentation. The photoshoot contributes to enriching Wikimedia Commons with images of additional plant species, making this valuable botanical information accessible to a global audience. By adding images and botanical information to relevant Wikipedia articles, the project enhances the quality and comprehensiveness of botanical content on the platform. The ongoing nature of the project ensures the continuous documentation of plant species in the Botanic Garden, building a valuable resource for future botanical research and education.
The MakSport project is an exciting initiative that documents Macedonian sports. By focusing on sports-related subjects, such as players, coaches, staff, venues, and games, the project aims to create a comprehensive visual representation of the sporting culture in Macedonia. By conducting photoshoots of players, coaches, staff, sports venues, and games, the project creates a comprehensive documentation of the sporting scene in the country. Image takeovers from sports clubs provide an opportunity for these clubs to showcase their achievements, facilities, and community involvement. Collaborating with sports clubs fosters partnerships and mutual support, benefiting both the project's goals and the clubs' promotional efforts. The project's photoshoots provide a visually engaging and informative portrayal of different sports and sporting events in Macedonia. Photographing sports venues contributes to the preservation of sporting infrastructure and helps promote these venues as valuable community assets. The images captured during the MakSport project enrich Wikimedia Commons with sports-related content, contributing to the broader Wikimedia platforms.
Open Government Data
editThe Open Government Data project is an initiative that focuses on collaboration with institutions to obtain structured data for uploading to Wikidata. By promoting open access to government data, the project contributes to transparency, accountability, and the free dissemination of information. The project's focus on open government data aligns with the principles of open knowledge sharing, encouraging institutions to make their data freely available to the public. Working closely with institutions allows the project to access a wide range of data sources and expand the scope of information available on Wikidata. The project's goal of uploading structured data to Wikidata enhances the completeness and accuracy of information on the platform. Collaborating with reputable institutions can help ensure the quality and reliability of the data, increasing its credibility on Wikidata. By making government data openly accessible on Wikidata, the project contributes to promoting transparency in governance and public decision-making. By converting government data into structured formats on Wikidata, the project makes the information more usable and accessible for diverse applications. Over time, the project's efforts in collaborating with institutions and uploading data contribute to building a valuable repository of government information on Wikidata. Access to open government data empowers citizens to be better informed and engaged in public affairs, fostering a participatory democratic culture.
Priority levels
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