Wikimedia South Africa/Wikipedia's 23rd Birthday Celebration

January 15, 2024 marks the 23rd anniversary of Wikipedia, the world’s free encyclopaedia that anyone can edit. On the 15th of January editors and readers around the world celebrate free knowledge and the joy it has sparked over the past 23 years.

History

Wikipedia launched on January 15, 2001 with a bold vision: a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. At the time, the idea that people around the world would collaborate to build an encyclopaedia—for free—seemed unbelievable. Since then, Wikipedia has grown to more than 35 million articles in hundreds of languages, used by hundreds of millions of people all over the world. Wikipedia is still built by volunteers around the world: each month, 80,000 volunteer editors contribute to the site. As of this anniversary, 28 percent of those alive today have never known a world without Wikipedia. While much of the internet has evolved into a private space, Wikipedia serves everyone on Earth, of all backgrounds and ages.

About Wikimedia ZA

Wikimedia South Africa chapter is a non-profit volunteer membership organisation that exists to promote open knowledge, community, and outreach in the southern Africa region . Wikimedia South Africa is affiliated with, but fully independent from, the global Wikimedia movement that includes over 40 other chapters and user groups around the world in addition to the Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit foundation that is best known for running Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia.

The birthday

The Chapter will be hosting Wikipedia 23rd birthday celebrations in Johannesburg and Cape Town on 27 January 2024. South African Wikipedians, Volunteers, Wikimedia ZA team and Wikimedia Foundation employees are invited to come to the 23rd birthday celebration. We celebrate not only Wikipedia, but all of the projects, partnerships, events, and joy it has spurred over the past 23 years with many still to come. This year’s celebrations coincide with the photographic competition that encourages members of the public and professionals involved in the sciences to add science related photographs for use on Wikipedia.

Details

Date: Saturday, 27 January 2024 📆
Start time: 11:00 AM SAST 🕚
End Time: 13:00 PM SAST🕚
Location: (in-person) 🧍🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️ Cape Town 🏙️ and Johannesburg 🌆

Cape Town

Venue: Tigers Milk
Address: Tiger's Milk Claremont Ground Floor Sunclare Building, 21 Dreyer Street, Claremont, Cape Town.

Johannesburg

Venue: Gaucho Restaurant
Address: 67 7th St, Linden, Randburg, 2104

For further enquiries

Bobby Shabangu President:Wikimedia South Africa bobbyshabangu@wikimedia.org.za

Douglas Ian Scott Director:Wikimedia South Africa douglas.scott@wikimedia.org.za

Shupai Mchuchu Project Manager: Wikimedia South Africa shupai.mchuchu@wikimedia.org.za'