Wikimedians for Disaster Response/Talks/WikiCon North America 2019

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WCNA2019

Wikimedia in humanitarian contexts

Key message

Wikimedians are engaged in humanitarian contexts in multiple ways — both online and on the ground —
and interested in coordinating with others active in this space,
especially Humanitarian OpenstreetMap, first responders and entitites engaged in disaster prevention

Key question

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How can we coordinate better across wikis and languages around current, past and future disasters?

Background

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When disaster strikes, many are lending a hand, experts and volunteers.
While some concentrate on missions in the disaster zone,
on evacuation
or preventive measures on-site,
others are taking to their keyboards,
e.g. to refine articles or maps.

OpenStreetMap at the junction between on-the-ground and digital responses

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Use of OSM by first responders, offline
Use of OSM by first responders, online
Digital response by the OSM community, online

What Wikimedians do

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Curate and update relevant information in multiple languages
Translate between languages
Complement text with suitable illustrations
Gather, curate, structure and query relevant data
Document the context of disasters, e.g. cultural heritage
or burial practices
or publications about the pathogen behind an epidemic
Participate in OSM activities
Package content for offline use (OSM included by default)
Go back in history, including to
historic disasters
or commemorations thereof
or their remains
or fake remakes

What is unclear

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How are Wikimedia platforms being used in humanitarian contexts (before, during and after disaster events)?
How could Wikimedia platforms be used (better) in humanitarian contexts?
How can the Wikimedia and OSM/ HOT communities collaborate and align their efforts better?
Who is interested in helping improve Wikimedia platforms for use in humanitarian contexts?