Wikimania is a rare opportunity for Wikimedia contributors from around the world to come together to celebrate, share, connect, and grow. Wikimania 2023 – whether we participated virtually or in person – was a great reminder of this and so much more. The event piloted a regional model of collaboration for the volunteer core organizing team with excellent results. We also witnessed the benefits of future organizers participating and learning from current ones, as with the 2023 ESEAP and the 2024 CEE teams.
In this spirit, we announce the organizers of Wikimania in 2025 and 2026.
Greetings East Africa
A cradle of history, biodiversity, art and architecture, and a hub for intergovernmental collaboration, technology, and so much more, East Africa is full of possibilities for Wikimedia. Wikimania 2025 will be hosted by a dynamic collaboration of volunteers and affiliates in East Africa. We were delighted to receive multiple expressions of interest from Wikimedians in the region to collaborate and host Wikimania. This will mark the 20th Wikimania and a significant milestone as the third Wikimania in Africa, only the second in Africa south of the Sahara, and the first in East Africa. We believe in the impact of this Wikimania in further energizing new and active communities in the region and fostering growth for content and contributions where we currently have large gaps. This Wikimania will also present a novel opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Wikimedians in the region and across the continent of Africa. The exact city will be decided in the coming months based on political and safety assessments as well as input from experienced organizers, Wikimedia stakeholders, and local partners.
Bonjour Paris!
The 2026 Wikimania will be hosted in Paris by Wikimédia France in partnership with WikiFranca, the international association bringing together francophone individuals and groups in the movement. This will be the first Wikimania in France and a first for the global collaboration of French-speaking Wikimedia communities. Paris will be the perfect setting for this special Wikimania, marking the 25th anniversary of multiple editions of Wikipedia, such as Basque, Catalan, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, and others, including English. From the banks of the Seine to the tops of hills and towers, from world class museums to historic libraries and cafés where philosophers once debated, we will usher in the next 25 years of open content and free knowledge collaboration when we come together in 2026 – in Paris or online – to celebrate this great milestone.
The Wikimania Steering Committee is pleased to make this announcement in partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation, the East Africa Regional and Thematic Hub (EARTH), the Wiki Indaba Steering Committee (WISCom), WikiFranca, and Wikimédia France.
Wikimania 2024 and 2027
Wikimania is co-created with Wikimedians from around the world. Whether you’re an experienced editor, a newcomer that just connected with the movement at a Wikimania, a passionate advocate for open knowledge, or a curious organizer, Wikimania is a chance to shape our movement’s ecosystem. Wikimania 2024 will take place in Poland – preparations are already under way and a call for volunteers will be launched soon. Please take part in on-wiki discussions, contribute a session whether in-person or online, or join a sub-committee to support the regional organizing team. There is something for everyone at Wikimania.
Participating at events has drastically changed over the past few years. Wikimania is experiencing more participants than ever thanks to virtual means and we will continue to support organizing teams to improve hybrid and virtual participation and expand on-demand content for everyone, everywhere.
Selecting locations years in advance means less pressure for organizers and better choices of venues, more time for visa processes, and greater learning and collaboration opportunities. For Wikimania 2027, we hope to put out a call for expressions of interest next year, particularly welcoming interest from regions we have not been to for a long time, like Latin America, or those we are yet to bring Wikimania to, like South Asia.
The Wikimania Steering Committee – welcoming new members
The Wikimedia movement is a beacon of inspiration, a platform for innovation, and a celebration of human collaboration, and Wikimania is its annual conference. Organized by volunteers and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimania is a celebration of the diversity of our people and our contributions. It features a wide range of programming, including lectures, workshops, keynotes, hackathons, and of course, social events. Wikimania has great potential for local impact – whether for welcoming newcomers or energizing existing contributors, or for host cities, countries, and regions where content naturally improves and considerably expands when Wikimedians have explored – the 2023 Wikimania is a great example.
As the stewards of Wikimania, the Steering Committee puts much care and consideration in selecting locations for the conference. This includes opportunities for impact, growth potential for the movement, ease of travel, safety, visa access, venues, logistics, and more. There is no perfect location. That is why in making our decision, we consult with the Wikimedia Foundation, community organizing teams, and event experts. Please let us know if you would like to join such conversations. We are looking for new community members with Wikimania or other event organizing experience to join the Steering Committee. Please reach out to us on wiki or at wikimania@wikimedia.org.
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