We reflect on the remarkable journey of the Wikipedia edit-a-thon that commemorated World Roma Day. This global event not only celebrated the rich tapestry of Roma culture and history but also aimed to bridge knowledge gaps within the vast expanse of the internet’s most extensive encyclopedia. The results were nothing short of extraordinary, with countless articles updated and expanded, shedding light on the stories and achievements of the Roma people.
Wikimedia Serbia organized the fifth global edit-a-thon to celebrate World Roma Day with the support of the CEE Hub. Volunteers worldwide wrote and improved articles on the Roma people and their history and culture. This campaign aims to combat prejudice and discrimination against Roma by spreading knowledge on Wikipedia and other Wiki projects. Roma Day Edit-a-thon was supported by Wikimedia Ukraine, Wikimedia Finland, Wikimedia Macedonia, Wikimedians of Albanian Language User Group, Wikimedia Community User Group Greece, Wikimedians of Romania and Moldova, Wikimedia Hungary and Wikimedians of the Republic of Srpska.
Page was created on Meta with a table containing a list of articles showing whether they exist in Wikipedia’s mentioned language edition. The list included different subcategories of topics, which made the list much easier to observe and navigate. This system allowed participants to work on translating articles if sources and literature on a given item did not exist in their language. Wikimedia affiliates and communities who were invited to join and support this event were countries and regions that have a significant Roma minority. Many affiliations and user groups organized a local version of this campaign.
The edit-a-thon lasted from the 1st until the 15th of April. This year, 42 participants from 8 language versions of Wikipedia wrote 116 and improved 9 articles. Wikipedians on Ukrainian, Serbian, and Macedonian Wikipedia contributed especially significantly to this event. The editors were also encouraged to work on Wikidata as well as on Wikiquote. On Wikidata, 51 new items were improved. On Wikiquote, 76 quotes were added.
The final results can be viewed on Meta-wiki.
Articles about Romani people and their culture are an integral part of the CEE Spring competition, so editors from Central and Eastern Europe who are interested can contribute to this topic and participate in their local competitions until May 31st.
As we close the chapter on this year’s edit-a-thon, we invite you to join us next year. Whether you’re an experienced editor or new to the world of Wikipedia, your contributions can make a big impact. Together, let’s continue to enrich the narrative of the Roma community and ensure their history and culture are represented with the depth and respect they deserve.
Mark your calendars for next year’s World Roma Day, and be part of a movement that writes history, one edit at a time.
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