The Wikimedia UAE User Group made an exciting impact at the 17th edition of the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature, held from January 29 to February 3, 2025. With a commitment to fostering free knowledge, collaboration, and cultural exchange, the User Group organized a dynamic five-hour workshop titled “Wiki AE Working Bee: The Knowledge Game” in collaboration with Wikimedia Kuwait User Group and the Let’s Connect Program. This second annual Wiki AE Working Bee provided an engaging, hands-on learning experience for university students from 34 institutions across the world.
The Knowledge Game: A Hands-On Introduction to Wikidata
With 145 students from 34 universities across various countries, the workshop was an energetic deep dive into Wikidata. The objectives of the session were clear:
- Educate on Wikidata: Participants learned the fundamentals of Wikiata, its role within the Wikimedia ecosystem, and how to create and enhance data entries.
- Promote Free Knowledge: By adding valuable data related to over 100 books and authors featured at the Festival, participants contributed directly to the world’s largest open knowledge repository.
- Encourage Collaborative Learning: Working in teams, participants experienced the power of collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
A Unique Blend of Culture and Connection
A highlight of the event was the Connecathon, held in collaboration with the Let’s Connect Program. 23 universities took part in a unique cultural exchange, where students brought gifts from their home countries, symbolizing their heritage and traditions. Each university representative had two minutes to explain the significance of their item and share an interesting fact before exchanging it with another representative. This simple yet powerful gesture fostered cross-cultural connections and reinforced that Wikimedia is not just about knowledge-it’s about people connecting. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many experiences heartwarming and unforgettable.
A testimonial from one of the participants: “I loved this session! It addressed all the things I was thinking about, and that’s why I’m excited to keep going and sign up.”
230 New Wikidata Items in One Hour!
The workshop culminated in an intense Edit-a-thon, where students actively applied their newfound knowledge. In just one hour, they collectively created over 230 Wikidata items, focusing on authors and books showcased at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. From novels to children’s stories, these contributions strengthened the representation of literary works on Wikidata, making information more accessible to global audiences.
Overcoming Challenges, Embracing Growth
No great achievement comes without its hurdles. Some students encountered technical difficulties while creating Wikimedia accounts, despite being instructed to set up accounts before the event. Due to the high number of participants attempting to create accounts simultaneously, an IP address block temporarily prevented some from registering. To resolve this, the team quickly adapted by providing mobile data hotspots, allowing participants to successfully create their accounts and join the editing session. Additionally, language barriers posed a challenge for some attendees, highlighting the importance of multilingual Wikimedia resources. Despite these obstacles, the event was a resounding success, demonstrating the resilience and adaptability of both organizers and participants.
Humanizing Knowledge: A Conversation on Community-Driven Content
In addition to hands-on Wikidata training, Wikimedia UAE hosted an insightful session titled “Humanizing Knowledge.” This discussion, featuring Farida El Guertley (User:FElgueretly-WMF) from the Wikimedia Foundation and Rotana (User:روتانا) , Co-Founder of the Wikimedia Kuwait User Group, and moderated by Duaa Khidir (User:Duaa Khidir), Communications Liaison at Wikimedia UAE User Group, explored how Wikimedia empowers editors to take ownership of shared information. The conversation highlighted the importance of diverse representation in content and how funding supports vital knowledge-sharing initiatives. Participants left inspired, recognizing their crucial role in shaping a more inclusive and representative Wikimedia ecosystem.
A Heartfelt Thank You
Wikimedia UAE extends its deepest gratitude to the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature, Wikimedia Kuwait, the Let’s Connect Program, and all the dedicated participants who made this event a success. A special thanks to Farida El Guertley and to our special trainer Rotana , as well as our dedicated support team Duaa Khidir, Iyhab1994, and Mohammad Hijjawi for ensuring a smooth and enriching experience for all.
Can you help us translate this article?
In order for this article to reach as many people as possible we would like your help. Can you translate this article to get the message out?
Start translation