From over 50 countries, nearly 100 young minds are coming together to shape the future of free knowledge – on their own terms.
We’re only a few days away from Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025, the first-ever Wikimedia event created for young people and by young people. Hosted in Prague from May 15 till May 18 2025, this gathering will bring together around 90 young Wikimedians from every corner of the Wikiworld.
Together, they’ll explore questions like:
- How can Wikimedia projects and activities become more attractive and accessible to young people?
- How do we support their growth and keep them engaged?
- And how can they lead change in their own communities?
But it won’t stop at big ideas. The goal is action: this conference is about turning vision into real steps forward.
Why now?
Organized by Wikimedia Czech Republic with the support of the CEE Hub, the conference tackles a topic that’s more urgent than ever. Young people are not just the future of the Wikimedia movement – they’re already here, contributing every day.
In 2024, editors aged 18–24 became the largest age group among active contributors, making up 21% of the global community. And among newcomers, the trend is even clearer: 37% of new editors are in this age bracket.
At the same time, we’re facing real challenges. Wikimedia projects are competing with a range of engaging online platforms, and we’ve seen a decline in new user registrations. Young editors often bring different motivations and needs, and as a movement, we’re still learning how best to support them. Their voices need to be heard more clearly.
Both Wikimedia Czech Republic and The CEE Hub already have experience in supporting young people in the Wikimedia movement – they have been regularly supporting the CEE Youth Group. This group, started as a conversation during the CEE Catch Up regional call, grew into an impactful youth-driven peer-support community of young people in Central and Eastern Europe, says Klára Joklová, the Executive Director of Wikimedia Czech Republic.
Now it is time to take this experience to a global level.
A global gathering for a global mission
To build a more inclusive movement, we need a more inclusive conversation. And that’s exactly what this event brings.
The participants come from all regions of the world, representing over 50 countries – from India to Argentina, and from Ukraine to the Philippines. They bring rich diversity in experiences and backgrounds: many are already active editors, event organizers, and community leaders, working in both large and emerging Wikimedia projects.
What connects them is a shared desire to make Wikimedia more open, more sustainable, and more welcoming for people like them.
Not your typical Wikimedia conference
Designing a first-of-its-kind youth conference meant rethinking the format, too. While traditional Wikimedia events often focus on presentations and panels, this one needed something different.
Instead of showcasing existing work, we’re co-creating something new.
Over three days of facilitated group discussions, participants will:
- Explore the challenges young people face in joining and staying active in the movement
- Test different ideas and hypotheses together
- Gain leadership and facilitation skills
- Develop concrete, personal action plans to implement back home
The focus will shift from movement-wide needs to personal perspectives, so that the big picture is grounded in real experiences. And ideas can be brought back to the communities.
Impact going beyond the event
The real magic of the Youth Conference will unfold after the event ends.
In their applications, participants shared how they plan to give back: by organizing events, creating content, mentoring newcomers, or taking on leadership roles in their communities.
As Klára Joklová describes it: The conference program will help the participants to create their own personal plan on how to bring to life the ideas from the conference in the time post the event. It also aims to create strong peer connections that will last long beyond the closing session. It’s not just a conference. It’s the beginning of a support network – one that will help young Wikimedians build lasting impact together.
Joy, belonging, and… Eurovision
The work is important but it won’t all be about planning and strategy. The conference is also about building friendships, sharing joy, and creating memories. Expect some moment of fun, board games and… a shared viewing of Europe’s favorite music tradition: the Eurovision Song Contest.
Our twelve points go to… the Youth Conference and the young people in the movement!
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