Reclaiming Our Narrative: Africa Wiki Challenge 2025 Calls for Justice and Reparations

The Africa Wiki Challenge (AWC) is back! This annual campaign brings together Wikimedians, historians, and storytellers to document Africa’s rich history, culture, and contemporary realities on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia platforms. Running from May 25 to June 30, 2025, this year’s edition comes with an urgent and powerful theme: “Reclaiming Our Narrative: Justice for Africans and the Diaspora through Reparations.”

Why This Theme Matters

Africa’s history has long been told from external perspectives, often leaving out the voices and lived experiences of Africans. The 2025 theme aligns with the African Union’s (AU) 2025 theme on justice and reparations, recognising the historical injustices suffered by Africans and people of African descent worldwide. Through this initiative, we seek to challenge misrepresentation, highlight African agency, and spark critical conversations about reparative justice.

What to Expect

Participants across Africa and the diaspora will contribute content related to:

• Historical injustices and reparations movements affecting African communities globally.
• Contributions of African and diaspora leaders in advocating for justice.
• Cultural heritage and resilience stories that reflect Africa’s enduring strength.
• Landmark policies and legal frameworks related to reparations and historical justice.
• Economic and social impacts of colonial legacies and efforts to reclaim African identity.

Key Dates:

• Launch of AWC: May 23, 2025
• Writing Contest: May 25 – June 30, 2025

How to Participate

AWC is open to all Africans and people of African descent— whether you are a new or existing Wikipedian, historian, student, or just passionate about African stories. To participate:

1. Be African or of African descent
2. Create a Wikipedia account
3. Sign up for the contest and start creating or improving Wikipedia articles related to the theme. Additionally, join the AWC Participant Telegram page for interactions and important updates.
4. We encourage as many individual organisers and groups as possible to organise community events around AWC 2025. More information can be found here
5. Use the official hashtags: #AfricaWikiChallenge, #AWC, #AWC2025 to share your contributions and connect with fellow participants.

This challenge is an opportunity to:

1. Improve and create articles related to historical injustices, reparations, and African resilience.

2. Upload images and media to Wikimedia Commons to visually represent key moments in African history.

3. Translate content into African languages to ensure wider accessibility

4. Engage in edit-a-thons and training sessions to collaborate with fellow Wikimedians

A Call to Action for Partners & Local Organisers

AWC 2025 is not just a writing contest; it is a movement to reshape narratives and ensure Africa’s stories are told by Africans, for the world. To amplify impact, OFWA is seeking partnerships with organisations, media houses, and advocacy groups that align with our mission of open knowledge and historical justice. We also encourage local Wikimedia communities to host events and drive participation in their respective regions.

Join the Movement!

We invite you to be part of this historic moment by contributing your knowledge, sharing this campaign, or supporting our efforts in any way possible. Let’s make history, reclaim our narratives, and document our journey toward justice and reparations.

📅 Mark your calendar: AWC 2025 officially launches on May 23, 2025, 2pm at the National Museum of Ghana, featuring expert discussions on reparations, colonialism, slave trade, pan-Africanism and the role of Wikimedia in shaping Africa’s global representation. The contest runs from May 25 – June 30, 2025.

🔗 Stay connected: Follow updates on Meta-Wiki and on all our social media platforms at Open Foundation West Africa.

Are you ready to make an impact? Let’s write our future together!