We are officially halfway through Wikimania but that doesn’t mean that things are slowing down. Day 3 was filled with over 30 sessions, nearly 20 meet-ups, and many social events.
As the first-ever Wikimania hosted in East Africa, today offered a great opportunity to hear directly from the African Wikimedian community. From Nigeria to Côte d’Ivoire, speakers from across the continent led sessions about topics like preserving local languages through the Wiki Audio Walk campaign, building multilingual campaigns, and supporting local Wikiclubs. Their presentations gave clear examples of how Wikimedians across Africa are using Wikimedia projects to keep their languages and cultures alive, and to grow local participation in open knowledge.
The second round of lightning talks delivered another burst of quick, high-energy presentations, this time with a strong focus on Africa. In fact, about a third of the talks highlighted African-led projects, showcasing the continent’s growing impact in the movement.
One lightning talk, “Wikipedia as Play: Games That Transform How We Engage With Knowledge,” had the crowd laughing and competing as they played games powered by Wikipedia metadata. Then came an emotional moment when “Thank You, Wikimedia Editors, trom French Donors,” showed real messages from donors that left more than a few eyes misty. And to top it off, an appearance from Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, who presented his new book to a packed (and very excited) room.
The poster session showcase also made a return, giving attendees the chance to present their projects and connect in person with fellow Wikimedians. If you haven’t had a chance to stop by yet, the posters will remain on display throughout the day tomorrow.
And because no Wikimania is complete without a little singing, Karaoke night arrived with plenty of pizza and even trophies!
Coming up on Day 4: We will explore what it means to keep the Wikimedia movement multigenerational, and how that shapes the future ahead.
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