We want to share with you a process that Wikimedia Deutschland and the Wikimedia Foundation have been partnering together to explore, around how global trends are impacting the Wikimedia movement. This initiative aims to foster movement belonging, explore global trends affecting Wikimedia, and discuss potential movement-wide responses.
As part of our ongoing collaboration, we will be hosting several on and offwiki conversations about global trends, including an upcoming event: The Wikimedia Futures Lab. This in-person convening will take place on January 30 – February 1, 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany that will host 100 participants. We are looking for a mix of affiliates, contributors and external experts to reflect on how knowledge consumption, contribution and the broader knowledge infrastructure are evolving, and discuss how we can respond to these new trends.
The Wikimedia Futures Lab will not be a decision-making event about the future of the Movement, the Wikimedia projects or the Affiliates. Instead, it is designed as a space to learn, exchange perspectives and engage in constructive debate about how to ensure the continued relevance of Wikimedia in a changing world.
Participants will explore questions such as:
– How are people consuming knowledge online? How is this behavior changing?
– How are people contributing knowledge and volunteering their time online?
– How is online information regulated and distributed? What threats and opportunities do we face?
We invite people who bring relevant experience and expertise to these themes to apply to join the event by September 4: LINK. Please make sure to read the information about participation on the event’s meta page before you submit your application.
We look forward to reading your applications and continuing these important conversations together.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at futureslab@wikimedia.de.
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