Wikimania 2025, my first encounter with cultural diversity and different perspectives on the world

Opening of Wikimania Nairobi 2025. By: Julitatwa, CC BY-SA 4.0

The first thing that surprises a novice like me at Wikimania meetings is the great cultural diversity of the world that comes together in a single meeting, and this is what I want to write about in this blog because, in my opinion, it is a vivid reflection of the diversity of perspectives, information, and knowledge contained in Wikimedia projects. 

When I was told that I had been selected for the Wikimania scholarship, I was so happy, because Wikimania Nairobi 2025 represented many firsts for me: the first time I had left Bolivia, the first time I had met so many people of other nationalities, and, in particular, the first time I had experienced and witnessed the cultural diversity of a world that is passionate about the liberation of information.

From languages I had never heard before, to traditional clothing and characteristics of different countries, the diversity of accents in the languages you can interact with makes this meeting a true reflection of the varied composition of perspectives in encyclopedias and their languages, as well as sister projects.

The meeting served to meet more people who have been working in areas and on issues that Wikimedians in Bolivia (and I personally) also work on, such as indigenous peoples and human rights. Getting in touch with them allowed us to exchange experiences of the work we have been doing in the region and around the world.

Poster on “The importance of self-representation in Wikimedia projects” presented by the Bolivian Wikimedians group at Wikimania 2025. By: Julitatwa. CC BY-SA 4.0

It also allowed me to learn about the work that other groups are doing to share and release information that is important in the fight against misinformation, especially in documenting cases of human rights violations which, although covered by the media, are often overshadowed by current events and, as a result, relegated to the background.

This first encounter with such diversity was an important experience that increased my curiosity, which I believe characterizes each of us volunteers: planning and finding solutions to common problems that we face in all regions of the world.

I would also like to highlight that, in this version of Wikimania, three women from Bolivia were selected to participate in this global meeting, which personally motivates me to continue with the work we are doing because at this meeting I was able to confirm that efforts can be combined and everyone can push each other forward.