Hello Community!
I am Affandy Murad, and I am very happy to share my extraordinary experience at the historic Wikimania 2025. This 20th Wikimania conference, themed Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability. It was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from August 6 to 9, 2025, with an additional pre-conference day on August 5. This theme highlights the vision for a Wikimedia movement that is accessible to all, fosters collaboration across diverse communities, and prioritizes long-term viability.
Receiving a full scholarship from the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) via email on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, was a monumental moment, marking this as my first time attending the conference offline, and my first time traveling outside the continent of Asia. I attended as a representative of the Wikimedia Jakarta community (with the main language Betawi) and also as one of the new administrators of Indonesian Wikipedia.
Pre-Conference and Initial Impactful Meetings
The main series of Wikimania@20 events took place at the Trademark Hotel, Gigiri district, Nairobi. I arrived in Nairobi on August 4, 2025.
A significant moment occurred on the pre-conference day, August 5, 2025. Since I officially became an Administrator of Indonesian Wikipedia on July 18, 2025, I was entitled to attend the special event for Users with Extended Rights Convening (WUER). This event brings together dozens of administrators and other elected community members for a full day of discussions. The topics covered included moderation tools and workflows, and supporting sustainable project safety common policies. There, I had the opportunity to meet Maor from Ladino Wikipedia for the first time. I also thanked Natalia for inviting me to attend this important pre-conference.
Besides the serious sessions, I also joined fellow Indonesian Wikipedians—Dimas and Raymond—for a side event at the Museum of Illusions Nairobi in the afternoon. (The Museum of Illusions Nairobi tours were scheduled for August 4, 2025). This was followed by a walk at the Karura Forest, offering an opportunity to explore the city and connect with local nature. Nairobi is described as a vibrant city where modern life intersects with rich cultural traditions.
Mandatory Volunteer Duties: Ensuring Event Smoothness
During the Wikimania@20 sessions, I took on several volunteer roles to support the running of the conference.
1. Room Manager: On the first day (August 6, 2025), I served as a Room Manager in the Meru Room from 2 PM to 5 PM.
2. Hackathon Helpdesk: On the second day (August 7, 2025), I continued my volunteer duty by serving as a Helpdesk for the Hackathon from 2 PM to 4 PM, located in front of the Turkana room at the Trademark hotel. The Hackathon was one of the events complemented by the main program.
3. Video Uploads to Wikimedia Commons: I also chose the volunteer task of uploading videos to Wikimedia Commons using the video2commons tool. This task is important for visually documenting the conference.
Forging Connections and Knowledge Contributions
The conference days were filled with social networking and inspiring meetings. I attended the opening of Wikimania 2025 wearing Betawi traditional clothing, representing the Wikimedia Jakarta Community. I also had the opportunity to take selfies with Jimmy Wales and Maryana Iskander.
I successfully met with Doc James. Doc James is an editor most active on MDWiki.org and English Wikipedia, working to improve medical content. My meeting with him began with handing over two books entrusted by senior Indonesian Wikipedia contributor Hariadhi (who collaborates with Doc James on the MDWiki project). At the same time, I offered volunteer help for his project in finding articles without images through the medwikinoimage project. Additionally, I met with Mohammed Sadat Abdulai to express gratitude for his help in the Wikidata online course.
I also attended the Wikifolklore session and shared a story about one of Indonesia’s folklore, Siti Rabihatoen from West Sumatra. On the second day (August 7), after the group photo session (which typically happens around midday), I met Panpan and Jamshid from Uzbekistan.
Affandy Murad, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Visiting the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI)
Amid the dense conference schedule, I also took the opportunity to connect with Indonesian representatives in Nairobi. My goal was to hand over a book titled “Tutor BIPA itu Unik!” entrusted by my cousin, Delfina, for the KBRI staff there.
Although I initially had the Ambassador’s contact, this matter was later delegated to the communication staff field III named Muhamad Farhan Faruq. Delightfully, Mr. Faruq was willing to come directly to the Wikimania 2025 venue on August 7 to meet and take photos together.
On the last day (August 9, 2025), I made an appointment again with Mr. Faruq to visit the KBRI Nairobi office. There, I had the opportunity to meet the Indonesian intern named Made Arjun Winata, and we took a photo together in front of the KBRI office.
Affandy Murad, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Nairobi Exploration and Grand Finale
My experience in Nairobi was not limited to the conference. On August 8, 2025, I enjoyed another side event touring the Nairobi National Park—a giant forest located in the country’s capital—by renting an open-top car. We also visited the Maasai Traditional Market. On the last day (August 9, 2025), I visited the National Museum of Nairobi alone to take many photos for uploading to Wikimedia Commons. I also visited the KICC building, which is an icon of Kenya.
Wikimania 2025 concluded with the announcement that Wikimania 2026 will be held in Paris, France. I was fortunate to join the WikiChoir group and sang two songs: Malaika and Jambo Bwana. At the closing ceremony, I met Zakaria, a Moroccan Wikipedian who turned out to be a Wikimania 2026 organizer.
Overall, Wikimania 2025 in Nairobi was an eye-opening experience. I thank all the organizers and Wikipedians worldwide. Thanks to your support, I was able to network with Wikipedians from other countries to free knowledge through various Wikimedia projects. See you at the next Wikimania.
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