The world’s largest platform for global knowledge exchange, Wikimania, was held last August in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. While editors and volunteers worldwide were busy planning how to enrich their respective language editions of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of this free encyclopedia, took a break to meet with the Bengali community. The conversation touched upon Bangladesh and the progress and prospects of Bengali Wikipedia. His interview was later broadcast on a national television station in Bangladesh.
According to Jimmy Wales, the true strength of Wikipedia lies in its global communities. Nairobi was no exception; he was particularly impressed by the lively presence of the Bengali Wikimedians. With a smile, he remarked, “I’m really delighted to see such vibrant Bengali Wikipedians here. You’re all wearing fantastic T-shirts! We’re having a wonderful time together.”
Regarding Bengali Wikipedia’s current state, Wales said, “Compared to the number of its speakers, Bengali Wikipedia is still relatively small, but its rapid growth is highly encouraging.”
He views this progress as part of Wikipedia’s broader mission: “Wikipedia is now about 25 years old. I hope that within the next 25 years, we’ll be able to realize our ultimate dream, making a comprehensive, freely accessible encyclopedia available to every person in the world in their own language.”
To ensure the sustainability of the Wikipedia movement, particularly for new communities in Southeast Asia, Wales offered several pieces of advice. One of them focused on welcoming new editors. Addressing active Wikipedians, he said, “Pay attention to newcomers. When someone makes an edit, go to their talk page and write, ‘Thank you for your contribution! It was great to see your edit.’ Introduce them to other experienced editors. When new contributors receive sincere messages, they’ll begin to see Wikipedia not merely as a website, but as a friendly and collaborative community.”
Speaking about the role of the Wikimedia Bangladesh Chapter, he said, “One of the major responsibilities of a chapter is to build partnerships with local galleries, libraries, archives, museums, and universities. Such collaborations can enrich and enhance the reliability of Wikipedia’s information base.”
In today’s age of misinformation and polarization, Wales emphasized the importance of Wikipedia’s neutrality: “We need to represent ourselves accurately to the media. They must understand that we are not Facebook or TikTok. we are a thoughtful, collaborative movement. Our commitment to neutrality can even serve as an inspiration for journalists.”
Back in 2014, Wales received an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus [1], who is now the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government. When Yunus’ name came up, Wales’s tone became warm and nostalgic. He said, “When I think of Professor Yunus, many memories come to mind. He’s not only a Nobel Peace Prize laureate but also a remarkably bright, lively, and compassionate person. His work inspires me deeply”.
Recalling his visit to Bangladesh, Wales added, “At that time, I managed to meet a few Wikipedians, but it left me wanting more and in a hopeful manner mentioned ‘I will try to revisit Bangladesh with my family next summer.” Which I am certain would be welcomed by the community in Bangladesh.
Along with the reporter, Bengali Wikipedia administrator Masum Al Hasan Rocky, Wikimedia steward Muhammad Yahya, and Wikipedians Dolon Prova, Nettimi Sujata, Anup Sadi, and Mohammad Zillur Rahman, among others, joined this conversation with Jimmy Wales.
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