The Wikimedia Indonesia Outreach Program in Great Aceh Regency, held on 26-27 April 2025, marked an important step in expanding the spirit of free knowledge to the westernmost part of Indonesia. One notable aspect of this initiative was the presence of a three-member team from the Wikimedia Medan Community, assigned by the Wikimedia Indonesia Education Team to carry out direct outreach in Great Aceh Regency, together with Dr. Teuku Afifuddin, M.Sn., a lecturer from ISBI Aceh who served as a key communication link. This collaboration strengthened inter-community partnerships and further solidified Wikimedia networks across Western Indonesia.
Over the course of two days, the program combined technical training sessions with experience-sharing led by Wikimedia Medan contributors. The main goal was to introduce and equip new contributors, particularly students and lecturers, with the skills and motivation to contribute to Indonesian Wikipedia and Acehnese Wikipedia. This initiative is expected to pave the way for the establishment of a local community in the region, the Wikimedia Aceh Community, as a sustainable platform for contributors.
Who Took Part?
Most participants who joined the WikiLatih Wikipedia training were students, along with several lecturers from ISBI Aceh. Their enthusiasm was remarkable, reflected in the diverse academic backgrounds represented. Participants were especially excited when they realized that their local language and cultural knowledge could become part of a global movement for open access to information.
What Activities Were Held?
Day 1 – WikiLatih: Wikipedia Editing Training
The first day focused on technical editing training on Indonesian Wikipedia. The sessions covered:
- An introduction to the Wikimedia movement and its various projects
- The principles of Wikipedia articles: collaborative, neutral, and based on reliable sources
- A step-by-step guide to creating and editing articles
- Editing techniques such as adding headings, internal links, categories, and references
This hands-on session encouraged active participation, with many participants successfully creating or improving articles for the first time. By the end of the training, participants shared highly positive impressions gaining new knowledge, finding the activity enjoyable and beneficial for sharpening their thinking skills, and feeling more confident in navigating Wikipedia.
Day 2 – Community Gathering & Introduction to Acehnese Wikipedia
The second day took on a more relaxed tone with an offline community gathering focused on Acehnese Wikipedia. The discussion centered on:
- The importance of documenting local knowledge and culture
- The challenges and opportunities of writing in local languages
- How participants can contribute to preserving the Acehnese language and identity through Wikipedia
Participants responded enthusiastically, expressing pride in taking part in efforts to preserve and promote the Acehnese language through digital contributions.
Stories from the Team: Trainers and Organizers
We saw firsthand how hands-on, demonstrative learning can reduce participants confusion when editing Wikipedia. Many who were initially hesitant became enthusiastic after making their first edits, even starting to ask deeper questions about how to improve and expand their articles.
“This activity is more than just teaching editing skills. We want participants to feel that their knowledge in their own language is valuable and deserves to be shared with the world.”
What Can Be Improved?
Based on reflections and participant feedback, here are several points to consider for future outreach activities:
- Focus on local content: Participants showed strong interest in writing about Aceh’s culture, history, and notable figures.
- Support for local languages: Dedicated training on contributing in regional languages (such as Acehnese) is highly needed.
Towards a Stronger Community
The Wikimedia Indonesia Outreach in Aceh is just the beginning. With participants now equipped with foundational knowledge and a growing motivation to document local culture, we hope they will continue contributing actively to both Indonesian and Acehnese Wikipedia. This initiative also aims to support the formation of a local community the Wikimedia Aceh Community.
The hope is that this spirit will not only inspire contributors in Aceh, but also communities across other regions even around the world to continue preserving and sustaining their local languages through open-knowledge platforms.
Thank you to all participants for your passion and contributions. Together, we are building bridges between language, culture, and open knowledge.
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