Exploring the World of Open Knowledge: Our Internship Journey at Wikimedia Indonesia

Wikimedia is a global, volunteer movement that aims to ensure everyone can freely access knowledge, regardless of who they are or where they are. This movement is grounded in the principle that knowledge should be available to all. As interns at Wikimedia Indonesia, we are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Education team and contribute to this mission. Through this internship program, we learned a great deal about teamwork, perseverance, and the importance of open knowledge. During the internship, we worked on tasks related to Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikiwisata.

Getting to Know Wikipedia Through the Kursus WikiLatih Daring

We began the internship program on October 8, 2025, and were immediately involved in various activities within the Education Division. In the first month, we participated in a basic Wikipedia editing training course through Kursus WikiLatih Daring. From this training, we learned that the process of editing Wikipedia is far more complex than we had initially expected. References must be valid, articles must meet notability criteria, and the writing style cannot rely on copy-and-paste practices, as Wikipedia has its own distinct writing standards.

After completing the training and becoming familiar with the workflow, we were given the task of editing articles on Wikipedia. At this stage, we were also asked to write biographical articles to practice our understanding of the writing style required by Wikipedia standards. Here are the articles we had created on Wikipedia: Chris Kempczinski, Damayanti Buchori, Jesper Brodin, and Beth Ford. In addition, we were introduced to the Wikimedia Commons project and asked to upload photos as an exercise to understand how this free-licensed media repository works.

Translation Tasks to Enhance Accuracy

In this internship program, we were also assigned to translate several guideline documents, including a module on basic Wikipedia editing and a guide to creating articles based on specific topics on Wikipedia, from English into Indonesian. This translation process required precision and an understanding of the context so that the material could be understood by readers without changing the original meaning. This task was a valuable experience because it helped us become more familiar with Wikipedia.

Organizing Materials for Wikiwisata Training

In the last term, we were introduced to Wikiwisata, a Wikimedia project that focuses on providing travel guides for various destinations around the world that can be accessed freely and for free. At this stage, we were asked to compile a Wikiwisata training material containing the history of the project, writing policies and guidelines, as well as steps for editing and creating articles.

Before the material could be used in training, we participated in weekly coordination sessions with the Education team. Through these sessions, we ensured that the compiled material was clear, complete, and easy for training participants to understand. From this task, we learned that compiling material is not just about writing, but also ensuring that the knowledge can be accepted and understood well by others.

Experience Interacting with the Community at Digital Discourses 2025

We also had the opportunity to attend WikiLatih Wiktionary, a basic editing training session for the Wiktionary project, which was part of the Digital Discourses 2025 event series. There, we met other volunteers and were introduced to the editing process at Wiktionary. We were guided in adding new entries from two regional languages: Balik (East Kalimantan) and Orang Rimba (Jambi). This experience broadened our understanding of collaborative work in preserving regional languages through digital platforms.

Learning and Impressions of the Internship Program

Throughout the internship, we gained many experiences that broadened our perspectives. From editing Wikipedia and translating documents to preparing Wikiwisata training materials, each task presented new challenges that encouraged us to grow. The supportive and open work environment also made us feel comfortable asking questions and learning.

Through this program, we learned the importance of accuracy and responsibility when sharing information in the public sphere. We sharpened our skills in teamwork, communication, writing, and translation while adhering to established standards. We also developed a deeper understanding of how knowledge is built collaboratively through small, consistent contributions.

What has been most memorable for us is the realization that collective knowledge is created from small contributions made together. One edit, one translation, or one upload can be an important part of something much bigger and beneficial to many people.