Wikipedia 25th anniversary docuseries

The documentary series celebrating Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary featured nine Wikipedians from around the world, each of whose unique activities was compiled into a video of just under one minute. The videos were then introduced on the Wikimedia Foundation’s social media platforms from January 15th. I was honored to be one of the participants, and I’d like to take notes on each of the key points in each of their videos.

Andrew: 25 years of Obsession

Andrew has been editing hurricane articles for 20 years, since August 2005. He has written hundreds of articles so far, and he speaks passionately about the importance of leaving behind reliable information.

Netha: 25 years of Integrity

Netha, an Indian doctor, responded to the spread of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by diligently contributing reliable information to Wikipedia, helping to build trust in a diverse society with 300 languages.

Joanne: 25 years of Recognition

Joanne writes about women in a variety of fields, including wildlife botany and linguistics, which have not been given much attention until now, and she says she hopes that by writing about them on Wikipedia, they will be passed on to the next generation.

Gabe: 25 years of Identity

Photographer Gabe is dedicated to ensuring that Black people are represented on Wikipedia. He focuses on taking photos that capture the individuality of each person and wears a Wikipedia press credential at every opportunity.

Goodness: 25 years of Understanding

Goodness from Nigeria wrote an article about postpartum care for women. Women are physically and mentally exhausted after giving birth, so they need careful care. She also added Igbo pronunciation of “Ọmụgwọ (postnatal care)” to Wikipedia for added convenience.

Maxime: 25 years of Discovery

Maxim wrote an article about a map sent by the Russian Tsar to the French President in the early 20th century. He used information from various countries as sources, which allowed him to understand how knowledge from different countries is connected.

Mireia: 25 years of Collaboration

Mireia, from São Paulo, talks about the similarities between her hobby of embroidery and Wikipedia. Embroidery, which involves carefully stitching one stitch at a time, is similar to the painstaking writing of Wikipedia articles.

Yuriko: 25 years of Curiosity

Yuriko, a Japanese librarian, talks about her first Wikipedia article, “Labyrinth (Yaeko Nogami’s novel).” Writing for Wikipedia opened up new worlds for her.

Jimmy: 25 years of Humanity

Jimmy Wales, the first Wikipedian, is impressed by the people who write obscure articles with such passion and dedication, and is fascinated by the humanity of the experts who come together to discuss and edit.

Happy birthday to all Wikipedians around the world!