A Successful Governance Conference in Amsterdam

On May 30, 2026, more than thirty Wikimedians gathered in Amsterdam for a day-long event focused on governance and decision-making within Wikimedia projects, including Wikipedia. The program featured a mix of research, practical experience, and international exchange. 

The Dutch Wikipedia celebrates its 25th birthday this year, and the governing landscape has changed over the course of these years. On a volunteer-run project like Wikipedia, it can be a challenge to make sure rules and regulations stay up to date with technical developments, changes in regulations outside our project, and actively navigate challenges with regards to volunteer functionaries. These topics are often addressed online in the common discussion spaces, and can additionally benefit from exchanges held in person.

Wikipedia as a self-organizing bureaucracy

Researcher Emiel Rijshouwer opened the day with insights from his dissertation, in which he describes the history of Wikipedia as a self-organizing bureaucracy where governing rules are created bottom-up. 

After an introductory activity involving statements, Wikipedian Lodewijk gave a refresher on Wikipedia procedures like consensus, polling and voting. Next, Ian Velthuis, project lead at Wikimedia Nederland, presented the 2025 research on the local Arbitration Committee (ArbCom), which is currently dormant on the Dutch Wikipedia. Wikipedian Milliped then reported on the international 2026 ArbCom & U4C meeting in London.

Learning from other language communities

The most appreciated part of the day was the “Ask-Me-Anything” session with representatives from the English, German, and Swedish Wikimedia communities. Participants were invited to ask questions about common practices in these communities regarding governance and arbitration.

Several of the invited representatives are also active in various international committees, such as the U4C, the Ombudsman Committee or as Wikimedia steward. Participants were therefore able to ask specific questions directly to these functionaries. Questions asked included: What is the minimum task of an Arbitration Committee? Does the UCoC really apply to every user on every project? And how do you ensure that committee work remains fun, and that people stay motivated to take on this responsibility? 

The session showed that ArbComs in other countries sometimes operate differently. For example, not all ArbComs deal directly with conflicts between users, as was previously the case on the Dutch-language Wikipedia. As for the UCoC, according to the U4C member present, it is sufficiently incorporated into the Dutch guidelines, and emphasis was placed on the fact that this international code of conduct allows for a certain degree of flexibility in its interpretation in the local context. 

Working together on improvements

After the lunch break, the participants split into breakout groups. They brainstormed ideas for improving the ArbCom regulations, explored the concept of ‘Wikipedia mediators’, and created creative visualizations of the guidelines for admins, depicting them as festival grounds. 

During the closing session, there was an opportunity to explore long-standing issues such as user retention and admin policy updates in greater depth. In small groups, the day’s findings were translated into concrete actions and broken down into next steps.

Fresh energy for governance

Attendees were very positive about the day, during which active local Wikipedians met, and also exchanged international knowledge with the international guests. They made new connections and found fresh inspiration to tackle challenging governance issues. 

The program and notes from the Governance Conference can be found on the WMNL-wiki.