On 26 September 2026, Wikimedia Iraq User Group – Mosul organized the workshop “Old Mosul on Wikipedia” at Mosul Heritage Library. The event brought together Wikimedians and participants interested in documenting the cultural heritage of the historic city of Mosul.
The workshop focused on documenting the landmarks, architectural heritage, and historical places of Old Mosul after the extensive destruction caused by ISIS and the subsequent restoration and reconstruction efforts. Through Wikimedia projects, including Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata, participants worked to preserve and share the history, memories, and cultural identity of the old city with a global audience.
The activity aimed to highlight the importance of digitally preserving Old Mosul’s historical landmarks and cultural identity by improving online knowledge about the city. Through Wikimedia projects, participants explored ways to document heritage sites, enhance existing content, and contribute reliable information about Mosul’s history to open knowledge platforms.
The idea behind the “Old Mosul on Wikipedia” workshop emerged from a simple question: how can we ensure that the history, places, and stories of Old Mosul remain documented and accessible for future generations? With its rich architectural heritage, historical landmarks, and cultural identity, Old Mosul became the focus of this activity, which aimed to document the city’s tangible and intangible heritage through Wikimedia projects. The workshop sought to improve the representation of Old Mosul on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia platforms, making its heritage more accessible to readers worldwide and introducing the history and identity of the city to a global audience.
Wikipedia Editing Training and Knowledge Sharing
The workshop included an introductory session on editing Wikipedia, adding and improving articles, and contributing to Wikimedia projects. Participants learned about creating and updating Wikipedia content, adding Wikidata items, and connecting structured data with articles. The session also included discussions, questions, and knowledge exchange among participants about documenting the heritage of Old Mosul.
The workshop also covered practical aspects of Wikimedia editing, including article improvement, adding references, creating Wikidata items, and linking structured data with Wikipedia articles. Participants discussed methods for documenting Old Mosul’s heritage using reliable sources and exchanged ideas about improving existing content related to historical sites and cultural landmarks.
More photos from the workshop are available on Wikimedia Commons.
Historical resources and documenting Old Mosul
The workshop benefited from the historical resources available at Mosul Heritage Library. Participants reviewed books and references related to the history, architecture, and cultural heritage of Old Mosul, using these sources to improve and expand Wikipedia articles with reliable information.
Workshop Discussions and Heritage Documentation
The workshop brought together Wikimedians, historians, and participants interested in documenting cultural heritage. The event featured rich discussions and knowledge exchange about the history of Old Mosul, its historical landmarks, and the challenges of representing them digitally. Participants shared ideas for future collaborations to continue documenting the city’s heritage and expanding its presence across Wikimedia projects.
The practical activities focused on improving existing Wikipedia articles, expanding Wikidata entries related to historical sites, and organizing a photography tour to document Old Mosul’s landmarks following restoration and reconstruction efforts.
Contributions and Outcomes
The workshop resulted in contributions to Wikimedia projects, including improving Wikipedia articles, enhancing Wikidata items, and documenting the heritage of Old Mosul through Wikimedia Commons. A detailed overview of the workshop contributions and outcomes is available on the event page.
Preserving Mosul’s Heritage through Wikimedia
The “Old Mosul on Wikipedia” workshop demonstrated the role of Wikimedia projects in preserving and sharing cultural heritage. By combining local knowledge, historical resources, and digital tools, participants contributed to documenting the identity of Old Mosul and making its heritage more accessible to the world.
Can you help us translate this article?
In order for this article to reach as many people as possible we would like your help. Can you translate this article to get the message out?
Start translation