CIS-A2K/Reports/Newsletter/April 2024
In the Limelight- Chandan Chiring[edit]
“Editing WikiProjects is open to everyone, without specific numerical goals in mind, as it's a continuous process. Currently, there are countless articles awaiting creation on the Assamese Wikipedia, numerous books to be added to Wikisource, and an endless amount of content for Wikiquotes. Once the Wikiquotes project gains its complete form, we can shift attention to other projects like Wiktionary, Wikibooks, and Wikinews. However, achieving this requires a genuine sense of responsibility toward one's mother tongue, a robust workforce, and effective organization. Moreover, maintaining the quality of Assamese wiki projects necessitates consistent, high-quality contributions, rather than rushing to produce a large quantity of immature work." - Chandan Chiring Phukan
It is with profound sorrow that we mourn the passing of Chandan Chiring Phukan, a beloved member of the Assamese Wikipedia community. Chandan's unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting his mother tongue through his tireless contributions to Assamese Wikipedia, Wikisource, and Wikiquote is truly inspiring.
Despite facing numerous challenges, Chandan created an impressive 583 pages, made over 12,000 edits, and served as an administrator on Assamese Wikiquote. His commitment to quality over quantity set an example for the entire community, and his leadership qualities inspired others to follow in his footsteps.
Chandan's passion for Assamese art, culture, and cuisine was evident in his diverse interests, from publishing children's poems to exploring South Asian culinary traditions. His untimely demise at the age of 33 is a devastating loss, not only for his family and friends but for the entire Assamese wiki community. As we bid farewell to this remarkable individual, we aspire to honor Chandan's legacy by continuing his work and ensuring that the Assamese language and culture thrive in the digital realm. May his soul find eternal peace
Monthly Recap[edit]
Tribal Culture Photography competition[edit]
The Tribal Culture Photography Competition is a captivating call for photographers to showcase the rich and diverse cultural heritage of India's indigenous tribes. This competition provides a unique platform for both amateur and professional photographers to showcase their technical and creative skills, while also serving as a gateway to explore the fascinating customs, traditions, and way of life of India's tribal communities. The competition's theme, "Indian Tribal Culture," encompasses the vibrant festivals, rituals, costumes, jewelry, and traditional cuisine that are integral to the lives of these indigenous populations. Participants are required to submit photographs along with details about the specific tribe, the geographical location, and the subject of the image, allowing the audience to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse cultural tapestry that makes up India. The competition will run from April 28 to May 28, 2024, giving photographers ample time to capture the essence of tribal life. The organizers will promote the event through various social media channels, aiming to attract a wide range of participants and raise awareness about the richness of India's tribal heritage. A panel of three expert judges will carefully evaluate the submissions and select the winners, whose work will be celebrated and shared with the public.
Indic Community Engagement Calls[edit]
Indic Community Engagement Calls serve as vital platforms for fostering collaboration and coordination among diverse Indic communities within the Wikimedia movement. These calls facilitate discussions on collaboration opportunities, sharing updates, and aligning efforts under the Access to Knowledge (A2K) Collaboration Program. By bringing together representatives from various language communities, these meetings aim to enhance cooperation and synergy, ultimately enriching the Wikimedia ecosystem with a wealth of knowledge and perspectives from across the Indic community landscape. Through these engagements, we strive to strengthen bonds, promote inclusivity, and drive collective progress towards advancing knowledge accessibility and sharing within the Wikimedia network.
Wikipedia Training to Indian Language educators[edit]
Access to Knowledge (A2K) has initiated a comprehensive training module for language educators, particularly focusing on enhancing digital literacy and educational outcomes through Wikipedia. This effort is in response to the inclusion of Wikipedia lessons within Indic language curricula observed in 2024. The pilot program for Telugu Wikipedia training is underway, aiming to empower Telugu language lecturers from Andhra Pradesh to navigate and contribute effectively to Wikipedia. The program includes a two-day training session, covering basic policies and guidelines of Telugu Wikipedia, as well as hands-on training on creating user accounts, editing Wikipedia pages, and identifying issues with existing pages. This initiative is expected to be rolled out to other parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states
Wiki Explores Bhadrachalam[edit]
Wiki Loves Bhadrachalam is a photowalk program held in the town on the eve of Ram Navami, organized by CIS-A2K in collaboration with the Government of Telangana. The initiative aims to establish a strong Wikimedia Community in Telangana, India, and generate high-quality content for Bhadrachalam and related articles. Running from April 10 to May 21, 2024, participants are encouraged to upload images to commons by the deadline of May 21, 2024, 23:59 IST. The project culminates in an exhibition at Ravindra Bharati. This model could be extended to other festivals across India, fostering community engagement and content creation.
Wikimedia Summit[edit]
The Wikimedia Summit 2024 saw active participation from the A2K team, enriching discussions with South Asian perspectives. This event served as a platform for representatives to engage in meaningful dialogues, focusing on the revitalization of small and underrepresented languages in India. The selection process for the summit emphasized demonstrated engagement with the Wikimedia movement, ensuring a diverse and inclusive representation. Through their involvement, the A2K team contributed to fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing within the Wikimedia community, highlighting the importance of linguistic diversity and cultural representation in the digital space.
From the Team- Editorial[edit]
A2K has been actively working to promote gender inclusivity within the Wikimedia community, with a particular focus on empowering women. Initiatives like the International Wiki Women Camp in Delhi and the ongoing 'She Leads' program aim to elevate female Wikimedians from South Asia, providing them with a platform to lead and contribute meaningfully. To build upon these crucial conversations and feedback, A2K conceptualized and executed the 'She Leads' program, running from March 1st to May 15th, 2024. At its core, this program aims to provide a platform for Indian female Wikimedians to assert their presence and claim their rightful space within the community. By fostering collaboration, valuing diverse perspectives, and supporting women's leadership, A2K is driving towards a more inclusive and equitable environment. 'She Leads' is not just a temporary effort but a continuous commitment to empower women, encouraging them to shape their own paths and goals within the community. This program signifies a significant stride towards gender inclusivity, envisioning a future where diversity is celebrated and all voices are valued in the Wikimedia movement.
A2K ਵਿਕੀਮੀਡੀਆ ਕਮਿਊਨਿਟੀ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਜੈਂਡਰ ਸਮਾਵੇਸ਼, ਖਾਸ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਸ਼ਕਤੀਕਰਨ 'ਤੇ ਕੇਂਦਰਿਤ, ਨੂੰ ਉਤਸ਼ਾਹਿਤ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਕੰਮ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਦਿੱਲੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੰਟਰਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਵਿਕੀ ਵੂਮੈਨ ਕੈਂਪ ਅਤੇ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੇ 'ਸ਼ੀ ਲੀਡਜ਼' ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਵਰਗੀਆਂ ਪਹਿਲਕਦਮੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਉਦੇਸ਼ ਦੱਖਣੀ ਏਸ਼ੀਆ ਦੀਆਂ ਮਹਿਲਾ ਵਿਕੀਮੀਡੀਅਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮੁਹਰੇ ਲਿਆਉਣਾ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਕਰਨ ਅਤੇ ਅਰਥਪੂਰਨ ਯੋਗਦਾਨ ਪਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਪਲੇਟਫਾਰਮ ਪ੍ਰਦਾਨ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ। ਮਹਿਲਾ ਵਿਕੀਮੀਡੀਅਨਜ਼ ਨਾਲ ਮਹੱਤਵਪੂਰਨ ਗੱਲਬਾਤ ਅਤੇ ਫੀਡਬੈਕ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ, A2K ਨੇ 1 ਮਾਰਚ ਤੋਂ 15 ਮਈ, 2024 ਤੱਕ ਚੱਲਣ ਵਾਲੇ 'ਸ਼ੀ ਲੀਡਜ਼' ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਸੰਕਲਪਿਤ ਅਤੇ ਲਾਗੂ (ਸ਼ੁਰੂ) ਕੀਤਾ। ਇਸ ਦੇ ਮੂਲ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ, ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਦਾ ਉਦੇਸ਼ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਮਹਿਲਾ ਵਿਕੀਮੀਡੀਅਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੀ ਮੌਜੂਦਗੀ ਦਾ ਦਾਅਵਾ ਅਤੇ ਐਕਟਿਵਿਟੀ ਦੀ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਪਲੇਟਫਾਰਮ ਪ੍ਰਦਾਨ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਪਣੀ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਸੇ ਜ਼ਰੀਏ ਵਧੇਰੇ ਯੋਗਦਾਨ ਪਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਿਤ ਕਰਨਾ ਹੈ। ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਨੂੰ ਉਤਸ਼ਾਹਿਤ ਕਰਕੇ, ਵਿਭਿੰਨ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟੀਕੋਣਾਂ ਦੀ ਕਦਰ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ, ਅਤੇ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਦਾ ਸਮਰਥਨ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ, A2K ਇੱਕ ਵਧੇਰੇ ਸਮਾਵੇਸ਼ੀ ਅਤੇ ਬਰਾਬਰੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਵਾਤਾਵਰਨ ਵੱਲ ਵਧਣ ਦੀ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। 'ਸ਼ੀ ਲੀਡਜ਼' ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਇੱਕ ਅਸਥਾਈ ਯਤਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ, ਸਗੋਂ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਸ਼ਕਤੀਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਨਿਰੰਤਰ ਵਚਨਬੱਧਤਾ ਹੈ, ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਾਜ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਪਣੇ ਰਾਹਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਟੀਚਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਆਕਾਰ ਦੇਣ ਲਈ ਉਤਸ਼ਾਹਿਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਲਿੰਗ/ਜੈਂਡਰ ਸਮਾਵੇਸ਼ ਵੱਲ ਇੱਕ ਅਹਿਮ ਕਦਮ ਨੂੰ ਦਰਸਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਇੱਕ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਦੀ ਕਲਪਨਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਜਿੱਥੇ ਵਿਭਿੰਨਤਾ ਦਾ ਜਸ਼ਨ ਮਨਾਇਆ ਜਾਵੇ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਕੀਮੀਡੀਆ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਆਵਾਜ਼ਾਂ ਦੀ ਬਰਾਬਰ ਦੀ ਕਦਰ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਵੇ।
Coming Soon - Upcoming Activities[edit]
Wiki Technical Training[edit]
A capacity building initiative for technical wikimedian is in the works. While we are yet to ascertain the details of the program, we believe this will be a good platform for capacity building and an avenue for conversations surrounding the technical challenges specific to wiki communities in South Asia. We look forward to actualizing this vision soon.
Wikimedia Hackathon[edit]
The Wikimedia Hackathon is an yearly tech extravaganza! It's the ultimate gathering where the global tech community unites to connect, hack, engage in technical discussions, and brainstorm game-changing ideas. Developers from across the globe converge to enhance the technological backbone that fuels and enriches the Wikimedia projects, including MediaWiki and various areas of Wikimedia code development. A2K team has participated in the wikimedia Hackathon 2024 and is aiming to actively participate in the 2025 Edition.
Wiki loves Mangalore[edit]
Emulating the model of Wiki Loves Vizag, we are looking forward to the Mangalore chapter of this initiative. The photo competition will enrich local visual content on Commons and foster better community engagement. Stay tuned for more details and exciting prizes!
Comic[edit]
In an attempt to expand our communications framework, we are starting a new comic strip series. We believe this comic series will be a fun way to encourage people to think about open knowledge. We invite you to translate and share this comic within your communities and social media channels. Let's make free knowledge fun!
