At Wikimania 2024 in Katowice, members of the Central Asian communities came together to share their experiences and hopes for the future. Here’s what some of them had to say about their participation at Wikimania.
You can read more about the Central Asia communities in the previous blog.
User: Batyrbek: My first Wikimania in Katowice has been great. It is like heaven for a dedicated Wikimedian. I’ve attended sessions related to translations, technical topics, regional hubs, among others. I was glad to see both familiar and new faces and have various ideas for future collaborations with both European and Asian communities. What particularly excites many of us from the communities is the possibility to connect with so many people with diverse backgrounds, and there are so many ‘behind-the-scenes’ activities and unofficial meetups, which ignites new ideas.
I have been a long time member at Wikipedia, but I found about any wiki-related international offline conferences only after 7 years of being active on the Wikimedia projects. It was 2017 when I applied for the CEE meeting which was in Poland. That experience was mind-blowing; it was the first time in my life I saw so many like minded people in one place. Since then I try to apply for as many conferences and events as I can. I previously applied to Wikimania in 2019 and 2023, but didn’t get a chance to receive a scholarship. They say ’Third time’s a charm’, and here we are – in 2024, I’m attending this great festival (I’m not afraid to use this word).
(Central Asian community members by AAkhmedova (WMF), CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
User: Bosogo: This is my first in-person Wikimania. Although I’ve participated in other wiki events before, it was interesting to experience the scale and the level of organization of Wikimania, and of course, to meet Jimbo. I was hoping to get to Wikimania one day. I just tried to do the best for my home wiki.
I’ve attended many different sessions, but there are some that I haven’t watched yet, and some that I plan to watch again.
I was pleasantly surprised by the cultural program, a lot of free tours, tips with self-organization of tours, convenient accommodation (everything you need is nearby within walking distance, especially the railway station), creative sessions and of course a party on the last day. The organizers have done a great job, thanks to them.
(Wikimedians of Central Asia at Wikimania 2024 by AAkhmedova (WMF), CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
User: Mirmanova Adeliya: I’m excited to be back at Wikimania for the second time. My first experience was in Singapore in 2023, where I got the real taste of the Wikimedia community. Being here in Katowice, surrounded by so many passionate, like-minded people, is incredibly inspiring. Getting here has been a journey fueled by curiosity and a lot of determination. I started editing during the pandemic, mostly to stay productive during those long lockdown days. What began as a way to pass the time quickly turned into a full-blown passion.
I’m active on the Russian Wikipedia, with a particular focus on topics related to Kazakhstan. Contributing to the knowledge base about Kazakhstan has been incredibly fulfilling. I love knowing that my edits help make information more accessible and accurate for readers who rely on these resources. Being at Wikimania is truly eye-opening. I didn’t realize how global and diverse the Wikimedia community is until I saw it in person. The energy is contagious—everyone is so dedicated and driven by the same goal of spreading free knowledge. It’s amazing to be part of something so much bigger than yourself.
One major takeaway for me was learning about new strategies to increase diversity among contributors. It’s something that’s critical for the health and growth of our projects. The more voices we include, the richer and more balanced our content becomes.
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