The 2022 Wikiarabia Conference Begins Today
One of the annual highlights on the Wikimedia’s calendar, WikiArabia, began today at the Mohamed bin Rashid Library. The first ever conference edition in the UAE and the region, held from the 28 – 30 October, hosts an exceptional line up of sessions and workshops that feature some of the biggest names in the Arabic and International Wikimedia community including Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, Stéphane Coillet-Matillon, CEO of Kiwix, LorenzoLosa and Luis Bitencourt-Emilio, Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation.
The opening ceremony welcomed several renowned intellectuals and speakers from the UAE’s cultural and creative sector including H.E. Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash CEO of the Arts and Literature sector at Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, Dr Hanada Taha Thomure, Endowed Chair Professor of Arabic Language at Zayed University and Dr Mohammed Salem Al Mazroueiand Jamal Alshehhi Board Members of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. The ceremony also featured a remarkable poetry performance by the Emirati poet Amal Al-Sahlawi accompanied by Lara Zaid Qasim on the Qanoon instrument.
The conference opening followed Wiki Youth Day, a dedicated day for university and high school students from around the UAE. The day raised awareness about the various Wikimedia projects through a series of introductory workshops to Wiki Data, Wiki Source and Wiki Commons to name of few; the day also offered opportunities for students to develop their creative skills such as photography and writing.
“It was wonderful to welcome so many students to the WikiArabia 2022 conference and to witness their dedication and enthusiasm in contributing to a future where exchanging reliable information and experiences is essential. And here we are today, celebrating the launch of a new edition of WikiArabia, where we welcome Wikimedia user groups from across the Arab region and around the world to participate in a variety of lively conversations and interesting workshops that reflect the community’s interests.” AhlamBolooki, Director of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Director of the Wikimedians of the UAE User Group, said. “We would like to express our sincere thanks to all of our sponsors and partners, without whom the Conference would not be possible. We’d also like to thank the Arabic Wikimedia community and the attendees for bringing our Conference to life. Together, we make the difference we want to see in the world.” She continued.
The first day of the Conference offered a packed programme featuring prominent speakers from the Wikimedia Foundation. Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, met the Arabic community in a discussion with Reda Karboush, member of the Wikimedians of the UAE User Group, Adel Nahaoua, Algerian Wikimedians User Group and AbbadDiraneyya, member of the Wikimedians of the Levant. AnassSedratiand Ravan Al Taie, members of the Movement Charter Drafting Committee, in conversation with Reda Karboush and AbbadDiraneyya to highlight the “Movement Charter” and its function as a legal document that establishes the relationships between the movement’s contributors and the guiding principles they adhere to. What is the global Wikimedia movement and who is involved in it? A question that Bachounda Mohammed and Kamel Sallay, members of the Algerian Wikimedians User Group, answered as they introduced the vision and mission of Wikimedia to new users.
All WikiArabia events are held with the support of Wikimedia Foundation. “Wikipedia is one of the most incredible digital projects in all human history. It is built by people like you, teachers, students, experts; people who just have an interest in a topic and want to be part of the world’s largest online encyclopedia”, Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, “I’m excited to be able to join you this year in person and look forward to all the celebrations ahead.” she added.
The Conference agenda covers a wide range of topics that concern the Wikimedia field and creative sector in general such as translation, fiscal sponsorship, flexibility, access to the global audience, and quality over quantity. Mohamed bin Rashid Library is the venue sponsor for the Conference, hosting all sessions and workshops from 27-30 October.
Dr Mohammed Salem Al Mazrouei, a member of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, said, “We are pleased to host the sixth edition of the annual WikiArabia conference, which is being held for the first time in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region. The Mohammed bin Rashid Library is the ideal place to host cultural, artistic, and musical festivals and forums and contribute to the strengthening and fortifying of the cultural scene in the region with a vision that keeps pace with the technological revolution that the world is witnessing.”
He continued, “We believe in partnership and collaboration within the framework of our strategy to promote the love for knowledge. We are pleased to meet today under the roof of the Mohammed bin Rashid Library and share a unique knowledge base at the WikiArabia conference, with the participation of the group of Wiki users, administrators and volunteers from all over the Arab world and beyond, exchanging their experiences and their skills, and learning from trainings and workshops for those interested.”
The Conference, in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, will take all guests on a journey to Al Shindagha Museum to explore the proud story of the nation’s past and reverent traditions.
Muna Faisal Algurg, CEO of the Cultural & Heritage Sector at Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, said: “Dubai has succeeded in attracting creative talents across various fields, thanks to Dubai Culture’s efforts in supporting the development of the Emirati cultural scene. The Authority also provided an ecosystem that enables creative talents to contribute to achieving sustainable development, thereby supporting Dubai Culture’s vision to cement the emirate’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.”
Algurg added: “The WikiArabia conference is an opportunity for us to introduce the rich history and heritage of Dubai and the UAE on a global stage toward enhancing Dubai and the UAE’s position on the international map as inspiring global models for development and innovation. Dubai’s hosting of the conference helps support the projects undertaken by Dubai Culture towards creating new platforms that enable talent to contribute to the emirate’s creative and cultural fabric.”
Sessions are free for all, but attendees must register for each session separately. For the full list of speakers and sessions, visit https://event.elfdubai.org/WikiArabia2022
Wikimedia Foundation and Emirates Literature Foundation are the official sponsors of the conference, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library is the venue sponsor and Dubai Culture & Arts Authority is the cultural event sponsor.
With the Emirates Literature Foundation as its fiscal partner, the Wikimedians of the UAE User Group recently became a member of the Wikimedia community, making it the first user group in the Gulf.
More details on the Wikimedians of the UAE user group can be found here.
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