Wikimania 2024 is about to start, and the full program is live. Everyone can build their personal schedule, but choosing sessions may be difficult – there are more than 200 of them! To help you out, we would like to bring your attention to some of the key sessions by the Wikimedia Foundation’s Product and Technology department. Log in on Eventyay, open the program on the live event website, and click the stars next to the following:

Wednesday

• Data Products as tools for Collaboration – How can we make good decisions? What is measurable? How can communities and affiliates use the available data? How can this contribute to transparency and community health? This session is for just anyone!
• Trust and Safety Product: Getting Better at Blocking Bad Activity on the Wikis and Temporary Accounts are coming. Will it be possible to block abusers effectively, relying on IP addresses less, and without damaging good-faith users? What will be temporary accounts, and how will these be different from IP editors? These are for wiki-functionaries like admins, but also patrollers, mentors, and developers.
• Future of MediaWiki – how will MediaWiki be developed? How will it be handling billions of page views per month, thousands of wikis in hundreds of languages? This is for developers, but also not technical Wikimedians curious to know how wikis really work.
• A happier, healthier, more impactful Community Wishlist – a presentation and a workshop. How will the Wikimedia Foundation be granting technical wishes? What’s new about the Wishlist? How can volunteer developers get involved? This is both for those who may have wishes as well as those who may want to grant them.

Thursday

• First day of the Wikimania Hackathon. It will be running throughout the day on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Drop by for a while or between sessions, or stay longer–you may write code, but also talk about gadgets, design, community wishes, old and new projects–you don’t need to know how to code to contribute to the technical side of Wikimedia!
• Charts, the successor of Graphs – what will the graphs be replaced with? How will it work and how will it be different from graphs? This is for anyone interested in data visualization on wikis.
• Community Configuration – how can communities customize different features? How can technical decision-making for wiki communities be more decentralized? Which features may be configured, and how? This is for administrators and anyone who is wondering how to adjust the software to their communities’ needs.
• Volunteer archetypes – what types of users decide to start contributing to different online platforms? To what motivations can we appeal when recruiting volunteers? How does this relate to the sustainability of our movement? This is for anyone interested in strategy, research, or just building new tools and features.
• Fireside Chat with the Wikimedia Foundation Executives – a panel and Q&A with Maryana Iskander, the CEO, Selena Deckelmann, the Chief Product and Technology Officer, and Lisa Seitz-Gruwell, the Chief Advancement Officer at the Wikimedia Foundation. Come to ask questions to the Foundation leaders!

Friday

• Wikimedia & GenAI – how is GenAI used by Wikimedians now? How does it impact us? What can we do to ensure that our content is reused by GenAI ethically? A panel by Maryana Pinchuk, leading the Future Audiences team, and Shani Evenstein, a Wikimedia Foundation Trustee.
• Parsoid is coming! How do I keep up? [[Wikitext]] in 2024. – what are the changes to the wikitext parser? How will community-maintained tools be affected? What will be the new wikitext features? This is for technical editors, tool-maintainers, owners of third-party wikis, and other technical members of the movement.
• State of Language Technology and Onboarding – how do we approach the language diversity in the Wikimedia movement? How do we support different languages, scripts, and translations? How do we create new wikis in more languages? This is for anyone interested in language-related topics. 
• Co-Creating a Sustainable Future for the Toolforge Ecosystem – a roundtable for tool-maintainers, users, and supporters of Toolforge. How to make the platform sustainable and how to evaluate the tools available there? What factors concerning tools and what community needs to take into account?
• WMF AI activities update – how does the Foundation respond to the development of generative AI? How different departments, including Product and Tech, but also Advancement and Legal, work with and on AI? What will they do next? How you can get involved?
• “Written by AI” – a presentation and a workshop. In what ways does the new generation of readers want to discover information on Wikipedia? How could we make use of AI? What features should we build in the near future, and how to make them controllable for the communities? This is for anyone curious about the readers’ needs, as well as for community members involved in content moderation.

Saturday

• State of Wikifunctions – what was done in the first year after the launch of Wikifunctions? What are the plans for the future? How could Wikifunctions be connected with Wikipedia? This is for anyone interested in distributing the free knowledge more evenly across languages, which is the goal for Wikifunctions.
• WMF Future Audiences experiments – what does the Wikimedia Foundation know about the future readers and contributors? What has been done to better understand the opportunities for the future of Wikimedia projects? This is for anyone who wonders about the further future of Wikimedia.
• Organize better – a workshop for the organizers of editing campaigns, WikiProjects, and editing events. How to keep the participants engaged? Learn how to use the Event Registration tool, and share ideas for improvements. This is for WikiProject leaders, and editing campaign and event organizers.
• Hackathon Showcase – a session where the Hackathon participants may share the effects of their work at the event. The Hackathon equivalent of the closing ceremony with the format of the lightning talks.
• Coolest Tool Award – it’s a celebration of the volunteer developers’ work. Often they are the first to notice technical needs, and they address these by creating gadgets, user scripts, Toolforge tools, bots, and many, many more. We will announce this year’s winners at the beginning of the Wikimania closing ceremony.

In-person only

If you are joining in Katowice, take advantage of the following sessions and opportunities for discussion:

• Meetups: Hackathon Opening Session, Dark mode and Vector 2022 for readers on more wikis, Central Notice, Tool Sustainability
• P&T Initiative Areas – tables in the foyer area and the Hackathon room which attendees can stop by and talk about AI, Community Wishlist, Graphs, Design, and more. Respective team members will be around during lunch breaks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Join and get involved. See you in Katowice or remotely on Eventyay!

1. Contributions to Swahili Wiktionary:

Over the past two months, I have been making a considerable contributions to the Swahili Wiktionary. In a word, I have added 101 new entries, which can be reviewed through my profile here: Muddyb’s contributions. These additions include various terms, definitions, and translations that enhance the meaning and utility of the Swahili language resource.

In addition to adding new entries, I have applied for an administrator flag for a temporary period of three months. This role will enable me to better manage and oversee the contents, making sure the accuracy and quality. At the same time supporting other contributors. I have focused on improving the project by integrating multimedia elements such as images and audio files, which make the entries more informative and engaging. Moreover, I have worked on simplifying translations to make them more accessible to a broader audience. My target is to reach 500 entries within the next four months. Contributing to growth and improvement of the Wiktionary project.

2. Efforts on the Swahili Wikipedia:

In my work with Swahili Wikipedia, I have concentrated on following the list of 10,000 essential articles provided by Meta. This list outlines the vital articles that every Wikipedia should have to ensure comprehensive coverage of fundamental topics. The list, originally created by the late User Kipala, can be accessed at Kipala’s 10,000 Articles.

I have actively worked to add and enhance articles from this list on Swahili Wikipedia. Additionally, I have been encouraging my long-time Wikipedia friend, User SideMontero, to re-engage with the platform and contribute by following Kipala’s list. SideMontero has responded positively and has continued to add several articles from the Meta list. View https://sw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maalum:Michango/SideMontero to see what he’s been up to. His contributions are a testament to his respect for Kipala’s legacy and his commitment to improving the Swahili Wikipedia.

3. Documentation

To better track my contributions and monitor progress, I have been documenting each new entry under the category Improving Swahili Wikipedia and Wiktionary. Using the template {{KWW}} to semi-auto-categorize all the entries. This documentation serves multiple purposes: it allows for detailed tracking of progress, helps in assessing the number of articles added, and provides a clear overview of ongoing efforts. This category will be instrumental in organizing and preparing for the upcoming edit-a-thons in Morogoro and Dar es Salaam. If the grant application I submitted to Meta is approved, these events will focus on further enhancing the content and encouraging community participation.

4. Upcoming Plans and Initiatives:

Looking ahead, I am planning to conduct a major workshop at Muslim University Morogoro. The university has agreed to provide a group of 60 participants, who will be introduced to Wikipedia for the first time. The training will be divided into two groups: 30 participants will receive instruction on Wikipedia, while the other 30 will be trained on Wiktionary. Given that Wiktionary has been relatively underrepresented and overlooked. This workshop will place a special emphasis on this project, providing in-depth explanations and encouraging active participation.

As I said above if, only if the grant application is successful, we anticipate a significant and impactful event in Morogoro, which will serve as a catalyst for further engagement and development within the community. The workshop aims to increase awareness, build skills, and inspire new contributors to join the Wikimedia projects.

5. Future Evaluation and Reporting:

I plan to review my progress over the next three months, assessing the impact of the contributions and the effectiveness of the initiatives undertaken. Regular updates will be provided to ensure transparency and to keep all Wikimedia enthusiasts informed of ongoing efforts and achievements. These reports will include detailed accounts of activities, challenges faced, and milestones reached.

In conclusion, the past two months have been productive and marked by likable contributions to both Swahili Wiktionary and Wikipedia. The focus has been on expanding content, enhancing quality, and engaging with the community to build a more robust and inclusive Swahili-language resource.

Muddyb

24th August 2024.

As a native Swahili speaker, I have a right to raise my concerns over the Wikimedia Translating tool. The system imposes some lousy restrictions that requires extensive work of re-editing the translated texts. From my personal experience, the translation provided by the tool contains very few errors. Making the mandatory edits every time seems to me completely unnecessary. Furthermore, the tool translates contextually rather than word-for-word, which is a significant improvement over many other translation tools available on the internet.

The current system forces users to edit nearly 50% of the translated content for it to be considered legitimate for posting on Wikipedia. This requirement is counterproductive; I would rather translate those texts myself from the scratch than make a redundant edits to an already accurate translation. At the very least, perhaps this the so-called “strange requirement” should be at least relaxed for admins or trusted contributors if there are concerns about misuse.

If the Wikimedia leadership or administrators seek feedback from the users and native Swahili speakers, I [will] confidently state that this tool is a time-saver and an asset for Wikipedia editors. A tool to be proud of. In fact, it allows contributors to focus on refining and improving content rather than spending unnecessary time on edits that do not significantly enhance the translation. I believe by listening to the voices of the community, Wikimedia can make an informed decisions that enhance productivity and user satisfaction.

Additionally, I have witnessed the tool’s effectiveness firsthand in the translation of the Wikimedia Movement Charter. The translation was excellent, with only minor improvements needed. Therefore, I am shocked as to why it faces rejection for Swahili Wikipedia. The rejection of such high-quality translations discourages contributors and hampers the growth of the Swahili Wikipedia community. Especially those who wishes to use the tool. To whom should I address this issue?

This matter is important enough to be highlighted in my blog. It is essential to bring awareness to the challenges posed by the current system and I suggest the system operators inject more flexible and user-friendly policies that can benefit the Wikimedia community as a whole. Initiating a classified system of review, where trusted users have fewer restrictions, could be a step in the right direction. This approach would not only respect the efforts of experienced contributors but also encourage new users to strive for accuracy and efficiency in their translations.

By addressing these concerns, Wikimedia can add more inclusive and productive environment for all contributors, ultimately improving the quality and quantity of content available on Wikipedia.

Thanks!

Mudddyb
4th August 2024.

REPOST.

Valentin Nasibu, a member of Wikimedia RDC, participated in an immersion program at Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire as part of the Fotamana program from May 19 to 29, 2024. This initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of African Wikimedians and promote cooperation between the different communities on the continent and Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire.

The Fotamana program, launched by Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire two years ago, aims to share best practices and enhance the skills of Wikimedia community leaders in Africa. After a first edition with Bassératou Kindo from Wikimedia Burkina Faso, this second edition welcomed Valentin Nasibu from Wikimedia RDC.

Activities

Valentin’s immersion coincided with the Annual Meetings of Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire, celebrating the community’s 10th anniversary. In addition to his active participation in RAN 2024, he received various training sessions on predefined topics.

Stakeholder Management: Valentin attended sessions on stakeholder management, led by Emmanuelle and Donatien. These sessions covered various aspects of relationships between Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire stakeholders: executive board, staff, project leaders, members, volunteers, and partners.

Coordinating Local and International Events: Training on coordinating national and international events, primarily led by Miss Ebi and Donatien, helped Valentin understand different approaches and strategies for organizing an event (conference, meetings, etc.) at the national and/or international level. The discussion was based on essential elements such as meticulous planning, effective coordination, and appropriate resource management. Case studies from WikiConvention Francophone 2023 and RAN 2024 illustrated the shared recommendations.

Coordination of Wikimousso Activities: Valentin also participated in workshops on coordinating Wikimousso activities, a program aimed at empowering women in the Wikimedia movement, led by Dominique and Mouna. The sessions highlighted the specific challenges faced by women in the community and offered practical solutions to encourage greater female participation.

Financial Management: Another key activity was training on the financial management of funded projects, conducted by the financial team of Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire. Valentin drew inspiration from Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire’s practices in budget planning, expense tracking, and clear and precise financial reporting.

Technical Workshops: Valentin also attended technical workshops on using Wikimedia tools and contributing to various projects like Wikidata. He himself led a session on Wikivoyage during the club forum, aiming to introduce participants to contributing to Wikivoyage, which resulted in the creation of the Daloa article on Wikivoyage.

Testimonials

Valentin Nasibu: “This immersion gave me a new perspective on community governance within Wikimedia. The interactions with members of Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire were particularly enriching and allowed me to develop new skills.”

Emmanuelle, Program Coordinator: “The Fotamana program is an excellent initiative to strengthen ties between different Wikimedia communities in Africa. Valentin’s engagement was remarkable and added value to our activities.”

Didier, Secretary General of Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire: “We were delighted to host Valentin. His immersion not only enhanced his skills but also enriched our community with his perspectives and innovative ideas.”

Learnings

Valentin’s immersion revealed several essential points for improving future editions of the Fotamana program.

The Fotamana program has demonstrated its potential in strengthening the skills of African Wikimedians and fostering cooperation between communities. Valentin Nasibu not only acquired new skills but also contributed to enriching the Wikimedia Côte d’Ivoire community with his perspectives and innovative ideas. His immersion has positive implications for the Wikimedia RDC community, where the skills and practices learned can be implemented to improve project management and governance. By generating inter-community exchanges and sharing best practices, this program encourages a dynamic of cooperation and sustainable development for all Wikimedia communities in Africa.

25/07/2024-31/07/2024

Mapping

• CloCkWeRX asked about making it easier to import and assess data. He suggested using standard metadata and tools to improve data quality and reliability. The goal is to automate tasks while still checking for mistakes to maintain high standards and save time.
• In Geoawesome, Sebastian Walczak and Nikita Marwaha-Kraetzig discussed the use of GPS tracks to turn digital footprints into urban intelligence. By analysing anonymised GPS data, platforms such as OpenStreetMap and Strava can contribute to improving urban planning, traffic management, and public health initiatives.
• Gregory Peony shared a tip on how to provide efficient feedback to contributors in Tasking Manager projects as a validator.
• Quinn Comendant tooted the usefulness of editing OpenStreetMap. He had marked Nortz Road as private because it goes through a military base. Several mapping tools have been updated within 21 days to now avoid the road.
• StreetComplete How-To explained in a video how to enhance OpenStreetMap by adding data using the ‘Things’ overlay feature in the StreetComplete app.
• Comments are requested on:
  • The proposal to deprecate the tag cycleway=shared in favour of more precise tags.
  • The proposal to recognise the cycleway:both=* tag as the new standard to indicate both sides.
  • The proposal to replace the tag denomination=mormon with denomination=latter-day_saint.
• The vote on the proposal to specify ordering-only phone numbers, SMS-only phone numbers, and related tags has concluded with 10 votes in favour, 0 against, and 5 abstentions.

Mapping campaigns

• OpenStreetMap Utah is using Mapillary images to improve the OpenStreetMap data in Utah. Martijn van Exel talked about the current coverage in Salt Lake City, the gaps in recent images, and how people can contribute by taking and uploading images using the Mapillary app. OSM Utah offers tools like a GoPro MAX camera and hosts events to facilitate participation in this project.

Community

• OpenHistoricalMap celebrated its 15th birthday with a retrospective and a terrible pun.
• The OpenStreetMap iD community chat on Wednesday 7 August at 11:00 UTC will cover the new contributor guidelines, the Google Summer of Code 2024 project, and general feedback and discussion. The following meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 3 September at 15:00 UTC.
• Martijn van Exel recommended uMap to a colleague who needed an ad-free interactive map.
• @swyvl_ shared a YouTube short where you can learn how to contribute to global mapping projects and shape the world with OpenStreetMap’s crowdsourced mapping platform.
• TBesse, a newcomer to the community and obvious expert on boundary stones in real life, has quickly familiarised himself with the mapping of these small historical monuments in OpenStreetMap. Apparently, Lutz Lange from gk.historic.place had a hand in providing good tips. TBesse described in his blog posts 1 ►, 2 ► and 3 > , and also documented the data with his own publications. Tobias Jordans has provided a suitable overpass query for this mapping in his comment.
• UN Mappers marked the 20th anniversary of OpenStreetMap by celebrating its role in promoting open geographic data, improving global mapping, and fostering community collaboration.

OpenStreetMap Foundation

• The OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) will be seeking self-nominations for the 2024 Board election until Tuesday 13 August, with at least four of the seven seats up for election. Board members serve two-year volunteer terms and must meet the eligibility criteria detailed on the OSMF wiki.

Local chapter news

• OpenStreetMap Ukraine, in addition to their other social media accounts and website ►, now has a BlueSky account. In their first post ► they promise to publish news from the Ukrainian community. Subscribe to keep up with all the news!
• OSM Brazil will hold an online meeting on Wednesday 7 August at 14:00 UTC. This meeting will focus on the import process for the CNEFE 2022 records and the progress of the humanitarian mapping campaign in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

Events

• Andy Allan was not able to give his presentation at the State of the Map Europe. He has instead made a home recording of his presentation about the development of the OpenStreetMap website over the past twelve months.

Education

• You can watch this video to learn how to easily download OpenStreetMap shapefiles for global regions using Geofabrik’s comprehensive data services.

OSM research

• In Elham Fakharizadehshirazi and Christine Rösch’s paper, on the possible impact of various renewable energy scenarios for Germany, they used OpenStreetMap as one of their data sources.
• A study on detecting ‘non-technical losses’ (theft) in electricity distribution networks used OpenStreetMap masks for pre-annotation.

Humanitarian OSM

• HOT has launched a new self-paced online course focused on humanitarian and community use of OSM. It includes roughly seven hours of training material with real-world workflows and case studies in QGIS, uMap, Disaster Ninja, and Openrouteservice. The course is free and is targeted at communities, organisations, and individuals interested in using OSM more in their work. A certificate of completion is awarded.

Maps

• [1] The list of venues for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is now available on the OpenStreetMap wiki. This list is also available as an interactive uMap map. A nice example of what OSM can do: OpenStreetMap vs market benchmark.
• Andrii Holovin, aka andygol, recently shared ►, on LinkedIn, a quick experiment with OpenStreetMap data. Using Tilemaker, OpenMapTiles styles, the Maputnik editor for styling, MapLibre GL JS for rendering, and a local tileserver-gl, he created a simple map style featuring roads and place names. He challenged viewers to see if they could identify cities from just the road network shapes without labels.
• The Berliner Spielplatzkarte is an interactive web map project that uses data from OpenStreetMap to provide detailed information about playgrounds and play equipment in Berlin, including accessibility, equipment features, and shadow analysis, and encourages public contributions to enhance data accuracy.
• Junior Flores, from GeoCompas, has developed the Urban Public Services Inaccessibility application using OpenStreetMap and WorldPop population datasets. This app provides a comprehensive analysis of population distribution and public service coverage in six priority Asia-Pacific countries: Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
• Tatvic Analytics compared MapMyIndia, Google Maps, and OpenStreetMap. It found that the best choice depends on your specific business needs. MapMyIndia is considered best for detailed local data in India, Google Maps for global reach and comprehensive features, and OpenStreetMap for open-source flexibility and budget constraints.
• An article on CSDN provides a guide on downloading and using OpenStreetMap road data. The article explained the benefits of OSM and offered instructions on obtaining data from the OSM website and Geofabrik. The guide also covers using OSM data in GIS software like ArcGIS.

OSM in action

• The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, in partnership with UC Santa Barbara (California) and Simon Fraser University (Canada), have received a USD 480,000 grant from the California Department of Transportation to develop a countywide bicycle map using OpenStreetMap and AI technology to improve bicycle safety and infrastructure.
• Boing Boing looked at a map showing US road deaths from 2001 to 2022. Users can explore data on different types of road users and look for trends.
• In August 2023, Peru’s Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations launched ► Yanapp, an app designed to prevent violence against women. Using OpenStreetMap data, the emergency section of the app shows the geolocation of the nearest police stations, Women’s Emergency Centre offices, and other resources. With more than 11,000 downloads, it has established itself as an important support tool for women in situations of violence.

Software

• In OSMfocus Reborn 1.6 you can now view OSM nodes, ways and relations separately. The application has also become more stable when working with a poor internet connection.

Programming

• Milan Cvetkovic has submitted a proposal to extend the OpenStreetMap API v0.6 with a message API, which has already been adopted. It is now possible for applications to display received and sent messages. An official announcement of this function is still pending.
• The DEV Community showed how to build a custom reverse geocoding resource using .NET Aspire. Setting up a Nominatim API with Docker containers, managing startup dependencies, and implementing health checks was covered in the article.
• DevCodeF1 explained how to export OpenStreetMap data with cycle route relationships using the Osmium tool and GeoJSON filters. Step-by-step instructions are provided on setting up Osmium, filtering for specific cycle routes using Osmium tags-filter, and exporting data to GeoJSON format, including necessary options such as –drop-author and –drop-version to handle relations.
• GIS Breaks showed how to use Python and the OSM Runner tool to get data from OpenStreetMap. They explained how to set up the environment, define a study area, query OSM data and convert it into different formats for analysis and visualisation. This is useful for GIS professionals and data enthusiasts who want to use OSM data for spatial projects.
• The blog ‘Shallow Thoughts’ published about fetching OpenStreetMap details using OSMPythonTools.
• osm-nominatim-geoserver-postgis provides a Docker-based setup for creating a personal OpenStreetMap tile server with geocoding capabilities, using Nominatim and Geoserver to process and serve OSM data through a local PostGIS database.
• In his fifteenth OpenStreetMap NextGen development diary, Kamil Monicz described attending the State of the Map EU 2024, making changes to the map, adding a new activity chart to user profiles, updating the geolocation icon, and making the map more feature-equal.
• Paolo Melchiorre showed how to create web maps using Django, GeoDjango, SpatiaLite, and Leaflet. They covered setting up a Django project, creating a map with Leaflet, integrating GeoDjango for geographic data, and using SpatiaLite for spatial queries. The guide also shows you how to add and display map markers.
• Prabinoid described moving Tasking Manager from Flask to FastAPI and from psycopg2 to asyncpg. This aimed to improve performance and scalability by using asynchronous programming, modern Python features and optimised database interactions. Despite challenges like learning the new system and changing code, he stated in a community discussion that the move offers benefits including better throughput and simpler API development.
• Milan Janosov showed how to use Python libraries to create isochrones, which show areas accessible within a specific time frame from a starting point. The post guides you through setting up the environment, obtaining OpenStreetMap data, building a graph of the road network, and calculating isochrones. It also demonstrates practical applications of isochrones for urban planning and accessibility analysis.
• Trufi Volunteer of the Month, John Hobson, has generated 470+ webpages – one for each public transport route in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
• Marcos Dione has made an OpenStreetMap tile server in Python as an alternative to renderd. It stores individual tiles instead of storing metatiles of 8×8 tiles to improve its update time performance.

Releases

• OsmAnd 4.8 for Android has been released, with enhancements including terrain colouring, new colour schemes, updated profile views, 3D icons, and improved weather and track visualisation. This update also includes a revamped Quick Actions tool, a detailed track guidance setting, and the removal of login/password authorisation for OpenStreetMap, which now supports OAuth 2.0 for better security.
• Daniel Schep has released documentation for Overpass Ultra, especially on how to use MapLibre styling to make maps.

Did you know …

• … that there is a website that lists new keys that have recently appeared on OpenStreetMap using data from TagInfo? As of 1 August, the site had identified 92 new keys, none of which have been removed.
• … UserBeam, a website providing weekly updated offline maps for Garmin GPS devices, is based on OpenStreetMap data? These maps include POIs like bars, restaurants, bus stops, and shops, making them ideal for hiking, biking, geocaching, and car navigation. The site offers maps for various regions globally, complete with search functionality.

Other “geo” things

• Florian Ledermann tooted that an online user study in cartography is being conducted to improve maps of urban spaces. Participants will spend approximately 10 minutes navigating Street View using a map. The study is for desktop or laptop computers only. Your participation is welcome and appreciated.
• An article on note talked ► about the history of the Yakena Bus Terminal in Uruma, Okinawa. It covered how it was set up, where it has moved to, and its role in the region’s public transport system since 1950. The terminal has moved three times, with the latest move in 2000. The article looked at how bus services have changed and the impact of this on local transport.
• The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics will be hosting the IV Brazilian Symposium on Geospatial Data Infrastructure (4SBIDE ►), from 15 to 18 October, with free access to event streaming. The abstract submission deadline has been extended to Sunday 4 August and presentations can be made remotely.
• The Escape Collective described Sherpa-Map, a new mapping tool created by three cycling enthusiasts that helps riders find gravel roads by using AI to classify road surfaces from satellite imagery and generate custom bike routes based on user preferences.
• Alan McConchie, from Stamen, examined the cartographic phenomenon that is Null Island, the imaginary island located at 0° latitude and 0° longitude, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.

Upcoming Events

Where	What	Online	When	Country
City of Bayswater	Social Mapping Sunday: Bayswater Station		2024-08-04
Gurgaon	1st OSM Gurgaon Mapping Party		2024-08-04
中正區	OpenStreetMap x Wikidata Taipei #67		2024-08-05
	MapRoulette Community Meeting		2024-08-06
	Missing Maps London: (Online) Mapathon		2024-08-06
San Jose	South Bay Map Night	✓	2024-08-07
	iD Community Chat		2024-08-07
Plano Piloto	[on-line] Encontro OSM Brasil – agosto/24		2024-08-07
Stuttgart	Stuttgarter OpenStreetMap-Treffen		2024-08-07
Bochum	Bochumer OSM Treffen		2024-08-08
Nakawa	OpenStreetMap 20th Anniversary Celebration		2024-08-09
Umuarama	[online] 20 anos de OSM – Oficina do IVIDES para a UNIPAR (Brasil)		2024-08-09
	WNAH & Eco Smart Cities Partners Mapathon celebrating OSM @ 20		2024-08-09
Morogoro	OpenStreetMap 20th Anniversary		2024-08-09
논현2동	OSM 20주년 기념 한국 커뮤니티 모임		2024-08-09
شهر تهران	نکوداشت بیست سالگی اوپن‌استریت‌مپ		2024-08-09
Salt Lake City	OSM Utah 20th Birthday Happy Hour		2024-08-10
Grenoble	apéro pour fêter l’anniversaire d’OpenStreetMap		2024-08-09
Berlin	194. Berlin-Brandenburg OpenStreetMap Stammtisch		2024-08-09
Localidad Teusaquillo	20 años OpenStreetMap – GeoBeer en Beeя del Gran Estación, Bogotá		2024-08-10
Rouen	Apéro OSM Groupe Local Rouen		2024-08-09
Obio/Akpor	Map Nigeria Mapathon Campaign and AI -Assisted Mapping Training		2024-08-10 – 2024-08-11
Obio/Akpor	Map Nigeria Mapathon Campaign and AI -Assisted Mapping Training		2024-08-10 – 2024-08-11
Karlsruhe	Mappingparty zum 20. OSM-Geburtstag		2024-08-10
London	London OSM Birthday Party		2024-08-10
København	OSMmapperCPH		2024-08-11
Rheinau	OSM Geburtstagsfeier am 11. August Badi Rheinau		2024-08-11
Hamburg	Hamburger Mappertreffen		2024-08-13
München	Münchner OSM-Treffen		2024-08-14
Lorain County	OpenStreetMap Midwest Meetup	✓	2024-08-15
	OSMF Engineering Working Group meeting		2024-08-16
Sankt Augustin	OSM auf der FrOSCon Sankt Augustin		2024-08-17 – 2024-08-18
Hannover	OSM auf der Maker Faire Hannover		2024-08-17 – 2024-08-18
Варна	OpenStreetMap in Varna (на морето)		2024-08-17
Hannover	OSM-Stammtisch Hannover		2024-08-17
Meerut	1st OSM Meerut Mapping Party		2024-08-18
Sankt Augustin	Vortrag: 20 Jahre OpenStreetMap		2024-08-18
The Municipal District of Kilkenny City	Citizen Science: Kilkenny Heritage sites & Linked Open Data for Ireland’s National Heritage Week 2024		2024-08-19

Note:
If you like to see your event here, please put it into the OSM calendar. Only data which is there, will appear in weeklyOSM.

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GIT - the stupid content tracker

– Linus Torvalds, Initial revision of “git”, the information manager from hell

After years of code review with stacked diffs¹, I’ve been using GitLab merge requests at work.

Merge requests frustrated me until helpful folks pointed me toward GerritLab, a small Python tool for making stacked merge requests in GitLab—exactly what I was looking for.

But to talk to GitLab, GerritLab required a cleartext token in my ~/.gitconfig. I wanted to stow my token in a password vault, so I crafted a change for GerritLab that used gitcredentials(7).

Like most git features, git credentials are obscure, byzantine, and incredibly useful. It works like this:

import subprocess, json

INPUT = """\
protocol=https
host=example.com
username=thcipriani

"""

git_credentials_fill = subprocess.run(
    ["git", "credential", "fill"],
    input=INPUT,
    text=True,
    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
)

git_credentials = {
    key: value for line in git_credentials_fill.stdout.splitlines()
    if '=' in line
    for key, value in [line.split('=', 1)]
}

print(json.dumps(git_credentials, indent=4))

Which looks like this when you run it:

$ ./example-git-creds.py
Password for 'https://thcipriani@example.com':
{
    "protocol": "https",
    "host": "example.com",
    "username": "thcipriani",
    "password": "hunter2"
}

The magic here is the shell command git credentials fill, which:

1. Accepts a protocol, username, and host on standard input.
2. Delegates to a “git credential helper” (git-credential-libsecret in my case). A credential helper is an executable that retrieves passwords from the OS or another program that provides secure storage.
3. My git credential helper checks for credentials matching https://thcipriani@example.com and finds none.
4. Since my credential helper comes up empty, git prompts me for my password.
5. Git sends <key>=<value>\n pairs to standard output for each of the keys protocol, host, username, and password.

To stow the password for later, I can use git credential approve.

subprocess.run(
    ["git", "credential", "approve"],
    input=git_credentials_fill.stdout,
    text=True
)

If I do that, the next time I run the script, git finds the password without prompting:

$ ./example-git-creds.py
{
    "protocol": "https",
    "host": "example.com",
    "username": "thcipriani",
    "password": "hunter2"
}

git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain

sudo apt install libsecret-1-0 libsecret-1-dev
cd /usr/share/doc/git/contrib/credential/libsecret/
sudo make
sudo mv git-credential-libsecret /usr/local/bin/
git config --global credential.helper libsecret

#!/usr/bin/env bash

input="\
protocol=https
host=example.com
user=thcipriani

"
eval "$(echo "$input" | git credential fill)"

echo "The password is: $password"

In 2023, the Wikimedia Ghana User Group decided to cover the African Games in Accra, Ghana, which was scheduled to start in March 2024. This was after the initial date in 2023 was postponed due to circumstances beyond the control of the Ghanaian government. This event coverage was led by our member Justice Okai-Allotey (User:Owula kpakpo), and in order to give a community member a chance to participate, we invited one of our long-standing volunteer editor and photographer, Gabriel Amuzu Joe (User:Amuzujoe) to join in covering the games.

We engaged our community volunteer, Gabriel Amuzu Joe, to get his perspectives from participating in the first-of-its-kind African Games coverage by a Ghanaian and African Wikimedia affiliate. Enjoy what Gabriel Amuzu Joe had to say about his experience below:

“The African Games 2023 was a significant event, and I was thrilled to be part of its coverage. The opportunity to join the coverage was driven by my desire for a new experience and the chance to contribute to a large-scale sports event. Here’s a glimpse into my journey, the impact made, and my reflections on the project.

Embracing the Opportunity

When I first heard about the opportunity to cover the African Games 2023, I immediately saw it as a chance to dive into something new and exciting. I was eager to explore the dynamics of covering a major sports event and what it entailed. This was my chance to be part of something bigger and to learn from it.

A Memorable Experience

My overall experience covering the African Games was phenomenal. It was a learning curve that expanded my horizons in several ways. I was able to capture moments and activities I never imagined photographing. This experience taught me that not all photos can be captured with just any lens; different events require different gear for the best results. This realization has been crucial for my growth as a photographer, guiding me on the kind of equipment needed for more professional work.

Additionally, participating in this event provided a unique opportunity to add new content to Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, enriching these platforms with free, high-quality images from the African Games. This aspect of the project emphasized the importance of documenting and sharing cultural and sporting events for the broader community.

Impact and Learning

The impact of covering the African Games was profound. I had the privilege of meeting professionals who have been in the sports industry for over 25 years. This interaction was invaluable, as I gained insights into the sports world and learned new rules, especially in cricket. I discovered that having accreditation to cover the games is not enough; specific events like cricket require additional permissions from their respective boards.

Replicating the Success

One of the key takeaways from this project is its replicability. This initiative can undoubtedly be replicated in other African countries with Wikimedia affiliate representation. The sheer number of activities at such events means that just one or two people cannot cover it. A collaborative approach is necessary to capture all the essential moments and provide comprehensive coverage.

Highlights and Personal Growth

Reflecting on the project, several highlights come to mind. The African Games opened my eyes to the diverse sports activities that exist. I had the chance to meet and learn from professional photographers, amateurs, and enthusiasts. This exposure was invaluable in understanding the role of cameras and photography in the sports world.

In conclusion, covering the African Games 2023 was an enriching experience that broadened my perspective and honed my skills. It highlighted the importance of proper gear, the significance of collaborative efforts, and the impact of documenting cultural and sporting events. This project has been a stepping stone in my career, and I look forward to more opportunities like this in the future.”

The Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) at UIN Jakarta, in collaboration with the Wikimedia Foundation, and Wikimedia Indonesia organized a training event on the Transcription of Nusantara Manuscripts as part of the Wikisource Loves Manuscripts (WILMA) project on July 25, 2024 as a follow up of the previous initiatives held in Jakarta. The event, held at the Balai Bahasa Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, involved 25 student participants from various universities such as UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta State University (UNY), Semarang State University (UNNES), and Ahmad Dahlan University (UAD) Yogyakarta. This event was also fully supported by the Jangkah (Jagongan Naskah) Nusantara Community and the Balai Bahasa Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta.

As a city with a rich literary and cultural heritage, many ancient manuscripts are still preserved by the community in Yogyakarta. In 2023, the WILMA pilot project successfully digitized 34 manuscripts, equivalent to 9,479 pages in Yogyakarta. These manuscripts are now accessible to the public through the Wikisource and WILMA website.

Digitization is not the end of the preservation effort. It is merely the first step in making these ancient manuscripts useful for the public and advancing knowledge in the present, accessible to anyone, anywhere, at any time, therefore, we initiated a movement involving the younger generation who care about local scripts as part of their cultural identity to make use of the digitized ancient manuscripts, especially here in Yogyakarta – Abdullah Maulani, Community Coordinator for WILMA Pilot in Indonesia & Researcher from PPIM UIN Jakarta.

As part of the cultural community in Yogyakarta, this event fosters a new spirit in our efforts to preserve manuscripts and culture in our birthplace, this activity demonstrates a synergistic continuity between manuscript owners, conservators, and the younger generation after the digitization and preservation activities are completed – Muhammad Bagus Febriyanto, Chairman of the Jangkah Nusantara Community & Lecturer at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.

We appreciated the involvement of the younger generation in the preservation of ancient Nusantara manuscripts and hoped that Wikisource could be a useful platform for studying these manuscripts while making them accessible to everyone worldwide – Sakti Pramudya, Senior Partnerships Manager of the Wikimedia Foundation for the ESEAP region.

The event was facilitated by Benny Lin, an activist from the Indonesian Wikisource Community. The training covered introductions to Wikisource programs, setting up computer keyboards with Javanese scripts, transcribing ancient manuscripts, and proofreading the transcriptions. The event successfully transcribed 48 pages of ancient Javanese language and script manuscripts digitized by WILMA in Yogyakarta. The Babad Diponegoro manuscript, recognized as a Memory of the World collection, was utilized for this training.

In line with the spirit of the WILMA Learning Partners Network, we hope the event demonstrates how Wikisource can be an excellent platform to preserve heritage and culture. If you are interested in being a part of the WILMA Learning Partners Network, sign up here to join the network and contribute to the next cohort.

The Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) 2024 in Accra was an exciting and insightful event, bringing together digital rights activists, policymakers, and enthusiasts from across the globe. DRIF is an annual conference hosted by Paradigm Initiative. It is a space where digital policies in Africa are debated and shaped, and partnerships for action are formed. This year it was hosted in Accra, Ghana, and focused on fostering rights and inclusion in the digital age. The topic aligns closely both with our movement’s 2030 agenda and regional affiliates’ work to promote the inclusion of youth, women, and Indigenous languages online.

The Wikimedia Ghana User Group had the privilege of participating, setting up our booth alongside other Wikimedia affiliates and engaging with numerous participants over the three-day conference.

Day 1: Setting the Stage

The forum began with a vibrant opening ceremony, setting the tone for the discussions ahead. Wikimedia Ghana User Group alongside Open Foundation West Africa among other Wikimedia groups, set up the Wikimedia booth in the Exhibition Area, ready to showcase our work and initiatives. The morning included a digital security workshop, a critical topic in today’s online landscape.

As participants transitioned to various breakout rooms, our team seized the opportunity to share the history and projects of the Wikimedia Ghana User Group. We highlighted our efforts in driving digital inclusion through activities like training over 1,000 editors to contribute to Wikipedia. Using visually engaging flyers in both print and digital formats, we aimed to communicate our contributions to a world of free knowledge effectively.

We continued our engagement with participants who couldn’t attend the plenary sessions, ensuring our presence was felt throughout the forum. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing interest in our activities and future collaborations. We also had the pleasure of meeting Wikimedia Foundation staff, who supported our efforts with some fantastic swag.

Day 2: Deepening Engagement

The second day was just as invigorating, with our team back at the booth. Throughout the day, we engaged participants about the Wikimedia Ghana User Group’s mission and achievements, emphasizing our work in training editors across multiple languages. We also took a proactive approach by collecting contact details from interested participants, aiming to onboard them through future training workshops, thus expanding our community and fostering deeper involvement in the Wikimedia movement.

Interactions with fellow Wikimedia affiliates, including members from the Wikimedia Uganda User Group, proved to be invaluable. These connections allowed us to share insights and strengthen our collaborative efforts. The evening concluded with the premiere of a thought-provoking short film and a panel discussion that highlighted the ongoing threats to digital rights across the continent.

Day 3: Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

On the forum’s final day, we continued to engage with participants, ensuring that our message of digital inclusion and free knowledge reached as many people as possible. The closing ceremony provided a moment to reflect on the insightful discussions and shared key takeaways. The announcement that Zambia would host the next DRIF in 2025 added a sense of anticipation for the future.

Volunteer Impact: Ezekiel’s Experience as an Event Assistant

Ezekiel, a dedicated volunteer community member, played a significant role in supporting our group throughout the forum. Here’s what he had to say about his experience and impact:

“Participating in DRIF 2024 as a Wikimedia Ghana User Group volunteer was a refreshing and rewarding experience. As a social butterfly, engaging with various participants at our exhibition booth was a delight. I had the opportunity to introduce many attendees to our work, some of whom were learning about us for the first time.

Sitting in on breakout presentations revealed impressive digital innovations across Africa, significantly impacting communities and families. Networking was another highlight, as I met new people and reconnected with old acquaintances, including a friend from the National Security Authority who is interested in future collaborations.

The pinnacle of my experience was when a participant from Brazil, whom I had engaged with, praised our work during his speech at the DRIF 2024 Closing Ceremony. This acknowledgement reinforced my admiration for Wikimedia Ghana User Group’s efforts and highlighted our achievements through my 3-day conference experience.”

Looking Ahead

We are grateful for the rich connections made, the knowledge shared, and the collective commitment to advancing digital rights and inclusion at DRIF 2024. The event was a resounding success for the Wikimedia Ghana User Group, enhancing our visibility and setting the stage for future collaborations. We are excited to build on these positive outcomes and continue our work towards a more inclusive digital world. Thank you to all who engaged with us at DRIF 2024, and we can’t wait to see what the next year brings!

I routinely point out in my outdoor naturalist explorations that one of the great innovations in evolutionary history is indirect communication - communication via the substrate - rather one-to-one communication. What this does is to make the information more permanent and less vulnerable to the death of individual organisms. It is the reason why you cannot destroy an ant colony by stomping on the workers walking on a trail. 

You might see that to some extent this is what internet forums do, or what books do, they pass on information even after the death of the originator. But books are not location specific, I cannot find out who has walked at a specific spot, the way a dog or tiger might find out by sniffing a tree. Books are not sensitive to temporality - the dog or tiger might find out by the scents left on a tree how recent the last passer by was.

Social insects like ants and termites have evolved indirect communication to coordinate the activities of individual organisms without the need for centralized command and control. The terms stigmergy and stigmergic collaboration have been used for this and here is an explanation I found online (slightly edited):

The word stigmergy comes from the Greek stigma, meaning sign/mark, and ergon, meaning work, capturing the notion that the environment is a stimulus that causes particular work (behavior) to occur. It was originally coined by zoologist Pierre-Paul Grassé,who explained the mound-building behavior of termites by appealing to the stigmergic control of the mound itself.

So if a termite mound is breached - the workers passing by might use a chemical marker saying - there is a breach here - as more and more workers pass the point, the chemical scent becomes stronger and it recruits workers who specialize in fixing breaches to the specific breach location. Workers might also mark trails towards the breach for others to follow. Once the breach is sealed, the trail scents and breach indicators fade away, leaving workers to follow their other activities. Notice that there is no central control and that chemical markers of different kinds may be produced by agents who may not know how to deal with the specific situation. Agents that do know how to deal with the situation are guided to a specific location. 

Insect societies have task specialization - some workers specialize in foraging, some in nest care, some in defense and so on. Task specialization is sometimes based on the age of the insects, with older ones taking up risky activities.

I have tried to explain how this might or should guide construction of software such as the MediaWiki system - but evidently with little success - among some in the Wikipedia community. Agents need to be able to indicate centrally about areas of Wikipedia that are undergoing disturbance. Other agents need to be able to find, act at the areas of disturbance. Currently Wikipedia does this through central bulletin boards where agents explicitly post their notices. Unfortunately this is too taxing for a naive agent. WikiRage was a third party system that could detect increased editing activity and show articles that were currently "hot". There is no real system that shows currently highly visited articles. There is no system for currently highly sought after article - although this might be something for a search engine company like Google to think of. Now look at this also from the point of view of an agent with a specialization - I as an editor might only act if I know that I can help, so overwhelming me with too many stimuli might only push an agent like me into confusion and inaction. If I were a specialist editor working in a particular cluster of articles, I should know if something in my cluster is of interest, or undergoing a great deal of editing activity. I shouldn't have to declare my own interest explicitly. For a while now I have sought a rather simple means to detect traffic spikes in articles that I have on my watchlist. Now some software designers will immediately object that such as system could impinge on user privacy - although much of this information (other than mere reading) is already public in the MediaWiki system. I think many of these security concerns can be reduced by "aging" - the deletion of data over time - to simulate the dispersal of scents in social insects. Further such a system could perhaps be designed as a browser plugin, keeping data entirely off from the center of a system. For instance if I wanted to look at what is hot on my watchlist - all I need for instance is coloring entries on my watchlist with a factor  = yesterday's (or the last available) traffic / (average of the previous N days of traffic) [dealing of course with division by zero etc.] - that might guide me or prompt me to improve articles that I have an interest in. 

A super-organism - the term used for colonies of social insects - needs to have mechanisms for how its agents act as sensors, how those sensations are quantitatively expressed, how those quantitative expressions tip thresholds that drive actions or reaction.

Note: I have been bumbling with these ideas for a while and my knowledge of software development for implementing this particular idea has been rather limiting. I hope some talented software developer feels inspired to create something along these lines. I for one would be grateful for it!

It’s fun.

It gives value to my knowledge. When it’s in my head, it’s just for me. When it’s in Wikipedia, it’s there for the whole humanity. That is value, intrinsic value, which shows its worth only when shared.

It can be translated. I am repeatedly amazed at the languages to which things that I wrote are translated. Serbian. Malay. Telugu. Arabic. Sotho. It means people half a world away, whom I shall probably never meet, and with many of whom I won’t be able to speak, can learn something because I invested some time in writing about it, and somebody who knows the language in which I wrote it invested some time in translating it.

It helps me make friends all over the world. I can land in pretty much any airport and have a fellow Wikipedia editor in that country show me around. I did this for other Wikipedia editors who visited my city, too.

It gets me invited to interviews on television, radio, podcasts, and newspapers. In all of them, I answer pretty much the same questions: “Is Wikipedia accurate? How does Wikipedia earn money? How can I create a Wikipedia page about myself?” I don’t mind answering repeatedly—I’m helping Wikipedia’s PR, because I believe in the cause.

It helps me learn about new things. I don’t know everything, and sometimes I want to write about something, so I have to learn it. I have to open books, go to libraries, find references, dig up things that don’t come up as the first search engine result.

It helps me change my mind. It’s a good thing, really. Having the same thoughts and convictions all the time is not that great.

It helps me spend time in an enjoyable way. It’s pretty much the same thing as saying that it’s fun, but think about it—some people like TV, some people love the gym, some people love having beers with friends, some people climb mountains. I enjoy these things occasionally (OK, except the gym), but more than almost anything else I enjoy writing in Wikipedia.

It helps me show my culture to the world. I can write about Russia in Hebrew. I can write about Israel in Catalan. I can write about both in English.

It often gives me the Someone is wrong on the Internet feeling, but I learned not to let it hurt my physical or mental health.

It sometimes presents me with discoveries that are so weird that they are art. People sometimes write nonsense that should be deleted, and I do delete it, but occasionally I memorize some of it—sometimes it’s good as a joke or as a mantra to say mysteriously every now and then. Even trolls and vandals have some value, I guess.

It’s fun. I wouldn’t exchange it for anything.

This post was originally written on Quora as an answer to this question: What is it like to be a Wikipedia editor? It was updated a bit, but the general gist is the same.

This campaign made sure that everyone has access to neutral, fact-based and current information for sustainable future. WUGN Kaduna Network concentrated on topic centers on human rights such as rights to a healthy environment and other rights. The network participants worked on Wikipedia, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons and Wikivoyage. Also translating articles to Hausa, Tyap or other languages in Nigeria. The Campaign is Supported by Wikimedia Foundation.

The use of local languages in northern Nigeria to lessen the gaps in knowledge and resources are integrated to ensure inclusive and successful campaigns. Nigeria has a huge language concepts with minor tribes which the SDGs emphasizes on for human rights (SDGs 3, 6, 13, 14, 15). Hence information and knowledge on this project will address these issues using Local Languages like Hausa, Tyap, Fulfulde which are major languages in Northern Nigeria. The Kaduna Network campaign is under the Wikimedia for Human Rights 2024 campaign focuses on enriching understanding and raising awareness of critical human rights issues related to sustainability in Nigeria Which is lead by two National Coordinators (Bukola James and Kemi Makinde) and local Coordination are Ramatu A. Haliru with Friday Musa. The spotlight Partner was Dr. Eng. L.K. Salati with topic How Waste Mismanagement Affects the Environment.

The Following are insight of WFHR 2024 Physical Meet-up in Kaduna Nigeria:

The physical Meet-up held on 13 July 2024 at Arewa House Center for Historical Research and Documentation Training room, Ahmadu Bello University, Kaduna. The event started by 9:30 am African time and ended 3:30pm with the following activities.

Introduction

The event started with attendance sheet to be filled by participants than general Introduction to the campaign by the local Coordinator Ramatu A, Haliru which she Anchor the event by introducing the spotlight partner and co-facilitator in person of Dr. L.K.Salati and Mr. Friday Musa. Mrs. Haliru further trained participants on how the metapage to Kaduna network look like with the Outreach board by also guiding and showing them how to join the dashboard and update the meta page with articles the work on. Than she pass the mic to Dr. Salati for the panel discussion and presentation.

Spotlight Topic: How Waste Mismanagement Affects the Environment

Engr. Dr. L.K Salati discussions concentrating on the following heading

• Introduction to our Environment and our wastes
• Types of Waste Management
• How waste mismanagement affect our environment
• Human Impact
• Benefits of waste management
• The Role of a Wikimedian in waste management
• Conclusion

The Summary of the discussion is that as wikimedia editors we should manage our space by planting trees, encourage people to practice waste management. we should be sensible about our environment because waste mismanagement lead to global warming and flooding of the environment all these has negative effort on our society. He concluded by saying sustainable waste management is a process which are prevent – Reduce – Reuse – Recycle – Recover and using your waste to create your wealth. this is link to the presentation https://eu.docworkspace.com/d/sILLnvpWiAb-Vv7QG

Introduction to Wikipedia Editing

This training was facilitated by Mr. Friday Musa by starting with explanation of wikipedia article generally, the five pallers of wikipedia. he further give general structure of a wikipedia article what to see when you open an article. than show them domo of manor edits such as adding link to existing article, how to publish and finally how to translate english wikipedia article to Hausa and Tyap Languages. The session concluded by give participants 30 minutes to practices all the learn with guidance of facilitators.

Introduction to Wikidata

This session was facilitated by Ramatu Haliru by explaining Wikidata its definition how to login, search for an items, she further show them practically how to create new item and editing existing items. She shows them how to activity Recon tool on the preference of wikidata finally 30 minutes practical sessions for participants to practices what they learn.

Outcome of the Physical Meet-up

The event recorded 29 participants and a Google form was used to invite participants. We had good refreshments and a group photo at the end of the training.

Wikimedia Kaduna Network WFRH Campaign continue with online sessions for better contribution to the Wikimedia projects.

The Capacity Exchange (CapX) is a project developing a web application that will serve as a central place for people, affiliates, and communities to connect with each other and freely share or access knowledge, skills and services.

Wiki Movimento Brasil started coordinating the project operations one year ago, we started building upon the concept outlined by volunteers in the context of the Movement Strategy implementation. This Diff post serves as a learning report that links to published activities’ reports from the past year. 

What we learned is that the goal is clear when it comes to prototyping a vision grounded in solid values, even if the specifics are still being worked out. We trust the lessons from those who came before us: start simple, be open, but stick to the collective vision.

Collective vision

In May 2024, we presented at the Wikimedia Foundation Annual Plan cross-regional community call how the project is built upon transnational collaboration. 

The CapX vision builds upon the recommendations of the Capacity Building Movement Strategy Working Group (2018-2020). Following up on that, a pitch at the Wikimedia European Affiliates Cooperation Meeting in 2021 called for a working group. This group comprised several affiliates and implemented the project’s first phase (2021-2022). With the support of Wikimedia Deutschland’s software development team, they delivered a first prototype based on the OER Word Map. 

Wiki Movimento Brasil (WMB) now coordinates the second phase operations (2023-2025), supported by a MSIG.  We are currently developing a second prototype, under the supervision and with guidance from an international Advisory Committee. The technical development activities are combined with community outreach, focusing not only on promoting the project but enabling stakeholder involvement on the product design and iteration. See WMB 2023 and 2024 reports.

Technical tryout

In 2022, the first prototype was tested with the help of sister initiatives such as the Let’s Connect Peer Learning Program. We call it sister initiatives parties of the Wikimedia Movement working with skills development and capacity building.

Although promising, the tryout product was discontinued in the project’s second phase. The technical plan set the direction for building a second prototype in a new programming language. Nonetheless, we still had much to learn about the first prototype and continued to test it in 2023. Focus Groups ensured valuable inputs to the new software development.

We migrated some functionalities from the previous prototype to the new one, rewriting them in Python to ensure long-term technical sustainability. We also moved the project from the Wmcloud to Toolforge. Furthermore, we implemented a visual identity and some readability tools according to the best practices of software development. The second prototype will be available for testing by the time of Wikimania 2024.

You can check the project’s progress on GitHub (backend & frontend).

Peer Power

The Capacity Exchange Concept shifts the focus of community capacity-building from fixing deficits to leveraging strengths. It acknowledges that the knowledge and skills we need are already within our reach, among our ranks, so let’s efficiently match our needs with available assets by focusing on decentralized peer exchange. In the spirit of this assumption, CapX is set to strengthen solidarity, efficiency, and resilience within the Wikimedia Movement.

As a global sociotechnical solution, Capacity Exchange not only centers on peer exchange as a methodology to sustainably build and share community capacity, but it is currently being built by it. As we presented the project, we consulted wikimedians in strategic discussions and workshops held in several community events world-wide. These inputs helped us give form to our new prototype.

Although we craft technological solutions, the human factor is the most significant aspect of wiki learning. That one wikimedian who connects two other people, another one who brings local input that makes a global strategy, or the communities that seek mutual aid: Wikimedia is a movement of peer connections. And that is precisely the peer power that fuels CapX vision and drives the project development.

Next steps

All parties in our movement are key stakeholders of the Capacity Exchange because the platform will enable any individual, community, or affiliate to take part in the global exchange of skills, knowledge, and services. In the first year of the second phase of implementation, we connected with many communities. For the second year, we expect to further the global collaboration, now focusing on testing and iterating the new prototype. 

Community engagement on the project and user involvement in product design are crucial to the web application’s efficiency. So we call any interested party to join the Capacity Exchange network. 

Here’s ways how you can do it:

• Sign up to our list on Meta-Wikimedia
• Or email capx@wmnobrasil.org

During Hispanic Heritage Month, Jennifer Flores set out to find t-shirts that depicted positive Latinx role models for her children to wear in celebration of their culture. Instead of shirts showcasing inspirational figures, she was disappointed to only see clothing with beer logos, hot sauce bottles, or colorful images of tacos.

Now, after her Wikipedia assignment to enhance Wikipedia’s coverage of diverse figures in STEM, Flores realizes that she herself is empowered to share the stories of underrepresented individuals directly with the public.

“Working on the [Wikipedia assignment] has not only fueled my creativity, but has also sparked inspiration and strengthened my courage,” explained Flores, a first-year student at Victor Valley College. “Being the daughter of an immigrant, this project held significance for me as it highlighted some of the disparities many people face. I have been inspired and realize the importance of furthering my studies in STEM.”

Flores, a Computer Information Systems major, collaborated with classmates to create Wikipedia articles for Jose Gomez Marquez, a Honduran American inventor best known for empowering medical professionals with MEDIkits, and Ivan Yaeger, an African American inventor and entrepreneur who created the Yaeger Prosthetic Arm.

The students approached their group assignment strategically, assuming roles that aligned with their individual strengths. Together, they worked to create comprehensive and accurate articles highlighting the accomplishments of Marquez and Yaeger. 

“We wanted to demonstrate the importance of cultural context while avoiding stereotyping and biases,” noted Flores, who served as her group’s Wikipedia Liaison and Researcher. 

In addition to her newfound understanding of the work of Maquez and Yaeger, Flores reflected on a wide range of other learning outcomes she credits to the project.

“While creating articles for Wikipedia, I’ve learned the importance of conducting research and synthesizing information into coherent articles, how to communicate effectively in a professional environment, and how to collaborate and understand diverse perspectives while respecting cultural differences,” said Flores. “One important skill I’ve acquired is the ability to think critically and fact check to avoid misinformation.

For Flores, the most exciting part of the project was a moment she never anticipated – connecting directly with the notable figures themselves. 

“Editing Wikipedia was life-changing, particularly when I reached out to my subjects and received responses from both Mr. Yaeger and Mr. Marquez,” said Flores. “As a first year college student from Victorville, it was surprising that these notable individuals took the time to message me.” 

The connections fueled her passion for editing and became the defining moments in her journey, Flores explained. “The interactions not only confirmed the importance of my work but also ignited a newly discovered drive within me.”

Flores not only shared her future plans to continue to edit Wikipedia, but has also found the confidence to pursue a new personal project. She intends to create a collection of t-shirts featuring accomplished individuals from underrepresented backgrounds – for her children and for all.

Led by course instructor Debby Kurti, Flores’ work on Wikipedia is part of a larger Wiki Education initiative sponsored by the Broadcom Foundation, which encourages the creation of new biographies of diverse people in STEM on Wikipedia.

Interested in incorporating a Wikipedia assignment into your course? Visit teach.wikiedu.org to learn more about the free resources, digital tools, and staff support that Wiki Education offers to postsecondary instructors in the United States and Canada.

Here is a quick overview of highlights from the Wikimedia Foundation over the second half of July 2024. Previous editions of this bulletin are on Meta. Let askcacwikimedia.org know if you have any feedback or suggestions for improvement!

Upcoming and current events and conversations

Talking: 2024 continues

• Where to from here? A message from Wikimedia Foundation CEO, Maryana Iskander.
• The program for Wikimania Katowice (7–10 August 2024) is now live! Register now to attend virtually!
• Are you speaking at Wikimania? Here are some resources for speakers.

Annual Goals Progress on Infrastructure 

See also newsletters: Wikimedia Apps · Growth · Research · Web · Wikifunctions & Abstract Wikipedia · Tech News · Language and Internationalization · other newsletters on Mediawiki.org

• The Foundation recently opened our first data center in South America. Read about how it is already lowering load times.
• Feature updates from the Tech News: Stewards can now globally block accounts; Wikimedia site users can now submit account vanishing requests via GlobalVanishRequest; and interface of FlaggedRevs (also known as “Pending Changes”) is improved.
• Dark mode will transform Wikipedia’s accessibility. Interface admins and user script maintainers are encouraged to check gadgets and user scripts in the dark mode, to find any hard-coded colors and fix them.
• Measure the impact of Wikimedia Commons with Commons Impact Metrics analytics dashboard, now available via data dumps and API.
• Key findings from user research about confusion in uploading images to Wikipedia.
• This month’s Wikimedia Research Showcase highlighted the impact machine translation has on both content and readers of Wikipedia and provided interesting insights on how to overcome related challenges. Watch the recording.
• The Charts project officially kicked off. The goal of this new initiative is to restore basic data visualization capabilities to the wikis. Check out the project page and follow our progress on Phabricator.
• The CampaignEvents extension is now available on Meta-wiki, Arabic Wikipedia, Igbo Wikipedia, and Swahili Wikipedia, and can be requested on other wikis. This extension helps manage and make events more visible. Learn about how to request this extension.
• The Campaigns Product & Programs teams have launched a consultation on WikiProjects and other forms of collaboration on the wikis. They want to understand why they work (or don’t work) for some Wikimedia communities, and they want to learn what can be done to improve the experience. Everyone is encouraged to share their feedback.
• Are you a technical contributor? Check out the latest Technical Community Newsletter.

Annual Goals Progress on Equity 

See also a list of all movement events: on Meta

• The Wikimania Core Organizing Team (COT) for 2025 is delighted to announce that the 20th Wikimania will be hosted in Nairobi, Kenya.
• The Wikipedia Library secured new partnerships with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Central European University Press, and l’Informé and is adding more content collections in the library.
• Three new A Wiki Minute videos have been released which address reader privacy and content management on Wikipedia, as well as how Wikipedia differs from social media platforms. Learn how A Wiki Minute videos have helped increase awareness about our work.
• The Committee Support Team year-in-review and reflections.
• A new 20-minute audio interview about the WikiLearn platform with Asaf Bartov, in an episode of the WikipediaPodden podcast.
• More of the Wikipedia core policies curriculum developed for the Africa Growth Pilot is available for review. After edits and improvements by the community, recorded videos would become a permanent core policies course on WikiLearn.
• One new wiki has been created: Wikivoyage in Czech.

Annual Goals Progress on Safety & Integrity 

See also blogs: Global Advocacy blog · Global Advocacy Newsletter · Policy blog

• Voting period for the Universal Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee (U4C) is open now until August 10. Learn more about voting and voter eligibility.
• US Supreme Court ruling on NetChoice cases: What does it mean for Wikipedia?

Annual Goals Progress on Effectiveness 

See also: quarterly Metrics Reports

• Announcing the 2023-2024 Research Fund Grantees and their funded projects.

Board and Board committee updates 

See Wikimedia Foundation Board noticeboard · Affiliations Committee Newsletter

• The outcomes of the June Board meeting are published on Meta. Agenda for the August meeting is here.
• Welcoming new affiliates: Recognition of Wikimedistas Wayuu User Group, Wikimedia Community of Togo User Group, and Wikimedians of Singapore User Group.
• The Board of Trustees selection pre-onboarding and campaign period is open from July 25 to August 26.
• Foundation Trustee Dariusz Jemelniak was appointed to the Governing Board of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, established as part of the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation.
• Movement Charter voter feedback: All comments are now on Meta-wiki (65 comments from the affiliates voters and 447 comments from the individual voters).

Other Movement curated newsletters & news 

See also: Diff blog · Goings-on · Wikimedia World · Signpost (en) · Kurier (de) · other newsletters:

• Topics: Education · GLAM · The Wikipedia Library
• Wikimedia Projects: Milestones · Wikidata
• Regions: Central and Eastern Europe

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July was not as busy as June, but I still felt like good progress was made.

User group meeting

The meeting was yet again organized by another member of the user group, and sharing responsibilities is great. While not many attended, we decided to mode forwarded with the strategy work, which will be a fresh air and sorely needed. Minutes are published.

Wikimania

Wikimania is coming up in a week, and I have started organizing a meetup for anyone interested in sustainable development.

I also looked through the entire program and made a list of all sessions related to the SDGs. Hopefully, that can help people navigate to impactful sessions.

Newsletter

I sent another monthly newsletter! This time I also got some input from more user group members, which is promising for the future.

This is the second half of my seventh monthly report of my New Year’s resolutions.