Bengali Wikipedia 10th Anniversary Celebration Bangladesh/School Programs Report

Background

Bangla Wikipedia 10th year anniversary conference.

Students made a 'W' sign at the Wikipedia School Program.

Bengali Wikipedia (https://bn.wikipedia.org/) has completed 10 Years on March 2014. The bangla version of Wikipedia started it's journey back in 2004 and has gradually become the largest Bengali content website on the internet with more than 37,000 articles on various topics. To celebrate this historic milestone the Bengali Wikimedia Community & Wikimedia Bangladesh hosted and organised a series of activities throughout Bangladesh to celebrate the anniversary. This series of event is co-sponsored by Wikimedia Foundation and Grameenphone.

On the occasion of tenth anniversary of Bengali Wikipedia, a massive outreach program is being held on seven divisional cities of Bangladesh in an attempt to increase contributors & contents. The program includes Workshops, edit-a-thons, Photowalks, Photography contest, Best Wikipedian contest, collaboration between Bangladeshi & Indian Wikimedia and School programs. Through the first ever nationwide event, over the course of 10th months, we endeavored to engage and train as many volunteers and Wikipedians as possible to organize events and increase outreach in every division of Bangladesh. Almost every single event was covered by most of the television channels and newspapers in Bangladesh which gave us the benefit to spread the word "Let knowledge be free, where everybody can access". The events were inured through a press conference on November 24, 2014 at Bishwo Shahitto Kendro in Dhaka.

Currently we're conducting 10 school programs in different schools in Bangladesh. School program is specially designed more to encourage students to effectively use Wikipedia for their benefit than to contribute to it. It is the first time in the country that a Wikipedia-related events are taking place in schools.

Shaheed Police Smrity School

Students at the Wikipedia School Program

First Wikipedia School Program was held on 16th June at Shaheed Police Smrity School in Mirpur, Dhaka. Around 80 school students attended the program ranging from 9th to 12th grade. Three teachers of the school were also present. The students were taught to effectively use Wikipedia, especially the Bangla Wikipedia and ways to contribute to its enrichment. The students were provided with Bangla Wikipedia leaflets and Wikipedia badges. Tanweer Morshed, Ali Haidar Khan & Sufe conducted the program.

Images from Commons

Motijheel Government Boys' High School

Second Wikipedia School Program was held on August 2 at Motijheel Government Boys' High School in Motijheel. Around 60 school students attended the program ranging from 9th to 10th grade. The program was managed by cultural club of that school named 'Sangsoptok'. The assistant Mr. headmaster Mohammad Salauddin was present at the program along with the senior teacher & mentor of the cultural club Mrs. Salina Sultana. The students were taught to effectively use Wikipedia, especially the Bangla Wikipedia and ways to contribute to its enrichment. The students were provided with Bangla Wikipedia leaflets and Wikipedia badges. The event was covered by both printed & online news portal of Bangladesh. Nahid Sultan, Tanweer Morshed, Ankan, Afifa Afrin & Ibrahim Husain Meraj conducted the event.

Agrabad Government Colony High School (Girls' Section)

Students at the Wikipedia School Program, Chittagong.

Third Wikipedia School Program was held on August 8 at Agrabad Government Colony High School (Girls' Section) in Chittagong, the port city of Bangladesh. Around 75 school girls attended the program ranging from 9th to 10th grade. The program was managed by Wikipedia Chittagong Community. The headmaster of the school was present at the program along with other senior teachers. The students were taught to effectively use Wikipedia, especially the Bangla Wikipedia and ways to contribute to its enrichment. The students were provided with Bangla Wikipedia leaflets and Wikipedia badges. Moheen Reeyad, Rafaell Russell & Motiur Rahman Oni conducted the session.

Agrabad Government Colony High School (Boys' Section)

4th Wikipedia School Program was held on August 16 at Agrabad Government Colony High School (Boys' Section) in Chittagong, the port city of Bangladesh. Around 85 school students attended the program ranging from 9th to 10th grade. The program was managed by Wikipedia Chittagong Community. The headmaster of the school was present at the program along with other senior teachers. The students were taught to effectively use Wikipedia, especially the Bangla Wikipedia and ways to contribute to its enrichment. The students were provided with Bangla Wikipedia leaflets and Wikipedia badges. Moheen Reeyad, Rafaell Russell & Motiur Rahman Oni conducted the session.

Chittagong Collegiate School and College

5th Wikipedia School Program was held on August 20 at Government Muslim High School in Chittagong, the port city of Bangladesh. Around 80 students attended the program ranging from 9th to 10th grade. The program was managed by Wikipedia Chittagong Community. The headmaster of the school was present at the program along with other senior teachers. The students were taught to effectively use Wikipedia, especially the Bangla Wikipedia and ways to contribute to its enrichment. The students were provided with Bangla Wikipedia leaflets and Wikipedia badges. Wikipedia Mug was given to the students for quiz contest. Moheen Reeyad, Rafaell Russell & Motiur Rahman Oni conducted the session.

Government Muslim High School

6th Wikipedia School Program was held on August 20 at Government Muslim High School in Chittagong, the port city of Bangladesh. Around 80 students attended the program ranging from 9th to 10th grade. The program was managed by Wikipedia Chittagong Community. The headmaster of the school was present at the program along with other senior teachers. The students were taught to effectively use Wikipedia, especially the Bangla Wikipedia and ways to contribute to its enrichment. The students were provided with Bangla Wikipedia leaflets and Wikipedia badges. Wikipedia Mug was given to the students for quiz contest. Moheen Reeyad, Rafaell Russell & Motiur Rahman Oni conducted the session.

Govt. Science College Attached High School

7th Wikipedia School Program was held on 29 August, 2015 at Govt.Science College Attached High School in Dhaka. Around 90 school students attended the program ranging from 9th to 12th grade. The headmaster of the school was present at the program along with other senior teachers. The students were taught to effectively use Wikipedia, especially the Bangla Wikipedia and ways to contribute to its enrichment. Pratyya Ghosh conducted the session.