ESEAP Conference 2024/Report/Worldsgreatestmum

ESEAP 2024 Kota Kinabalu - Report

Things learned at the conference

At ESEAP Kota Kinabalu 2024, I was exposed to new information, knowledge, and culture. One of the most significant things that I learnt was the diverse range of challenges and efforts that my fellow Wikipedians were experiencing across the ESEAP region. It was especially interesting for me to hear the cultural specifics of the challenges others faced, as they were similar to my own challenges, yet centred in a different cultural context. I also learnt about the variety of ways Wikipedia can be used to support minority languages, resources, and culture, through things such as Wikisource and Wiktionary. This was really exciting for me to see, as it meant that this information was accessible to all people across the world, which is a really special and important thing.

I also learnt about the history of ESEAP Hub, and the development of ESEAP as a more formalised structure and governmental body. I learnt about the documentation that was being created, as well as the process of connecting and voting across the region. This was very interesting for me to learn, as I was unaware of the history and processes, and it was valuable for me to learn more about the conference that I was attending.

Things that I contributed or participated in the conference

On Friday 10 May, myself and my three colleagues presented a talk titled ‘Enriching Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s local history on Wikipedia’. This talk outlined our experiences in one of the first multi-institutional Wikipedia internships, which in turn supported the New Zealand history curriculum by using Wikipedia as an accessible source of information. The talk also featured our experience as new Wikipedia editors, and the challenges and highlights of our internship. The response to our presentation was very positive, and I was very proud of myself and my colleagues. I also went to many talks across the three days, and learnt so much about the ESEAP region, from a diverse range of people with a diverse range of backgrounds. I was also fortunate enough to attend the many organised cultural and social events, which were so much fun, not only to meet other Wikimedians in a social setting but also to learn more about the incredible culture of Sabah.

Plans after the conference

I am hoping to continue building up the capability and knowledge of Māori Wikipedia in New Zealand and connect with fellow Indigenous Māori Wikipedia editors. I was inspired by many of the Indigenous Wikipedia editors at the conference, and I want to do my part to support my community on Wikipedia. I will continue using my history background to add to the knowledge base of Wikipedia, and continue expanding my community, both online and offline. Suggestions about the conference

I have very few suggestions, as I found the experience to be a truly incredible one, however, I wish there was a greater presence of Wikimedians from the Pacific Islands, as I know that their perspective is a deeply valuable one.