GLAM Wiki Conference Philippines 2024/Report/Aking padaba

My Experience at the GLAM Wiki Conference Philippines 2024

The GLAM Wiki Conference Philippines 2024 was an unforgettable experience. Held in the charming city of Vigan, it brought together cultural heritage professionals from galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM institutions) with the vibrant Filipino Wikimedian community. We exchanged ideas, best practices, and collaboration results related to open digital resources and cultural preservation, including tangible and intangible heritage.

This was my second conference since becoming a Wikimedian in 2023. I'm incredibly grateful to the Wikimedia Foundation for their generous conference sponsorship, which allowed me to participate.

During the conference, Here are some highlights:

Day 1: We embarked on a fascinating visit to Baluarte, a showcase of diverse animal life, both living, synthetic, and preserved. In the afternoon, the venue shifted to the historic Vigan Carcel for a series of seminars. Renowned speakers like Mr. Pablo Chan, director of the National Museum, shared insights into the museum's history ,mandate and Function,and network, Dr. Danilo Gerona, a distinguished historian, provided a comprehensive discussion on the founding of Villa Fernandina. Father Castaneda captivated us with his talk on "Linguistic Hospitality," a concept promoting translation as a bridge between languages. He emphasized the importance of preserving the native Ibanag language. The day concluded with a captivating gallery walk at the Carcel. Day 2: We delved into the fascinating world of microphotography with Kineth's presentation. He even demonstrated clever improvised accessories for capturing tiny insects. Ms. Khate and Dr. Jesusa's session titled "Lakaw" shed light on the challenges faced by the Agta people in the Bicol region, known as the most disadvantaged and vulnerable social groups. The day culminated with a valuable workshop on WikiSource, a platform for collaborative editing of public domain texts. Day 3: We embarked on an adventurous exploration of Ilocos Norte, visiting the majestic sand dunes, the Malacañang of the North, and the breathtaking Paoay Church. I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity to learn and share knowledge. I'm eager to impart these learnings and experiences with my friends and colleagues in the DepEd (Department of Education) family.

As a writer, my strengths lie in editing and proofreading, and I believe this is how I can most effectively contribute to the Wikimedia community. My husband and I even have a plan to introduce Wikimedia to the INSET (In-service Training) program to spread awareness and promote the community within the DepEd system.