Wikimedia Community User Group Malaysia/Reports/Wikimania 2023/CorrelMoris38

On 15–19 August 2023, I have attend the Wikimania Singapore at Suntec Convention Exhibition in Singapore. While attending the Wikimania 2023 Conference in Singapore, I went through various new experiences that undoubtedly provided me with new knowledge in my life. Furthermore, the new experiences and knowledge I gained are particularly useful in enhancing my contributions to Wikimedia projects. Among the things I learned during the conference were:

Things I've learned at the conference

• Learning More About Wikimedia Commons: I attended a workshop on Wikimedia Commons and delved deeper into the platform. Before attending Wikimania, my knowledge in Wikimedia Commons was limited to basic tasks such as uploading images, adding captions, and publishing images. After attending the Wikimedia Commons workshop, I gained a deeper understanding about this platform, including the rules and guidelines for uploading images. I also learned about the policies and regulations involved in uploading images to Commons. For example, uploaded images must be taken by the uploader themselves.

• During the Wikipedia Basic Workshop, I learned about writing articles in Simple English. In this workshop, I acquired the skills to write an article in English that can be used to create articles in the Kadazandusun language on the Wiki project. Through the Simple English workshop, I learned how to search for references, insert citations, and linking the articles I create to existing articles in Wikipedia Incubator. While in the workshop, I had the opportunity to write an article about the Merlion, which is a symbol of Singapore. I was excited because I can learn how to create an article and learned a bit about Singapore.

• Apart from the workshops I attended, I also had the chance to learn a bit about Singapore during the Wiki Loves Living Heritage Bazaar session. This session introduced the culture of Singapore to all Wikimedians. Besides Singaporean culture, I also had the opportunity to attend a session on 'How to Edit ‘Amiwiki’.' In this session, the presenters from Taiwan introduced about Paiwan language, whuch is the ethnic languages in their country that is gradually disappearing due to government regulations discouraging its use among the population. Here, I realized that every language in this world could vanish if not preserved and practiced by its own speakers. I also understood that the Kadazandusun language could also face extinction without the efforts to promote and uphold it. Therefore, Im extremely grateful that the Wiki project I work in now is one of the best platforms to prevent the extinction of my own language.

• Interactions with other Wikimedians: Meetings and discussions with other Wikimedians opened my eyes to the importance of the Wiki projects in preserving and promoting our native languages. Sharing opinions and experiences allowed me to learn about various Wiki projects that I was previously unaware of, such as WikiVoyage and translatewiki. These exchanges of ideas also led me to acquire new knowledge about Wikis and other subjects that can enhance my understanding. For example, a new friend I met at the Wikimania conference shared about their project on Wiki, which is adding names of birds that were missing in the Wikimedia Incubator. They informed me that these bird names were only available in English and hadn't been translated into Malay.

Overall, my experience at Wikimania Singapore 2023 was truly enlightening and motivate me to contribute more and more to the Wikimedia community.

Things the participant contributed or participated in or since the conference

16 AUGUST 2023

• WIKIPEDIA BASIC WORKSHOP

I attended this workshop in room 310 from 10 in the morning until 1:15 in the afternoon. In this workshop, I learned how to create articles in English about the Merlion. The knowledge I gained from this workshop opens opportunities for me to create articles in the Kadazandusun language in the future and also to translate articles from other languages to Kadazandusun on Wikipedia Incubator.

• WIKIMEDIA COMMONS BASIC WORKSHOP

I attended this workshop in room 310 from 2:15 to 4:25 in the evening. In this workshop, I learned about how to upload images to Wikimedia Commons, writing captions, add categories, learn policies for uploading images, and more.

• WIKIMANIA 2023 OPENING RECEPTION & WIKIMEDIAN OF THE YEAR

I attended the opening ceremony event held in the plenary hall from 5 to 6:25 in the evening. During this session, the announcement of the Wikimedian of The Year opened my eyes to the fact that every Wikimedian will be awarded according to their own effort. This encouraged me to continue actively participating in Wiki projects, not because I want the award but I also want to share the knowledge to the others.

17 AUGUST 2023

• WIKI LOVES LIVING HERITAGE BAZAAR

This session was held in the Plenary Hall from 10:40 to 11 in the morning. The aim of this session was to promote the culture of Singapore and their heritage development plan for the future.

• HOW TO EDIT 'AMIWIKI'

I attended this session in room 3.25 from 12:25 to 12:45 in the afternoon. In this session, the presenters from Taiwan introduced the Paiwan language, which is one of the ethnic languages in their country that is becoming extinct due to government regulations that discourage its use among the people. Before the session ended, they also introduced their traditional songs and dances.

• WIKIMANIA 2023 GLOBAL GROUP PHOTO

From 4:45 to 5:00 in the afternoon, the Global Group Photo was taken in the Plenary Hall. During this time, I got to see other Wikimedians from various country and had the opportunity to take photos with them.

18 AUGUST, 2023

• INAUGURATION OF WIKI KENT CLUB

This session marks the inauguration of the Wiki Kent Club from 9am to 10am. The establishment of the Wiki Kent Club was officiated by the Director of KENT Campus Teacher Education Institute, Dr Hamidah binti Samsudin.

• WIKITONGUES PRESERVING LANGUAGE DIVERSITY & EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION

This session is held in Room 326 from 11:35am to 12:25pm. In this workshop, the speaker explains that languages can be documented in WikiTongues to prevent them from becoming extinct. WikiTongues Link: https://wikitongues.org/?languages_search=Dtp&post_type=languages

• Psst, WIKIMEDIA HAS A SOUND LOGO

This session is held in the Plenary Hall from 2pm to 2:10pm. This session is to introduce the sound logo to all Wikimedians and how to use it.

19 AUGUST, 2023

• SAZAU BY WIKEINT AND MANUK LEMBUKUN DANCES FROM BORNEO

In this session, I and 7 other participants from IPG KENT Campus had the opportunity to present and introduce three types of cultural dances from the Sabah community to other Wikimania participants. This session is held in the Plenary Hall from 1:40 pm to 1:55 pm. After that, we also had the opportunity to present the Manuk Lebukun dance by 3 other participants from Sabah. Here, we had the chance to dance together with other Wikimania participants.

• REBRANDING WIKIMEDIA: WIKIMEDIA FOR COSPLAY AND ACG WORLD

This session is also held in the Plenary Hall from 1:55 pm to 2:10 pm and presented by the President of Wikimedia Malaysia, Mr. Dody Ismoyo. He shared about Wikimedia projects related to Cosplay that he had previously conducted multiple times. He also shared Wikimedia activities related to cosplay as he is also a cosplay enthusiast.

• WIKIMANIA 2023 DINNER AND DANCE

In this final evening event, a dinner and dance session was held at Gardens by The Bay. There, Wikimania participants attended the event for the last dinner of Wikimania 2023. During the event, we had the opportunity to witness the Flower Show in celebration of Singapore's 58th Birthday. After that, we returned to the event space and continued with the dance party where we could get closer to other Wikimedians, strengthen understanding, and making new friends. The thing I liked the most was the openness of every participant, making the evening event always memorable.

Plans after the conference (from what was learned or contributed in the conference)

Plans after Wikimania 2023:

1. Involved actively in Wiki's projects such as Wiktionary, Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Incubator, TranslateWiki, and other.
2. Join and actively participate in Wiki Club Kent activities.
3. Share knowledge about Wiki with friends so that more contributors can contribute to wiki projects in the future. (Good news: After attending the Wikimania conference in Singapore, I have successfully taught 2 of my friends about Wiktionary and Wikimedia Incubator. Furthermore, I have also received requests to teach them how to edit on Wiki Commons later.)
4. Participate in more Wikimedia activities and attend more Wikimania conferences in the future
5. Be more active in writing and contributing to Wiki in efforts to share knowledge to all, while also promoting the Kadazandusun language in Wiki projects.
6. Try to implement in more depth what has been learned during the Wikimania Singapore conference.
7. I want to learn about Wikidata from experienced Wikimedians.

Comments/ suggestions about the conference

Im very satisfied with the conference I attended because:

1. I gained a lot of knowledge during the conference through workshops and sessions that I attended.
2. I meet new friends from various countries and exchange ideas with them about Wiki projects.
3. The food was delicious, sufficient, and offered easy-to-find halal options.
4. The conference venue was comfortable and had sufficient facilities.
5. I get souvenirs from various countries through the gift exchange stations.

A special thanks to

A special thanks to Wikimedia Malaysia Foundation for giving me the opportunity to attend the Wikimedia Singapore 2023 conference. The scholarship given, which is covered the accommodation, conference fees, flight tickets, greatly facilitated my participation in this conference in person. I hope I'll get this opportunity again in the future. I also hope that more people will contribute to Wiki projects, and the Wikimedia Foundation will grow day by day in the future.