CIS-A2K/Reports/Newsletter/July 2023
Wikibase session with RIWATCH GLAM[edit]
CIS-A2K has formed a valuable partnership with Research Institute of World's Ancient Traditions, Cultures, and Heritage (RIWATCH), a remarkable non-profit organization and cultural research institute situated in the village of Khinjili, near Roing town in the Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. RIWATCH is dedicated to preserving and promoting the indigenous cultures and heritage of North East India. RIWATCH lies an ethnographic museum that serves as a treasure trove of knowledge about the vibrant culture and age-old traditions of Arunachal Pradesh and the broader North East region of India. The museum showcases a diverse collection of images, audio recordings, and video files, each portraying the richness and uniqueness of various tribes and indigenous communities inhabiting the area. Through this partnership, CIS-A2K is poised to gain profound insights into the invaluable cultural heritage of the region, encouraging collaborative efforts to document and preserve the knowledge and wisdom of these indigenous people. Together, they aim to raise awareness and appreciation for the diverse read more...
Wikibase technical session with ACPR GLAM[edit]
The second technical session for ACPR (Arunachal Pradesh Cultural Research) members took place on 14th July 2023, in a successful collaboration with Wikimedia Deutschland (WMDE). With great enthusiasm, ten dedicated members actively participated in this enriching event. The session focused on Wikibase, an essential tool for knowledge organization and management. The event aimed to enhance the ACPR community's capabilities in preserving and sharing cultural heritage on digital platforms. To learn more about this engaging session, read more...
Wikidata Training Sessions for Santali Community[edit]
A2K has been actively encouraging community engagement through the Indian Community Capacity Development program. In the pursuit of this goal, we have conducted at least four meaningful calls with community members and have maintained open lines of communication via email. To better understand the needs and aspirations of our community, we initiated a small survey, and the response has been outstanding. The community has expressed a strong interest in embarking on a new and significant project, with a particular focus on Wikidata training. Wikidata, being a crucial project, offers immense potential to connect and collaborate as Wikimedians. It serves as an open, multilingual structured knowledge base that allows seamless integration and interlinking of content, benefiting both humans and machines. Responding to the community's desire, A2K has designed a comprehensive series of online training sessions. We commenced this initiative with the Santali community, aiming to equip them with essential Wikidata skills. The training sessions, were conducted weekly, ensuring sufficient hands-on learning opportunities. To deliver the best learning experience, two experienced and one new trainers were there for the all 5five sessions to guide and support participants throughout the program. This program or the series of this activity has been read more...
An interactive session with some Wikimedia Foundation staff from India[edit]
The WikiConverse India event, organized by A2K, facilitated productive interactions between 30 Indian Wikimedia community members and key representatives from the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF). The session focused on exploring potential collaboration opportunities and understanding WMF's projects. Notably, discussions revolved around "Wikisource Loves Manuscripts," content collaborations, and user group support. Participants expressed interest in expanding cross-affiliate collaborations. The event showcased the community's commitment to growth and transparency, encouraging a promising outlook for the Indian Wikimedia movement's development. The invitation to join the "Wikisource Loves Manuscripts Learning Partners Network" further strengthened avenues for collaborative efforts. The call was conducted on 24 July 2023 and read more...
Announcement[edit]
Train The Trainer 2023 Program[edit]
CIS-A2K is set to revitalize its Train the Trainer (TTT) initiative, aiming to empower Wikimedians with essential skills to support their communities effectively. By enhancing capacity and encouraging knowledge sharing, the program seeks to create a network of community leaders driving Wikimedia communities to flourish. The TTT event, held seven times from 2013 to 2020, contributes to a healthy and safe Wikimedia community. A new model aligned with global leadership development discussions is being developed to meet specific community needs. The Kerala Wikimedians User Group will co-host Train the Trainer 2023, and Wikimedians are invited to apply for Train-The-Trainer 2023 Scholarship Form before 14 August 2023, 23:59:59 IST, with the event scheduled for September or October 2023. Please note that scholarships are limited to Wikimedians based in India. For inquiries, contact a2K@cis-india.org or nitesh@cis-india.org and more information read here...