Wikimedia Community User Group Libya
Wikimedia Community User Group Libya is a user group in the process, initiated by Libyan Wikimedians interested in the documentation and dissemination of the diverse and threatened cultures of Libya. Launching after a year and a half of activities and capacity building, we intend to expand, extend, and maintain.
Background:
The story behind involvement in the Wikimedia movement
Both architects dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage in the region, the Founder and Director of Scene for Culture and Heritage Organisation and the Founder and Director of the Wiki World Heritage (WWH) User Group met during a UNESCO Forums in 2018 and 2019. Recognising their common passions and the complementary value in joining assets, the two teams joined efforts in a series of continuing collaborations that leverage the power of (i) the Wiki tools as the main open source of information in the world today, (ii) the WWH’s extensive knowledge in making use of the unique Wiki resources for heritage documentation and dissemination, and (iii) Scene’s proximal position to sites and local communities and its capacity to mobalise, collect, and manage data and local resources. The collaboration between the two began in 2021 with Wiki World Heritage User Group’s WHINdanger project addressing World Heritage Sites in Danger, with Scene as the national partner for Libya. The partnership has since continued, further building on the knowledge exchanged and the teams of volunteers that have been mobalised.
Legal and Fiscal sponsor: Scene NGO
We believe in the social values of cultural heritage, where heritage is defined within cultural practices by and amongst the people. Based in Tripoli, Libya, Scene contributes to understanding local heritage by fostering engagement(s) of social groups through immersive strategies and nurturing cultural participation. Our methodology is based on critical studies, and our grounded findings are shared to further understanding and to assist toward developing democratic cultural policies.
Core Team:
Enas Biala, Member
Moad Meliti, Member (LinkedIn)
Ahmed Ben Khadra, Founding Member
Mohammed Elyousefi, Co-Founder
Hassan Saad, Co-Founder (LinkedIn)
Reem (Hg) Furjani, Founder & Director (Website; LinkedIn)
Past activities:
• Wikipedia Training of Trainers, WHINDanger project
• Wikipedia Editathon public event, WHINDanger project
• Photography contest documenting endangered World Heritage Sites, WHINDanger project
• Wikidata Training of Trainers, Climate Heritage Programme
Goals and Approach
Despite its rich history and culture, Libya is still under-documented on Wikimedia projects, and this is mainly due to the absence of a Wikimedia community in the country. Therefore, our aim is to:
• Ensure well-rounded documentation of the different aspects of the country’s culture on Wikimedia projects.
• Raise awareness about Wikimedia among Libyans
• Use wiki projects and tools to generate interactive pages and platforms (interactive maps for instance).
Action plan
- Documenting Traditional Building Techniques of Heritage Threatened by Climate Change (photogrammetry).
-Improving Trace Archive using Wikidata.
-Told Cities: photographs and photogrammetry 3Ds of the Old City of Ghadames.
- Documenting threatened dialects and languages of Libyan minorities.
- Capacity building programme to mobalise Libyan Wiki volunteers (a continuation).
Members:
User:ReemHg
User:Maram Badi
User:Ashraf Bin Alhaj
User:Masara Mohamed98
User:Abusrewilz
User:Mohammed Elfituri
User:Magid.Bendalla
User:Abdurahman92
User:Jehad1992
User:Freesoulxciv
User:Marwa Rheel
User:Hanin998
User:Malika Badia
User:Hamam F. Mansour
User:Duniazagoop3
User:MohamedAlShlawi
User:Shahd Alhemali
User:Suhairhg