Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland 2013
 | |
| Date | 16 February 2013 |
|---|---|
| Time | 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Timezone | CET |
| Location | Warsaw, Poland |
| Organizers | Belarusian National Memory, Wikimedia Polska |
| Participants | approx. 20 |
| Languages | Belarusian, Polish |
| Website | Official site |
Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland 2013 – an event held on February 16, 2013, aimed at popularizing the idea of editing and developing Belarusian-language Wikipedias among Belarusian speakers residing in Poland. The event was organized by Belarusian National Memory, Wikimedia Polska, and Tomasz Bladyniec.
Causes
[edit]
At the beginning of 2013, both Belarusian-language Wikipedias had approximately 50,000 articles each, making them among the smallest among the project's language versions. According to the organizers, one of the reasons for their slow development is the complicated political and social situation in Belarus, both historically and currently. The Belarusian authorities' unfavorable attitude toward the dissemination and use of the Belarusian language in public life, and the centuries-long process of Russification before that, have led to the language being threatened with extinction. The small size of the Belarusian-language Wikipedias is a result of the small and steadily decreasing number of people who speak the language and the low proficiency of those who still do. The second factor limiting the development of the Belarusian-language Wikipedias is the widespread distance and distrust of engaging in social activities in Belarusian society.
Goal
[edit]The development of a Belarusian-language Wikipedia could lead to increased use of this language by Belarusians, and consequently, slow its extinction. This is consistent with one of Wikipedia's fundamental principles: providing people with knowledge in their native language. Encouraging more Belarusians to work for its development would, in turn, help them better understand the value of social activity in a broader sense.
Many factors speak in favor of organizing a Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland:
- the large and constantly growing Belarusian community in the country, dominated by students, social activists, and journalists – young people with a higher-than-average national and social awareness;
- an indigenous Belarusian national minority lives in Poland in the Podlachia region;
- Belarusian is an auxiliary language in some areas of Poland.
The primary goal of Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland was to popularize the idea of editing and developing Belarusian-language Wikipedias. This was to be accomplished by training participants in the technical aspects of the editing process, as well as motivating them through competition. The project's second goal was to create a nucleus of a Belarusian-speaking Wikipedia community in Poland, which could eventually become independent and strengthened. In a broader context, this would have a positive impact on the development of civil society among Belarusians.
The event
[edit]The Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland took place on February 16, 2013, at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, on the 12th floor, in the computer lab of Collegium Civitas University. The event began at 11:00 AM. The first hour featured a lecture by Marek Stelmasik on the history, goals, and principles of Wikipedia. The practical portion began at 12:00 PM, when participants registered their accounts. There was a coffee break at 12:30 PM, lunch for participants in the cafeteria downstairs at the Palace of Culture, a second coffee break at 4:30 PM, and the official announcement of the winner of the most active participation competition during the workshops at 6:00 PM. Activity was determined by the amount of text entered, and the winner was Alexander Lahvinets. All participants were also given gifts in the form of Wikipedia promotional materials: books about Fryderyk Chopin and Maria Skłodowska-Curie, pencils, and bags with the Wikipedia logo. The event concluded shortly after 6:00 PM.
During the workshops, participants received information on the basics of Wikipedia editing via a projector and then attempted to write their own articles, consulting their work with instructors Marek Stelmasik and Tomasz Bladyniec, who were also present. In total, approximately 20 participants participated in the workshops, most of whom were Belarusian citizens living in Poland. A small number were Poles who spoke Belarusian. Two participants traveled from Belarus specifically for the event. Two were representatives of the Belarusian national minority in Podlachia.
Reactions
[edit]Media reactions
[edit]Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland gained widespread publicity in non-state Belarusian-language media, and was also mentioned in Polish media. On February 14, the Belarusian independent portal of the newspaper Nasha Niva published an article about the upcoming event. It discussed the possible merger of the two versions of the Belarusian Wikipedia and also announced the Week of Polish Articles on the Belarusian classic Wikipedia.[1] The same day, Radio Svaboda aired a much more extensive piece and published an article on its website, repeating the information about the event in Warsaw. Svaboda discussed the general situation of the Belarusian Wikipedias, emphasizing that both Wikipedias are read by only 1.6–1.8% of Belarusian Wikipedia users. The issue of the chances of unifying the two versions was raised again, citing the opinions of Wikipedians Mark Bernstein, Maksim Lepushenko, Ruslan Raviaka, and Tomasz Bladyniec on the matter.[2] Both articles received many comments from readers. They mainly focused on the merits of unifying the Belarusian Wikipedias and the superiority of one over the other.
Many journalists from non-state Belarusian-language media were present during the event, covering it. Articles accompanied by photographs appeared on the websites of European Radio for Belarus[3], Radio Svaboda[4], Belarusian Radio Racja[5], and, twice, Belsat TV[6][7]. The latest TV station also broadcast two videos about the event, each lasting five and a half minutes. A brief mention of the event appeared on the website of the Belarusian Editorial Office of Polish Radio Abroad[8]. Polish-language media interest in the event was limited. A short live interview with the organizer was held by Academic Radio Kampus an hour before the event.
In the days following the event, European Radio for Belarus announced that Alaksandr Lahvinets had won the activity competition.[9] Information about the Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland was also posted on the Polish-language website eastbook.eu.[10] The event was published by the magazine of the Belarusian national minority in Poland, "Niva."[11]
Reactions from other Wikipedia sections
[edit]The communities of both Belarusian Wikipedias were invited to collaborate on this initiative. The classical (be-x-old) Wikipedia responded very positively, organizing a parallel workshop in Minsk and announcing Polish Article Week from February 14–27. During the Week, 62 articles about Poland were written on the Belarusian Classical Wikipedia, and 7 were expanded. Ten related templates were also created. The Official (be) Wikipedia did not cooperate.
Interesting Facts
[edit]One of the participants of the Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland was Igor Iwaniuk, translator of the book "Belarusians in Polish Regular Military Formations in the Years 1918–1945," which was a reward for active participation in the workshops.
| No. | Title | Spelling | Author | Status | The author's subsequent activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Зумба | official | Agusia | preserved | none |
| 2 | Бульбамуві | official | Вікторыя | preserved | none |
| 3 | Кажан-Гарадок | official | Dimon340 | preserved | none |
| 4 | Жыве Беларусь, фільм | official | Вераніка | preserved | 2 edits 2 days after the workshop |
| 5 | Вёска Росіца | official | Irririnka | preserved | none |
| 6 | Культурная інтымнасць | official | Szanounyspadar | preserved | edited for 9 months |
| 7 | Дрэбск | classic | Dimon340 | preserved | none |
| 8 | Дзедзіч | classic | Paleszuk | preserved | none |
| 9 | Эўрапейская інтэграцыя | classic | Lahviniec | preserved | none |
| 10 | Публічная дыпляматыя | classic | Vm~be-x-oldwiki | preserved | none |
| 11 | Цімафей Хведашчэня | classic | Michnaviec | preseved | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 12 | Тутанхамон | classic | Dryhavicz76 | preserved | 8 edits by the 3rd day after the workshop |
| 13 | Бульбамуві | classic | Вікторыя | preserved | none |
| 14 | Дзень Адраджэньня | classic | Michnaviec | preserved | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 15 | Культурная блізкасьць | classic | Szanounyspadar | preserved | edited for 9 months |
| 16 | Антон Мухарскі | classic | Ўладзь | preserved | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 17 | Зьвяз на карысьць дэмакратыі ў Беларусі | classic | Michnaviec | preserved | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 18 | Рагачы (Польшча) | classic | Pudlašuk | preserved | active Wikipedian |
| 19 | Прастора (антрапалёгія культуры) | classic | Szanounyspadar | preserved | edited for 9 months |
| 20 | Уладзімір Клім | official | deleted | ||
| 21 | Вераніка Лапуцька | official | Ihar BY1 | deleted | none |
| 22 | Людзі на балоце | official | deleted | ||
| 23 | Спецыяльная лексіка | official | deleted | ||
| 24 | Грамадская кааліцыя “У Беларусь і Еўропу – БЕЗ ВІЗЫ!” | official | Ihar BY1 | deleted | none |
| 25 | Мікалай Анціпаў | official | deleted | ||
| 26 | Андрэй Трасянок і загадка Плошчы Каліноўскага | official | deleted | ||
| 27 | Прастора (антрапалогія культуры) | official | deleted | ||
| 28 | Чалавек-павук | official | LANRUS | deleted | |
| 29 | Дзень Барацьбы | classic | Michnaviec | deleted | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 30 | Віталь Каратыш | classic | Dimon340 | deleted | none |
| 31 | Уладзімер Клім | classic | Michnaviec | deleted | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 32 | Кастусь Мысьлівец | classic | Michnaviec | deleted | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 33 | Дзень памяці Кастуся Каліноўскага | classic | Michnaviec | deleted | edited only at subsequent workshops |
| 34 | Грамадзкая кааліцыя “У Беларусь і Еўропу – БЕЗ ВІЗЫ!” | classic | Ihar BY1 | deleted | none |
See also
[edit]- Belarusian Wikipedia Day in the Czech Republic
- Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Lithuania
- Belarusian Wikipedia Day in Poland 2015
References
[edit]- ↑ Рудовіч, Аксана. "Прагучала прапанова аб’яднаць беларускія Вікіпедыі афіцыйным і класічным правапісам". Nasha Niva (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ "Беларускую Вікіпэдыю не чытаюць: ні «тарашкевіцай», ні «наркамаўкай»". Radio Svaboda (in Belarusian). 2013-02-14. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ "Дзень беларускай Вікіпедыі ў Варшаве (фота)". European Radio for Belarus (in Belarusian). 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ "Дзень беларускай Вікіпэдыі ў Варшаве". Radio Svaboda (in Belarusian). 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ Сцяпановіч, Вікторыя (2013-02-16). "Дзень беларускай Вікіпедыі ў Варшаве (фота)". Belarusian Radio Racja (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2013-06-02. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ "У Варшаве прайшоў Дзень беларускай “Вікіпедыі”". Belsat TV (in Belarusian). 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ Ярскі, Марцін (2013-02-16). "За нашу і вашу «Вікіпедыю»". Belsat TV (in Belarusian). Archived from the original on 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ "Дзень беларускай Вікіпэдыі". Polish Radio for Abroad (in Belarusian). 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ "Алеся Лагвінца ўзнагародзілі за актыўнасць у беларускай Вікіпедыі". European Radio for Belarus (in Belarusian). 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ Koziol, Joanna (2015-04-05). "Dzień Białoruskiej Wikipedii w Warszawie". eastbook.eu (in Polish). Retrieved 2018-01-26.
- ↑ Вашчынская, Эва (2013). "Дзень беларускай Вікіпедыі ў Польшчы" (PDF). Niva (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2018-01-26.