CEE/Newsletter/Newsroom/The CEE Community met in Thessaloniki!
Hosted for the first time in Greece by the Wikimedia Community User Group Greece, the conference brought energy and enthusiasm to every corner of the venue. The programme included engaging sessions on strategy, community growth, and technical projects, but just as important were the countless conversations in hallways, coffee breaks, and evening walks through Thessaloniki. These informal moments sparked new ideas, new partnerships, and renewed motivation to keep building free knowledge together.
The spirit of the CEE community shone brightly: people shared not only their successes but also their challenges, supporting each other with advice, encouragement, and solidarity. By the end of the meeting, participants left with concrete plans, fresh perspectives, and stronger ties within the network. During the meeting it was announced that the next Wikimedia CEE Meeting, will take place in Cluj Napoca, Romania, and also the next CEE Hub Steering Committee.
We are grateful to everyone who joined us in Thessaloniki—your voices, your stories, and your commitment made this event truly special. The CEE Meeting 2025 reminded us once again that while each of us works locally, we are united in a regional and global movement that thrives on collaboration and trust.
More than 820 photos and videos have been already uploaded to Commons (Category:Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2025). For participants, the Wikimedia Commons app may be useful for you to upload your cee meeting images and videos effortlessly. We are particularly interested in videos and photos from moments other than the actual session: gatherings of Wikimedians, collaboration, fun, moments of relaxation. If you want to share your videos and photos but not on Commons, send them to our email: wmceem2025@wikimedia.gr.
As we keep telling people, the organizers’ work doesn’t end when the conference does—it just mutates into its final form: endless emails, reports, and spreadsheets. Basically, the afterparty nobody asked for. :-) It would make us especially happy if you made a small personal video clip of 20-60 seconds where you would tell us your impressions of the meeting. You can do it right now!
Until we meet again—thank you for being part of this journey!