CIS-A2K/Events/Santali Wiki Regional Conference/Report

The Santali Wiki Conference 2024 was organized by the Centre for Internet and Society Access to Knowledge (CIS-A2K) program in collaboration with the Santali Wikimedians User Group. The event took place from 13th to 15th September 2024 in Kolkata, with the active participation of 20 core members from the Santali community.

Background

CIS-A2K has been working closely with the Santali community since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on reviving community engagement and paving new pathways for collaboration. The journey toward this conference began with a series of community calls where both CIS-A2K and the Santali Wikimedians User Group discussed the challenges faced by the community during the pandemic and the need to build stronger connections through structured activities. These discussions led to the organization of several virtual sessions, where community members invited speakers from within the broader Wikimedia Movement to share valuable insights.

Recognizing the growing interest in advancing skills within specific Wikimedia projects, the community expressed a desire for specialized training on Wikidata. To address this need, CIS-A2K facilitated a series of Wikidata sessions in collaboration with experienced Wikimedians, including User:Gnoeee, User:Satpal Dandiwal, and User: Raman Sidhu. These sessions helped build the technical skills of the community in Wikidata and laid the foundation for more collaborative work.

As community engagement continued to strengthen, members expressed an interest in hosting an in-person event dedicated to the growth and development of the Santali Wikimedia community. After a year of planning, the idea materialized in the form of the Santali Wiki Conference 2024, marking the first significant gathering of the Santali Wikimedians.

Conference Program Overview

Day 0: Setting the Stage

On the evening of Day 0, a two-hour introductory session was held to set the tone and focus for the entire conference. This session served as a platform for all participants to come together, introduce themselves, and align with the goals of the event.

Key community members, including User: Ramjit Tudu, User:sMarndi, Rachit Sharma from the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF), and Tanveer Hasan from CIS-A2K, led the discussions. The conversation revolved around the significance of this gathering for the Santali community and the broader Wikimedia movement. Tanveer Hasan highlighted the importance of in-person meetings in fostering collaboration, networking, and shared understanding among community members. He emphasized that such gatherings are instrumental in the success of the Wikimedia movement, as they offer opportunities to connect, communicate, and exchange ideas.

The session emphasized network building, a critical element of community success. By coming together in one physical space, participants could not only communicate more effectively but also get to know each other on a personal level, strengthening their sense of belonging and collective purpose. Nitesh (CIS-A2K) shared the next day’s or Day 1 schedule.

Throughout the event, multilingual communication was a priority; sessions were conducted in Santali, Hindi, and English to ensure inclusivity. Translation support was provided throughout the conference by User:sMarndi, ensuring that all participants, regardless of language proficiency, could fully engage in the discussions and activities.

Day 1 - September 14, 2024

1. Introduction to SWC 2024

Conference opening: Shakuntala & Tanveer Hasan

The first formal session opened with an introduction to the Santali Wiki Conference 2024 (SWC 2024). Shakuntala and Tanveer Hasan welcomed participants and provided an overview of the agenda, stressing the significance of this conference for the Santali Wikimedia community.

2. Introduction of the Participants

Facilitators: Shakuntala & Rachit Sharma

The introduction session began by encouraging community members to share their Wikimedia journeys. It also included a fun activity where participants shared a word in their native language along with its meaning, fostering cultural exchange and engagement.

3. Collaborative Growth

Speaker: Tanveer Hasan

Tanveer Hasan discussed the collaborative role of the Wikimedia Foundation, CIS-A2K, and various communities in the growth of Wikimedia projects and in the Wikimedia movement. He emphasized the importance of collective efforts in addressing challenges and fostering sustainable growth in under-represented language communities such as Santali.

4. Challenges of Santali Wikipedia (Solution through an Activity)

Facilitators: Ramjit Tudu & Nitesh Gill

This interactive session, led by Ramjit Tudu and Nitesh Gill, focused on identifying the key challenges faced by the Santali language Wikimedia projects and the community. Participants engaged in activities to brainstorm solutions, discussing issues such as content creation, community engagement, and technical barriers. The activity was divided in three parts, in the first 15 minutes the community members were divided into 5 groups with one facilitator in each group. The groups worked together on challenges. The next 15 minutes were spent discussing the reasons and solutions to the challenges. The third & final step was to share the discussion points with the whole group.

5. About Wikimedia Commons & Demonstration

Speaker: Ananya Mondal and Bodhisattwa

Ananya Mondal gave an introduction to Wikimedia Commons, focusing on its importance for uploading and sharing multimedia content that can support Santali-language projects. The session included a presentation on Wiki Loves Monuments and Wiki Loves Butterfly and ideas behind the campaigns.

6. Santali Language and Digitization Efforts

Speaker: Prof. Rahi Soren

Prof. Rahi Soren presented a comprehensive talk on the status of the Santali language and ongoing digitization and archiving efforts. She discussed the role of technology in preserving and promoting indigenous languages like Santali, and the need for more initiatives to digitize Santali texts, folklore, and literature. Prof. Soren also talked about their team’s ongoing projects.

7. Wiki Patrika & Wiki Mentoring Program

Speakers: Nayan Jyoti & Pranimika Adhikari

This session introduced the Wiki Patrika, a community newsletter initiative, and the Wiki Mentoring Program aimed at supporting newcomers in the Wikimedia ecosystem. Nayan Jyoti and Pranimika Adhikari outlined the mentorship program’s structure and its benefits for community growth.

8. Demonstration: Machine Translation Tool

Speaker: Kasyap (IIIT Hyderabad)

In this session, Kasyap from IIIT Hyderabad demonstrated the Machine Translation Tool, which helps in translating content across languages. The tool’s potential for expanding Santali content on Wikimedia platforms was discussed, along with a live demonstration.

9. Santali Language Status and Community

Speaker: Dr. Ramu Hembram

Dr. Ramu Hembram presented on the current status of the Santali language, discussing the community’s efforts in revitalization and its challenges. The session provided a deep dive into language preservation strategies and their implementation in digital spaces.

10. Wikipedia In-depth

Facilitators: Ramjit Tudu & Prasanta

This extensive session led by Ramjit Tudu and Prasanta covered advanced topics related to Wikipedia editing, including policies, editing techniques, and how to improve content quality. Participants engaged in hands-on activities, improving their skills and gaining deeper insights into Wikipedia’s guidelines.

11. Community Growth Meet

Attendees: Santali Community Members

The day ended with an open feedback session where participants discussed their experiences, shared suggestions for future activities, and outlined ideas for community growth. This session allowed the community to reflect on the day’s learnings and set future goals.

Day 2 - September 15, 2024

1. Group Photo

The second day of the Santali Wiki Conference 2024 began with a group photo, capturing the spirit of collaboration and unity among the participants. This photo session not only marked the beginning of the day’s activities but also served as a visual representation of the diverse community working together to promote the Santali language and Wikimedia projects.

2. Partnership Session: Exploring New Alliances

Speakers: Praveen Das & Bodi Baski

In this session, Praveen Das and Bodi Baski explored potential partnerships that could strengthen the Santali Wikimedia community. They discussed the importance of building alliances with educational institutions, cultural organizations, and other Wikimedia communities to create sustainable support systems for Santali-language initiatives. The session also highlighted past successes in collaboration and brainstormed ideas for future partnerships that could enhance content creation, outreach, and resource sharing. The session was delivered in the form of activity where participants were divided into the 5 groups and provided more than 30 minutes to plan the partnership and presented by the each group via role play. 2-3 Community members role-played as partner representatives and a smaller group role-played as Wikimedia community members trying to pursue collaboration or partnership. This activity helped participants gain a more hands-on experience of partnerships and building alliances.

3. Bridging Experiences: How West Bengal Wikimedians Can Inspire Santali Efforts

Speakers: Bodhisattwa & Bodi Baski

This interactive session focused on how the experiences of West Bengal Wikimedians can serve as a model for the Santali community. Bodhisattwa and Bodi Baski shared the strategies that West Bengal Wikimedians have employed to successfully grow their community, engage volunteers, and create impactful content. They also presented the Bangla community partnerships and collaborations to community members. They discussed practical ways the Santali community could adapt these strategies to address their unique challenges, offering a bridge between the two language communities through knowledge sharing and mutual support.

4. A Guide to Strategic Communication

Speakers: Rachit Sharma & Shakuntala

In this session, Rachit Sharma and Shakuntala provided a comprehensive guide to strategic communication for the Santali community. They covered key concepts such as messaging, audience targeting, and using social media effectively to promote Wikimedia projects. The session emphasized the importance of clear, consistent communication when engaging with both internal community members and external stakeholders. Practical tips were shared on how to craft compelling narratives that resonate with broader audiences and build awareness of Santali Wikimedia efforts. There was also a one minute video (Wiki Minute) concept with the participants to pick one topic and think about the strategy and make a plan to record content with one punch line. Community members spent 15 minutes on this idea and recorded videos on the specific topic.

5. Building Strong Proposals: Collaborate, Plan, Execute

Speaker: Subodh Kulkarni

This session, led by Subodh Kulkarni, focused on the key elements of building strong project proposals, from collaboration and planning to execution. Participants learned how to draft effective proposals for Wikimedia-related projects that align with community goals and funders' expectations. Subodh Kulkarni shared insights into how to outline objectives, define measurable outcomes, and create actionable plans that increase the likelihood of receiving grants and other forms of support. He also linked this session as the next step of the Partnerships session.

6. Closing Remarks

Speakers: Ashwini Murmu & Tanveer Hasan

The conference concluded with closing remarks by Ashwini Murmu and Tanveer Hasan, who reflected on the achievements of the event and the importance of continued collaboration within the Santali Wikimedia community. They expressed gratitude to all participants for their active engagement and emphasized the need to sustain the momentum built during the conference. The closing remarks also underscored the significance of collective effort in overcoming challenges and advancing the Santali language on Wikimedia platforms.

Metrics

Total Participants: 34
- Santali Community Members: 20
  - Out of 20 Santali community members, 4 were female contributors in the conference.
Other Community Members: 4
- Assamese: 2
- Bangla: 2
Staff Members: 5
Potential Partners: 3
No. of days: 2 entire days excluding Day 0
Sessions duration: 14 hours
- Number of sessions & Activities: 12

Follow-up activities

Enhancing Santali Community Growth through Networking, Partnerships and Research

Collaborative Projects with Academic and Cultural Institutions - CIS-A2K has engaged with reputed institutions like Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan and Jadavpur University’s School of Cultural Texts & Records. These partnerships aim to bridge academic expertise with grassroots initiatives. Additionally, in collaboration with West Bengal Wikimedians and Santali Wikimedians, we are working on GLAM projects with the Museum of Santal Culture and Ghosaldanga Adibasi Seva Sangha (GASS) in Bishnubati, Birbhum district, West Bengal.

Living GLAM: Documenting Santali Culture - Through extensive discussions with Dr. Boro Baski, a Santal scholar and community leader, founder of the Museum of Santal Culture and Ghosaldanga Adibasi Seva Sangha, along with West Bengal Wikimedians and Santali Wikimedians, CIS-A2K have developed the Living GLAM project. This initiative will document the Santali food festival and cultural practices on Wiki platforms. A collaborative effort by local organizations, West Bengal Wikimedians, Santali Wikimedians, and CIS-A2K, this project will go beyond traditional documentation by incorporating perspectives from biodiversity management and sustainable resource practices. The event is planned for December 2024, aiming to highlight the vibrant culture and sustainable traditions of the Santali community.

Mapping Santali Language Resources - CIS-A2K is initiating a mapping project to catalogue both digital and offline resources. This includes publications, journals, newspapers, oral traditions, traditional arts, and folk music. By involving community members in a participatory research process, we aim to create a comprehensive repository of Santali's linguistic and cultural heritage. This repository will serve as a foundation for preserving Santali's linguistic and cultural heritage, enabling content creation, collaboration with cultural institutions, and strategic growth for Santali Wikimedia and Open Knowledge initiatives. This research is set to commence in January 2025.

Gallery

Group Photo of Santali Wiki Regional Conference 2024
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Santali Wiki Regional Conference 2024 104