ESEAP Strategy Summit 2025/Report/Harditaher (WMID)
The ESEAP Strategy Summit 2025 is a gathering for Wikimedia affiliates and invited experts from the East, Southeast Asia, and Pacific (ESEAP) region. Held in Manila, Philippines, the summit focuses on advancing the Movement Strategy, including discussions on the Movement Charter and the development of the ESEAP Hub.
As one of the most underrepresented regions in the Wikimedia movement, ESEAP faces unique challenges in community management and collaboration. This summit provides a platform for participants to exchange ideas, strengthen regional networks, and explore solutions that enhance inclusivity and sustainability. Through open discussions and strategic planning, the event aims to foster cross-cultural collaboration and provide structural support for Wikimedia communities in the region.
Sessions & Insights
[edit]Day 1: May 23, 2025
[edit]The first-day sessions I attended, “Designing Governance and Strategy Together” and “Landscaping Global and ESEAP Regulatory Trends,” emphasized the importance of contextual governance shaped by regional needs. The ESEAP Hub Preparatory Council introduced two potential frameworks to guide future coordination: an open participation model and a strategist-driven model.
The advocacy session, facilitated by Rachel Arinii Judhistari (Wikimedia Foundation), pushed the conversation further about ESEAP trends in advocacy. I had the privilege of contributing to this session alongside Elliot (Wikimedia Australia), Vanj Padilla (Shared Knowledge Asia Pacific), and Farouk Rahman (Wikimedia Community User Group Malaysia). I presented advocacy initiatives from Wikimedia Indonesia.
Day 2: May 24, 2025
[edit]Saturday’s sessions were deeply interconnected. The session on “Connecting and Collaborating between Affiliates” reinforced our need for sustainable mechanisms for collaboration. I was inspired by the Cross-Border Collaboration Open Mic, which highlighted the need for more structured peer-learning formats. There is an appetite for shared toolkits and mentorship across affiliates, and I believe WMID can help pilot an exchange with smaller or emerging groups.
The CEE Hub learning session then offered a comparative lens. In the breakout session on Global Trends and AI, conversations around ethical AI and content stewardship resonated with my own interdisciplinary curiosity.
Finally, the ESEAP Skills Mapping session revealed exciting alignment across countries, with capacity-building identified as a regional priority.
Day 3: May 25, 2025
[edit]The GLAM Wiki Meetup was a personal highlight. We discussed the GLAM-Wiki problems and what kind of collaboration was needed across the region, outreach strategies, and digitization efforts. I also presented about the GLAM-Wiki Conference 2025 and the Content Partnership Hub Initiative.
During the Global Resource Distribution Committee Update, I appreciated transparency around ongoing efforts to make funding more equitable.
The summit concluded with a tour of the National Museum, a fitting reminder of the institutional knowledge, stories, and symbols that Wikimedia projects seek to make more widely accessible.
Plans
[edit]Wikimedia Indonesia and I gained valuable insights from one another and from fellow participants throughout the summit. I’m committed to continuing this momentum by collaborating with ESEAP members to advance the free knowledge movement across the region.