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Egypt Wikimedians User Group 2025 Report
January – December 2025

In 2025, the Egypt Wikimedians User Group (EWUG) renewed its commitment to advancing free knowledge and preserving digital heritage through a diverse range of intensive initiatives and activities. The Group adopted a multifaceted strategy to engage volunteers, institutional partners, and the public. Its efforts included content creation workshops/editathons, regular in-person and online meetups for members, decentralized local collaborations, GLAM's activities, phototrips, and competitive photography contests—all aimed at enriching Arabic content across Wikimedia projects while promoting a culture of open access.

The year began with a renewed focus on decentralization—a core principle aimed at ensuring broader participation across Egypt’s diverse regions. Moving beyond Cairo-centric activities, the group organized local editathons in Alexandria, Luxor, and Qena, empowering volunteers in underserved areas to contribute to Wikipedia and its sister projects. To institutionalize this approach, EWUG established four regional working groups covering most Egyptian governorates. These gatherings not only strengthened community ties but also addressed regional knowledge gaps, particularly in topics related to Egyptian history, archaeology, and local culture.

EWUG’s GLAM program gained significant momentum in 2025. Visiting five key institutions—the Luxor Museum (February), Alexandria National Museum (April), the Museum of Islamic Art (May), the Agricultural Museum (August), and the Grand Egyptian Museum (December)—enabled the digitization of rare artifacts and their upload to Wikimedia Commons. These projects not only preserved Egypt’s heritage but also made it globally accessible, with hundreds of high-quality media files added to the public domain.

The Group also organized two mega phototrips at the beginning and end of the year: the first to Luxor and Qena at the end of January, and the second to the Siwa Oasis in December. The result was the creation and editing of dozens of articles and the uploading of thousands of images to Wikimedia Commons.

Activities

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Editathons & Workshops

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The EGUG organized several offline and online workshops/editathons. Some of these sessions were held outside the capital, in cities such as Qena, Alexandria, and Ismailia, as part of the Group's strategy of decentralization. Some of these sessions witnessed large participation.

  • Wiki Med Final Session
    Wiki Med Final Session
  • Qena Workshop
    Qena Workshop
  • Wikipedia Day
    Wikipedia Day
  • UN Spanish Language Day
    UN Spanish Language Day
  • AfroCreatives WikiProject + Films in Egypt 2025
    AfroCreatives WikiProject + Films in Egypt 2025
Editathon/Workshop Date Location About Number of paricipants Image
Wikipedia Day 25 January Ismalia This workshop was in cooperation between the Initiatives of Wikipedian Light of Knowledge (WLK) and Wikipedian Editor Project, marking the 24th anniversary of the encyclopedia's founding on January 15, 2001.
It also included a 24-hour edit-a-thon. 		34
Qena Workshop 1 February Qena First workshop held by EWUG in Upper Egypt. 19
Wiki Med Workshop 10 - 12 February Online A workshop related to the Wiki Project Med was organized by the Wikipedian Editor Project to attract students, graduates, and those interested in medical content from Egyptian universities and the Arabic-speaking community.
Through two online sessions, the workshop focuses on teaching participants the basics of editing in Arabic Wikipedia and its policies, then creating and developing medical articles. 		21 -
Academic Biographies Documentation Initiative 13 - 31 March Online An initiative by the Wikipedian Light of Knowledge and the Egypt Wikimedians User Group (EWUG), Documenting Egyptian academics on Wikidata. - -
International Women's Day 8 March Online An initiative by Wikipedian Light of Knowledge and the Egypt Wikimedians User Group (EWUG), which aims to write and translate articles about women in many countries on the Arabic Wikipedia, in celebration of International Women's Day. 42
Wikidata Workshop 2025 24 April Alexandria A workshop by the Wikipedian Editor Project on book documentation on Wikidata in celebration of World Book Day. 14
Spanish Language Day 10 May Giza A workshop by the Wikipedian Light of Knowledge (WLK) to celebrate the Spanish Language Day.
Participants took part in a 48-hour edit-a-thon and translated several articles related to Spanish Literature and language. 		51
Spanish Translation Level 4 20 February - 20 March Online A workshop of two online sessions and an editathon by the Wikipedian Light of Knowledge to write and translate articles about the Spanish language, civilization, and culture. 37
Spanish Translation Level 4 Development 1 April - 10 May Giza Two offline/online editathons at Cairo University on April 1 and May 10, by the Wikipedian Light of Knowledge, to write and translate 4 mega articles on Spanish literature and architecture. 38
Writing activities of Egypt Wikimedians UG_July 2024- June 2025 July 2024 - June 2025 online Activities by members of EWUG from July 2024 to June 2025 97 -
WLK Summer Beginners Event Round 1 24 July - 10 August Giza 1st Round of Wikipedian Light of Knowledge (WLK) Summer Beginners Event for volunteers from the Spanish Department at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, to write and translate articles about the Spanish language, civilization, and culture. 9 -
AfroCreatives WikiProject + Films in Egypt 2025 18 August - 23 August Cairo An editathon, which aims to enhance content on African arts significantly and the film industry on Wikipedia. It took place from August 18 to August 23, 2025, with an online session on August 22 to introduce the editathon to the participants.
On 23 August, the Group organized an offline editathon in the Greek Campus, Downtown Cairo, where participants were involved in writing and editing articles related to the topic. 		21
WLK Summer Beginners Event Round 2 22 August - 5 September Online An editathon of the 2nd Round of Wikipedian Light of Knowledge (WLK) Summer Beginners Event for volunteers from the Spanish Department at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University 12 -
19th century in Egypt 20 September - 30 September Online An editathon, which aims to write and develop articles about the 19th century in Egypt. 8 -
SheSaid 1 October - 31 October Online An editathon on Wikiquote, part of the global "SheSaid" campaign. 4
Wiki Med Workshop II 20 November 2025 - 25 April 2026 Online An online workshop of Wiki Project Med through the Wikipedian Editor Project, intending to attract students, graduates, or anyone interested in medical content to participate in an editathon about medical articles. 17
Orientation sessions for students 1 - 3 October Online An online workshop to train students to become editors on the Arabic Wikipedia. 6 -
Wiki Wants Distinction 31 October - 30 November Online An initiative aims to write articles about the red missing links in the encyclopedia's distinctive content. 6
Nile Valley Cultural Initiative 1 - 31 December Online A joint initiative organized by the Egypt Wikimedians User Group and the Wikimedia Community User Group Sudan aims to highlight cultural diversity and promote knowledge exchange by increasing the number of cultural articles on Wikipedia about Sudan and Egypt. 31

Events

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A ceremony was held in Alexandria to celebrate the end of the Wiki Project Med workshop, organized by the Wikipedian Editor Project. Participants received certificates of appreciation, presented by EWUG, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the workshop.

An exhibition was held at the Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo, organized by our User group in cooperation with Adasa Photography Club. The exhibition showcased the winning entries of the "Wiki Loves Folklore 2025 in Egypt" contest. It was inaugurated by Mr. Ahmed Sayam, Director General of the Museum of Islamic Art, Ibrahim Elaidy, the Executive Director of EGWUG, and Alaa El-Basha, representing Adasa Club, Donia El-Domiaty, the lead coordinator of Wiki Loves Folklore in Egypt, and Samar Kamal.

A series of events organized as a collaborative effort by EWUG, Wiki Loves Folklore & Wiki Loves Ramadan, with the assistance of the Adasa Photography Club.

Part of the global campaign Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos 2025.

A seminar to celebrate the UN Arabic Language Day on December 18.

Photography contests

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We are proud to have organized four photography contests this year (Wiki Loves Folklore, Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Monuments) and are extremely pleased with the diverse, high-quality, and highly engaged results:


Wiki Loves Folklore

Globally, within Wiki Loves Folklore, the photo "Traditional Egyptian kunafa" was selected among the top three photos from the MENA region. At the same time, the photo "Traditional Tanoura Dance" was also considered a remarkable contribution.

  • "Traditional Tanoura Dance" by Summering2018 (Summer Kamal El-Deen), chosen for the "Noteworthy Contribution" - Wiki Loves Folklore
    "Traditional Tanoura Dance" by Summering2018 (Summer Kamal El-Deen), chosen for the "Noteworthy Contribution" - Wiki Loves Folklore
  • "Traditional Egyptian kunafa" by Hbegzee (Heba El Begawi), came in 3rd place among the best photos from MENA - Wiki Loves Folklore
    "Traditional Egyptian kunafa" by Hbegzee (Heba El Begawi), came in 3rd place among the best photos from MENA - Wiki Loves Folklore
Wiki Loves Africa

Within Wiki Loves Africa, the second prize went to "At the very beginning" by Ahmed Abdulazim. Also, "Corn harvest22" by Summer Kamal Eldeen was chosen as "Highly recommended".

Wiki Loves Earth

Locally, within Wiki Loves Earth, the 1st prize went to "The moment of the attack" by Abdo Thabet, "Magic Lake in Fayoum" by Osama Sherif came in 2nd place, and "Alone Nov24" by Dalia Fareed came in 3rd place.


Wiki Loves Monuments

Locally, the 1st prize went to "Luxor is a city" by Mohamed Abdelzaher, "The Hidden Glow-Temple in Luxor" by Abdelrahmannr came in 2nd place, and "Innocence and Civilization" by Mona Hassan Abo-Abda came in 3rd place.


Trips

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Trip Date Location About
31 January 2025 Luxor Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
1 February 2025 Qena Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
2 February 2025 Luxor Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
2 February 2025 Luxor Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
2 February 2025 Luxor Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
3 February 2025 Luxor Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
3 February 2025 Luxor Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
8 February 2025 Qena Part of mega trips in Luxor and Qena.
12 March 2025 Cairo Part of Wiki Loves Ramadan in Egypt.
12 - 15 December 2025 Siwa Part of EWUG mega phototrips.

GLAM

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Annual conference

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Wikimedia Egypt Conference: 13th Edition
Main article: Egypt Wikimedians User Group/Events/Wikimedia Egypt Conference: 13th Edition

The group's annual conference was originally scheduled for mid-December 2025 but was postponed to the following year due to logistical reasons.

The group held its 13th annual conference on February 5, 2026, under the theme (Together We Make a Difference: How Can Volunteering Become a Lifelong Mission?). The conference program included presentations about the group and its achievements, as well as recognition of the winners and judges of the photography competitions and prominent members of the group. The conference concluded with a small celebration of Wikipedia's 25th day.

Meetups

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Offline

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Online

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Partnerships

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  1. General Authority For National Library & Archives (Ministry of Culture)
  2. Zagazig University

Participations

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The EWUG has continuously sought to expand its volunteer base and attract new participants to contribute to various Wikimedia activities, recognizing the importance of diversifying academic backgrounds and ensuring the sustainability of volunteer work. A large proportion of the new volunteers came from faculties of medicine, dentistry, and physical therapy, participating through Wiki Med workshops aimed at developing reliable medical content on Wikipedia. Notable participation also came from students of language faculties, particularly those in the Spanish Department, who contributed to translation and linguistic exchange initiatives. As part of the expansion of GLAM activities and the strengthening of partnerships with cultural and heritage institutions, the EWUG decided to establish a dedicated team for GLAM activities, responsible for planning, executing, and coordinating these initiatives to ensure their development and continuity in a more organized and effective manner.

Challenges

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Financial and Organizational Challenges

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  • Limited available funding: Insufficient funding may directly affect the group’s ability to organize sustained activities, host large-scale training workshops, or cover travel and logistical costs. This limitation restricts the scope of activities and often makes them seasonal or intermittent.
  • Time management and human resources: The Group’s work relies almost entirely on volunteers, which poses an ongoing challenge in coordinating efforts and ensuring continuity, especially as most members balance voluntary work alongside personal and professional commitments.
  • Declining participation of experienced volunteers: A noticeable decline or interruption to the involvement of several experienced volunteers has been observed, due to factors such as volunteer burnout, lack of incentives, or shifts in personal life priorities. This decline creates both knowledge and organizational gaps, as long-term volunteers typically possess editorial expertise, familiarity with policies, and the capacity for supervision and mentorship—elements that are difficult to replace quickly. Nevertheless, the Group continuously seeks to recruit new volunteers to bridge this gap and maintain sustainability.
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  • Limited overall community engagement: The Group faces difficulties in expanding its participant base, whether by attracting new volunteers or maintaining consistent activity levels among existing members, which in turn affects the momentum of initiatives.
  • Experience gap between volunteer generations: In light of reduced participation by experienced volunteers, newer contributors may at times lack direct guidance and practical mentorship, which can lead to frustration or early withdrawal from volunteer work.

Technical Challenges

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  • Unequal access to the internet: Despite relative improvements in digital infrastructure, some areas—particularly rural or peripheral regions—continue to experience limited internet connectivity, restricting the participation of broad segments of society in digital activities and regular editing.
  • Insufficient technical and editorial skills: A significant number of users lack the basic or advanced skills required for effective Wikipedia editing, such as working with templates, uploading media, or adhering to editorial policies. This necessitates ongoing and sustained training efforts.

Content-Related Challenges

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  • Scarcity of reliable Arabic-language sources: The limited availability of trustworthy or academic Arabic references poses a major obstacle to developing high-quality content, particularly in specialized or contemporary topics.
  • Knowledge bias in content coverage: Repeated focus on certain subject areas can lead to the neglect of other equally important topics, such as subcultures, minority communities, or underrepresented local issues, thereby limiting the inclusiveness and balance of the content.

Conclusion

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In 2025, the Egyptian Wikimedia User Group (EWUG) implemented a wide range of activities to promote free knowledge and enrich various Wikimedia projects. The EWUG organized numerous workshops and editathons, both online and in person, covering diverse topics such as medicine, history, women's content, Wikidata, and cultural heritage. The EWUG also actively participated in and coordinated major photography contests, including "Wiki Loves Folklore," "Wiki Loves Africa," "Wiki Loves Earth," and "Wiki Loves Monuments," as well as phototrips documenting archaeological sites and local traditions. The year also saw significant progress in GLAMs' activities through visits to various museums and the uploading of media. Community engagement expanded through events, award ceremonies, and regional activities outside Cairo, promoting decentralization. Overall, 2025 was characterized by sustained growth, stronger partnerships, and impactful contributions to Wikimedia projects in Egypt. In total, the EWUG organized 18 workshops, editathons and various activities, 5 major events, 4 photography contests, 10 photography and documentation trips, and 5 GLAM activities.

Media Coverage

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Five articles were written about the group activities on Diff:

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