Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Developing a strategic repository and needs assessment for Wikimedia capacity building among Heritage NGOs and professionals in the Arab Region (ID: 22830444)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Nassima_Chahboun
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
I'm a group leader of a Wikimedia User Group (submitted to the Affiliation Committee).
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
I am a co-founder and board member of Wiki World Heritage User Group.
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Developing a strategic repository and needs assessment for Wikimedia capacity building among Heritage NGOs and professionals in the Arab Region
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2024-11-29 - 2025-01-29
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Regional (more than one country in the same continent or region) The proposal targets 19 Arab States: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Not applicable
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
Despite the immense potential that Wikimedia projects offer to cultural and heritage institutions, through tools for documentation and resource digitization, there remains a significant lack of cultural and heritage projects in the Arab region, as well as a shortage of partnerships with the Wikimedia Foundation and the broader Wikimedia movement.
One key area of focus within cultural and heritage topics is World Heritage sites. The Arab States region comprises 19 States Parties that have ratified the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, with a total of 88 properties currently inscribed on the World Heritage List. Alarmingly, 40% of the total World Heritage Sites in Danger are located in this region.
It is also worth noting that over 30% of countries in the Arab region lack local Wikimedia affiliates, and where affiliates do exist, their priorities often diverge from World Heritage concerns.
Therefore, it is crucial to identify suitable NGOs as future partners and ensure they are proficient with Wikimedia tools to develop projects that align both with their missions and the goals of the Wikimedia movement.
In response to these challenges, Recognizing the diverse needs across different countries, the ultimate goal of this proposal is to inform future capacity building and trigger the interest of heritage NGOs in Wikimedia projects.
Therefore, this proposal aims to establish a comprehensive repository and conduct a thorough needs assessment targeted at heritage NGOs and professionals across the Arab region. This initiative aims to:
- Streamline Partner Identification: By creating a repository of NGOs and professionals, the aim is to accelerate the process of finding suitable partners who are genuinely interested and capable of contributing to heritage documentation and preservation.
- Preparation for tailored Capacity Building: Through our needs assessment, we will gather detailed insights into the specific needs and capabilities of potential partners, allowing us to customize our capacity-building efforts more effectively. This approach not only enhances efficiency but also ensures that the support provided is directly aligned with the needs of each participant.
The establishment of this repository and needs assessment will lead to the development of tailored capacity-building programs are expected to:
- Enhance Engagement: Increase active participation and interest among heritage professionals and NGOs in utilizing Wikimedia resources.
- Improve Efficiency: Reduce the time and resources currently required to identify and establish partnerships, allowing for more projects to be initiated and completed in a timely manner.
- Broaden Impact: By building capacity across a wider range of countries and organizations, we aim to significantly expand our impact and accelerate future collaborations.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
-Preparation of a Comprehensive Database: Developing a detailed database of heritage NGOs and professionals in the Arab region who have shown an interest in Wikimedia projects. This database will serve as a foundational tool for identifying potential partners and streamlining future collaborations and capacity-building programs. The identified NGOs will be also documented on Wikidata.
- Needs Assessment: Conducting a thorough assessment of the needs, areas of interest, and potential opportunities for collaboration with these organizations and individuals. This step is critical to understanding the specific challenges and requirements, which will inform the tailored support we provide in the future.
- Creation of a Guiding Report: Following the assessments, the findings will b compiled into a comprehensive report. This document will be valuable not only for Wikimedia affiliates in the region but also for relevant teams at the Wikimedia Foundation (Partnerships, Culture, and Heritage) to inform their understanding of the region for future activities.
The report will also serve as a key resource for the Wiki World Heritage User Group in planning capacity-building programs and project partnerships, ensuring that these initiatives are aligned with the identified needs and opportunities within the region. Additionally, the report could serve as a model for conducting similar activities in other regions, particularly in the Global South. The report will be published on Wikimedia Commons.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
The grant is requested by Nassima Chahboun (User: Nassima_Chahboun) in collaboration with the Partnerships (main contact: Farida El Gueretly), Culture & Heritage (main contact: Fiona Romeo) teams from the Wikimedia Foundation.
Nassima Chahboun is a Heritage Consultant and a Wikimedian from Morocco. She joined the Wikimedia Foundation in 2018 and co-founded Wiki World Heritage, an official affiliate focused on creating open digital content related to World Heritage through participatory processes. During her three years as chair of the board, the group developed and implemented a wide range of projects in collaboration with heritage NGOs across more than 30 countries.
One of the key projects led by Nassima was "Told Cities," (link on Diff: https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/03/28/told-cities-unveiling-the-heritage-and-chronicles-of-unesco-world-heritage-cities/ ) which involved organizing in-person participatory activities such as trainings, writing workshops, and photography competitions to document 8 World Heritage cities in 5 countries (Ethiopia, Guatemala, Libya, Senegal, and Yemen). The project also included online initiatives that resulted in the creation of an interactive database covering over 120 cities.
She is an alumna of the Arab World Heritage Young Professionals Forum (AWHYPF) 2019. Her project "MedinaStories," which documented 10 World Heritage cities in North Africa using Wikimdia projects, was selected and implemented as part of the Forum’s follow-up in 2020. It was recognized among the youth-led creative solutions by the UN Youth Envoy (Link to UNESCO article about the project: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/strengthening-youth-resilience-through-heritage-maghreb-story-nassima).
Nassima holds two Master’s degrees in architecture and urban heritage, including a Master of Arts in Architecture and Historic Urban Environments from The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
The target participants are heritage NGOs and professionals from the 19 states of the Arab region.
Engagement Strategy: 1-Before the Activities: Engagement will begin with a comprehensive outreach campaign utilizing direct communications, and collaboration with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) - UNESCO Category 2 Centre- to reach potential participants. 2-During the Activities: Throughout the needs assessment and database creation process, participants will be actively involved through structured interviews and surveys. These engagements will be designed to gather detailed insights into the needs and interests of the participants, ensuring that the subsequent capacity-building program is effectively tailored to meet their requirements. 3-After the Activities: Following the initial needs assessment and reporting activities, participants will be invited to join a specialized capacity-building program developed in collaboration with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage ((ARC-WH)) -UNESCO Category 2 Centre-. This program will focus on equipping participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to implement Wikimedia-related heritage projects. Continued support will be offered through follow-up projects.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
N/A
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
The concept for this project has been discussed with the Wiki World Heritage User Group community since the group's inception and is included on the Meta page (see the "World Heritage activists and professionals" section in this link: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_World_Heritage_User_Group). However, only now has the opportunity arisen to bring it to fruition, following contact with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) -UNESCO Category 2 Centre- and confirmation of their interest in collaborating with the Wikimedia Foundation and Wiki World Heritage to develop a capacity-building program for heritage activists and professionals.
Please note that this is a personal grant application. In addition to generating valuable outcomes for Wikimedia affiliates in the region and for the Wikimedia Foundation, the primary goal of this rapid grant is to establish the foundation for a potential regional capacity-building program. This program would be organized by the Wiki World Heritage User Group, with the support of the Wikimedia Foundation and in partnership with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage.
This application is also the outcome of collaboration with the Partnerships team to prepare the concept note for the partnership with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH).
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geography
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Culture, heritage or GLAM
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geographic
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Invest in Skills and Leadership Development
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
The aim is to better understand and enhance heritage documentation efforts in the Arab region using Wikimedia resources. We seek to determine the level of interest and the specific needs of heritage professionals and NGOs regarding the integration of Wikimedia into their practices. Additionally, we plan to assess how effectively a comprehensive database of these entities can facilitate collaboration and streamline project implementation across the region. The insights gained from these inquiries will guide the development of targeted capacity-building programs and refine our strategies for engaging with the heritage community.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 38 | A minimum number of 2 NGOs per country |
| Number of editors | 38 | As part of the survey, participants will be invited to create Wikimedia accounts and upload one photo of a heritage site from their country on Wikimedia Commons. a set of questions about the user experience will be built on this small exercise, and at the same time, it will be an initiation to contribution. |
| Number of organizers | 1 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | 40 |
| Wikidata | 38 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
Commons: 38 photos uploaded by the survey participants + The survey report in English and Arabic Wikidata: 38 NGOs documented on Wikidata
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
Yes
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants to the survey | The aim is to reach 2 NGOs per country | 38 |
| Number of conducted interviews | Heritage NGOs willing to conduct an interview (besides filling the survey) show higher level of interest. The aim is to reach at least 1 NGO per country | 19 |
| Coverage: Number of represented countries | The aim is to have participants from all the 19 target countries. | 19 |
| Minimum number of participants per country | The aim is to have at least 2 NGOs who filled the survey (and) conducted the interview | 2 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
All the metrics are quantifiable
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
38344.64 MAD
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
4000 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
[edit]Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.
Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:
- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).