Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/HIGA Alumni 2026 (ID: 23837018)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
@Eavq (talk • accounts • contributions • edit count)
- Organization
HIGA – Hizkuntza Gutxituetako Hiztun Gazteak
- 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)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
HIGA Alumni 2026
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-06-01 - 2026-07-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
International (more than one country across continents or regions) The organizing team is international: Spain, Peru, Ireland, El Salvador and the United States. Since the event will take place online and it will be open to participants world-wide, we are not able to provide a closed list of participants' country names at the time. Last (and first) time we organised HIGA Alumni in 2024, people from more than 20 countries participated in the programme, and even more connected to the event.
- 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)
The change that HIGA Alumni seeks to promote is primarily focused on connecting young speakers of minoritized languages from around the world in order to build an international network of mutual support, exchange of experiences, and shared learning, integrating the Wikimedia environment as one of the key pillars of this process. The initiative is based on the conviction that many linguistic communities face similar challenges, but also develop their own solutions which, when shared, can inspire and strengthen other revitalization processes. In this sense, HIGA Alumni aims not only to create a space where these experiences can circulate and generate new opportunities for collaboration among young language activists, but also to position the digital dimension — and especially Wikimedia — as a key tool to amplify these learnings and translate them into concrete action.
Within this framework, participation in Wikimedia is conceived as one of the main axes of activity of the gathering. Through talks, workshops, and collaborative projects, the goal is not only to highlight the importance of digital spaces in contemporary language revitalization, but also to equip participants with practical skills to engage with them. The involvement of individuals connected to Wikimedia — particularly those active in minoritized languages — together with the organization of specific training sessions on how to contribute to platforms such as Wikipedia, enables the transfer of applicable knowledge and the development of real capacities. In this way, the exchange of experiences between communities is complemented by the acquisition of concrete tools that facilitate increased presence, use, and recognition of these languages within the Wikimedia ecosystem.
This approach responds to several structural challenges. On the one hand, the lack of knowledge and specific training on how to participate in Wikimedia remains a significant barrier for many people who, despite their interest, do not take the step toward editing or creating content. On the other hand, there is a disconnect between language revitalization communities and the digital spaces where much of today’s global knowledge is constructed. In addition, many initiatives are developed in isolation, without taking advantage of synergies or generating shared learning across diverse contexts. Furthermore, it must be acknowledged that some communities face significant limitations in access to the internet and digital tools, which constrains their ability to participate in these spaces and widens the existing gap.
In this context, the HIGA Alumni proposal is presented as a concrete and effective way to address these challenges, combining community-building with practical digital capacity development. The virtual gathering aims to consolidate an international space for connection among young language activists who have already participated in HIGA, strengthening their ties and orienting exchange toward action. The prominent presence of Wikimedia in the program — through a presentation by Wikimedia Spain and practical workshops led by participants with active experience in different language editions of Wikipedia — helps translate motivation into concrete and applicable skills.
This approach is based on peer learning and the horizontal exchange of knowledge. The fact that participants themselves, many of whom are already involved in Wikimedia, share practices and tools facilitates stronger identification and increases the potential for replication in their respective contexts. At the same time, the international dimension of the gathering makes it possible to share diverse strategies and adapt them to local realities, thereby strengthening each participant’s capacity for impact both within their linguistic community and in the digital environment.
This process is expected, first and foremost, to strengthen networks of collaboration among young speakers of minoritized languages and to enhance their capacity for action in their respective contexts. At the same time, in the digital sphere, an increase is anticipated in knowledge of, use of, and contributions to platforms such as Wikimedia, both in terms of participation and the quality and relevance of the content produced. In the medium term, this may translate into greater visibility and legitimacy of minoritized languages in digital spaces, as well as a strengthening of their speaker communities.
In short, HIGA Alumni is conceived as a meeting space that places international collaboration and shared learning at its core, integrating Wikimedia as a strategic axis to promote the digital presence of minoritized languages and to strengthen youth-led language revitalization processes.
- 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.
The planned activities for HIGA Alumni are primarily structured around a central three-day virtual gathering, which constitutes the core of the project, complemented by a prior training session. This gathering is the key space where most of the dynamics of exchange, learning, and connection among participants will take place.
The event will consist of three days of programming combining workshops, talks, discussion spaces, and moments for the presentation or showcasing of cultural and artistic projects linked to different linguistic communities. The program will be built in a participatory way based on proposals submitted by the participants themselves, ensuring that the content responds to their real interests, experiences, and needs. This approach fosters direct community involvement and reinforces peer learning as a central methodology of the project.
Although the final content will depend on the proposals received, some key activities have already been planned. Among them, there will be a session led by Wikimedia Spain, resulting from a previously established collaboration, in which the Wikipedia project in Extremaduran (extremeñu) will be presented. In addition, a workshop on podcast creation in minoritized languages is planned, based on the experience of participants from HIGA 2025 who have developed such initiatives following their participation in the gathering. Furthermore, additional activities related to the Wikimedia ecosystem will be included, both in introductory and hands-on formats, with the aim of bringing these tools closer to participants and encouraging their use in language revitalization contexts.
In addition, a preparatory training session focused on Lingua Libre will be organized in May in English and Spanish. This activity will introduce participants to the use of this Wikimedia tool prior to the main event, thereby facilitating more active and informed participation in the subsequent sessions.
These activities have been selected because they combine practical training, exchange of experiences, and community building—three elements that have proven effective in previous editions of HIGA. Moreover, the virtual format makes it possible to broaden the reach of the gathering and facilitate the participation of diverse communities, reinforcing the international character of the project and its capacity to generate meaningful connections and learning.
- 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 HIGA Alumni 2026 team is made up of individuals who have participated in different editions of HIGA, which gives us a shared foundation of experiences and a strong connection to the project. From this perspective, we are promoting this initiative as a form of language activism, with the aim of continuing to collaborate and generate impact beyond the gathering itself. We come from diverse contexts, but we share a commitment to the revitalization of minoritized languages and to the need to act in digital spaces to strengthen their presence, use, and recognition.
Albert Badosa holds a PhD in linguistics from Sorbonne Nouvelle University, specializing in the documentation and description of indigenous languages of Vietnam and in the sociolinguistics of minoritized and European heritage languages. He has been part of the HIGA organizing team since 2022.
Emma Vadillo (@Eavq) is the founder of Watuchi Siminchik Wasi, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve and promote indigenous languages. She completed a dual degree at Sciences Po and Columbia University and a diploma in Quechua language and culture at INALCO. She was one of the driving forces behind HIGA Alumni 2024.
Aisa Serra (@Aserragi) is a Catalan philologist with a Master’s degree in Digital Humanities (University of Barcelona). Her master’s thesis focused on analyzing bias and intersectionality on Wikipedia’s main pages, as well as proposing a metadata schema (entity schema) for biographies. She is currently pursuing a PhD on the representation of women in Catalan popular literature and participates in a digital editing project of trobairitz lyric poetry. She has been part of the HIGA organizing team since HIGA 2025.
Alexandra Philbin works as a Language Revitalization Mentor at the Endangered Languages Project (ELP). She is also pursuing a PhD in Social Sciences at the University of Valencia, where she researches the experiences of minoritized language speakers in urban settings. She is responsible for the HIGA Alumni 2026 program.
Asier Bergara holds degrees in Physics and Linguistics and currently works as a data annotator at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, where he contributes to the creation of open-source linguistic datasets in Basque, Catalan, Galician, and Spanish. He is one of the coordinators of the HIGA Alumni 2026 program.
Okan Dale (@ShuriTanuma) holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Goldsmiths, University of London. He has been involved in curriculum design and the revitalization of the Laz language, including the development of teaching materials, contributions to Laz Wiki, and digital language support projects such as a Laz keyboard and verb conjugator. He has also supported initiatives related to Veps and Karelian. He is part of the HIGA Alumni 2026 Communications team.
Héctor Josué Martínez (@TimumachtikanNawat) is one of the 70 specialist teachers in Náhuat and cultural identity in El Salvador and the founder of Timumachtikan Nawat, a language revitalization project that includes a virtual library and a community school. He is the co-author of the first Náhuat dictionary in El Salvador and currently leads the Náhuat Wikipedia, which was recently officially launched. He was one of the driving forces behind HIGA Alumni 2024.
- 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 audience of HIGA Alumni is young speakers of minoritized languages from around the world, especially those who have previously participated in HIGA initiatives or who are involved, in one way or another, in language revitalization processes within their communities. This is a diverse profile both geographically and sociolinguistically, but with a shared element: a commitment to the promotion and future of their languages, as well as a growing interest in incorporating digital tools — such as the Wikimedia ecosystem — into their strategies for action.
Participant engagement begins even before the gathering itself. Through HIGA’s communication channels, such as social media and community groups, early contact among participants is encouraged, and a participatory process is opened in which they can propose talks, workshops, or spaces for exchange. This allows the program not to be designed solely in a centralized way, but to incorporate the real experiences of the communities themselves, including language revitalization projects and, in some cases, initiatives linked to Wikimedia. This approach helps foster a stronger sense of belonging and aligns the content with the interests and needs of the participants.
During the activities, engagement is based on active and horizontal participation. Selected participants will be able to present their proposals and share their experiences, while all participants will have the opportunity to attend workshops, training sessions, and discussion spaces. Among these, sessions related to Wikimedia will play a significant role, both at an introductory and practical level, enabling participants to acquire concrete tools to contribute to platforms such as Wikipedia in their own languages. At the same time, the format of the gathering facilitates direct interaction, the exchange of ideas, and the creation of connections among people from very diverse contexts, encouraging the development of new collaborations.
Follow-up is a key element of the project. After the gathering, participants remain connected through existing community channels, such as WhatsApp groups or social media platforms like Instagram, which function as active spaces for exchange and mutual support. In addition, continuity is promoted through the development of collaborative projects that may emerge from the gathering, as well as the organization of new training activities, particularly in the Wikimedia domain. In this sense, HIGA also considers the possibility of organizing workshops and working sessions following the 2025 edition if there is interest among participants, thereby consolidating an active community that goes beyond a one-time event and extends into the medium and long term.
In this way, HIGA Alumni is not limited to a single gathering, but is conceived as an ongoing process of participation, learning, and collaboration, in which participants remain active before, during, and after the activities, strengthening both their linguistic communities and their presence in the digital environment.
- 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 idea for the HIGA Alumni project arises directly from dialogue and shared experience within the HIGA participant community itself. In particular, its first edition is the result of the in-person HIGA 2023 gathering, during which several participants expressed the need to stay connected and continue sharing experiences and knowledge beyond the one-time event. In response to these concerns, it was the participants themselves who independently initiated, designed, and organized the proposal to create a virtual format that would keep this international network alive in the years when no in-person HIGA edition takes place.
In line with this participatory origin, the design of the HIGA Alumni program is based on the direct involvement of its members. It is worth noting that the current organizing team is composed entirely of individuals who have previously participated in HIGA; in other words, it emerges from within the community itself and as a direct result of previous editions. This reinforces the horizontal nature of the project and ensures a deep understanding of the needs, interests, and dynamics of the participants.
In this context, a process will be opened in which participants can propose workshops, talks, or discussion spaces, both on their own language revitalization projects and on linguistic topics they consider relevant for the wider community. Based on these proposals, the program will be shaped, prioritizing voices that have not yet had the opportunity to share their experiences in previous editions. This approach ensures that the content of the gathering responds to the real needs and interests of the community and fosters active participation from the design phase onward.
At the same time, the project seeks to align with and collaborate with key actors within the Wikimedia ecosystem. In this regard, the participation of Wikimedia Spain has been planned, contributing a dedicated session presenting the Extremaduran (extremeñu) Wikipedia, as well as the involvement of individuals connected to Wikimedia projects in minoritized languages. These collaborations not only enrich the content of the gathering but also facilitate connections between the HIGA community and the Wikimedia movement, promoting synergies and opportunities for long-term collaboration.
- 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)
Language
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Advocacy
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Linguistic / Language
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Innovate in Free Knowledge
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Through the development of HIGA Alumni, we expect to generate key learnings both on the creation and sustainability of international networks of young speakers of minoritized languages and on the effective integration of the Wikimedia ecosystem into these processes. Beyond the implementation of the project itself, we are interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of what works, for whom, and under what conditions, so that these insights can be applied in future editions and shared with similar initiatives.
In this regard, a first line of learning focuses on the format of the gathering itself and its capacity to build community. We aim to analyze to what extent a virtual space like HIGA Alumni facilitates connections among participants from diverse contexts and whether it contributes to strengthening long-term relationships. We want to understand which types of dynamics foster more active and meaningful participation, as well as whether participants feel part of an international, safe, and inclusive community in which they can confidently share their experiences.
Regarding the content of the program, we raise questions about the effectiveness of a participatory model in which participants themselves propose and shape the activities. For example: does this approach allow for greater ownership of the space by the community? Does it help ensure that the content is more relevant and applicable to their realities? Does it encourage the emergence of new collaborations or shared projects among participants from different contexts?
A second key line of learning is linked to Wikimedia. We want to understand how participants’ perceptions of platforms such as Wikipedia change after taking part in HIGA Alumni: does their knowledge of participation opportunities increase? Do they feel more capable and motivated to contribute in their own languages? We are also interested in analyzing which training methodologies — especially those based on peer learning — are most effective in facilitating this process.
We also aim to assess whether this motivation translates into concrete actions: how many participants begin editing or engaging in Wikimedia projects after the gathering? In what ways do they do so, and with what level of continuity? What factors influence whether some participants maintain their engagement while others do not? In this sense, it will be essential to identify both enabling factors (such as mentoring, community support, and accessibility of tools) and existing barriers, including limitations in access to the internet or digital resources in certain contexts.
Finally, we also seek to learn about the continuity of the project’s impact: which follow-up mechanisms are most effective in keeping the participant network active? To what extent do collaborative initiatives emerge after the gathering, whether in the field of language revitalization or within Wikimedia? How can we better support participants who wish to move from being attendees to becoming initiators of new activities or projects?
The collection of data — both quantitative (such as levels of participation or continued engagement in Wikimedia) and qualitative (through evaluations and participant feedback) — will allow us to answer these questions and progressively improve the design and impact of HIGA Alumni.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 80 | The goal is to have around 80 participants directly involved in HIGA Alumni (including both the virtual gathering and the preparatory session). Of these, it is expected that at least 30–40 will be new participants in Wikimedia-related activities. |
| Number of editors | 30 | The goal is to have between 20 and 30 editors making contributions to Wikimedia projects as a result of the activities (whether during or after the gathering), and it is expected that at least 10–15 of them will be newly registered editors. |
| Number of organizers | 8 | Regarding the number of people contributing to the implementation of the project (organizing team, facilitators, speakers, individuals linked to Wikimedia, etc.), our goal is to have around 8 event organizers and approximately 16 speakers—that is, participants who take on active roles in this edition, such as leading workshops or giving talks. |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 50 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 40 |
| Wikidata | 30 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
En cuanto al proyecto Wikipedia, nos proponemos crear o mejorar alrededor de 50 artículos entre diferentes ediciones lingüísticas de Wikipedia en lenguas minorizadas. Referente a Wikimedia Commons, nuestro objetivo es subir por lo menos 40 archivos multimedia relacionados con las lenguas y las culturas de las comunidades lingüísticas participantes. Por último, nos gustaría contribuir a Wikidata con 30 ficheros subidos, de modo que podamos crear o mejorar elementos vinculados a lenguas minorizadas, comunidades lingüísticas o proyectos culturales.
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
Yes
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Diversidad lingüística y representatividad | Número de lenguas minorizadas presentes en el encuentro, complementado con una evaluación cualitativa sobre si las personas participantes perciben que su lengua y realidad están representadas y valoradas en el espacio.
Nuestro objetivo es que HIGA Alumni 2026 tenga hablantes de 50-70 lenguas minorizadas y que al menos el 90% de participantes reporte sentirse representado/a o que puede ver símiles entre su situación lingüística y la de otras comunidades representadas. |
70 |
| Participación en el diseño del programa | Número de propuestas (talleres, charlas, debates) enviadas por participantes, junto con un análisis cualitativo de la diversidad temática y la relevancia percibida de los contenidos por parte de la comunidad.
Buscamos tener 40-50 propuestas y feedback positivo sobre la pertinencia del programa una vez se haya desarrollado el encuentro. |
45 |
| Metodología participativa del programa | Proporción de talleres (%) frente a otros formatos, priorizando espacios prácticos y colaborativos, junto con evaluación cualitativa sobre el nivel de interacción, utilidad y aplicabilidad de estos formatos.
Nuestro objetivo es tener 60% de talleres y una valoración positiva de su utilidad por parte de al menos el 70% de participantes. |
60 |
| Participación en sesiones de Wikimedia | Número de participantes que asisten a las sesiones específicas sobre Wikimedia. | 50 |
| Continuidad de la comunidad post-evento | Porcentaje de participantes que permanecen activos en los canales comunitarios tras el encuentro. | 70 |
- 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)
To measure the metrics defined in this proposal, we will combine standard tools from the Wikimedia ecosystem with qualitative methods such as surveys, forms, and feedback analysis.
Regarding participation and engagement in the gathering, we will primarily use registration records (pre-event forms) and attendance tracking during the virtual sessions. To complement this data, qualitative feedback will be collected through post-event surveys (for example, using Google Forms or similar tools), where participants will be able to evaluate their level of participation, satisfaction, and the usefulness of the activities.
To measure onboarding to Wikimedia (new editors), we will use the Programs & Events Dashboard and/or Event Metrics, which allow us to track users who edit during activities and quantify their contributions. In addition, participants’ usernames may be collected to analyze their continuity over time. This tracking will be complemented by surveys to better understand motivations, barriers, and participation experiences. For contributions to Wikimedia projects, we will also rely on the Programs & Events Dashboard and/or Event Metrics, as these tools enable us to break down the number of articles created or improved on Wikipedia, files uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, and items edited on Wikidata.
In terms of organizational capacity and community leadership, the number of organizers will be recorded manually, including both the coordinating team and facilitators or speakers. For the qualitative dimension, surveys will be used and, if possible, brief interviews or internal reflection spaces will be organized to assess the level of engagement, empowerment, and ownership of the project within the community.
Finally, to measure learning and perceptions of Wikimedia, pre- and post-event surveys will be conducted to identify changes in knowledge, confidence, and motivation to participate in these projects. These surveys will include both closed questions (to obtain comparable data) and open-ended questions (to capture more in-depth perceptions).
As for additional metrics, such as linguistic diversity, participation in program design, or community continuity, we will rely on registration forms, internal analysis of submitted proposals, and monitoring of activity in community channels (such as WhatsApp or social media). Again, these metrics will be complemented by qualitative data gathered through surveys, observation, and, whenever possible, the collection of participant testimonies.
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)
4030 EUR
- 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.
4635.94 USD
- By submitting your proposal/funding request you confirm that you have read and agree to the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy, and the 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).