History and Timeline of Deoband Community Wikimedia

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The Deoband Community Wikimedia is a recognised user-group affiliate of Wikimedia. It has a thematic focus and does not limit itself to single language projects. It was established on 31 July 2021 to disseminate knowledge related to the global Deobandi scholarship on free knowledge projects such as Wikipedia. It was subsequently recognised by the Affiliation Committee on 16 January 2022. The affiliate has since its inception organised events, meet-ups, participated in programs, formed collaborations within the movement and outside the movement, for its strategic development. The focus of the affiliate has extended to general Muslim academia and scholarship, historical and contemporary, including the Western Oriental Islamic scholarship as well.

History and works

The idea of Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) was thought of by TheAafi in July 2021, and it began to exist since 31 July 2021. It was introduced to its early members on 12 August 2021. Its strategies and future was further discussed in a meeting held on 20 November 2021. It was subsequently recognized by Affiliations Committee on 16 January 2022.

DCW has worked on the English Wikipedia, through the DYK and the ITN. As a part of the program, Hayat al-Mashayaikh initiative was launched on various social media platforms in June 2021, to help promote the goals of the group and inspire people to write about the scholars associated with the Deoband Islamic seminary. DCW's major on-wiki accomplishments are recorded here.

Participants of the June meet-up

Dorcas Omolade training newbies on how to contribute to the July 2022 Drive Deoband Yoruba Collaborative

Between 17 and 20 March 2022, an offline meet was arranged in Deoband in which a workshop event with the collaboration of Bayt al-Hikmah Deoband was planned. The workshop however remains postponed due to unavailability of resources. On 25 June 2022, the DCW began an international collaboration, Deoband Yoruba Collaborative Project, aiming to include thematic content on Yoruba language Wikipedia. A series of meetups and little workshops about Wikiquote was organized between 7 August and 10 August 2022 in Delhi.

Inscription in Persian language depicting modern constructions of Madrasa Aminia, Delhi.

An Islamic seminary in Bhopal

Bhopal Photo Event was hosted between 15 and 20 October 2022 in Bhopal, the capital city of Indian state Madhya Pradesh. DCW volunteers celebrated first successful decade of Wikidata on 30 and 31 October 2022. The group has also begun a series of conversations inviting scholars from around the globe, and also the people from within the movement, to build its base strategically. This program was inaugurated by Donia Al Domiaty, an Arabic Wikimedian, who provided a brief presentation to DCW's female volunteers on 30 September 2022. Dr. Ashraf Dockrat from the University of Johannesburg delivered second lecture of this series on Islamic scholarship and Wikipedia on 13 November 2022.

DCW Movement Charter conversation in Deoband 13-12-2022

DCW and Indic-Urdu Wikimedia community MC discourses in Hyderabad 09-12-2022

On 12 November 2022, the group put forth a proposal to participate in the Movement Charter Ambassadors Program under the leadership of TheAafi, aiming to represent DCW and the Indic-Urdu language community at a global level. The proposal worth 1508 USD was approved by Movement Strategy and Governance team under the lead of Yop Rwang Pam on 29 November 2022. Under this program, several online and offline meetups and discussions were arranged and a research study was initiated about possible ideas and approaches required for the conversations. TheAafi represented the group during the South Asian Movement Charter regional conversations. The offline conversations were held at New Delhi, Hyderabad and Deoband.

Timeline

Foundation and AffCom recognition

• 31 July 2021: Its first draft page was published on Meta-Wiki.
• 12 August 2021: First introductory meet.
• 4 October 2021 to 21 November 2021: A form seeking recognition was filled with the Affiliation Committee, and a series of discussions about the user-group's scope was discussed with AffCom liaison person MKaur (WMF) and the initial review was provided on 3 November 2021. The then proposed name was subsequently discussed by the AffCom with Legal, and the application's result was ready by 4 January 2022. During the review process, opinions from existing Indic-language affiliates were also sought. During the review process, an introductory was arranged in Deoband on 20 November 2021.
• 16 January 2022: The user-group agreement was signed by TheAafi and Browniewikipedian and the affiliate was recognised by AffCom.
• 31 January 2022: Affcom liaison published the recognition agreement.

2022 activities

For further information, see Deoband Community Wikimedia/Reports/2022.

• 17-20 March 2022: Offline meet-up in Deoband.
• 19 June 2022: Offline meet-up in Deoband.
• 25 June 2022: Formation of Deoband Yoruba Collaborative Project.
• 7-10 August 2022: Series of Wikiquote events in New Delhi. This included a photo-walk to Madrasa Aminia in Kashmere Gate.
• 15-20 October 2022: Bhopal Photo Event.
• 30-31 October 2022: Wikidata 10 Celebrations and edit-a-thon.
• 8 November 2022: A strategic (individual) fund request was made for first half of 2023, proposing it to begin from 1 January 2023. The Grants Administration advised on 10 December 2022 that the start date be changed to 1 February 2023.
• 20 November - 16 December 2022: Movement Charter Discourses

2023 activities

Aafi at DCW general meet-up 18 February 2023

• 10 January 2023: Initiation of correspondence about DCW's registration with MKaur (WMF). (c.f. ticket:2023011110003565)
• 15 January 2023: Submission of 2022 activities report to AffCom.
• 16 January 2023: The DCW Half-Yearly Strategic Budget Plan approved by the South Asian Regional Funds Committee. The strategic plan includes a six-monthly research study entitled, Defining methods for the strategic development of the Deoband Wikimedia: increasing quality-oriented knowledge and participation.
• 30 January 2023: DCW gains access to Nicole Schwitter's thesis The Role of Offline Ties of Wikipedians. The thesis can be accessed by DCW volunteers who have access to DCW's official email through VRTS ticket:2023013010006482.
• 30 January 2023: Strategic Research Meet, New Delhi
• 7 February 2023: Blog titled, The Deoband Community Wikimedia proposes a six-monthly research plan for its growth trajectory published on Diff.
• 10 February 2023: Following advises from MKaur (WMF), initiation of a correspondence with JChen (WMF) from Community Resources Team, subject to unavailability of THasan (WMF) (leave), concerning DCW's registration, funding and other relevant concerns.
• 13 February 2023: We hired a graphics intern for six months, together providing them a mentor support.
• 18 February 2023: General Monthly Meetup
• 19 February 2023: We got a rented accommodation somewhere near Jamia Millia Islamia.

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  18 February meetup participants reading DCW proposals

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  18 February 2023 photowalk around Jamia Millia Islamia

• 28 February 2023: The first report from the strategic research study has been shared with the community.
• 02 March 2023: February learnings from the strategic research have been published on Diff blog, for wider community benefit.
• 05 March 2023: dcwwiki.org registered and activated.
• 17 March 2023: DCW Conversation Hour March 2023, Do meetups help Wikimedia projects grow, with Dr. Nicole Schwitter as the speaker.
• 20 March 2023: General Monthly Meetup
• 3 April 2023: A separate website hour.dcwwiki.org launched for DCW Conversation Hour.
• 14 April 2023: March learnings from the strategic research have been published on Diff blog, for wider community benefit.
• 15 April 2023 A proposal concerning leadership development and skills infrastructure was submitted to the Movement Strategy and Governance Team.
• 16 April 2023: DCW Conversation Hour April 2023, The Art of Community Review, with Rohini as the speaker.
• 24 April 2023: Correspondence in ticket:2023011110003565 reached a conclusion. We initiated processes for legal registration as a section-8 non-profit.
• 24 April 2023: Requests page for internet support was made live.
• 28-30 April 2023: Participation in the WikiConference India 2023. In the meanwhile, we were able to introduce DCW to some local academicians, apart from discussing its ideas and ideals with some WMF staff including the deputy CEO Lisa Seitz-Gruwell and several others.

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  Aafi with Khaatir and Akbarali

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  Aafi with Janak Bhatta of the Maithili Wikimedians User Group.

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  Aafi on the Registration Desk, WikiConference India 2023, Day 2

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  Aafi with Lisa Seitz-Gruwell, the deputy-CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation.

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  Aafi with members of Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group and Wasiul Bahar of the Project Korikath.

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  DCW members Aafi, Khaatir and Faismeen with Dumisane Ndubane and Christel Steigenberger.

• 21 May 2023: DCW Conversation Hour May 2023, Impact of Wikipedia on Non-Conventional Education: Exploring its Role, with Bilal Ali Ansari as the speaker.
• 02 June 2023: May learnings from the strategic research have been published on Diff blog, for wider community benefit.

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  Strategic learnings from February 2023

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  Strategic learnings from March 2023

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  Strategic learnings from April 2023

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  Strategic learnings from May 2023

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  Strategic learnings from June 2023

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  Strategic learnings from July 2023

• 9 June 2023: Approval for the Leadership Development and Skills Infrastructure Plan from Wikimedia Foundation.
• 17 June 2023: DCW Conversation Hour June 2023, Building Brand Equity: Amplifying Impact of Wikipedia Projects, with Chitraparna Sinha as the speaker.
• 18 June 2023: Participation in the 8th Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy Call.
• 19 June 2023: Announcement of DCW-K Editathon
• 28 June 2023: DCW's Leadership Development and Skills Infrastructure plan announced on the Diff.
• 02 July 2023: June learnings from the strategic research have been published on Diff blog, for wider community benefit.
• 9 July 2023: DCW Conversation Hour July 2023, Navigating The Wikipedia Library, with Sam Walton as the speaker.