Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group/Annual Reports/2023-2024
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This is the second Annual Report of the Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group, capturing the journey and accomplishments throughout the year of 2023-2024. The group, recognized by the Affiliations Committee (AffCom) of the Wikimedia Foundation, has been dedicated to advancing the Wikimedia mission within the Kashmiri-speaking community.
The Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group was established to address the unique needs and challenges of Kashmiri speakers in accessing and contributing to free knowledge. Over the past year, the group has actively worked to enhance the visibility and usability of Kashmiri content on Wikimedia platforms. Through a series of strategic initiatives, including improving technological support for the Kashmiri language, organizing community events, and fostering collaborations with other Wikimedia affiliates, the group has contributed to the growth and development of the Kashmiri Wikimedia community.
This report highlights the key activities and achievements of the group, its commitment to inclusivity, knowledge sharing, and cultural preservation. By engaging with the global Wikimedia movement and local stakeholders, the Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group aims to create a sustainable and vibrant ecosystem for the Kashmiri language and its speakers.
In response to the evolving landscape, the Wikimedia Movement has embraced transformation through the 2030 Movement Strategy. One of key recommendations, Recommendation 4, emphasizes equity in decision-making, leading to the development of a Movement-Wide Charter with roles defined and a Global Council established. Keeping in view the importance in these recommendations and to promote the reach of these endavours, The Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group, organized Movement Charter Conversations for Kashmiri Commuinty which were led by Movement Charter Ambassador. This facilitated inclusive discussions through calls, translations, outreach efforts, surveys, and interactive sessions. See more.
The Kashmiri community faced significant challenges with input methods, particularly with the Gboard used by many Wikimedians as a primary input method for mobile editing. The Gboard included a non-Kashmiri character, causing confusion for users due to its similar appearance to the correct character. This issue extended to various other platforms since this character was also defined in the Unicode database.
To address this problem, the Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group took proactive steps. We identified the character discrepancies and collaborated with experts and members of the Unicode Consortium, the organization responsible for the standardization of digital text representation. The group discussed over meetings detailed Unicode proposal, highlighting the specific issues faced by Kashmiri speakers and providing evidence of the impact on the community.
The proposal was submitted to the Unicode Consortium, and after review, it was accepted. The acceptance of the proposal led to significant changes in the Unicode database, particularly concerning the Kashmiri "Ye" character. These changes ensured that the correct character representation was standardized across various digital platforms, including popular input methods like Gboard. As a result, Google implemented the necessary corrections, ensuring that the Gboard now accurately represents the Kashmiri "Ye" character. This rectification has significantly improved the user experience for Kashmiri speakers, making it easier for users to contribute to Wikimedia projects using mobile devices. This efforts not only benefited the Kashmiri Wikimedia community but also the wider Kashmiri speaking writer population.
The Kashmiri Wikimedians user group held monthly virtual meetings to discuss ongoing projects, address challenges, and plan future initiatives. These meetings played a crucial role in fostering community engagement, collaboration, and growth. They provided a platform for members to share updates, seek assistance, and collaborate on various Wikimedia projects. The meetings, organized on the evening of the first Sunday of every month, also served as a get-together for the user group members. Additionally, learnings from events attended by the members were shared during these meetings.
The Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group, in collaboration with Deoband Community Wikimedia, has created the Koshur Collective. This collaborative academic space is designed to advance the interests of both affiliates in the broader Kashmir region. The initiative focuses primarily on academic areas and aims to identify and address development needs within the region. As part of this effort, we are working on the research side of the language to strategically unearth the problems faced by the Kashmiri language and devise solutions to address these issues. The first in-person meetup will be held on June 9, 2024, at Verinag Spring.
The DCW-K Editathon, a joint effort by the Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group and Deoband Community Wikimedia, ran from June 11 to June 25, 2024. This edit a thon aimed to fill the knowledge gap on topics endorsed by Deoband Community Wikimedia within the Kashmiri Wikipedia. To achieve this, Kashmiri language enthusiasts were encouraged through social media to participate and share their expertise on the platform. Participants created a total of 79 articles. The success of this second edition showcases the potential for future collaborations in promoting knowledge sharing and preservation in the region. More details are available at DCW-K Editathon 2024.
| Articles | Number |
|---|---|
| Created | 79
|
| Accepted | 78
|
One of our user group members, Nadeemulhaqmir, received a full scholarship to participate in the Wiki Technical Training 2024 organized by CIS-A2K. The knowledge gained by the user from this training was shared with the Kashmiri community during our monthly meetings.
511KeV received support to join the Train The Trainer Program in Kochi, Kerala. This workshop focused on cultivating leadership abilities within the Wikimedia community. The 2023 event, put together by CIS-A2K and co-hosted by the Wikimedians of Kerala, aimed to strengthen networking, increase engagement, promote long-term viability, and improve the community’s well-being.
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Koshur Collective Meetup
