Multilingual Audio Documentation
The Multilingual Audio Documentation 2025 is a multilingual audio documentation initiative designed to enrich Wikimedia platforms with authentic recordings of 6,000 audio files in English and Arabic. The focus will be on geographical and cultural terms from the MENA region — including places, cities, countries, rivers, people and cultural terminology. Files will be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons . Later this can be added Wikipedia and Wiktionary, strengthening the audio presence of MENA-related content. The project will be anchored in the UAE, coordinated by a project lead, and implemented with 10 high school students from the UAE, supervised by experts of Arabic and English based in the UAE.
Objectives
[edit]- Create a free, reusable audio dataset of 6,000 MENA-related terms in English and Arabic.
- Strengthen Wikimedia projects by adding audio content to articles and dictionary entries.
- Engage students in digital literacy and open knowledge contribution.
- Promote linguistic diversity and cultural awareness through sound
Approach
[edit]- Step 1: Preparation
Curate a word list of 6,000 geography/culture terms. Print word lists and recording guides. Introduce Lingua Libre and Wikimedia Commons to members.
- Step 2: Student Engagement
One-to-one orientation meetings. Provide refreshments during sessions. Practice reading words before recording.
- Step 3: Recording Sessions
Students record assigned words in English or Arabic (distribution will vary). Expert Teachers monitor pronunciation and clarity. Use Lingua Libre for recording and metadata.
- Step 4: Upload & Documentation
Upload files to Wikimedia Commons. Track progress using shared logs (Google Sheets). Organize files into Commons categories.
- Step 5: Recognition & Closing
Provide students and teachers with certificates and small gifts as tokens of appreciation. Showcase project results on Wikimedia platforms.
Expected Outcomes
[edit]| Outcome | Quantity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Audio files uploaded to Commons | 6,000 | Improves Wikimedia content |
| Students trained | 10 | Gains in digital literacy & contribution skills |
| Teachers engaged | 2 | Ensures quality and supervision |
| New Commons category | 1 | Centralized access for community use |
| Scope | Target | Achieved |
|---|---|---|
| No. of Teachers Contributed | 5 | 8 |
| Total Audio Files Uploaded | 6,000 | 3,200+ |