Wikimedia MKD/Reports/2025-10
Editing competition "Rivers and lakes"
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Editing competitions organized by Wikimedia MKD have, since their very beginning, been marked by great success, wide participation, and excellent results. Over the years, they have become one of the organization’s most recognizable and engaging activities, attracting both new and experienced editors. The main goal of these competitions is to enrich Wikipedia in the Macedonian language with high-quality and well-sourced articles, while also encouraging participants to develop their writing, research, and digital skills. Besides their educational value, the competitions also include awards and recognition, which further motivate editors to actively contribute. Through such initiatives, Wikimedia MKD consistently strives to address various content gaps and ensure broader knowledge representation on Macedonian Wikipedia.
The three-week editing competition organized once per year in this specific format is dedicated to high school students. The theme of the 2025 edition was “Rivers and Lakes”, and it took place from 6 November to 26 November 2025. During this period, participants worked on improving existing articles and creating new, well-researched entries related to rivers and lakes, both in Macedonia and abroad. The competition aimed not only to increase the quantity of articles but also to improve their overall quality, accuracy, and depth of information.
All submitted articles are required to follow Wikipedia’s official guidelines, written in an encyclopedic tone and supported by reliable sources. The evaluation process is conducted by a jury of three experienced Wikipedians, who will carefully review every article and assessed it according to several criteria, including quality, sourcing, and originality. Each article will receive a score from 1 to 10, and based on the total results, the jury will determine the final winners. Through this process, the competition not only rewarding the best participants but also inspired many students to continue contributing to Wikipedia and to become active members of the free knowledge community.
Memorandum for collaboration with the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Skopje
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On October 7, Wikimedia MKD and the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje formally signed a Memorandum for collaboration, establishing a strategic partnership aimed at fostering the development of education, scientific research, and the promotion of free and open access to knowledge.
This agreement outlines a framework for long-term collaboration, where both institutions will work closely to integrate digital tools, open educational resources, and innovative approaches within the academic environment. The partnership is founded on a shared commitment to enhance the quality, accessibility, and reliability of educational content available to students, researchers, and the wider public.
The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from both organizations. Wikimedia MKD was represented by Executive Director Snežana Štrkovska, Coordinator for Cooperation with Cultural Institutions Orce Nineski, and Educational Program Manager Bosa Filipović. From the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dean Prof. Dr. Davorin Trpeski highlighted the significance of this collaboration as a vital opportunity to bridge the academic community with the global open knowledge movement. He emphasized the potential for this partnership to stimulate research and educational activities grounded in openness, transparency, and accessibility.
The Memorandum for collaboration paves the way for future joint initiatives, including the development of educational programs, digital projects, and research collaborations. Both parties expressed optimism that these efforts will contribute positively not only to the academic community and students but also to society at large by fostering a culture of open and shared knowledge.
This partnership reflects the mutual values and vision of Wikimedia MKD and the Faculty, aiming to support an inclusive learning environment where knowledge is freely accessible and collaboratively developed.
Training workshop for volunteering students from "Gymnasium Josip Broz Tito"-Skopje
[edit]Wikimedia MKD on October 9, 2025 held an training workshop on editing Wikipedia with students from Gymnasium "Josip Broz Tito" - Skopje. The training was held in the premises of Wikimedia MKD with students from this group at the gymnasium, during which eight of them were introduced to the content for editing Wikipedia in the Macedonian language.
The students created articles about the ongoing edit a thon for high school students on the topic "Rivers and Lakes", which aims to prepare young people to write and develop towards enriching free knowledge related to the natural wealth of Macedonia and beyond. The students who participated in the training began by creating articles related to rivers and lakes, following Wikipedia's rules and guidelines for using verifiable sources, encyclopedic writing style and licensing.
The training included several parts: introduction to the mission of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia movement, technical aspects of editing articles, use of references and media materials, as well as ethical aspects of editing. The students showed great interest, curiosity and actively participated with their own questions and ideas.
The goal of this competition, and of the training itself, is not only to create new quality content on Wikipedia, but also to encourage young people to become volunteers as creators of knowledge, and not just its consumers. Editing Wikipedia is a great opportunity to serve as volunteer, and to develop digital and research skills, critical thinking, as well as raise awareness of the importance of free access to information.
A total of 7 articles were written. Wikimedia MKD will continue with such activities in the future, with the full involvement of students and teachers in Wikimedia educational projects, and thus contributing to free and accessible knowledge for all.
You can see how it went through the photographic material uploaded on Commons, but also some of the photos are bellow:
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Editing on Wikipedia
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Training workshop for students from International school "Nova"
[edit]Wikimedia MKD continuously works to promote Wikipedia as a tool for learning, research, and developing critical thinking among young people. One of our key goals is to introduce students to the basics of editing the world's largest encyclopedia, to encourage them to contribute to free knowledge, and to show them that they too can leave a lasting mark with their knowledge and research.
So, on October 14, 2025, a training session on editing Wikipedia was held with a group of students from the Nova International School. Five students participated in the training, who were introduced to the basics of Wikipedia: how this platform works, what the editing rules are, how to write neutral and well-supported articles, and how to use reliable sources. During the training, the students actively participated by asking questions, discussing ideas, and selecting topics for their first articles. They wrote on the topic “Rivers and Lakes”, which is the theme of the ongoing edit a thon for high school students. Through this topic, the students had the opportunity to explore natural resources, geographical features, and the importance of waterways — both in Macedonia and in a broader regional and global context.
As a result of the training, 5 new articles were created on Wikipedia in the Macedonian language. The students showed interest and dedication to the work, and some of them expressed a desire to continue editing and get involved in future projects.
This activity is just another step in our mission to encourage young people to become active creators of knowledge, not just its users. We believe that with each new training we expand the circle of young enthusiasts who will contribute to building quality and accessible encyclopedic content in the Macedonian language.
You can see how it went through the photographic material uploaded on Commons, but also some of the photos are bellow:
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Editing on Wikipedia
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Wikimedia MKD presentation at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
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On October 16, 2025, Wikimedia MKD participated in an educational-entertainment event held in the courtyard of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the "Ss. Cyril and Methodius" University in Skopje. The event, organized by the Student Assembly of the Faculty, aimed to encourage students to actively engage in academic and social life by introducing them to organizations that offer opportunities for informal education, volunteering, and personal development.
Wikimedia MKD was one of the organizations that presented their work to the students, alongside Red Bull Macedonia, IAESTE Macedonia, and the Red Cross – Gazi Baba Branch. At the Wikimedia MKD booth, attending students had the opportunity to learn more about the organization's mission and activities, its ongoing programs and projects, as well as how they can become part of the wiki community.
The organization’s representatives informed students about Wikimedia MKD’s education program, the GLAM program, and editing marathons, which promote the creation and sharing of free knowledge. Special attention was given to the opportunities for collaboration with faculties and students who wish to contribute to enriching the content on the Macedonian Wikipedia.
The atmosphere at the event was excellent – friendly, dynamic, and filled with positive energy, conversations, and socializing. Students showed great interest, asking questions and engaging in discussions about the importance of free access to information and the benefits of editing Wikipedia as an educational tool.
With its presence, Wikimedia MKD once again confirmed its commitment to promoting free knowledge and building bridges between the academic community and the wiki community. The event was a great opportunity to establish new contacts, potential partnerships, and to inspire young people to contribute to creating higher-quality and more accessible information for everyone.
Wiki Team building 2025
[edit]During the period from January 17 to 19, 2025, the Wiki Team Building – a three-day event organized by the Wikimedia MKD association – was held at the “Romantik” Hotel in Veles. The goal of the event was to strengthen the sense of community among active editors of the Macedonian-language Wikipedia and to encourage discussions about the development and improvement of Wikimedia projects.
The event brought together active community members from various parts of Macedonia who, through lectures, discussions, and informal meetups, exchanged experiences, ideas, and proposals for improving the quality and accessibility of content on the Macedonian Wikipedia.
As part of the program, several important presentations and talks were held.
Snezana Shtrkovska, Executive Director of Wikimedia MKD, presented tools that can facilitate the process of editing and uploading content to Wikipedia. She shared updates from the Wikimedia world and offered practical tips for efficient and high-quality editing, especially aimed at new editors.
Nikolche Stojanovski, President of Wikimedia MKD, spoke about the Wikisource project – a sister project of Wikipedia and one of many run by the Wikimedia Foundation. He highlighted the importance of digitizing public documents, books, and archival materials and encouraged attendees to get involved in developing the Macedonian version of Wikisource.
Kiril Simeonovski, member of the Executive Board of Wikimedia MKD and Toni Ristovski, gave a joint presentation on Wikidata, where they explained in detail the significance of structured data, its role in the functioning of Wikimedia projects, and the possibilities for integrating Wikidata with the Macedonian-language Wikipedia. Their presentation sparked an engaging discussion on the automation of certain processes, data linking, and the importance of accuracy and verifiability of information.
In addition to the formal program, participants had the opportunity to connect, discuss, and share ideas in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. These informal moments contributed to strengthening the community and creating new initiatives for future collaborations.
The Wiki Team Building represents a significant step in building a strong and productive community around the Macedonian Wikipedia. Through such events, a foundation is created for the sustainable development of Wikimedia projects in Macedonia, fostering a culture of collaborative learning, volunteerism, and free knowledge sharing.
You can see how it went through the photographic material uploaded on Commons, but also some of the photos are bellow:
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Snezana Strkovska and Nikolce Stojanoski giving a lecture -
Toni Ristovski and Kire Simeonovski giving a lecture -
The participants -
Snezana Strkovska giving a lecture -
The participants -
The participants
"Rivers and lakes in Slovenia" Workshop
[edit]Within the framework of the educational program of Wikimedia MKD, a thematic workshop entitled "Rivers and Lakes in Slovenia" was held on October 24, 2025. The event was held at the premises of Wikimedia MKD at the Youth Cultural Center (MCC) - Skopje, organized by Wikimedia MKD and the Slovenian Center - Skopje, and in cooperation with the Wiki Club at SEPUGS "Vasil Antevski - Dren" - Skopje.
At the beginning of the event, Sašo Stojkovski from the Slovenian Center - Skopje, Snezana Štrkovska, Executive Director of Wikimedia MKD, and the school principal Aleksandar Kanurkov had their speeches. In their speeches, they emphasized that mutual cooperation between educational institutions and organizations is a significant step towards encouraging young people to learn and contribute to the common good.
The workshop was part of the continuous activities to encourage young people to contribute to free knowledge through Wikipedia. The participants worked on articles dedicated to the rivers and lakes of the Republic of Slovenia — a topic that is naturally related to the ongoing editorial competition for high school students on the topic "Rivers and Lakes", which aims to enrich the content of Wikipedia in the Macedonian language with texts related to natural waters in the country and beyond. The work took place in a pleasant and productive atmosphere. A total of 8 students participated and 34 articles were written.
The event represents another successful example of cooperation between educational institutions and Wikimedia MKD, the aim of which is to encourage young people to contribute to free knowledge, develop critical thinking and become familiar with the importance of open and accessible information for all.
With this workshop, Wikimedia MKD continue its mission to promote cultural and natural diversity through digital tools and educational activities, which connect the community of young editors with topics of regional and international importance.
You can see how it went through the photographic material uploaded on Commons, but also some of the photos are bellow:
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Editing on Wikipedia -
Editing on Wikipedia -
Saso Stojkovski, Snezana Strkovska and Aleksandar Kanurkov -
Editing on Wikipedia
Wikipractice for students from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics on editing Wikipedia
[edit]On October 31, at the premises of Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Skopje, a training workshop on editing articles on Wikipedia in Macedonian language was held. This was the start of our new EDU project, named Wikipractice, and results till the end of the year could be followed on the dashboard. The Wikipractice workshop was organized for students from the faculty and it is a result of the cooperation between Wikimedia MKD and PMF, which officially began with the signing of a Memorandum for Cooperation on 7 October 2025.
This training represents the first concrete step towards the realization of the common goal – encouraging young academic citizens to contribute to the enrichment of free knowledge in the Macedonian language. By participating in this project, students have the opportunity to realize their professional practice in a creative and socially useful way, by writing, editing articles on Wikipedia.
The training was conducted by Bosa Filipović, Wikimedia MKD Education Program Manager, and Jovan Tasevski, Wikimedia MKD Community Manager, who introduced the students to the basic principles of Wikipedia, its structure, the rules for editing and source verification, as well as the technical aspects of content creation. The attendees also had the opportunity to practically get acquainted with the process of writing and publishing new articles.
The event was attended by 6 students, who during the training created a total of 9 articles on topics related to their study directions and interests. With this, they took their first step towards becoming active contributors to Wikipedia in Macedonian and in the free knowledge community. Interested students come to us for training, and then they create and/or improve articles from their field of study. After they finish a certain number of articles, 30 is the lower limit, we sign the student a document for a finished practice job.
This activity is just the beginning of the continuous cooperation between Wikimedia MKD and the Faculty of Natural Sciences, which aims to encourage students and the academic community to become part of the global movement for free access to information. Additional training and activities are planned in the upcoming period that will deepen this fruitful cooperation.
With initiatives like these, Wikimedia MKD continues to build its network of partners in the education sector and create opportunities for young people to actively contribute to the development of free knowledge in our country.
You can see how it went through the photographic material uploaded on Commons, but also some of the photos are bellow:
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Bosa Filipovic giving a lecture -
Bosa Filipovic giving a lecture -
The students editing on Wikipedia -
The students editing on Wikipedia
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Editing Days
[edit]Editing days is an activity that lasts for the whole year in organization of Wikimedia MKD. Each Tuesday and Thursday different topics are given and the participants create or improve existing articles. In October 2025 there were in total 9 editing days, where participants edited on different topics in order to enrich the content of Wikipedia. The editing days and the topics were:
- 2.10.2025 - National parks of the United States
- 7.10.2025 - Coats of arms with swords
- 9.10.2025 - Firefighting equipment
- 14.10.2025 - Astronomical observatories
- 16.10.2025 - Phobias
- 21.10.2025 - Zoos in Germany
- 23.10.2025 - Best International Feature Film Academy Award winners
- 28.10.2025 - Flags of provinces
- 30.10.2025 - Luxembourgian people
Cumulatively, 9 different users took part in these calls and edited. In total, 48 new articles were created during the editing days in October 2025.
Editing Weekends
[edit]Editing weekends is another project that is organized during the whole year. During weekends (Saturday and Sunday) user are welcomed to take part in this project activity and improve or enrich Macedonian Wikipedia content. During these weekends, the participants are expected to edit articles on given topics. In October 2025 the following editing weekends were organized:
- 4-5 October 2025 - Trinidad and Tobago
- 11-12 October 2025 - Darts
- 18-19 October 2025 - Formula One
- 25-26 October 2025 - Hip-hop
In total, during these weekends there were 4 different users editing on the given topics and they created 7 new articles on the Macedonian Wikipedia.
In media
[edit]- Gathering of Wikipedians in Veles – Wiki team building!,netpress.com.mk
- Gathering of Wikipedians in Veles – Wiki team building!,batali.net
- Photographical competition "Wiki loves food", mia.mk
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