Oranjestad, 17-12-2024, Monuments Fund Aruba, Biblioteca National Aruba, Archivo Nacional Aruba, UNOCA and Wikimedia Nederland are proud to announce the start of the “Wikipedia on Aruba | Aruba on Wikipedia” project. This groundbreaking initiative will boost the content on Aruban heritage and culture on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia platforms, providing a global audience with greater access to the island’s rich history.
Starting in January and scheduled to run for 18 months, the project will empower institutions, educators, and community members on Aruba to contribute to Wikimedia platforms, such as the famous encyclopedia Wikipedia, the media-library Wikimedia Commons, and the database Wikidata. This will promote greater awareness and appreciation of Aruba’s unique cultural identity.
The project was developed by Wikimedia Nederland – in cooperation with its Aruban partners – and made possible through the financial support of Netherlands’ Fonds Cultuur Participatie.
Key Appointments: Wikimedian in Residence & Project Coordinator Outreach & Organizing
Two young and enthusiastic Aruban professionals will take the lead in this project.
Wikimedian in Residence (WiR): The WiR, Jeanelij Quandt, will lead the initiative, overseeing its execution, managing partnerships with heritage organizations, and fostering community participation. She will also provide hands-on training, helping participants create, expand and enhance Wikipedia content, including articles, images, and data related to Aruba’s culture and history This is the first time that such a Wikimedian in Residence role has been created in the Caribbean.
Project Coordinator – Outreach and Organizing: Supporting the WiR, the Project Coordinator, Ricardo Arends, will focus on logistical planning, outreach campaigns, and event coordination. He will play a pivotal role in engaging Aruban institutions, volunteers, and the broader community, ensuring the smooth execution of workshops, edit-a-thons, and promotional activities.
Program highlights
The project features a series of carefully curated activities, including:
- Training workshops: Educating local volunteers, students, and cultural institutions on Wikipedia editing and content creation and sharing images & data.
- Community challenges: Inspiring creative contributions through photo contests, edit-a-thons with a focus on writing in Papiamento.
- Heritage campaigns: Organizing Aruban participation in global Wikimedia campaigns such as Wiki Loves Monuments photo competition.
- Content donations & development: Enhancing Papiamento-language Wikipedia and enriching Wikimedia Commons with authentic Aruban materials.
Expected impact
The initiative is designed to deliver far-reaching benefits, including:
- A stronger international multilingual digital presence for Aruba’s cultural heritage.
- Greater community engagement in preserving and sharing local history through Wikimedia.
- Enhanced collaboration between local and international knowledge networks.
- New opportunities for creative reinterpretation of cultural assets, such as online exhibitions and apps.
Join the journey
The “Wikipedia on Aruba | Aruba on Wikipedia” project invites all Arubans, living in Aruba or abroad, to contribute to this exciting initiative. Whether you are a student, a professional, or a history enthusiast, there are countless ways to get involved. Together, let’s put Aruba on the map – the digital map of open knowledge!
In the second week of February an inspiring kick off meeting for the project is organised. To pre-register, please see the registration form on the project website:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_on_Aruba.
Media contact
Mircla Nava
PR
Stichting Monumentenfonds Aruba
582 4014
m.nava@monumentenfondsaruba.com
Publiek Domeindag