2024:Program/"Wiki Loves Bangla, an initiative aimed at showcasing Bangla culture and heritage through photography."
Session title: "Wiki Loves Bangla, an initiative aimed at showcasing Bangla culture and heritage through photography."
- Session type: Poster
- Track: GLAM
- Language: en
Wiki Loves Bangla (Bangla: বাংলার প্রেমে উইকি) is an annual international photography competition around the Bangla culture and heritage, organized by Bangla WikiMoitree. Bangla WikiMoitree is a Wikimedia thematic network and aspiring hub for Bengali culture and language.
Description
[edit | edit source]In an effort to present Bengali culture and heritage to the world through photographs, this year for the first time 'Wiki Loves Bangla' was organized.
This photography competition will be organized every year on different topics focusing on Bengali culture and heritage. The subject of this year was 'Bengali Cuisine'.
A total of 2,118 photos were submitted by 212 participants in the competition. The judges selected the top 10 photographs after a three-step review.
The aims of the first edition is to highlight the diversity of Bengali cuisine by improving the quality and quantity of images of Bengali food available around the world. Bengali cuisine is the traditional way of cooking in the Bengali nation. Originating in Bengal in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, this cuisine is now spread across the world, in different forms, with different flavors.
- How does your session relate to the event theme, Collaboration of the Open?
The photo contest was initiated by Bangla WikiMoitree, an international network focusing on Bengali culture, heritage, and collaboration among Bengali-speaking Wikimedia communities, affiliates, and informal groups. It currently partners with Wikimedia Bangladesh and the West Bengal Wikimedians User Group. This event epitomizes Wikimania's theme of "Collaboration of the Open." We highlight how volunteers from Bangladesh and West Bengal come together to celebrate Bengali culture through photography and Wikimedia projects. Bangla WikiMoitree formalizes this collaboration, aiming to establish Wikimedia communities in underserved Bengali-speaking regions. By transcending borders, we amplify Bengali voices and enrich global knowledge. This session underscores the power of collaboration to foster cultural exchange and inclusivity within the Wikimedia movement.
- What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Everyone can participate in this session
Resources
[edit | edit source]Speakers
[edit | edit source]- Rocky Masum
- I'm Masum-al-Hasan Rocky, known as RockyMasum across all Wikimedia projects. A Wikipedian since 2013, I'm deeply involved in Bangla Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Bangla Wikivoyage. I founded the first Wiki Club in Bangladesh and co-founded the Rajshahi Wikipedia Community, a divisional user community under Wikimedia Bangladesh. Serving as a board member since 2016, I currently hold the position of General Secretary in the Executive Committee of Wikimedia Bangladesh.