2025:Program/Empowering Wikimedia Movement Through Decentralization in Bangladesh
Session title: Empowering Wikimedia Movement Through Decentralization in Bangladesh
- Session type: Lightning talk
- Track: Lightning Talk Showcase
- Language: en
đ„ Session Recording: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Empowering_Wikimedia_Movement_Through_Decentralization_in_Bangladesh_-Day_2-_Lightning_Talk.webm đ„
Discover how Wikimedia Bangladesh has embraced decentralization to empower regional communities. Learn about our journey in fostering local leadership, promoting diverse content, and increasing participation through a decentralized approach.
Description
In this lightning talk, I'll discuss how Wikimedia Bangladesh has embraced decentralization to strengthen its mission. Approved as the 39th Wikimedia chapter on October 3, 2011, and locally registered on June 9, 2014, the chapter has prioritized raising awareness and supporting free knowledge initiatives. Decentralization has played a crucial role in this effort.
The formation of regional communities has been key, starting with the Wikimedia Chittagong Community in 2014, which gained chapter approval in 2016. Today, five active Wikimedia Regional Communities drive engagement through meetups, editathons, photowalks, and workshops, operating like user groups to foster local collaboration.
This talk will highlight how decentralization empowers communities, nurtures leadership, and expands Wikimediaâs reach across Bangladesh. Through real-world examples, Iâll showcase how this approach creates sustainable, inclusive participationâoffering insights for strengthening Wikimedia communities globally.
- How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 â Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?
Decentralization fosters inclusivity by empowering regional communities, ensuring broader participation. It enhances impact by increasing local contributions through meetups, editathons, and workshops. This model also promotes sustainability by nurturing local leadership, creating self-sustaining communities that drive long-term Wikimedia growth.
- What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Everyone can participate in this session
Resources
Speakers
- ROCKY
- I am Masum-al-Hasan Rocky, and I use my username as ROCKY in all Wikimedia projects. I have been a Wikipedian since 2013. I primarily work on Bangla Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Bangla Wikivoyage. I am the founder of the first ever Wiki Club in Bangladesh. I was also involved as a co-founder of Rajshahi Wikipedia Community, which is a divisional user community of local Wikipedians from Rajshahi Division under the local chapter Wikimedia Bangladesh. I am the board member of Wikimedia Bangladesh since 2016, I served as a General Secretary and Treasurer in the executive committee of Wikimedia Bangladesh.