2025:Program/From Plate to Page: Expanding Culinary Knowledge on Wikipedia
Session title: From Plate to Page: Expanding Culinary Knowledge on Wikipedia
- Session type: Lightning talk
- Track: Lightning Talk Showcase
- Language: en
In this session, I will share my idea for collaboration between me, other wikipedia editors and a hosting organization, to expand and enhance Wikipedia articles related to Jewish cuisine and Jewish diaspora food traditions. By combining Wikimedia’s technical expertise with organization in the culinary discipline, that has culinary knowledge, we aim to fill significant gaps in Wikipedia's coverage of Jewish food. This session will focus on how partnerships between content experts and Wikimedia volunteers can create meaningful, sustainable content that is inclusive and relevant to diverse communities worldwide.
Description
This session will explore the process of identifying need in some era for new articles, in this case Wikipedia articles about food, that many are missing in Hebrew. It all started when I wrote this article https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A1 this food is a very common dish in Israel but before I wrote it it had no Wikipedia Hebrew article. When I wrote it I went on to explore the category of street food in Hebrew Wikipedia only to discover that there arent that many, today there are 12 articles in this category but back when I wrote it there wre only 5 https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%92%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%94:%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C:_%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%9C_%D7%A8%D7%97%D7%95%D7%91 I said to myself that we need many more. The same goes to this category: Jewish cuisine In Hebrew there are only 63 articles and In English there are more than twice! Link to the category in Hebrew: https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%92%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%94:%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%98%D7%91%D7%97_%D7%94%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99 Link to the category in English: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Jewish_cuisine our wish is to create partnership between us, Wikipedia editors, and other food organizations that could be a platform to develop and improve Wikipedia articles on Jewish cuisine, with a particular focus on the culinary traditions of Jewish communities around the world. As we noticed a lack of detailed and comprehensive coverage on this topic, this partnership aims to leverage the content expertise of culinary professionals and the technical know-how of Wikimedia volunteers to produce high-quality, accessible knowledge on Wikipedia. The session will examine the goals and vision behind the willingness to create such collaboration, such as fostering inclusivity by ensuring that diverse food traditions are represented, as well as the impact this partnership can have on the sustainability of Jewish cultural knowledge on Wikipedia. Additionally, we will discuss the process of creating such a partnership, from identifying gaps in content to organizing editing events, and how similar initiatives can be replicated in other areas of knowledge. Ultimately, this session will highlight the power of partnerships and how they can drive inclusivity, enhance the representation of underrepresented topics, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of free knowledge on Wikipedia.
- How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?
This session aligns with the theme of Wikimania @20: Inclusivity, Impact, and Sustainability. The project that we are working about, to collaborate with content professionals from the culinary era and wikipedia editors, aims to bring inclusivity to Wikipedia by addressing the significant gap in content related to Jewish and diaspora cuisines, which have not been adequately covered. In terms of impact, the initiative highlights the power of cross-sector collaboration in enhancing the quality of Wikipedia’s content, particularly in areas that have been underrepresented. The sustainability aspect is reflected in our efforts to ensure long-term contributions to the culinary content on Wikipedia, promoting the ongoing growth and accessibility of knowledge about Jewish and global cuisines. This initiative might serve as a model for future collaborations that aim to diversify and expand Wikipedia's content while remaining true to the movement’s goals of free knowledge.
- What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Everyone can participate in this session
- Etherpad link
Resources
Speakers
- laliv g
- I have been actively involved in the Wikimedia movement for over 10 years, with a particular focus on promoting women’s contributions. As a lead volunteer, I have been dedicated to organizing and participating in annual Art + Feminism Wikipedia edit-a-thons in Tel Aviv, collaborating with key cultural organizations such as Artport. I have also attended several Wikimanias, off line in site and online during covid19. My work spans from organizing events to training new contributors and advocating for greater representation of women and marginalized groups on Wikipedia. I am passionate about open knowledge, inclusivity, and fostering a supportive environment for new contributors.