2025:Program/The Award-Winning Journey in Minority Language Preservation

Session title: The Award-Winning Journey in Minority Language Preservation

Session type: Poster

Track: Community Engagement

Language: en

Since 2020, Wikimedia Community User Group Malaysia has been conducting minority language preservation efforts under the WikiKata project. Starting off as an online competition, it quickly grew into a physical community engagement programme, even going to communities abroad in other countries, and winning two international awards on sustainability. With a focus on indigenous language, WikiKata has been one of Malaysia's biggest success, and is planned to expand further in the future.

Description

The poster will include the brief history and timeline of the project, including the method of how it was conducted and what we have learned so far.

How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?

The key idea of WikiKata is to be inclusive of minority groups, such so that their community will not be discriminated in content representation and access. It also strives to address the issue of the sustainability of the communities themselves, by making sure that they can survive amidst the globalised and anglicised society. This in return creates a long-term impact for the communities and the society at large, evident by the awards won by this project.

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Speakers

• Ahmadali

Ahmad Ali Karim is an author, student, and the External Relations Ambassador for Wikimedia Community User Group Malaysia (WCUGM) with over 4 years of experience in the Wikimedia Movement. He is currently a second-year undergraduate student majoring in political science and minoring in laws at International Islamic University Malaysia, and a weekly columnist on the oldest-surviving Malay newspaper, Utusan Malaysia. With experience in programme managemment and training, he often conducts programmes for WCUGM, and also does vector graphics on the side for Wikimedia Commons, his CUG, and as a side hustle. While also serving as the Asia-Pacific Regional Youth Coordinator for the Regional Centres of Expertise under United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study on Sustainability, he is active in youth empowerment efforts both locally and globally, never forgetting to bring the Wikimedia movement and spirit wherever he goes.