2025:Program/United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization collaborating with Wikimedia

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Session title: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization collaborating with Wikimedia

Session type: Lecture

Track: Partnerships

Language: en

A summary of the work done within the UN more widely and FAO specifically by the Wikimedian in Residence. We will focus on specific projects including; Working with world experts to improve Wikipedia, using UN data to improve Wikipedia systematically and using graphics from FAO in Wikipedia. Each will include descriptions and instructions of how to run similar activities in your own project. This will be followed by the presentation of a framework of finding and using content from the UN system using the structure of the Sustainable Development Goals to help to improve the quality of information on Wikimedia projects related to some of the world’s most important issues.

Description

This session will improve people’s understanding of the possibility of working with the United Nations and using content from the UN to improve Wikimedia projects. It will also improve people’s skills in working with external organisations using documentation and instructions developed from work carried out at the United Nations.

The presentation will include: 1. A summary of the work done within the UN more widely and FAO specifically by their Wikimedian in Residence. Also a description of the work being included as Best Practice in Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.

2. Examples of specific projects at FAO with Wikipedia including detailed instructions on how to replicate the projects:

2a. Working with world experts to improve Wikipedia, focusing on the example of working with a world expert on Tsetse flies, a carrier of African sleeping sickness. 2b. Using UN data to improve Wikipedia systematically using the example of the FAO Forest Resource Assessment, the UN worldwide on forests and tree cover. 2c. Using graphics from FAO in Wikipedia and how to publish content from an organisation which creates a high volume of content which is regularly updated. 2d. Training staff to improve Wikipedia and working with the larger Wikimedia community through Regional Offices and Wikimedia Chapters.

3. A presentation of a framework of finding and using content from the UN system more widely using the structure of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN system’s knowledge resources are high-quality, multilingual, freely available and often published under Creative commons licences. The UN has been producing knowledge for over 75 years, creating 10,000s of publications, 100,000s of images, videos, audio and other resources. The different repositories of knowledge from the agencies categorised by Sustainable Development Goals will help Wikimedians find useful information to share with the public. The resource will then be refined by user feedback into an online resource to allow more Wikimedians to find and use useful content from across the UN system.

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

Multipartner efforts involving UN agencies and Wikimedia chapters, as well as Wikimedians-in-Residence, contribute to building reciprocal trust and understanding and ensuring the sustainability of knowledge-sharing over time.

The specialized agencies of the United Nations have a broad mandate, global reach and commitment to sustainability. Their knowledge resources are high-quality, multilingual, freely available, often published under Creative Commons licences, and maintained over time.

Collaborative efforts include extending high quality content coverage on impactful topics beyond the English language (French, Spanish, Arabic). The diversity of people engaged over the years has increased the long term sustainability of the initiatives and the relationship with UN agencies.

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

Everyone can participate in this session

Resources

Speakers

John Cummings

I help UN agencies and other international organisations share their knowledge and content on Wikimedia. I was Wikimedian in Residence at UNESCO for six years and before that at the Natural History Musuem and Science Museum in London. I also helped organise Wikimania 2014.

I worked to advocate for free education, for policy change and to help UN agencies and other international organisations share their knowledge and content on Wikipedia.

I am a certified coach and have completed the TPC Leadership programme, accredited by ICF and EMCC. I have been a staff member for the youth leadership charity WYSE International for ten years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:John_Cummings#Presentations_about_Wikipedia