2025:Program/Wiki Loves Bangla: Fostering Cross-Border Collaboration within Bangla Community

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Session title: Wiki Loves Bangla: Fostering Cross-Border Collaboration within Bangla Community

Session type: Poster

Track: Diversity & Inclusion

Language: en

Wiki Loves Bangla is an photography contest dedicated to preserving and promoting Bengali culture and heritage through visual media. Organized by Bangla WikiMoitree, this initiative brings together volunteers from Bangladesh and West Bengal to document various aspects of Bengali life. This poster will showcase the impact of Wiki Loves Bangla in enriching Wikimedia projects, discuss challenges faced in organizing the contest, and explore strategies for expanding participation in underrepresented regions.

Description

Wiki Loves Bangla is an annual photography contest organized by Bangla WikiMoitree, a collaboration between Wikimedia Bangladesh and the West Bengal Wikimedians User Group, to document and preserve Bengali culture and heritage. Now in its second edition, this year's theme, "Birds," focuses on capturing the diverse avian species of Bangladesh and West Bengal, addressing the shortage of freely available bird images on Wikimedia Commons.

This session will showcase the impact of Wiki Loves Bangla, highlighting its role in strengthening cross-border collaboration, engaging new contributors, and expanding content on Wikimedia projects. The discussion will explore challenges, outreach strategies, and the long-term sustainability of this initiative.

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

Wiki Loves Bangla aligns with Inclusivity, Impact, and Sustainability by fostering cross-border collaboration between Bengali-speaking Wikimedia communities, engaging diverse contributors, and making open knowledge more accessible. The contest significantly enhances Wikimedia Commons by adding high-quality images, fand illing content gaps. These freely available images benefit Wikipedia, educational materials, and conservation efforts, amplifying the project's global impact. By encouraging long-term participation, forming partnerships with conservation groups, and promoting open-access content, the initiative ensures its sustainability while inspiring ongoing contributions to Wikimedia projects.

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

Everyone can participate in this session

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.