As Wikidata celebrated its 13th birthday, the Igala Wikimedia Community marked a milestone of its own. The two-day celebration held virtually on 31 October and in person on 1 November 2025 became our community’s official entry point into contributing to Wikidata. It also marked the beginning of our efforts to increase the visibility of the Igala language and culture through open structured data
Day 1: Learning the Basics and Translating Into Igala
Friday, 31 October 2025 – 2PM (Virtual)
Our first day was held online and focused on introducing community members to the foundations of Wikidata. Many participants were new to concepts like items, properties, and statements.
Facilitators guided attendees through how to create and edit Wikidata items, add references, and understa…
As Wikidata celebrated its 13th birthday, the Igala Wikimedia Community marked a milestone of its own. The two-day celebration held virtually on 31 October and in person on 1 November 2025 became our community’s official entry point into contributing to Wikidata. It also marked the beginning of our efforts to increase the visibility of the Igala language and culture through open structured data
Day 1: Learning the Basics and Translating Into Igala
Friday, 31 October 2025 – 2PM (Virtual)
Our first day was held online and focused on introducing community members to the foundations of Wikidata. Many participants were new to concepts like items, properties, and statements.
Facilitators guided attendees through how to create and edit Wikidata items, add references, and understand how structured data supports the entire Wikimedia ecosystem. A particularly meaningful moment came when participants worked together to translate labels into the Igala language. For the new participants, seeing Igala appear on Wikidata for the first time sparked excitement and reinforced why this work matters
Day 2: Celebrating Wikidata at 13
Saturday, 1 November 2025 (Physical Event)
Our in-person gathering the next day brought a joyful, festive atmosphere. Participants arrived ready to celebrate, explore, and connect.
The program included a lively Wikidata Guesser Game, where teams competed to match clues to Wikidata items. There was plenty of laughter, friendly competition, and moments of discovery that helped reinforce what participants learned the day before.
We also organized a group art activity where participants created birthday artwork for Wikidata. Each piece reflected the creativity and enthusiasm of the community.
To top it off, everyone contributed to a Wikidata Birthday Flip Book, writing personal birthday wishes and messages. The final result became a heartfelt keepsake that captured the spirit of the event.
Why This Celebration Mattered
Wikidata’s 13th birthday in Igala Wikimedia Community wasn’t just an event; it was our doorway into something bigger. For the Igala Wikimedia Community, these two days marked the start of intentional collaboration on Wikidata and of amplifying Igala language and culture in new digital spaces.
We left the celebration feeling inspired, connected, and proud. Most importantly, we left knowing that Igala knowledge deserves to be seen, heard, and preserved, and we are now part of making that happen.
Here’s to more learning, more contributions, and more celebrations with the global Wikidata family.
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