What could the annual Hackathon organized by the Wikimedia Foundation be?
The Wikimedia Hackathon, which takes place on an annual basis, is an exceptional international conference where each participant can take part in various “tasks” organized by the Wikimedia Foundation. Indeed, what has been said a moment ago is completely true, but it doesn’t fully express my feelings about my first participation in such a conference.
First participation in the conference with limited knowledge, only knowing what Wikipedia is, what Wikidata is, and how they can be utilized, as well as a few things about the volunteer organization of such a satellite event. I’m referring to the Ionian Wikithon 2022, in which I participated both as a volunteer organizer through the IEEE Student Branch of Ionian University and as a regular participant. Last year, I met people for the first time who are involved with Wikipedia, contributing daily to article editing, translations, and the enrichment of free and authentic content that fuels Wikimedia. Those individuals “pushed” me to apply for a scholarship to participate in the Wikimedia Hackathon 2023, which was organized in Greece, as the previous activities were highly appreciated by the people working for Wikimedia.
Thanks to these individuals, I secured a scholarship to participate and embarked on the journey of being a volunteer organizer while attending various activities at such a major conference. Through the conference, I was able to enrich my knowledge, interact with a “foreign” community, make connections, and “open doors,” expanding my horizons. I attended workshops that were relevant to my field of study, as everyone involved in the continuous improvement of Wikimedia infrastructure, like me, are developers. However, beyond attending sessions, I also “got into the action” with my colleagues and the educational staff who participated alongside me, and we created a simple yet useful tool. I’m referring to the bot that sent the entire daily schedule 15 minutes before the start of each workshop, to the main group of the Hackathon on Telegram… and it became a huge success!
Moreover, through this group, we were informed that the bot would be utilized in upcoming events because it facilitated the announcement process and provided guidance to anyone who didn’t want to miss the workshop they wished to attend. Additionally, apart from developing the bot, we, the student volunteers also created this website, which serves as a platform for everyone to upload their feedback regarding their experience at this year’s event.
I must not forget to mention that besides the friendships, unique experiences, and knowledge I gained, I thoroughly enjoyed the food! Kudos to the organizers, they made an excellent choice when it comes to the food!
I hope to be given the opportunity again next year to participate in such an event, and I encourage people like me, younger or older, to take part in such activities. The benefits are immense, and I am particularly delighted to have become a member of this vast family created by the Wikimedia Foundation, whose ultimate goal is to ensure free and authentic knowledge through open-source software infrastructure maintained by thousands of people out there. I cannot fully describe this feeling; you must experience it as I did!
Kind regards,
Spyros