ESEAP Conference 2024/Report/Jjurieee

The ESEAP Conference 2024, a biennial international event hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, took place in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia from May 10 to 12, 2024. This was my first ESEAP conference since becoming a Wikimedian in November 2022. I would like to thank Wikimedia Foundation for granting me the full sponsorship to attend this conference and being one of the organising team is the best experience that I felt.

Roles

ESEAP Conference 2024

During the conference, I carried out roles as in below:

• Logistic team, ESEAP Conference 2024
• Presenter for the Kent Wiki Club IPGM Campus Kent: Globalizing Kadazandusun Language and Culture via Wikimedia ESEAP session

Things learned at the conference

Day 1 summary as a Logistic Team Member (10th May 2024)

• Wikimedia Foundation's Annual Plan Conversation

On the first day, I was assigned to the Sayat-sayat Room with other team members to manage the PA system and assist presenters. My primary responsibility was to handle the Zoom and YouTube applications during the sessions. The session I attended was "The Wikimedia Foundation's (WMF) Annual Plan Conversation with ESEAP." This discussion encouraged bilateral engagement between WMF and ESEAP members, focusing on the annual improvement of the ESEAP movement. I learned that significant efforts are needed to strengthen the Wikimedia movement in the ESEAP region.

• Workshop at Mahua Room

Next, I was assigned to the Mahua Room, where a workshop titled "Harmonizing Voices with Wikitutur: Wiktionary and Lingua Libre Collaboration for Language Preservation" was conducted by the Jakarta Wikimedia Community in collaboration with local Wikimedia volunteers in Indonesia. As a Wiktionary editor, I found this workshop particularly inspiring. It provided valuable insights and ideas relevant to my objective as a Wikimedian, which is to include more Kadazandusun language entries with audio on Lingua Libre. This idea aligns perfectly with my role as the chairperson of the Kent Wiki Club and can be developed into a project for our community, particularly in preserving the Kadazandusun language and culture through the Wikimedia platform. Additionally, I was delighted to be named the "lucky contributor" in this session and received a gift from the Jakarta Wikimedia Community.

• Presentation on Community Spotlight

I also had the opportunity to present during the Community Spotlight session in Malaysia, titled "Kent Wiki Club, IPGM Campus Kent: Globalizing Kadazandusun Language and Culture via Wikimedia ESEAP." In this presentation, we shared the activities of the Kent Wiki Club, which has been very active since its launch on August 18, 2023, at Wikimania Singapore 2023. We received positive feedback from the audience, who acknowledged the challenges in maintaining commitment among club members but assured us that these are common hurdles that can be overcome with time and perseverance, as highlighted by Dody Ismoyo, the chairperson of the Wikimedia Malaysia Community User Group (WMCUG). WMCUG have always been supporting and guiding the Kent Wiki Club since day one.

• Cultural Village Trip

During the Cultural Village trip, I had the opportunity to reconnect and form friendships with other Wikimedians. We shared our journeys and experiences as Wikimedians, which was enlightening. Meeting people from diverse backgrounds who have had different experiences within Wikimedia opened my eyes to the benefits of being a Wikimedian. It reinforced the value of volunteerism, which not only benefits individuals but also contributes to local communities and the global movement.

To summarize, my experiences on the first day were both enriching and inspiring. I gained valuable insights, formed meaningful connections, and felt a renewed motivation to contribute to the Wikimedia movement, particularly in the preservation and promotion of the Kadazandusun language and culture. I take great pride in being a Wikimedian, especially in my efforts to introduce, elevate, and globalize Kadazandusun culture and language through the Wikimedia platform, which champions free knowledge. This allows me to significantly increase the amount of information available about the Kadazandusun community on Wikimedia, addressing the current lack of online references about this community.

Day 2 Summary (11th May 2024)

Second day of the conference began with the:

• ESEAP Hub meet-up, which lasted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. During this session, there was a discussion on the ESEAP Preparatory Council Update, focusing on aspects such as communication, other questions, comments, ideas, and community capacity building to strengthen ESEAP. Afterward, I was assigned to the Mahua Room, where I learned a great deal. For instance, the session on "Indonesian Vulgarities in Wiktionary" provided me with new ideas for a Wiktionary project within my Kadazandusun community, inspired by the presentation. Through the various sessions I attended, numerous ideas emerged for initiatives I can implement in my community after the conference. Additionally, I learned about the importance of women's involvement in the Wikimedia movement to close the gender gap, as highlighted in the presentations "Women@Work" and "Encouraging Women in Mainland China."
• In session H at the Sayat-sayat Room, I learned about the importance of collaboration with partners, such as the partnerships between Wikimedia ESEAP and Sweden, UNESCO, and the "Data Partnership 2024 and Beyond" by Alan Ang. These collaborations facilitate the sharing of information from various parties, supporting the further liberation of knowledge. I also gained insights into Wikidata, understanding how its use greatly assists in providing information required by Google. This sparked an urge to start editing in Wikidata, and I plan to learn how to contribute to Wikidata in the future.
• Finally, I was assigned to the Timpohon Room, where various presentations were shared in the "Community Spotlight: Japan" session. These included the "Report of Questionnaire of Japanese Wikimedians 2023," the experience of a 70-year-old Wikipedian discussing "The Charm of Libraries," by Yukiko and her inspiring journey as a Wikipedian. I also listened to the efforts and experiences of the 2023 Wikimedian of the Year winners, Taufik Rosman and Eugene Ormandy.

The day concluded with a karaoke party, connecting Wikimedians and further uniting the ESEAP community. This event fostered a sense of belonging to the ESEAP family for me personally, and I am glad to be a part of it.

Day 3 Summary (12th May 2024)

It's the last day of the conference.

• I learned that the use of AI in Wikimedia is immensely beneficial for editors in contributing to the liberation of knowledge. However, it must be used correctly to avoid compromising the integrity of the information added to Wikimedia. Additionally, the presence of automoderators and the Android team within WMF will significantly aid administrators and patrollers by simplifying the process of reverting vandalism and reviewing new edits. I also discovered that using Wikidata as an important link to an open data repository is helpful in academic and pedagogical contexts. Moving on to crowdmapping, I learned how to use OpenStreetMap, a new tool for me. I can utilize this map to add data to Wikidata and Wikipedia, providing structured and article content references.I realized that it is crucial to learn and utilize these diverse tools because they are interconnected and expand the availability of information across various Wikimedia platforms, making it easier for other users to access relevant information.

• Before the closing ceremony, all participants of the Wikimedia ESEAP 2024 conference gathered in the Sayat-sayat room to discuss the future plan for the ESEAP hub, including plans and voting for the ESEAP Summit 2025 and ESEAP Conference 2026. The openness in expressing opinions and the acceptance of ideas with an open heart was evident, providing equal and fair opportunities for all participants as part of the ESEAP family. During the closing ceremony, it was an honor to perform the song "Standing in the Eyes of the World" by Ella in front of all ESEAP 2024 participants. I was also inspired by WikiCelebrate, which honored Jaturawit Rodcheewan, a long-time contributor who has been actively editing since 2002. Amazingly, they have been editing for 22 years, which is longer than I have been alive, and their ongoing commitment to liberating knowledge is incredibly motivating for me to follow in their footsteps.

I am also grateful for the opportunity to be interviewed about my experience at ESEAP 2024. I hope to become more active in wiki editing and the Wikimedia movement in the future, aiming to expand the Wikimedia community in Sabah through the Wiki Kent Club after this conference.