2022 WikiArabia programme revealed with a stellar line-up of speakers and a programme packed with sessions and workshops
Dubai, UAE, 20 October 2022: The Wikimedians of the UAE User Group have announced the line-up for the first WikiArabia in the UAE and the region, which includes top experts, notable speakers, and intellectuals from the Wikimedia community and the cultural and creative sectors in the UAE and the region. The programme features Maryanna Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, Lorenzo Loza and Luis Bitencourt-Emilio, Wikimedia Foundation Trustees, and Nichole Saad, Leader of the Wikimedia Foundation’s Education team, among others.
The conference, held from the 28 – 30 October at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, welcomes speakers and representatives of Arab Wikimedia User Groups in a variety of sessions and workshops in both Arabic and English, all of which contribute to the overall growth of a sustainable society that actively uses the Wikimedia project and provides easy access to free quality data.
“Technology is at the heart of any economic and cultural growth,” said Ahlam Bolooki, Director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Leader of the Wikimedians of the UAE User Group. “We aim that the sixth edition of WikiArabia – and a regional first – will be a step towards building a society that incorporates Wikimedia projects, the essential infrastructure for free knowledge.” “We have a very special programme of sessions, discussions, and workshops prepared for our audience, and I encourage everyone, especially the youth, to book for free now through our website,” she added.
About the Programme
The conference kicks off on Friday, 28 October, with an opening ceremony featuring H.E Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center, Dr. Hanada Taha Thamoure, Endowed Chair Professor of Arabic Language at Zayed University, Mohamed Ouda, Co-founder of Egypt Wikimedians User Group, the first Arabic Wikimedians User Group, and Emirati Poet, Amal Al Sahlawi, who will give the audience a special poetry performance accompanied by Lara Zaid Qasim on the qanun instrument.
Maryanna Iskandar, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, will meet the Arabic community in a discussion with Reda Karboush, member of the Wikimedians of the UAE User Group, Adel Nahaoua, Algerian Wikimedians User Group and Abbad Diraneyya, member of the Wikimedians of the Levant. Not to be missed will be the interactive session moderated by Reda Karboush with Manar Yacoub, Luis Bitencourt-Emilio, and Lorenzo Losa, Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation, on the need to facilitate communication and strengthen connections among members of society. Leader of the Education team in Wikimedia, Nichole Saad along with Rachid Ourkia and Brahim Faraji will address the significance of incorporating Wikimedia in the educational curriculums. Abbad Diraneyya will analyse Wikipedia’s vision that aims to make Wikipedia a “summary of human knowledge” and advise on the need to prioritize quality over quantity.
There are also several workshops that cover the different aspects of the Wikimedia community, such as introducing the public to the concept of Wikimedia regional centres and analysing the pressing issues that Wikis face today and potential solutions.
Wikimedia Foundation and Emirates Literature Foundation are the official sponsors of the conference, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library is the venue sponsor and Dubai Culture & Arts Authority are the cultural event sponsor.
For the full list of speakers and sessions, visit https://event.elfdubai.org/WikiArabia2022
With the Emirates Literature Foundation as its founding partner, the Wikimedians of the UAE User Group recently became a member of the Wikimedia community, making it the first user group in the Gulf.
More details on the Wikimedians of the UAE user group can be found here.
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