ESEAP Conference 2024/Report/Alofay

Introduction

I am very grateful to the organizers for giving me the opportunity to directly interact and learn from Wikimedians in the ESEAP region. The 2024 ESEAP Conference is my second fully-funded participation (following the Wikipedia Conference in Singapore in 2023). Although I experienced some unpleasant incidents on the way to the conference, it did not dampen my enthusiasm for attending. This conference allowed me to establish more connections and learn how people in different countries contribute to and grow within the Wikimedia community.

2024 ESEAP Conference Taiwan Group

Conference Experience

Attending the 2024 ESEAP Conference in Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) was very rewarding. During the three-day conference, I participated in every session, listening to Wikimedians from different countries share their valuable insights, experimental studies, and research results. At this conference, I played both the roles of a speaker and a participant. As a speaker, I shared Taiwan's culture and our Wikipedia editing experiences, and as an audience member, I learned about many exemplary outcomes, realizing the many possibilities in editing Wikipedia. I found both roles to be very engaging. Additionally, being part of the organizing team was an exciting opportunity.

Gains from the Conference

1. Continuous Knowledge Acquisition and Learning: There is still much foundational work to be done in our understanding of Wikimedia projects. This deepened understanding will undoubtedly enhance our efficiency in future contributions.
2. Starting to Edit Wiktionary: This is an excellent tool for preserving languages, particularly as a method for adding content to Wikidata for indigenous languages.
3. Starting to Use Wikidata: Learning to use these platforms helps us understand our data and is beneficial when organizing activities, providing a good data presentation. With data presentation, we can track our progress and more.

2024 ESEAP Conference

Post-Conference Plans

1. Develop more Wikimedia projects with the team.
2. Actively participate in various Wikimedia programs and activities.
3. Use the knowledge and methods learned from Wikimedia to further promote the preservation of indigenous languages and cultures.
4. Continuously innovate and contribute more valuable content to various Wikimedia projects.
5. Continue sharing knowledge and experiences with others, inspiring their interest in Wikimedia and cultural preservation.

Comments and Suggestions for the Conference

1. Despite some pre-trip issues, I hope for thorough pre-trip notifications and confirmations in the future to avoid situations where there is no contact to handle pre-trip issues.
2. The conference had three main venues, but the task allocation seemed suboptimal (network issues / equipment issues / audio issues). It is recommended to establish dedicated project teams for each venue to effectively address these issues.
3. Deadlines for each task should not be set before the next conference. The summaries in the conference agenda are crucial as they determine the action plans decided upon during the conference. Members have many tasks to complete before the next conference, and setting deadlines before the next meeting could result in most tasks going awry.