WikiIndaba conference 2019/Anass Sedrati/Report

Event Name

WikiIndaba Conference 2019 - Abuja - Nigeria.

My Input

I have participated in Wiki Indaba earlier (Accra 2017, Tunis 2018), so my participation in 2019 edition was an occasion to continue on my path and to reconnect with my follow African Wikimedians. I have delivered a full presentation about how to Strengthen Local African content, and participated in animating two panels, which were "Local African Languages" as well as "Wikimedia 2030 Strategy". Besides presenting, I tried my best to participate in various informal discussions, in order to network with as many people as possible, and to exchange knowledge and experiences on the different areas each and every one was working in.

Connections

Participating in Wiki Indaba 2019 was an occasion to reconnect with many fellow Wikimedians from the continent. It was also an opportunity to meet many people who participated in the conference for the first time. I was truly happy to meet many Wikimedians from countries were new User Groups were created. The more diverse we are, the more beautiful our movement and results will be. As the list of people I talked and connected with consists on all the conference participants list, I will not name any specific name, having an equal consideration and pride to have met each and everyone. I feel glad to have reached my goal of networking with everyone in the conference, and hope that these connections will give good collaborations and projects very soon in the future.

Outcomes

Overall, WikiIndaba 2019 was an excellent conference, in terms of organization, content, and general atmosphere. As the participants know, my travel started with a bad experience related to the loss of my luggage. However, the spirit of support and generosity of many delegates helped me go through that episode smoothly. Not only had I participated in a conference, but I did also make plenty of friends, and had the occasion to visit a new country: "Nigeria", home to hundreds of years of ancestral traditions, and rich of cultural diversity.

My experience in Abuja was positive from all sides: the Wikimedian one, the professional one, and of course on a personal level. This would never have been possible without the great effort made by the organizing team, who proved that local African affiliates can organize serious and well-planned events. Thank you for making this conference possible, and for letting all of us meet and network and share experiences and learning in your great country.

Photos

Some Pictures of my participation during Wiki Indaba 2019
Presenting my first session about strengthening local African content
Posing with some members of the local team
Session on Local African languages
With a Nigerian Hat
During Strategy Session