WikiLinguila/Letter of intent

WikiLinguila

Date: March 17, 2025

To: Wikimedia Affiliates and the Global Wikimedia Community

Dear Wikimedia affiliates and community members,

We are pleased to renew our intention to reform the WikiLinguila User Group, focused on the enhancement and promotion of Congolese Bantu languages and related cultures. This user group aims to contribute to free knowledge, preserve, and develop the linguistic and cultural heritage by strengthening the digital presence of national Congolese languages.

Mission

Our mission is to promote and preserve Congolese Bantu languages through the creation of free and collaborative content, while raising community awareness about the importance of their cultural identity. We are committed to supporting the Wikimedia movement by organizing events, workshops, and edit-a-thons, such as WikiForMotherTongue, WikiNkento, and Wiki100Impact, as well as by establishing close collaborations with local and regional communities.

Focus Area

Our group will primarily focus on enhancing Congolese languages and cultures. More specifically, we will address the following points:

• Languages: Lingála, Kikôngɔ, Tshiluba, and other Central African Bantu languages present in the DRC.
• Themes: Promoting cultural diversity, preserving linguistic heritage, reducing the digital divide, and strengthening cultural identity.
• Geographical Area: We are based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a particular focus on areas where our languages are spoken, and we plan to extend our joint activities regionally, notably in the Pool region in collaboration with Angola and Congo-Brazzaville, where these languages are also spoken.

Current Location and Regional Activities

Our group is currently located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo across three distinct cities, with activities dedicated to Lingála in Kinshasa, Kikôngɔ in Matadi, and Tshiluba in Mbuji-Mayi. We wish to collaborate with the affiliate and local communities throughout the country. We plan to strengthen our regional partnerships, particularly by working with user groups in the Pool region and with linguistic institutions for translation and documentation.

Call for Collaboration

We encourage the collaboration and support of other affiliates and members of the Wikimedia movement. We are convinced that working in concert with other user groups and affiliates will reinforce our efforts and contribute to the growth of the global Wikimedia ecosystem.

If you would like to learn more about our user group, share your feedback, or explore collaboration opportunities, please do not hesitate to contact us via our group discussion page. We look forward to actively contributing to the Wikimedia movement and making a significant impact through our activities.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

The WikiLinguila team