Wiki Loves Africa 2020/Wiki Loves Africa in brief
- WIKI LOVES AFRICA IN BRIEF
Wiki Loves Africa (WLA) is an annual contest where anyone across Africa can contribute with free media that is relevant to their experience to Wikimedia Commons for use on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia communities (Wikimedia movement), and also make this shared media freely available for the Humankind. Wiki Loves Africa encourages participants to contribute with free media (photographs, video and audio) that illustrate the specific theme for that year.
Each year the theme changes and is chosen by the community from a few universal, visually rich and culturally specific topics (for example, markets, rites of passage, festivals, public art, cuisine, natural history, urbanity, daily life, notable persons, etc).
When
The project is a photo competition which last launched in Feb 15th 2020 and closed March 31st 2020. Next contest shall be launched early 2021.
Theme
- In 2020, the contest theme was Transportation;
- In 2019, the contest theme was Play;
- In 2017, we worked on People at work;
- In 2016, the chosen theme was Music and Dance;
- In 2015 the theme focused on Wiki Loves Africa Cultural Fashion and Adornment;
- In 2014 the theme was Wiki Loves Africa Cuisine.
If you wonder why there is no 2018... it is not due to skipping a year. In 2014-2015-2016-2017, the contest was taking place around October-November-December. Then in 2019, we decided to move to January-February-March to better accommodate the wikimedia community calendar of photo contests ;))
Where
The project is run at the entire African continent level. However, every year, specific actions (training, communication etc.) are held in some countries with national organisers.
Prizes
At the end of the contest, some national organizers host local ceremonies and prizes (some others do not). This is up to local teams to decide if they want to host ceremonies
In any cases, there is a global jury, and global selection of international winners (usually between 3 to 5), with prizes.
In 2020, international prizes were:
- 1st prize: US$1000
- 2nd prize: US$800
- 3rd prize: US$500
Additional categories were:
- Culturally specific or traditional representations of transport or structures that facilitate transportation : US$500
- Prize for best quality video (audio and visual quality and storytelling will be taken into account): $500
Each winner will also receive a pack of goodies (proposed: a hat "I edit Wikipedia from Africa", a branded battery, stickers)
Winners and jury
2020 prizes are announced here c:Commons:Wiki Loves Africa 2020/Winners
A jury report may be consulted there