Wikimedia Armenia/Reports/2013-09

	May
	Jun
	Jul
	Aug
	Sep
	Oct
	Nov
	Dec
	2014

2013
September

Wiki loves Monuments 2013

WLM Armenian logo

In 2013, Armenia took part in Wiki loves Monuments contest for the first time. The contest was organized and coordinated in Armenia by Wikimedia Armenia. Earlier Armenian Parliament had already amended Armenian law on copyright to allow freedom of panorama in Armenia by the initiative of WMAM. Nagorno Karabakh also joined Wiki loves Monuments contest with Armenia. But as there is no FoP in Nagorno-Karabakh, it was taken photos of monuments whose architect died before 1944.

Photographing in Real School of Shushi

Armenia has about 25 000 state-registered monuments. Most of these are not widely known; many are hidden in forests, mountains and rocks, and some are unfortunately endangered. Armenian participants of the contest faced the challenge to find monuments in the lists, photograph them and upload them to Wikipedia Commons (for most of the participants it was their first time to contribute to any Wikimedia project).

On September 4th invitation of WLM press conference was made. Press conference took part in UCOM central office on 5th. During September 2013 photo-walks were organized in various Armenian cities and towns including Yerevan, Goris, Shushi, Vanadzor and Gyumri. Young people from these cities formed small groups, searched for monuments in and around their cities and took photos. On 15th September after the photo-walks in Shushi, participants met the head of tourism and historical heritage preservation department of NKR, S. Shahverdyan. They discussed different points on preservation of cultural and historical heritage status in NKR. In Yerevan, on September 7th there in the framework of WLM was also organized a flash-mob, where participants took photos of various Yerevan monuments.

From September 1st, when the contest started, to September 30th, when it ended, the Armenian participants of Wiki Loves Monuments submitted 23,920 photographs. Armenia gained the 4th place among the countries that participated with respect to number of pictures uploaded and came after Poland, Germany and Ukraine.

The 372,145 images were submitted by 11,943 participants from all over the world. Among the top 100 uploaders submitting the largest number of photographs 9 were from Armenia; 6 of the uploaded more than 1000 photographs each, and two others - users Vahag851 and Arman musikyan uploaded more than 4000 each.

Most of the photographs submitted from Armenia were uploaded on September 30th and constituted some 4316 photos. The winners of Wiki Loves Monuments 2013 in Armenia were announced on November 23, 2013 during an Award ceremony.

• See more details on WLM2013 Armenia grant report

Wiki loves Monuments workshops

WLM events gave possibility to take photos of different cultural and historic monuments and those photos must be uploaded in Wiki Commons. But many of the participants of WLM event did not master uploading tools. Hence it was planned to arrange workshops where participants would master photo uploading tools of WC. Workshops were organized in Vanadzor, Stepanakert, Goris, Gyumri and Yerevan.

• 
  WLM workshop in Vanadzor
• 
  WLM workshop in Stepanakert
• 
  WLM workshop in Goris

Preparation for Wiki Conference 2013 Yerevan

WCY 2013 guest Vojtěch Dostál with conference t-shirt

In September the major part of preparations for Wiki Conference Yerevan 2013 (WCY2013) were done. Selection of presentation was made from total of 31 submissions (15 presentations and 5 workshops). On 1st September cooperation was arranged with Antares publishing house to print translated wiki-brochures, banners and flyers. WCY2013 t-shirts also were printed. On 30th September registration for attendees closed. All preparations have been completed for welcoming and receiving the guests.

Digitization of SAE

Digitization of SAE, which started in July 2013, is still in process. During September digitization of the volume 5 was completed.

Introduction of Wikipedia in AYB school

AYB school bulding

One of the general objectives of WMAM is the support of knowledge and education in Armenia, using wiki resources and tools, create and disseminate open content. Ahead of Wikimedia Education program Wikimedia Armenia organized a meeting with AYB school, Yerevan, which was previously arranged in July. On September 12th during the meeting WMAM president Susanna Mkrtchyan and volunteers Lilit Tarkhanyan, Dato Abuladze made an introduction in Wikipedia and told about wiki movement spread in Armenia. Susanna Mkrtchyan and AYB school directorate made some agreements about further cooperation and AYB school involvement in educational program of wiki.