Wikipedia Asian Month 2021/FAQ

Wikipedia Asian Month (WAM) is an annual Wikipedia contest focused on the promotion of Asian content on various language-specific Wikipedias. Each participating community runs a month-long online edit-a-thon every November on their language's Wikipedia to create new content or improve existing articles about Asian topics apart from their own country.

The first iteration of this competition began in 2015 and each year the number of articles has increased and the participants have diversified and expanded. As part of the friendship and cultural exchange of the Wikipedia Asian Community, participants who create at least four articles will receive a special Wikipedia Postcard from another participating community.

The project is a one-month competition which will happen between 1 November and 30 November 2021. The project will be run (digitally) across different language Wikipedia. However, some specific events (communication etc.) will be held in some countries / communities with local organisers or partners. See Wikipedia Asian Month 2021/Events for more information.

What is the scope of this project?

More than half of the world's population lives in Asia. But their content is under-represented in Wikipedia. To address this issue, Wikipedia Asian Month promotes its participants to create content about Asian topics. This can be seen as a cultural exchange across Wikipedia editions, exposing the editors to multiple perspectives across different nations and cultures.

Who's behind it?

Wikipedia Asian Month is organised by Wikipedia Asian Month User Group, with logistical support by the members of participating local Wikipedia / Wikimedia communities in individual countries. In some communities and countries, friendly event partners have taken up an active role in organizing the online and onsite edit-a-thon.

Addis Wang first thought of Wikipedia Asian Month in 2015, and worked to coordinate the project with other Wikipedians. Today, the contest is facilitated on an international level by the Wikipedia Asian Month International Team and supported by volunteers around the world. This team develops and maintains the infrastructure that is used by organizers (i.e. Fountain tool) and ensures a smooth international finale.

All in all, Wikipedia Asian Month is organized by volunteers around the world.

Can I get some quick facts about the contest?

Sure! You can find an overview of all participating in the various years, with the number of submissions per edits on this overview page. We summarized the main information in a table on "Wikipedia Asian Month" page.

About Organizing

I don't live in an Asian country. Can I still participate?

Yes. There is no limit on that. The project welcomes participants from all over the world to increase Wikipedia's coverage of Asia.

Is my community participating in 2021?

Maybe! Check the updated participants list to find out!

Why is my community not participating in 2021?

Wikipedia Asian Month is organized in a federative manner, which means the organization depends on volunteers in each community. Enthusiastic local organizers get in contact with international team, create an event page in Wikipedia, and motivate the general public to participate.

How do I get involved?

It's really simple, easy, and fun! You can participate to the contest itself! Participants who create at least four articles will receive a special Wikipedia Asian Month Postcard from another participating community. Or, be part of a online and onsite event! In this case, please check out our events.

If you want to organize a Wikipedia Asian Month contest in your language Wikipedia, please have a look at the list of participating Wikipedia cmmunities; if you find your local Wikipedia community is already participating on the list, please contact the organizer that is listed, and get involved with them! They usually appreciate all the help they can get.

However, if your local Wikipedia is not yet on the list, it usually means that there wasn't yet enough interest or volunteer capacity in organizing a Wikipedia Asian Month contest. Now is your chance to initiate the competition! You can take a look at this documentation page of what is needed to organize Wikipedia Asian Month contest in your community.

You don't need to be a member of your local Wikimedia chapter (or user group) to organize a Wikipedia Asian Month contest in your community, but if there is a chapter (or user group) in your area, please try to approach them and get their support! On the other hand, if you are a member of your local Wikimedia chapter, please engage local edits involve the community in the project as much as possible.

My home Wikipedia is not on the list but it is already November?

You can start to run this event on your local Wikipedia any time before end of November (you don't want to launch it in last few days in November though). You can find all resources on Meta. Please Contact Jamie Li-Yun Lin or leave a message on this talk page to get help, and let us know you are in.

Where can I find relevant statistics, surveys etc?

In the past years, some statistics have been collected, and surveys have been executed. We summarized the main information in a table on "Wikipedia Asian Month" page.

Due to the spread of COVID-19, I have limited organize onsite edit-a-thon for the contest, what to do?

We encourage you to organize online edit-a-thon. This is due to the global health crisis with all Wikimedia related events being cancelled. Please, stay safe and healthy by following the restrictions imposed in your country. #StaySafe

How can I contact you ?

You have any problem can always leave questions at our Help desk, or feel free to send an email to info@asianmonth.wiki (to reach the international team). To reduce misunderstanding, please contact us in English.

I think I need help. How can you support me?

First of all, thank you for having the courage to ask for help. There is a lot of experience by now, and we all would like to see you succeed. The international team can help you with several things, especially those related to the technical part of the preparations: We set up a basic infrastructure for you for keeping track participants' progress, and can you with posting an invitation message on our Facebook, Twitter and Blog.

We can also advise on who you can approach for possible partnerships.In addition, if you feel that a brainstorming meeting with one of us present would be helpful, too, please let us know, and we'll try to help.

About Rules

What are the basic rules of articles?

In a nutshell: Create new articles relating to Asia (people, places, culture, etc.), 3,000 bytes and 300 words minimum, with sources, during November 2021. Lists do not qualify.

If an article subject (person) is Asian but not born in Asia, will it count?

No. But a person who is born in Asia but gets his/her notability outside Asia will count. (For example, a person born in Thailand who is famous for accomplishments in Europe or Africa will count.)

If an article subject (person) is not Asian but his work contributes to promote Asian culture, will it count?

Yes. People who get their notability only in Asia while born outside Asia can count. (For example, a journalist not of Asian ancestry who was born in an African, American, or European country but is famous only in Japan due to appearing on a Japanese news program would count.)

How about transcontinental countries?

Yes, but only the Asian parts of these countries. These countries include Egypt, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands. If you submit an article that is not on this list, you may talk to you local organizer and to determine if it counts for Asia.

Will my edit before November be counted from editing draft page or user subpage?

No. However, you can move the content from the draft page instead of moving the draft page.

May I provide my previous posted articles for the contest?

No, the articles have to be created and finished during the Wikipedia Asian Month. The purpose of the project is to develop new articles.

Does a list qualify?

No. Due to the complicated nature of selecting which kind of list are eligible and which are not, for simplicity of the rules, lists are not eligible. But in some Wikipedias if the list article is promoted as a featured list then it can be counted.

Can I translate articles from other languages?

Yes. As long as these Asia-related articles are new to the Wikipedia for which you are translating them, they will count.

If I write a featured article, does it mean more points?

No. This is not an article competition. However, we do encourage you to write a better quality article.

About Technology

Can an IP user participate? In other words, can users participate without having a registered Wikipedia account?

Due to the restriction of wmflab and our tool, IP users cannot participate. We strongly recommend that you register an account, which actually protects your privacy. Registration is simple and free.

How can I withdraw/remove my wrongly submitted article from the Fountain?

Ask the local jury to delete it. If they can't, contact the tool developer Le Loi.

About Postcards

How many postcards can one individual get?

Each Wikipedian who accomplishes the requirements on one Wikipedia will receive one. If the user attends the event on Wikipedias of two languages and accomplishes the requirement on both, the user will receive two postcards. The local organizer will receive one postcard for each Wikipedia the user is organizing (we need contributors to make efforts rather than just have the names on the page; maximum five each Wikipedia).

Does it mean if I create 10 articles on one Wikipedia, I will receive two postcards?

No. Four articles are the requirement to be accomplished. Additional articles are appreciated but do not increase your postcards.

What is the maximum number of postcards that a user can get?

Seven.

Which country's postcard will I receive?

The addresses will be randomly distributed, so no one knows until you receive it.

I live in or I am from one of the postcard-sending countries or regions. Can I choose to not get a postcard from that country or region?

We will give you the option when we collect the address. You can choose one country or region that you don't want your postcard sent from.

When will the postcards be sent?

Based on the records of previous years, January of next year at fastest, May at latest. Usually March to April. It may vary on which affiliate will write to you. We understand that is not a quick job, but we have limited volunteer resources. Please understand we are 100% volunteers to complete sending hundreds of cards.

If I create 15 articles, will 2 postcards sent to me by parcel of the post office?

Each Postcard Will be sent separately.

If I don't receive the postcards for three months, what should I do?

Due to the unreliable mail service in various countries, it may be possible that you don't get the postcards on time. However, we assure you that we have sent and dispatched the postcards. Please understand that this is a common issue in postcard sending.

Can postcards be tracked?

No. All the postcards will be sent as regular airmail, and not as registered. International registered mail is much expensive and our budget can’t afford it.

Should I describe my name and address in alphabet, or can I write it in characters of my language?

Address collection form asks you both one of alphabet and one of your language. Some affiliates will print out addresses in local languages of recipients. However, some systems don’t prepare all the fonts over the world. So please do remember to include your address in English alphabet.

I'm worried about my privacy...

We will only collect address information, your real name, and username, and only the address and real name will be given to the affiliate who will be sending postcards; your username will not be given. All information will be deleted immediately once the addresses have been distributed.

About Ambassadors

What do I get from being honored as "Wikipedia Asian Ambassadors"?

You will receive an additional postcard and a digital certificate! The certificate is made by stock paper, and we will scan it and send it to you. We will also copy it in regular paper and send it to you through the first class mail.

What if there are more than two people who contribute the greatest number of articles in one version of Wikipedia?

There will be only one Ambassador on each language version of Wikipedia, so the Wikipedians who contribute the same amount of articles will be re-ranked by their bytes count of total articles they created. (expanded article won't count at here.) We will consider giving the title to an additional person if the contribution is far more than average.

If I achieve the most number of articles in more than one Wikipedia, do I get multiple titles of the "Ambassador"?

You will have the title on each language version of Wikipedia where you achieve the most number of articles, while the second person on the Wikipedia you contribute fewer articles will also be honored as "Wikipedia Asian Ambassadors".