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.
The project is a one-month competition which will happen between 1 November and 31 December 2022. 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 2022/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 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.
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 Barnstar from the international team, and maybe gifts 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 Reke Wang 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 and Twitter.
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: Any new edits of Asian related content (people, places, culture, etc.)over 3,000 bytes, with sources, during November to December 2022.
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?
We strongly recommend that you register an account, which actually protects your privacy. Registration is simple and free.
About Barnstars
How many Barnstars can one individual get?
Each Wikipedian who accomplishes the requirements on one Wikipedia will receive one. However, if you contribute the greated number of articles in one version of Wikipedia, you will receive another special Barnstar(similar to Ambassador).
