Wikipedia Training Webinar for International Women's Day
On March 9, 2025, the Iranian Wikimedians User Group organized a Wikipedia training webinar to celebrate International Women's Day. This event was held in conjunction with the "Women in Red" initiative, a Wikipedia writing competition aimed at expanding articles related to women. The competition focuses on creating articles that do not yet exist on Wikipedia (red links) and strives to reduce the gender gap in Wikipedia content.
The competition runs from March 8 (18 Esfand) to April 8 (18 Farvardin) on Persian Wikipedia, during which participants contribute by writing articles about women.
Event Highlights
[edit]The webinar was streamed live on YouTube, Kick, Twitch, Instagram, X, and the Wikimedia Iran website, attracting 546 live viewers.
The event began with a speech by Mahnaz Afshar, an artist and social activist, who discussed the challenges faced by women in Iran. She emphasized that despite numerous social restrictions, Iranian women continue to be active in various fields, balancing motherhood and marital roles while also pursuing independent professional and personal projects.
Following this, Sahar Tousi, an athlete and social activist, shared her experiences as part of the "Girls of Tomorrow" campaign. She spoke about her journey as the first Iranian woman to cycle 2,000 kilometers from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf alone, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of girls' education. She stressed that drawing attention to women's activities is a responsibility for all members of society, not just women.
Lastly, Darafsh, a member of the Iranian Wikimedians User Group, provided an introduction to Wikipedia, explaining how individuals can participate in the writing contest. He then presented a step-by-step guide on how to create and edit articles on Persian Wikipedia, offering practical insights for attendees.
This webinar successfully equipped participants with the knowledge to contribute to Persian Wikipedia, furthering the goals of gender inclusivity and representation on the platform.