Wikimania 2025, the annual global gathering celebrating Wikipedia, other Wikimedia projects, and the volunteers who make them possible has concluded in Nairobi after four days of discussions, workshops, and community exchanges.
From 6th –9th August, Wikimania celebrated its 20th anniversary and its first edition in East Africa. It drew over 2,300 participants, including 776 in person and more than 1,600 online.
Nearly 300,000 volunteers create and maintain Wikimedia projects, which collectively receive over 22 billion views each month. Nearly 260,000 people edit Wikipedia every month in more than 300 languages. They collaborate openly to keep content neutral, reliable, and fact-based.
Theme and Participation
The 2025 theme, “Wikimania@20: Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability.”, focused on the future of Wikimedia projects and the communities that sustain them. Hosted by Wikimedians from across East Africa and the Wikimedia Foundation. The event highlighted the region’s growing contributions to open knowledge. Nearly half of attendees [48%] were under 34, reflecting strong youth engagement alongside experienced contributors.
Programme Highlights
Wikimedian of the Year Awards: Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales recognized eight exceptional volunteers for their contributions to Wikimedia projects.
AI in Open Knowledge: A keynote panel featuring African technology experts explored how open knowledge communities can navigate advances in artificial intelligence while maintaining core values.
Language and Accessibility Efforts: Sessions addressed preserving languages on Wikimedia platforms, collaborations with the UN to improve content accessibility, and partnerships with libraries.
Looking Ahead
Wikimania 2026 will be held in Paris, France, in a hybrid format, coinciding with Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary.
The full programme and recordings from Wikimania 2025 are available online.
