Newsletter October 2025
Why is Dutch so strongly represented on Wikipedia?
Chairman Geert Van Pamel of Wikimedia Belgium discussed this in the VRT program Zijn er nog vragen? – an engaging conversation about volunteers, reliability, and the role of AI within Wikipedia.
According to Geert, there are three main reasons for this:
- A particularly active community. Dutch-language Wikimedia volunteers have long been a driving force behind countless contributions and improvements.
- Country-specific content. Since Wikipedia operates by language, there are separate pages for topics that differ between countries, such as taxes, political systems, or education. This results in more articles in the same language.
- Breadth over depth. While English-language articles are often very detailed, the Dutch-language community tends to prefer shorter, more accessible contributions — which leads to a higher number of articles.
Who actually writes these articles?
Wikipedia runs entirely on volunteers, with around 260,000 people worldwide. Statistically, that’s about 50 active contributors per million speakers of a language — people who make at least three edits per month.
The backgrounds of our volunteers are diverse: some focus on trains, heritage, or politics, while others concentrate solely on improving language or structure.
How is quality ensured?
Every change on Wikipedia is recorded in an article’s history. This allows volunteers to easily revert incorrect contributions. Errors are often noticed quickly because real-time notifications exist for new edits. In addition, specialized volunteers continuously monitor recent changes, and any edit can be undone with a single click.
The Role of AI and Technology
Even before the rise of artificial intelligence, Wikipedia used scripts to detect vandalism — for example, when someone deliberately or accidentally deletes text. Today, AI also helps assess the quality of articles: systems count the number of references, check the structure of the article, and analyze the internal links. The more complete the organization, the higher the score.
And what about Geert himself?
When asked whether he has his own Wikipedia page, Van Pamel replied with a smile: “You may create it, but I’m not allowed to write about myself.” A nice nod to the neutrality that the community values so highly.
Listen to the full interview here.
Computers Meetup – Share Your Story with the Industry Museum
On Sunday, November 16, 2025, the museum is hosting a Computers Meetup, a welcoming afternoon for everyone involved in the rise of computer technology. From business leaders to technicians, from IT specialists to programmers, from employees to pioneers who opened their first computer shops — all are welcome.
In addition to a friendly chat over coffee and cake, you can also share your story in the chat lounge: what was it like to work with the first computers? Which devices do you still remember? How did things change over the years?
Those who wish can join a guided introductory tour of the Industry Museum beforehand, passing by rattling printing presses and thundering looms, all the way to the Exhibition On People and Machines.
This meetup offers a preview of the new temporary exhibition on computers that the museum will open in 2026. It will highlight information technology of the past, present, and future — with special attention to Belgian innovations and forgotten stories.
📅 When: Sunday, November 16, 2025, from 2 to 5 PM
📍 Where: Industry Museum, Ghent
💸 Price: free
🧾 Register: before November 9 via info@industriemuseum.be, 09 323 65 00, or through the online registration form
💡 Can’t attend but still want to share your story?
You can do that too! Just submit your contribution via the form on the website.
👉 Read all the details and register!
Training: Introduction to Wikidata and OpenRefine
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On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Wikimedia Belgium, in collaboration with meemoo and the Department of Transport & Mobility at KU Leuven, is organizing a training course Introduction to Wikidata and OpenRefine in Leuven. The course is taught in Dutch.
This hands-on training is designed for those who want to work with open data, make collections accessible, or learn how Wikidata can serve as a foundation for Wikipedia projects and edit-a-thons.
Program
10:00 – 12:30
- Introduction to Wikidata
- Wikibase
- Wikipedia & Wikimedia Commons
- Reasonator
- Wikidata Query
- Short links
- QRpedia
12:30 – 13:30
- Lunch (free, included)
13:30 – 16:00
- ListeriaBot
- WDFIST
- OpenRefine
The session offers both theoretical explanations and practical exercises. You will learn how to prepare data from collections for Wikidata, how to link it to existing information, and how tools like OpenRefine help improve the quality and consistency of data.
📍 Location:
Transport & Mobility Leuven
Diestsesteenweg 71, 3010 Leuven, Belgium
🕒 Date & Time:
Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 10:00 AM – 16:00 PM
💡 Important: registration is mandatory due to the limited number of spots and the free lunch. If you are unable to attend, please unregister.
War Diaries: Forgotten Voices from WWII
About the fear in air-raid shelters, secret crushes while bombs fell, and the small acts of hope that kept people going. Diaries from World War II reveal not only what happened, but above all, how it felt.
But time is running out. Every day, more of these unique testimonies are lost — left forgotten in boxes, drawers, or basements, or even discarded unknowingly. That’s why Archiefpunt is launching the project *War Diaries*: an urgent call to everyone in Flanders to search at home for diaries, letters, or notes from the war years.
"What may seem like just an old notebook today could tomorrow be the key to understanding our past," says Janna Aerts from Archiefpunt. "If we don’t save these voices now, they will be lost forever."
War diaries tell stories that can’t be found anywhere else: from the shopkeeper lying awake over empty shelves, to a teenager receiving his first cigarette from a German officer, to a young mother trying to protect her children. These are not grand political analyses, but intimate glimpses into daily life during one of the darkest periods in our history.
It is precisely this personal tone that makes these documents so valuable. They enrich the historical narrative with individual perspectives — providing an important complement to the broad strokes already known from official sources.
That’s why Archiefpunt, together with various partners, is collecting as many war diaries as possible to register, preserve, and make them accessible for research, education, and creative projects.
Do you have a diary, letter, or notebook from the war years — with you or in your family? Get in touch with us!
Together, we ensure that these voices are not lost, but find a lasting place in our collective memory. Because together, we preserve the future.
#100wikiwomenchallenge 2025–2026: Together We Write Women into History
Starting November 29, 2025, we challenge everyone to join a special tradition: for 100 days, publish one article each day about a woman — or about a topic related to women.
The goal?
Increasing the visibility of women on Wikipedia and closing the gender gap in knowledge. Because although women make up half of the world’s population, that balance is far from reflected on Wikipedia.
How does it work?
The challenge is simple but powerful:
🗓️ Choose a day from the list and write an article
✍️ Publish the article on your chosen day before 6:00 PM
🌍 Then add your article to the main gender gap results list.
Everyone can participate — whether you’re an experienced Wikipedian or just starting out. And if you’re enthusiastic, feel free to sign up for multiple days!
Need Inspiration?
On the wishlist, you’ll find dozens of names of women who don’t yet have an article. From overlooked scientists to contemporary artists — there’s plenty of inspiration to fill 100 days.
Extra motivation
Those who register before December 1, 2025 have a chance to win a nice gift. The winner will be announced on March 8, 2026 – International Women’s Day.
Why participate?
With each new article about a woman, you help make digital history more complete. Together, we show that knowledge is truly powerful only when everyone is represented.
➡ Want to contribute or learn more?
Wikipedia in a Changing Internet Landscape
The Wikimedia Foundation is closely monitoring these global trends. A recent report explains how these changes affect Wikimedia projects, what actions are being taken, and how you can contribute.
📊 A Clearer Picture of ‘Human Traffic’
Wikipedia receives billions of pageviews every month. To understand how many come from real visitors (and not bots), the Foundation uses advanced detection systems. In 2025, it was found that part of the traffic — especially from Brazil — actually came from bots posing as humans. After correcting the data, there is a decline of about 8% in human visits compared to 2024.
This decline reflects a broader trend: people increasingly get their answers directly through AI or social media, often based on the knowledge that Wikipedia volunteers have built.
🌍 A Shifting Internet
More and more people are using platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and AI chatbots to find knowledge. As a result, many open knowledge projects see less direct traffic. Yet Wikipedia remains an indispensable resource: nearly all major language models train on Wikipedia data, and our information forms the foundation for countless digital applications worldwide.
Wikipedia is therefore still present everywhere — even if people visit the site itself less often. But fewer visitors also means fewer volunteers and less support. That’s why it remains important for everyone to know where knowledge comes from, and that free knowledge relies on a community of real people to keep growing.
🧩 What Does the Wikimedia Foundation Do?
To respond to these changes:
- The use of Wikipedia data by third parties is better regulated and monitored (e.g., via Wikimedia Enterprise)
- New teams are emerging to experiment with ways to reach readers and volunteers through mobile devices, games, videos, and social platforms
- Efforts are focused on improving the experience for new editors and younger audiences.
🤝 What Can You Do?
Stay curious, follow the sources, and talk about the importance of reliable, human-curated knowledge. Volunteers can also experiment with the new Reader Growth and Reader Experience teams.
👉 You can follow their experiments and provide feedback via their discussion pages or newsletter.
After 25 years, Wikipedia remains a unique project: an open, human, and transparent platform that feeds the internet with reliable knowledge — today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
➡️ Read the full post on Diff
Wikipedia Under Fire: Trump Camp Wants to Build Its Own Encyclopedia
According to Trump advisor David Sacks, the encyclopedia is “led by left-wing activists,” prompting Elon Musk to announce that his AI model Grok will build an alternative: Grokipedia, “free from woke bias.”
The attack fits into a broader pattern. Think of the criticism of traditional media and social networks, which conservative voices claim are too progressive. Now it is Wikipedia's turn — one of the most visited websites in the world and a key source for search engines and AI systems.
The Wikimedia Foundation emphasizes that the encyclopedia is built openly and voluntarily by millions of contributors worldwide, and that neutrality remains the guiding principle. “We hope that this moment contributes to a better understanding of how Wikipedia works,” said a spokesperson.
At a time when AI, politics, and media increasingly clash over what is true, Wikipedia remains a unique platform: sharing knowledge, not owning it.
Agenda
🗓️ Wikipedia writing session: Santé – beer culture in the spotlight
As part of the Santé project, Erfgoedcel Denderland is organizing fun Wikipedia writing sessions about the region's rich beer culture.
Together, we dive into stories about breweries and pubs from Denderland and make them visible on Wikipedia.
No experience necessary — we will assist you with resources, laptops, and guidance.
📍 November 29, 2025 — De Cabere, Gotegemstraat 17, Haaltert
📍 December 13, 2025 — Grand Café Des Arcades, Statieplein 8, 9300 Aalst
🕐 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
📧 Register via info@erfgoedceldenderland.be
👀 Read more about it here.
💡 WikidataCon 2025 – Save the Date!
October 31 – November 2, 2025 – online
The WikidataCon 2025, organized by Wikimedia Deutschland, will once again bring together the global Wikidata community!
This three-day online conference focuses on open data: projects, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across domains—from research to heritage institutions.
Anyone can participate in the online program, with contributions from all corners of the world. Local groups are encouraged to organize their own satellite events.
📅 When: October 31 – November 2, 2025
💻 Where: Online (with local satellite events)
🔗 Program: pretalx.com/wikidatacon-2025/schedule
➡️ More information will follow via the WikidataCon page.
itWikiCon 2025 – Catania, November 7–9
This year, the conference will take place in the heart of Catania, in the beautiful Palazzo Biscari, with additional activities and guided tours from November 4 to 10. The conference is organized with the support of Wikimedia Italia and Wikimedia Switzerland, under the patronage of the Region of Sicily.
📅 When: November 7–9, 2025
📍 Where: Palazzo Biscari, Catania (Italy)
🔗 More info: itWikiCon 2025
Contact us
Wikimedia Belgium NPO (WMBE)
Antwerpselaan 40 Boulevard d'Anvers B-1000 Brussel/Bruxelles
+32 471 82 20 26 (voice/sms/Signal/Telegram/WhatsApp)
Enterprise 0563.775.480 – RPR Brussel
www.wikimedia.be •
info@wikimedia.be