Newsletter January 2026
🎉 A spectacular start to 2026! Wikipedia turns 25... what a media storm!
From radio to television, from newspapers to online articles, stories about a quarter century of free knowledge appeared everywhere. It is heartwarming to see how many people, editorial teams, and volunteers are involved in this story and how widely it is supported.
One of the items that really stands out for Wikimedia Belgium is the interview with Nyo Dekens, Belgium's youngest moderator.
This report shows why Wikipedia still touches so many people after 25 years. Not because of big numbers or technical milestones, but because of the people behind the screen.
We see Nyo talking about why he shares his time and knowledge without expecting anything in return. It shows that Wikipedia is a living community of volunteers, a story of collaboration, curiosity, and belief in the idea that knowledge makes the world a better place.
You can watch the full clip here.
And… the party isn't over yet!
On June 19, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Dutch Wikipedia, which we are also very much looking forward to. In the coming months, we will be paying extra attention to this, together with you, our community of writers, editors, readers, and enthusiasts.
"You shouldn't do it for glory, Wikipedia. You should do it because you want to share free knowledge with people. I give back to the community because I also gain a lot of knowledge from it myself." - Nyo Dekens
We are happy to take this beautiful message from Nyo with us as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Dutch-language broadcasting on June 19.
Would you like to see all the items related to the 25th anniversary? Make sure to check out the list below:
- VRT visited during Public Domain Day at the KBR in Brussels
- Radio 1 interview with Michiel Hendryckx, himself an avid Wikipedian
- Eva & Dries from StuBru create their own Wikipedia page and talk about Wikipedia throughout the show.
- More from Eva and Dries
- Wikipedia turns 25: a celebration in difficult times due to AI chatbots - ICT Magazine
The Eva & Dries page has since been taken offline again... Which of our volunteers will breathe new life into it?
Public Domain Day 2026: celebrating, exploring, and looking ahead
_Belgium_04.jpg)
The 2026 edition was particularly successful, with a keynote speech by Bartolomeo Meletti (CREATe), a European and Belgian track' and 'practical workshops. In his lecture Origins of the Public Domain, Meletti emphasized that public domain should be the rule, not the exception. This vision is enshrined in the European Directive (EU) 2019/790, which states that digitization does not alter the public domain status of works. Brigitte Vezina (Creative Commons) called on heritage institutions to sign the Open Heritage Statement to ensure equal access to visual heritage.
The Belgian track' presented inspiring practical examples, with contributions from, among others, KBR, meemoo, KU Leuven, Huis van Alijn and the Industriemuseum, often in collaboration with Wikimedia. Bram De Ridder (Sunken Towers) showed how public domain images can be reused creatively and commercially. Critical reflection came from Wikipedians Alf van Beem and Jos Damen, who called for a stronger Belgian presence on Wikimedia Commons.
The day ended on a festive note with the presentation of the Wiki Loves Heritage 2025 prize by Geert Van Pamel, with the winner being Herman Van den Broeck's Nostalgic Café in Wieze.
👉 You can read about the Belgian track soon at kennisbank.meemoo.be].
👉 The international program can be viewed online.
Public Domain Day 2026 reaffirmed how important Wikimedia platforms are in making public domain material visible, discoverable, and reusable.
🎪 Wikithon Smells Like Circus: three days of writing, sharing, and discovering
" Circus in Flanders is flourishing and growing in all its diversity and variety. During the Smells Like Circus festival in Ghent, we shared that knowledge on the worldwide web, wrote new articles, and supplemented existing articles on circus heritage, contemporary companies and artists, and the broader circus landscape. ” - Liv Laveyne, Flemish Center for Circus Arts vzw
The goal was clear: to make more circus knowledge accessible to everyone. The participants worked collectively to write and enrich Wikipedia articles, supporting these new additions with photos, data, and collection material.
In the run-up to the event, the Huis van Alijn made a large number of circus objects available via Wikimedia Commons, and new Wikidata items were added for circuses, artists, and related professions.
The results are impressive:
- 7 new Wikipedia pages created
- 21 existing pages edited
- 544 uploads to Wikimedia Commons
- 9 enthusiastic editors
A successful edition that once again demonstrates how valuable the collaboration between the cultural sector and the Wikimedia community is.
🌍 She Leads Circle
On January 12, we delved into the theme of Gender-Inclusive Volunteerism, focusing in particular on the question of how we can keep our movement future-proof and truly inclusive.
This first She Leads Circle of 2026 was led by two strong voices from our movement: Maryana Iskandar, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, and Sandra Rientjes, former Executive Director of Wikimedia Netherlands.
Together, they created an open and safe space where women from across the Wikimedia community could share their experiences, insights, and questions about gender-inclusive volunteering.
👩💻 Younger generations, new habits
A striking topic of discussion was how dramatically the way young people search for information is changing. "Young people use the internet differently: YouTube instead of Google, for example."' The message was clear: we need more inviting "front doors" to attract new volunteers, and we must remain alert to the digital, social, and geopolitical changes around us.
🌱 Inclusion is more than numbers
It remains difficult to increase the number of female editors, but the culture is changing. Safe, social spaces where women can meet each other are effective. Inclusion is not just about presence, but about who is heard and taken seriously.
🎙️ Leadership & experimenting
There is no magic solution to the gender gap. But there is a need to experiment: "It's okay to fail, as long as we learn from it and don't keep making the same mistakes." Good leadership means lowering barriers, supporting participation, and actively making room for diverse voices.
🤝 Maintaining engagement
To encourage long-term participation, safe subgroups, active outreach, appreciation, and clear guidance are helpful. Many women are less likely to ask questions in public spaces; conscious moderation helps with this.
🎉 25 years of Wikipedia
During the call, Wiki@25 was also discussed. Maryana summed it up beautifully: "When you look at the history of Wikipedia, you see that we have been able to build this by always remaining courageous. I hope we can hold on to that courage for at least another 25 years, and that change does not scare us away."
"Don't be discouraged, this isn't the beginning of the end. Above all, don't forget to make friends and have fun; that will get you through the tough times."
A warm reminder of what has made our movement great: courage, resilience, and above all... community.
Agenda
🔬 International Day of Women and Girls in Science
This year, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science is themed "From vision to impact: Redefining STEM by closing the gender gap."
On February 11th 2026, a hybrid, one-day conference will take place at UNESCO Headquarters. Speakers from a variety of fields, ranging from health and cybersecurity to AI and scientific entrepreneurship, will share practical examples that demonstrate how the gender gap can be effectively reduced.
The event is organized in collaboration with Femmes@Numérique and focuses on how new and emerging technologies are shaping the future of STEM and what role they play in strengthening gender equality.
You can register for the event here.
Discover the powerful video in which people are asked "What is your message to girls who dream of a career in science?"
🫱🏻🫲🏻Wikimeet Ghent – February 28, 2026
.jpg)
Would you like to get to know Ghent's city treasures and the Wiki community in an informal setting? On Saturday, February 28, we will explore Ghent together during our Wikimeet. This time, it will not be a Wikithon, but a pleasant gathering focused on meeting new people.
We start with a relaxed city walk past some of Ghent's iconic and lesser-known spots. Along the way, we are given fascinating explanations about the city, its history, and its surprising stories.
This Wikimeet is ideal for anyone who likes to catch up, meet new people, or simply enjoy an educational moment in good company.
Everyone is welcome, from experienced Wikimedians to curious newcomers.
More practical details (time, departure point, etc.) will follow shortly.
📅 Wikipedia writing session for International Women's Day
Help create a more female-friendly Wikipedia
This year, no fewer than 16 organizations are participating: a record! Across Flanders, you can join accessible, guided writing sessions where you will learn how to write, improve, or supplement an article.
👉 Discover where you can contribute on the project page
Together, we make Wikipedia a little more feminine and inclusive every day. Will you join us?
🚀 Wikimedia Hackathon Northwestern Europe 2026
During the event, the focus will be on developing, experimenting, and sharing knowledge together. The open, flexible structure leaves plenty of room for individual initiatives, collaborations, and grassroots projects.
The hackathon is organized by volunteers from Wikimedia Netherlands, with support from the Wikimedia Foundation and Wikimedia Deutschland.
👉 Interested?
Participation is free, including catering. The event is aimed at participants from Northwest Europe with experience in coding, hacking, and development.
📝 Registration was open until February 1, 2026(or earlier if full).
🔗 You can register and find all the information about selection criteria, participants, and projects via the application form and the participant page.
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