Newsletter August 2026
📸 Wiki Loves Monuments
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Wiki Loves Monuments is an international photography contest focusing on built heritage, organized by Wikimedia organizations and local volunteers. Participants photograph monuments and share their images via Wikimedia Commons so that they can be freely used on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects, as well as by third parties, provided that the author is credited and the license is properly cited.
The contest takes place annually in more than 50 countries. In addition to the national editions, the best photos are also judged internationally and are eligible for additional prizes. In this way, Wiki Loves Monuments helps make our cultural heritage visible and freely available.
The 2026 edition runs from September 1 through September 30. Anyone can participate; in a previous edition, someone even won after uploading just a single photo.
🏆 Become a judge!
In October, we’ll once again be looking for judges to evaluate the photos from our four photo contests.
As a jury member, you will participate in three rounds of judging and contribute to a joint final report. We expect jury members to be sufficiently and punctually available during the four weeks in October to complete the various rounds and the final report. Plan on spending a few hours per round.
Everything takes place entirely online, so you don't have to go anywhere or install anything. Each juror can get started individually and at their own pace. However, jurors must have a Wikimedia user account.
📸 Does this sound like you, and do you have an eye for striking images and cultural heritage? Let us know your Wikimedia username!
Wikimedian in Residence at the Museum of Industry and House of Alijn
The Wikimedian in Residence collaborated with staff from both museums on a systematic approach to making their collections accessible via Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia, and Wikidata. The goal was not only to post as many images online as possible, but above all to make the collections easier to find, enrich the metadata, and link museum objects to the broader body of knowledge on the Wikimedia platforms.
And that paid off big time
At the Museum of Industry, 289 reproductions of Belgian printing works, 542 Bakelite collection items, 2,953 objects from the passementerie collection, and 416 objects from the enamel collection, among other items, were made available on Wikimedia Commons. In addition, dozens of Wikidata items were created, and existing data was corrected and supplemented.
The Huis van Alijn also took important first steps on the Wikimedia platforms. For example, 791 photographs and glass negatives by Arnold Vander Haeghen were added, and a large collection of circus heritage was made accessible. The collaboration also served as the basis for a number of Wiki Cafés, where staff and volunteers worked together to write Wikipedia articles and improve existing pages.
For example, the Wiki Café on Belgian printing companies resulted in 6 new Wikipedia articles, 20 improved articles, and 21 new references. During the sessions on bakelite, three new articles about Belgian manufacturers were created, and no fewer than 56 pages were expanded. And on International Women’s Day, 22 participants worked on articles about women in industry and the circus, resulting in 25 new articles.
More than just uploads
An important part of this project was finding a sustainable way to move forward with this initiative. For this reason, work was also done on a practical guide to making collections accessible via Wikimedia. The guide covers topics such as copyright, metadata, OpenRefine, categories, file names, and the organization of Wiki Cafés.
The study also examined how the Industry Museum’s heritage library could be made accessible in the future through Wikimedia Commons and Wikisource.
And perhaps that is the most important outcome: the thousands of objects and images available today are not the end goal. They are the beginning of new connections between collections, Wikipedia articles, Wikidata, and the people who want to use and expand this knowledge. More information.
Le FritKot: French-speaking Wikimedia volunteers come together
Le FritKot aims to become an informal, virtual meeting place for French-speaking Wikimedia users in Belgium. The goal is to build connections, share experiences and technical knowledge, and eventually organize activities together.
In addition, the group aims to strengthen its collaboration with external partners, such as museums, universities, and other organizations. Wikimedia Belgium supports this initiative.
👉 Are you a French speaker (or bilingual) and active in the Wikimedia community? Check out Le FritKot and join this new initiative!
CAPITAL CONNECTS: Inspiration and Innovation for the Youth Sector in Brussels
CAPITAL is a Brussels-based youth hub located in a former textile factory near the IJzer metro station, founded by entrepreneur Hassan Al Hilou. Young people aged 15 to 30 can go there to discover their talents and further develop themselves. Through coaching, mentoring, training, internships, jobs, and entrepreneurship, CAPITAL helps young people find their way in the job market and in society.
To this end, the hub collaborates with schools, businesses, youth organizations, and employment agencies such as Actiris, among others. Spanning 2,000 m², CAPITAL offers, among other things, a community center, coworking spaces, an incubator, and a virtual reality experience that allows young people to explore different sectors of the job market.
CAPITAL CONNECTS focuses primarily on the question of how young people can continue to be offered sufficient opportunities in the future and how public and private partners can collaborate to achieve this.
📅 September 24, 2026
📍 CAPITAL, Brussels
Agenda
Wiki Cafés Bring West Flemish War Memorials to Wikipedia
During three Wiki Cafés in September, anyone can help document the stories behind these monuments and make them accessible on Wikipedia. You can use source material, and you’ll receive guidance and practical help with writing an article. No prior experience with Wikipedia is necessary.
📅 September 13, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. – In Flanders Fields Museum, Ypres
📅 September 17, 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. – Museum aan de IJzer, Diksmuide
📅 September 24, 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. – Passchendaele Museum, Zonnebeke
Participation is free, but advance registration is required. Bring your laptop and create a Wikipedia account in advance.
👉 Help write an article and give a West Flemish war memorial a place on Wikipedia. More info and sign up
50 Years of the Industrial Museum: Help Write 50 Wikipedia Pages
During the Industry Festival, we’ll be working together again. The challenge: to create, edit, or translate 50 Wikipedia pages. In this way, we’ll bring attention to underrepresented topics in socioeconomic, technical, and industrial history and make the museum’s rich collection and expertise accessible to a wide audience.
Both experienced Wikipedians and beginners are welcome. You can participate at the museum or from home.
Practical Information
- 📅 Friday, September 25th, and Saturday, September 26th, 2026
- 🕙 10:00 a.m.– 1:00 p.m. and/or 2:00 p.m.– 5:00 p.m.
- 🎟️ Free admission, but on-site seating is limited
- ✍️ You can participate in one or more sessions
- 🏠 You can also participate from home
Register for free using the registration form.
Combine your writing session with the Industry Festival
The Industry Museum’s 50th anniversary will be celebrated with a major Industry Festival on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27. The program includes free exhibits, guided tours, walking tours, and workshops for all ages. View the full program for the Industry Festival here.
Edit-a-thon on Women on Wikipedia in Liège
On Saturday, September 26, Les Territoires de la Mémoire and the Bibliothèque encyclopédique de Liège (B3) are organizing a special Wikipedia edit-a-thon on the theme of “matrimoine.” Together with Wikimedia Belgium, participants will work to create and improve Wikipedia articles about women.
Although Wikipedia is one of the most-visited websites in the world, only about 20% of its biographies are about women. During this edit-a-thon, you’ll receive guidance, and no prior knowledge is required.
Families are also welcome: games are being organized as part of the "Encyclopédie des femmes" project.
📅 Saturday, September 26
⏰ 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
📍 B3, Place des Arts 1, 4020 Liège
✉️ Advance registration is required for the edit-a-thon via email. The family activities are open to the public.
Want more info? You can read all about it on the Territoires de Memoire website.
Write women out of the margins!
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Among others, we are focusing on Goudina van Weert and Judith Lubertsdr, for whom there are currently no Wikipedia articles. The Heritage Library houses an impressive collection of books by female authors from the Dutch-speaking world and far beyond, dating from the late fifteenth century to the present day. Some of these sources will be made available specifically for this writing day.
Experienced Wikipedians will provide guidance, inspiration, and coffee, tea, and cookies. Would you rather not write a full article? Even small edits and additions can help make Wikipedia more comprehensive and up-to-date.
📅 September 12, 2026
📍 Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library, Antwerp
📝 Advance registration is required and is open until September 1st. Space is limited.
Tip: Create a Wikipedia account in advance if you don't already have one. Be sure to bring a warm sweater or cardigan: the temperature in the library is kept around 18 °C to protect the books.
Contact us
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+32 471 82 20 26 (voice/sms/Signal/Telegram/WhatsApp)
Enterprise 0563.775.480 – RPR Brussel
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info@wikimedia.be