WOW. Serious big achievement ! Congratulations for this amazing
partnership !
Flo
Le 17/06/2025 à 19:22, James Rhoda a écrit :
Dear All,
We are excited to announce the launch of the WikiHeritage Fellowship,
a transformative initiative aimed at improving access to Nigeria’s
historical records.
Through a strategic collaboration between Wikimedia UG Nigeria
(registered as Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation), the Young Innovation
Leaders (YIL) Initiative, and the Lagos State Records and Archives
Bureau (LASRAB), this fellowship seeks to unearth, digitise, and
publish rare archival documents as open knowledge resources on
platforms like Wikipedia.
We designed this idea to preserve and digitise hundreds of historical
records, including manuscripts, letters, maps, and public documents
that have remained largely inaccessible to the public. The goal is to
ensure that Nigerian history is no longer confined to physical vaults
but is made openly available and accessible to students, educators,
researchers, and the global public.
*The partnership brings together:*
• Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation contributes its expertise in free
knowledge dissemination and a robust volunteer community to enrich
Wikipedia and its sister projects with verified historical content.
• The Young Innovation Leaders (YIL) Initiative provides leadership
development, youth engagement, and digital literacy training.
• The Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB) offers access
to rare archival resources and provides institutional support for
their proper digitisation and preservation.
This collaboration is also strategically aimed at making pre-Internet
archival resources available in digital formats, enabling them to be
used as citable, verifiable sources to enhance the quality and depth
of historical content about Lagos and Nigeria on Wikipedia and similar
knowledge platforms.
"We believe that our history should not be hidden in vaults. This
project is about preserving our heritage and making it openly
available, responsibly and accurately," said Olushola Olaniyan,
President of the Wikimedia Nigeria Foundation.
The project emerged as a strategic response to the critical lack of
authoritative and reliable sources supporting the online documentation
of Nigeria's history. It aims to fill the gap in verifiable
information and promote balanced storytelling about the country's
past. The project will premiere in Lagos, widely regarded as one of
Nigeria's most culturally rich, technologically advanced, and
administratively structured states, making it an ideal starting point
for this ambitious undertaking.
*Key Highlights of the Project*
• Digitisation of Archival Records: Hundreds of rare historical
documents will be digitised and preserved for unrestricted public use.
• Wikipedia Content Enrichment: Primary source materials will be
integrated into Wikipedia articles to enhance the accuracy and depth
of information.
• Community Engagement: Volunteers will participate in public
edit-a-thons and workshops to gain skills in historical documentation
and digital preservation.
• Youth Empowerment: Young journalists and fellows will benefit from a
series of training programs in Wikipedia editing, leadership, and
archival research.
*Fellowship Program Launch*
As part of this initiative, the organising partners are pleased to
announce the launch of a Fellowship Program, which will run from June
18 to June 30, 2025. The fellowship will train selected participants
in archival research, leadership, and digital documentation, preparing
them to serve as custodians of Nigeria's historical legacy.
A Model for National Impact
This collaboration is expected to serve as a model for future
public-private knowledge-sharing partnerships, aligning with broader
goals around open data, digital citizenship, and cultural
preservation. By empowering communities and expanding access to
historical information, the initiative is poised to leave a lasting
impact on how Nigeria's history is preserved, taught, and shared.
*Application Time-Line*
Application Launch: 18 June 2025
Application Close: 30 June 2025
Program Start: July 2025
Applicants can apply using the registration link below:
https://forms.gle/ErajYsEuGynJj9TAA
To learn more about the project, visit the link to its meta page below :
https://w.wiki/EVvh
Warm regards,
Rhoda James
On behalf of the WikiHeritage Organising Team
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