Wikimedia to highlight Africa’s role in shaping global knowledge as it hosts Wikimania 2025 in Kenya, celebrating volunteers and inclusivity in digital spaces

Wikimedia to highlight Africa’s role in advancing free knowledge, as it prepares to host Wikimania 2025 in Kenya from August 6–9, marking the platform’s 20th anniversary.

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The Wikimedia Foundation emphasized the continent’s growing influence in shaping Wikimedia’s future and closing the global knowledge gap.

Themed “Wikimania@20: Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability.”, the conference will celebrate over 300,000 volunteers behind Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects—many of whom come from underrepresented regions like Africa.

“Wikimedia highlights Africa’s role in a rapidly digitizing world,” said Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation. “Africa’s contributions are essential as the next billion people come online.”

More than 1,000 participants—both in-person and online—are expected from over 120 countries.

Key speakers include Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales, AI scholars Prof. Vukosi Marivate and Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende, and other global knowledge leaders.

The hybrid conference will include keynote panels on AI, edit-a-thons, policy discussions, and the Wikimedian of the Year Awards.

Importantly, the sessions will be available in Swahili, Arabic, French, Spanish, and English, ensuring wide accessibility.

“This is a celebration of volunteers who power the internet’s knowledge backbone,” the Foundation noted.

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By hosting Wikimania on African soil for the second time, Wikimedia highlights Africa’s role in ensuring inclusive, community-driven content that empowers diverse voices across the world.