History
Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) was established on 31 July 2021 by Aafi, and recognised by the Wikimedia Foundation as a user-group affiliate on 16 January 2022.
2021 - 2023
Deoband Community Wikimedia was conceptualised by Aafi on 31 July 2021, and supported by Sumaiya Laraib and several other students. It was approved by the Affiliation Committee as a Wikimedia user-group after a review process spanning over four months. The initial objective of the DCW was limited to improving and curating knowledge related to the global Deobandi movement - which was subsequently evaluated and changed as a part of DCW's strategic trajectory project in 2023.
2022 marked the first year as a recognized affiliate of the Wikimedia Foundation, with the major programs being the Deoband Yoruba Collaborative Project and the Bhopal Photo Event. We also organized Wikiquote Events in Delhi, focusing on improving content in English, Urdu, and Arabic. An associated activity was a photo walk at Madrasa Aminia, which allowed us to contribute documentary photographs to Wikimedia Commons. The Bhopal Photo Event resulted in a collection of over 340 images related to our thematic areas being uploaded to Commons. To mark the Wikidata 10th Birthday, we conducted an online edit-a-thon and a birthday celebration in October 2022. This effort aimed to enhance the presence of our topics on Wikidata in Arabic, English, Kashmiri, and Urdu.
We participated in the global Movement Charter Discourses, and wefacilitated discussions, provided translations, and held meetings, both online and offline, to engage with the proposed charter - for over a month. We were also fortunate to have a member from the drafting committee participate in these conversations. We initiated Conversations with Scholars, inviting academics and Wikimedia contributors to share their perspectives and insights with our community - which later transformed into the DCW Conversation Hour. This was intended to help us develop a more informed approach to our work. The year concluded with a Concluding Meetup in Deoband, where we focused on internal organizational matters and the process of legal formalization. Overall, 2022 involved a range of activities focused on content contribution across different Wikimedia projects, community engagement, and internal development as a new affiliate. These efforts represent our initial steps in contributing to the Wikimedia ecosystem.
In 2023, one of our key initiatives was the formal launch of the DCW Conversation Hour in March. This provided a regular platform for discussions on topics relevant to our community and the wider Wikimedia movement. Building on our commitment to enriching Wikimedia with content related to Muslim heritage, we launched the Heritage Lens program in July. This initiative involved organizing focused events in regions like Deoband, Saharanpur, and later in South Kashmir, where we conducted training sessions and worked on documenting and improving articles related to local Muslim heritage. Collaboration was also a cornerstone of our work throughout the year. Our joint DCW-K Editathon with the Kashmiri Wikimedians User Group was a successful endeavor, resulting in the creation of 77 new articles on the Kashmiri Wikipedia. We also helped curate Wikipedia 101 Online Education Set for Beginners in collaboration with Turkish Wikimedians.
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We placed a strong emphasis on outreach and capacity building. We organized several workshops and seminars, including an insightful session titled "The Other Side of Wikipedia" at Jamia Millia Islamia University and a valuable "Digital Empowerment Seminar" in collaboration with Bayt al-Hikmah in Deoband. A significant step in engaging the younger generation was the launch of our Leadership Development and Skills Infrastructure (LDSI) Program in July. This program culminated in the establishment of Wiki Club Jamia at Jamia Millia Islamia in October, which we believe will be a vital hub for engaging university students in the free knowledge movement. Beyond our local activities, our members actively participated in several important Wikimedia conferences. We were present at WikiConference India 2023, Wikimania Singapore in August, Train The Trainer 2023 held in Kochi, and WikiWomenCamp 2023. These participations allowed us to network with other Wikimedians, share our experiences, and learn from the global movement.