Deoband Community Wikimedia - User contributions [en]

Impactful Wiki User Pages

2026-08-26T12:42:17Z

Aafi: link

{{event
| start_date = 2026/08/26 03:00:00 PM UTC
| end_date = 2026/08/26 04:00:00 PM UTC
| timezone = 5.5
| region = Online Mode
| location = Google Meet
| coordinates =
| link = https://meet.google.com/xby-faar-fqu
| short_description = Interactive workshop exploring impactful Wikimedia workshops
| description = In this session, participants will learn what impactful userpages mean for Wikimedia projects, and how they are crafted.
| keywords =
| image = User-4.png
}}

Unpacking Software Heritage Open Science

2026-08-25T18:21:28Z

Aafi: update poster

{{event
| start_date = 2026/08/31 03:30:00 PM UTC
| end_date = 2026/08/31 04:30:00 PM UTC
| timezone = 5.5
| region = Online Mode
| location = Google Meet
| coordinates =
| link =
| short_description = 44th DCW Conversation Hour
| description = This edition of DCW Conversation Hour features Francesco Tosoni, a Wikimedian and a researcher, based in Italy. The conversation will unpack Software Heritage Open Science ecosystem.
| keywords =
| image =DCW Conversation Hour, August 2026.png

}}

File:DCW Conversation Hour, August 2026.png

2026-08-25T18:19:03Z

Aafi: Uploaded own work with UploadWizard

=={{int:filedesc}}==
{{Information
|description={{en|1=DCW Conversation Hour, August 2026}}
|date=2026-08-25
|source={{own}}
|author=[[User:Aafi|Aafi]]
|permission=
|other versions=
}}

=={{int:license-header}}==
{{self|cc-by-sa-4.0}}

[[Category:DCW Conversation Hour]]
[[Category:Uploaded with UploadWizard]]

DCW Digital Certification Portal

2026-08-23T09:26:07Z

Aafi: updates

'''DCW's Digital Certification Portal''' is a highly secure, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application designed to bulk generate and distribute verifiable digital certificates. Originally designed to issue verifiable credentials to participants in DCW events, this application allows communities, educational institutions, and organisations to handle end-to-end credential workflows without relying on expensive SaaS infrastructure like Credly. The portal is located at '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ certificates.dcwwiki.org]'''

===Core Features===
* Drag-and-Drop Visual Editor: A powerful built-in PDF editor. Upload a blank PDF template and visually map dynamic text fields (Participant Name, Credential ID, Issue Date) and a customizable, brand-colored QR code directly onto the canvas.
* Bulk CSV Processing: Effortlessly import hundreds of participants at once using a standardized CSV upload system.
* Event & Role Isolation: Manage multiple events simultaneously. Create distinct roles (e.g., Speaker, Volunteer, Attendee) within each event, allowing for role-specific PDF templates.
* Public Verification Portal: Includes a public-facing validation endpoint. Anyone can scan a certificate's QR code to instantly verify its authenticity against the central database.
* 1-Click LinkedIn Integration: Generated certificates provide participants with a dynamic "Add to LinkedIn Profile" button that securely pre-fills their credential data.
* Enterprise-Grade Security: Hardened against SQL Injection (PDO prepared statements), CSRF attacks (strict token verification on state-changing endpoints), Session Fixation, and Brute-Force authentication attempts (server-side delays).

===Architecture & Tech Stack===
This platform is intentionally built without heavy frameworks to ensure maximum portability across standard shared-hosting environments (cPanel/Hostinger) and minimal dependency overhead.

* Backend Logic: PHP 8.x (Vanilla)
* Database Layer: MySQL / MariaDB (via PDO)
* PDF Generation Engine: FPDI & TCPDF
* Frontend UI: HTML5, CSS3, Vanilla JavaScript (Zero-build pipeline)

===Team===
* [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|Zaidusyy]], Project Lead, Maintainer and Developer
* [[Member:Aafi|Aafi]], Project Coordinator
* Code contributors: [[meta:User:Gauri Guptaa|Gauri Guptaa]], [[meta:User:Shadabgdg|Shadabgdg]], [[meta:User:Cyber Scribe|Cyber Scribe]] and [[:meta:User:Laraib17|Laraib17]]

DCW Digital Certification Portal

2026-08-22T19:46:30Z

Aafi: DCW Digital Certification Portal

'''DCW's Digital Certification Portal''' is a highly secure, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application designed to bulk generate and distribute verifiable digital certificates. Originally designed to issue verifiable credentials to participants in DCW events, this application allows communities, educational institutions, and organisations to handle end-to-end credential workflows without relying on expensive SaaS infrastructure like Credly. The portal is located at '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ certificates.dcwwiki.org]'''

==Core Features==
* Drag-and-Drop Visual Editor: A powerful built-in PDF editor. Upload a blank PDF template and visually map dynamic text fields (Participant Name, Credential ID, Issue Date) and a customizable, brand-colored QR code directly onto the canvas.
* Bulk CSV Processing: Effortlessly import hundreds of participants at once using a standardized CSV upload system.
* Event & Role Isolation: Manage multiple events simultaneously. Create distinct roles (e.g., Speaker, Volunteer, Attendee) within each event, allowing for role-specific PDF templates.
* Public Verification Portal: Includes a public-facing validation endpoint. Anyone can scan a certificate's QR code to instantly verify its authenticity against the central database.
* 1-Click LinkedIn Integration: Generated certificates provide participants with a dynamic "Add to LinkedIn Profile" button that securely pre-fills their credential data.
* Enterprise-Grade Security: Hardened against SQL Injection (PDO prepared statements), CSRF attacks (strict token verification on state-changing endpoints), Session Fixation, and Brute-Force authentication attempts (server-side delays).

==Architecture & Tech Stack==
This platform is intentionally built without heavy frameworks to ensure maximum portability across standard shared-hosting environments (cPanel/Hostinger) and minimal dependency overhead.

* Backend Logic: PHP 8.x (Vanilla)
* Database Layer: MySQL / MariaDB (via PDO)
* PDF Generation Engine: FPDI & TCPDF
* Frontend UI: HTML5, CSS3, Vanilla JavaScript (Zero-build pipeline)

Wikipedia Admin & Patrol Tools

2026-08-21T20:03:19Z

Aafi: add YT

{{event
|start_date=2026-07-26 03:30:00 PM UTC
|end_date=2026-07-26 04:30:00 PM UTC
|timezone=5.5
|region=Online Mode
|link=
|short_description= 43rd DCW Conversation Hour
|description= The 43rd DCW Conversation Hour features [[meta:User:Sohom Datta|Sohom Datta]], an administrator of English Wikipedia, and a member of the [[meta:Product and Technology Advisory Council]].
 In this edition of the Conversation Hour, we will be breaking down the advanced tools, automation scripts, and moderation systems that administrators and editors use to maintain quality and security on projects like Wikipedia. From managing new user mentorship modules and fighting vandalism to leveraging Pywikibot for batch work, this conversation hour offers a practical look at the technical backbone of Wikimedia projects.
<youtube>cKWeGsXewVk</youtube>

|keywords=DCW Conversation Hour
| image = Wikipedia Admin & Patrol Tools, July 2026 DCW Conversation Hour.png
}}

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-19T10:26:32Z

Aafi: /* Adding and participants */ cleanup

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi, Founder and Chair, Executive Board, Deoband Community Wikimedia
| mode = featured
| keywords = 
| description = DCW launches a multilingual, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}
'''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' turned 5 on 31 July 2026. Over the past five years, we have heard different perspectives on how students and the Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ certificates.dcwwiki.org]'''

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
caption="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
caption="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
caption="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
caption="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
caption="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
caption="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
caption="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
caption="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
caption="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to [https://dcwwiki.org/reflections5/ dcwwiki.org/reflections5] for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-19T10:25:52Z

Aafi: /* Roles are important */ tweaks

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi, Founder and Chair, Executive Board, Deoband Community Wikimedia
| mode = featured
| keywords = 
| description = DCW launches a multilingual, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}
'''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' turned 5 on 31 July 2026. Over the past five years, we have heard different perspectives on how students and the Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ certificates.dcwwiki.org]'''

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
caption="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
caption="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
caption="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
caption="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to [https://dcwwiki.org/reflections5/ dcwwiki.org/reflections5] for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-19T10:25:32Z

Aafi: /* Creating Programs and Events */ captions

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi, Founder and Chair, Executive Board, Deoband Community Wikimedia
| mode = featured
| keywords = 
| description = DCW launches a multilingual, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}
'''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' turned 5 on 31 July 2026. Over the past five years, we have heard different perspectives on how students and the Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ certificates.dcwwiki.org]'''

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
caption="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
caption="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to [https://dcwwiki.org/reflections5/ dcwwiki.org/reflections5] for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-17T17:29:56Z

Aafi: ++

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi, Founder and Chair, Executive Board, Deoband Community Wikimedia
| mode = featured
| keywords = 
| description = DCW launches a multilingual, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}
'''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' turned 5 on 31 July 2026. Over the past five years, we have heard different perspectives on how students and the Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ certificates.dcwwiki.org]'''

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to [https://dcwwiki.org/reflections5/ dcwwiki.org/reflections5] for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-17T17:29:19Z

Aafi: tweak

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi
| mode = featured
| keywords = 
| description = DCW launches a multilingual, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}
'''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' turned 5 on 31 July 2026. Over the past five years, we have heard different perspectives on how students and the Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ certificates.dcwwiki.org]'''

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to [https://dcwwiki.org/reflections5/ dcwwiki.org/reflections5] for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

WikiConference India 2026

2026-08-17T10:37:41Z

Aafi: + WikiConference India 2026

{{event
| start_date = 2026/09/04 03:30:00 AM UTC
| end_date = 2026/9/06 12:30:00 PM UTC
| timezone = 5.5
| region = National
| location = Kochi
| coordinates =
| link =
| short_description = 4th National gathering of Wikimedians in India
| description = Under the theme ''Reimagining the Knowledge Commons – Community Leadership in an Evolving Wikimedia Ecosystem'', the conference will focus on empowering regional languages, addressing AI-driven content challenges, and promoting community-led knowledge initiatives
| keywords = WCI
|image=WikiConference India 2026.svg
}}

Wikimania 2024

2026-08-17T10:33:16Z

Aafi: tweaks

{{event
| start_date = 2024/08/07 12:00:00 AM CET
| end_date = 2024/08/10 12:00:00 AM CET
| timezone = 5.5
| region = International
| location = Katowice
| coordinates =
| link =
| short_description = 19th annual conference of the Wikimedia movement.
| description =Wikimania 2024 brings together Wikimedians from all over the world to celebrate the collaboration of the open. The 2024 annual Wikimania conference is running from 07-10 August at the International Congress Centre in Katowice (kat-ə-VEET-sə), Poland. More info to come.
| keywords = Wikimania
|image=Wikimania 2024 logo (transparent background, full colour).png
}}

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-17T10:31:23Z

Aafi: tweaks

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi
| mode = featured
| keywords = 
| description = DCW launches a multilingual, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}
'''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' turned 5 on 31 July 2026. Over the past five years, we have heard different perspectives on how students and the Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at certificates.dcwwiki.org

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to dcwwiki.org/reflections5 for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-17T10:30:57Z

Aafi: tweaks

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi
| mode = featured
| keywords = 
| description = DCW launches a multilingual, lightweight, and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}

Deoband Community Wikimedia turned 5 on 31 July 2026, and over the past five years, we have heard differently about how the student and Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at certificates.dcwwiki.org

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to dcwwiki.org/reflections5 for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

MediaWiki:Notificationemail body removed

2026-08-17T06:41:55Z

Aafi: Helper

Dear "$2",

Did you remove the email address associated with your account? If this was not you, kindly contact our moderators at moderator@dcwwiki.org immediately.

Regards,
DCW Helper

MediaWiki:Emailsender

2026-08-17T06:41:46Z

Aafi: Helper

DCW Helper

MediaWiki:Passwordreset-emailtext-require-email

2026-08-17T06:41:35Z

Aafi: Helper

Additionally, if want to prevent unsolicited password-reset emails, you may want to update your email options at

$1.

You may set both username and email address to as requirements to generate password reset emails. This may reduce the number of such incidents.

Regards,
DCW Helper

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-16T20:07:40Z

Aafi: NOTOC

__NOTOC__
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi
| mode = draft
| keywords = 
| description = A very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}

Deoband Community Wikimedia turned 5 on 31 July 2026, and over the past five years, we have heard differently about how the student and Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at certificates.dcwwiki.org

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to dcwwiki.org/reflections5 for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes

2026-08-14T08:55:48Z

Aafi: Creating Announcing and Exploring DCW’s Digital Certification Portal: the difference it makes (initial draft)

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-14
| image = Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg
| author = Aafi
| mode = draft
| keywords = 
| description = A very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates
}}

Deoband Community Wikimedia turned 5 on 31 July 2026, and over the past five years, we have heard differently about how the student and Gen Z community can be retained in our ecosystem of knowledge production. We thus built the Digital Certification Portal, publicly live at certificates.dcwwiki.org

DCW’s Digital Certification Portal is the 5th-anniversary gift from its volunteers to support retention. Initially designed to issue certificates of participation for our Wikiversary Conference in February 2026, it very soon moved to a full-fledged application with several advanced functions.

The portal is a very lightweight and monolithic PHP application for bulk-generating and distributing verifiable event and program participation certificates (public claim + verification). Organisers use the admin dashboard to upload PDF templates, map dynamic fields, import participants via CSV or add them manually, generate certificates (PDF), and send notifications; end users claim or verify certificates via the public UI. The different story here is that we are not relying on any paid APIs or using any extensive third-party tools like Credly in this process.

===Stack===
* Language(s): PHP (primary), CSS, Vanilla JavaScript
* Framework/runtime: Plain PHP 8.x (no heavy framework; designed for shared hosting / cPanel)
* Notable libraries: setasign/fpdi (PDF template import), tecnickcom/tcpdf (PDF generation), phpmailer/phpmailer (email delivery), vlucas/phpdotenv (optional env handling)
===What is in it?===
config.php creates a global PDO $pdo and security helpers; helpers.php provides common utilities. The public entry point index.php shows forms to claim certificates or verify IDs; claiming looks up event_participants and redirects to success or download endpoints. The admin/ directory contains the monolithic admin UI (events, roles, CSV import, a PDF visual editor implemented in admin/preview_event.php + admin/script.js) that maps template fields and stores visual settings in event_roles. PDF generation uses FPDI + TCPDF; send-email.php + email_logs handle notification delivery.

The front end is located at certificates.dcwwiki.org, which currently features a dropdown list of events, workshops, and programs with readily available certifications. Towards the right side, people who want to verify the reliability of Certificate IDs can enter an ID and check its authenticity. Wrong ones tell about non-existence, and right ones land on the verification page located at certificates.dcwwiki.org/verify/CertID

===Creating Programs and Events===
Events are created on the admin dashboard, where existing events are also listed. Each event has an associated Actions tab that lists three options: Edit Event, Manage Roles, and Manage Participants.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.22.49-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="A view of the admin dashboard"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.40.55-PM.png"
width="20%"
height=""
alt="Event/Program creation page"
/>

===Roles are important===
While organisers map the dynamic elements such as participant name, certificate ID, QR code, or any other required custom text, they are also allowed to upload any fonts that a specific certificate may require. Afterwards, the next step is to add/import participants across the roles created.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.29.20-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="Organisers can create as many roles as needed for an event. Each role can have a unique template or the same template as other roles."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.33.49-PM.png"
width="16%"
height=""
alt="When creating roles, organisers find ways to use the visual editor for mapping dynamic elements to the certificates."
/>

===How are certificates issued?===
Organisers create an event/program on the dashboard, add a desired prefix to the Certificate ID, and include other customised information such as predefined messages for LinkedIn posts. Roles are the second task, and each role has to have a unique template. You no longer need to keep hundreds of copies of certificates and send them one by one to participants. Visual Editor helps map QR codes, Credential IDs, and participant names, any custom text, issue dates, among other things. Fun: both the QR code and Credential ID are clickable inside a PDF. Clicking on them takes one to the verification line of that specific certificate.

The dashboard allows unique support for events and programs run under partnerships and collaborators. In case an event is of collaborative nature, organisers can set a partnership logic which automatically shifts the verification statement.

Certificates will only have elements which are mapped in the visual editor. If you don’t map, empty templates will appear on the verification endpoints. Visual Editor also allows using dynamic color elements and has grid options to ease mapping.

===Adding and participants===
Participants can be added manually or imported using a CSV file. The roles in your CSV (e.g., Attendee, Organiser) MUST EXACTLY MATCH the roles that have already been created in the Manage Roles section. Any rows with unrecognized roles will be skipped! A random certificate ID is issued to every participant – difficult to guess by others.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.44.22-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Adding participants. Issue date is dynamic. You can easily backdate a certificate. No issue date defaults to event creation date."

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.46.19-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="A notification is being sent after a participant is successfully added."
/>

As soon as a participant is added to an event, they receive a notification on their registered email that their certificate is available for claim. They receive an additional email containing a PDF of the certificate once they have hit the download button when claiming the certificate.

<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.48.39-PM.png"
width="25%"
height=""
alt="Initial notification email"

/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.49.39-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Claiming certificate."
/>
<img
src="https://diff.wikimedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.51.13-PM.png"
width="30%"
height=""
alt="Certificate claimed"
/>

===LinkedIn integration===
Both on successful certificate generation pages and in emails, participants are given the option to quickly add certificates to their LinkedIn licenses. They are also given ways to use pre-defined messages in case they decide to post.

Sharing verification links on social media platforms generates unique certificate thumbnails instead of a predefined hard image thumbnail. This requires conversion from PDF to image/png; this slightly puts a load on the server, which is manageable if the usage of the server load is good enough.

===Where are certificates stored?===
Certificates are generated on demand based on how things are mapped in the visual editing process. No certificate files are stored on the server for security and storage-related aspects. We store only the role templates and fonts used in various certificate fields.

===The people behind===
The idea is mine, while [[meta:User:Zaidusyy|User:Zaidusyy]], a participant of our April 2026 Train-a-Wikipedian residential program, created its initial infrastructure. Gauri Guptaa significantly contributed, while User:Shadabgdg and others also made significant contributions. I personally thank all of them for having helped us build this!

===What now!===
The source code is freely available on GitHub, and we welcome improvements and reuse of this portal for wider community benefit. There is much more to improve, but this portal is stable enough to support our movement organisers in celebrating their volunteers. We welcome your reflections about our five years of being around and helping in the capacities that we could. Tune in to dcwwiki.org/reflections5 for your thoughts. If you come across any issues in the code, do raise them on the GitHub repo and/or contribute PRs if you are a technical editor.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-07T15:28:10Z

Aafi: /* Perks and benefits */ Tweak

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-07
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = featured
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description = Applications are invited for the inaugural Core Organising Team of DCW Photographers Club. Submit your interests by 14 August 2026.
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.
=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

===Perks and benefits===
* Access to workshops and training sessions conducted by DCW, and partners
* Exposure to excel in the open knowledge ecosystem
* Digitally verifiable certificates and recommendations
* Networking within the global Wikimedia movement

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the '''[[engage:organising-team-recruitment-for-dcw-photographers-club|application form]]''' by 14 August 2026.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-07T15:27:50Z

Aafi: /* Open Roles */ Add some perks

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-07
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = featured
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description = Applications are invited for the inaugural Core Organising Team of DCW Photographers Club. Submit your interests by 14 August 2026.
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.
=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

===Perks and benefits===
* Access to workshops and training sessions conducted by DCW
* Exposure to excel in the open knowledge ecosystem
* Digitally verifiable certificates and recommendations
* Networking within the global Wikimedia movement

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the '''[[engage:organising-team-recruitment-for-dcw-photographers-club|application form]]''' by 14 August 2026.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-07T15:10:50Z

Aafi: updates

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-07
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = featured
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description = Applications are invited for the inaugural Core Organising Team of DCW Photographers Club. Submit your interests by 14 August 2026.
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.
=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the '''[[engage:organising-team-recruitment-for-dcw-photographers-club|application form]]''' by 14 August 2026.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-07T15:10:19Z

Aafi: add desc

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-07
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = featured
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description = Applications are invited for the inagural Core Organising Team of DCW Photographers Club
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.
=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the '''[[engage:organising-team-recruitment-for-dcw-photographers-club|application form]]''' by 14 August 2026.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-07T15:09:28Z

Aafi: push the call

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-07
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = featured
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description =
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.
=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the '''[[engage:organising-team-recruitment-for-dcw-photographers-club|application form]]''' by 14 August 2026.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-05T05:41:29Z

Aafi: tweak

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-05
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = draft
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description =
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.
=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the '''[[engage:organising-team-recruitment-for-dcw-photographers-club|application form]]''' by 13 August 2026.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-05T05:31:00Z

Aafi: updates

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-05
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = draft
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description =
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.
=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the '''[https://engage.dcwwiki.org/organising-team-recruitment-for-dcw-photographers-club application form]''' by 13 August 2026.

Template:Blog post

2026-08-05T05:18:30Z

Aafi: tweak

<noinclude>
{{#cargo_declare: _table = blog_posts
| date = Date
| authors = List (;) of Page
| image = File
| keywords = List (;) of Page
| description = Wikitext string
| mode = String (allowed values=draft,featured,hidden)
}}
</noinclude><includeonly>
{{#cargo_store: _table = blog_posts
| date = {{{date|}}}
| authors = {{#if: {{{authors|}}} | {{{authors|}}} | {{{author|}}} }}
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| mode = {{{mode|}}}
}}{{#if: {{{hide_banner|}}} |  |{{#if: {{{image|}}}
| {{PAGEBANNER:{{{image|}}}|link=|origin={{{image_origin|0,0}}}}}
}}}}{{#if: {{{description|}}}
| <div style="font-size:larger; margin:1em 0">{{{description}}}</div>
}}<div style="color:#444; font-size:smaller; margin-bottom:2em;"><time datetime="{{#time: c | {{{date|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}} }}">{{#if: {{{date displayed|}}}| {{{date displayed}}}
-->| {{#time: j F Y | {{{date| {{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}} }}} }}}}</time>{{#invoke: blog_post | authorList |format=linked |author={{{author|}}} |authors={{{authors|}}} }}{{{p|.}}} {{#if: {{{keywords|}}} | Keywords: {{#arraymap:{{{keywords|}}}|;|QQQ|QQQ[[Category:QQQ]]| · }} }}</div>{{#seo:
| type = article
| description = {{{description|A blog post from Deoband Community Wikimedia.}}}
| author = {{#invoke: blog_post | authorList |format=plain |author={{{author|}}} |authors={{{authors|}}} }}
| keywords = {{{keywords|}}}
| image = {{filepath:{{{image}}}|800}}
}}{{#switch: {{{mode|}}} | draft = {{draft|text=This post is a draft and is subject to change without notice.}} | featured = | hidden = }}
</includeonly><noinclude>
{{documentation}}
</noinclude>

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-05T05:14:43Z

Aafi: updates

{{Notitle}}
{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-05
| image = Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg
| author = [[DCW Board|DCW Executive Board]]
| mode = draft
| keywords = DCW Photographers Club
| description =
}}
The '''[[:meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]]''' is a dedicated club initiative within the Deoband Community Wikimedia ecosystem. It leads the organisation of the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship]], drives content creation on Wikimedia Commons, and coordinates photography campaigns focused on cultural preservation.

=== Open Roles ===
We are currently recruiting dedicated volunteers for the following positions on our organising team:
* '''Club Lead:''' Oversees club governance, drives strategic initiatives, and serves as the primary liaison between the Photographers Club, DCW leadership, and external partners.
* '''Event Coordinator:''' Plans and executes photowalks, workshops, community meetups, and campaign events.
* '''Membership Coordinator:''' Manages volunteer onboarding, maintains active member rosters, and supports volunteer engagement.
* '''Social Media & Outreach Coordinator:''' Manages digital communications, outreach campaigns, and social channels to build club visibility.
* '''Graphic Design Volunteers:''' Creates media assets, promotional materials, and event branding for campaigns and social media.
* '''Fellowship Evaluators:''' Reviews and assesses applications and submittals for the [[Heritage Lens Fellowship|Heritage Lens Fellowship]].

=== Eligibility & How to Apply ===

We welcome applications from anyone passionate about free knowledge, heritage documentation, photography, and cultural preservation. No prior formal photography experience is strictly required. Former [[Heritage Lens]] fellows are recommended to apply.

Review our '''[[Vision & Objectives|Vision and Objectives]]''' to align with our goals, and submit the [form] by TBD.

DCW Photographers Club is looking for a vibrant organising team

2026-08-05T05:03:38Z

Aafi: for Photographers Club, draft

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-03T12:10:30Z

Aafi: /* What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration */ fmt

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On 31 July 2026, '''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors '''[[DCW Fifth Anniversary Celebration|held a 3-hour celebratory event]]''' in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "''These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge''."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "''it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts''."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [[Youth Focus Meetup, October 2025|workshop]], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting, purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Aafi at Deoband Community Wikimedia 5th Anniversary.jpg|Cake cutting
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
File:Celebrating 5 Years of DCW with goodies.jpg|Cookies and pocket-notebook powered by the anniversary
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-03T08:09:12Z

Aafi: /* Reflections */ tweaks

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On 31 July 2026, '''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors '''[[DCW Fifth Anniversary Celebration|held a 3-hour celebratory event]]''' in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "''These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge''."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "''it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts''."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [[Youth Focus Meetup, October 2025|workshop]], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Aafi at Deoband Community Wikimedia 5th Anniversary.jpg|Cake cutting
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
File:Celebrating 5 Years of DCW with goodies.jpg|Cookies and pocket-notebook powered by the anniversary
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-03T08:08:06Z

Aafi: /* Glance at 5 Years */ tweaks

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On 31 July 2026, '''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors '''[[DCW Fifth Anniversary Celebration|held a 3-hour celebratory event]]''' in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "''These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge''."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "''it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts''."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Aafi at Deoband Community Wikimedia 5th Anniversary.jpg|Cake cutting
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
File:Celebrating 5 Years of DCW with goodies.jpg|Cookies and pocket-notebook powered by the anniversary
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-03T08:06:59Z

Aafi: updates

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On 31 July 2026, '''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors '''[[DCW Fifth Anniversary Celebration|held a 3-hour celebratory event]]''' in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Aafi at Deoband Community Wikimedia 5th Anniversary.jpg|Cake cutting
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
File:Celebrating 5 Years of DCW with goodies.jpg|Cookies and pocket-notebook powered by the anniversary
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-03T08:05:46Z

Aafi: tweaks

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On 31 July 2026, '''Deoband Community Wikimedia''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Aafi at Deoband Community Wikimedia 5th Anniversary.jpg|Cake cutting
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
File:Celebrating 5 Years of DCW with goodies.jpg|Cookies and pocket-notebook powered by the anniversary
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T20:02:46Z

Aafi: /* What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration */ ++

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Aafi at Deoband Community Wikimedia 5th Anniversary.jpg|Cake cutting
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
File:Celebrating 5 Years of DCW with goodies.jpg|Cookies and pocket-notebook powered by the anniversary
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:59:56Z

Aafi: /* What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration */ add

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
File:Celebrating 5 Years of DCW with goodies.jpg|Cookies and pocket-notebook powered by the anniversary
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:59:00Z

Aafi: /* What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration */ sequence

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:43:38Z

Aafi: /* What did we do so far */ change

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===Glance at 5 Years===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:40:14Z

Aafi: cite

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref name="aafi">Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.<ref name="aafi"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:39:37Z

Aafi: /* Next steps */ ++

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers. For me, as the founder of the community, I hope to keep the community driving, as Bagchi notes, "There are ordinary people with simple tools that bring about great change", and help our community members bring about that change in the open knowledge ecosystem.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:36:20Z

Aafi: updates

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==Next steps==
DCW will extend its focus to Wikimedia technical spaces and the broader open source. Through DCW-Engage, we want our community to avoid using proprietary tools like Google Forms and other third-party platforms. We will work on becoming a volunteer-centric community: a community that thrives in helping develop the capacity and skills of its volunteers.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:30:34Z

Aafi: ++

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the [https://certificates.dcwwiki.org DCW Certification Portal], DCW-Engage portal, and the [[meta:DCW Photographers Club|DCW Photographers Club]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:29:17Z

Aafi: /* What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration */ ++

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
DCW's 5th anniversary celebration was much more than a celebration cake. Its program was deliberately designed with 5 unique sessions showcasing diverse angles of the community. It began with '''Arrival and Impact Wall''', which asked the participants about their contributions that they are proud of, and their favorite DCW initiatives. It was followed by '''Show & Tell''', in which we heard reflections and stories from our community members. This was followed by cake cutting. purposely kept mid the sessions.

<gallery>
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

For the first time, we organised an editathon at our anniversary event, followed by a discussion of our upcoming initiatives and programs, particularly focusing on the DCW Certification Portal, DCW-Engage portal, and the DCW Photographers Club.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:18:37Z

Aafi: /* What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration */ move

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
<gallery>
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| The celebration cake
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:17:02Z

Aafi: ++

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Celebrating half a decade of advancing open knowledge, supporting volunteers, and impactful conversations. Discover our key milestones so far and the strategic roadmap shaping what comes next.
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| the Celebration cake
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:13:20Z

Aafi: Aafi moved page Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5: Celebrating Five Years of Free Knowledge and Looking to the Horizon to Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5! without leaving a redirect: coherent title

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Deoband Community Wikimedia Celebrates its 5th Anniversary
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| the Celebration cake
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:12:44Z

Aafi: fix

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Deoband Community Wikimedia Celebrates its 5th Anniversary
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| the Celebration cake
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:11:14Z

Aafi: fix

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image =
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Deoband Community Wikimedia Celebrates its 5th Anniversary
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| the Celebration cake
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__

Deoband Community Wikimedia Turns 5!

2026-08-02T19:08:15Z

Aafi: fix

{{blog post
| date = 2026-08-01
| image = Title card for DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration.jpg
| author = {{u|Aafi}}, Founder and Chair, Executive Board
| mode = 
| keywords = 
| description = Deoband Community Wikimedia Celebrates its 5th Anniversary
}}
On '''31 July 2026''', '''Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW)''' completed five years as an organized Wikimedia community. On 1 August 2026, community members and editors held a 3-hour event in Nehru Place, New Delhi, marking the anniversary and discussing plans.

[[File:Group photo at DCW 5th Anniversary Event.jpg|thumb]]

Established on 31 July 2021, DCW began as a group of three people and has since recruited more than 40 active volunteer members who contribute across Wikimedia projects and represent the community at major Wikimedia spaces like Wikimanias and WikiConferences. Among the prominent DCW initiatives are the [[DCW Conversation Hour]], [[Heritage Lens]], and WikiClubs like [[Wiki Club AMU]].

===What did we do so far===
DCW started with a consistent approach rather than fervour, and initiated diverse programs over these 5 years. I was joined by many others, who helped in their ways. Some contributed significantly to Wikimedia projects, while others helped organise events. Profit-driven communities see pride in how much money they make, but for a community that doesn't look at money, the proud resources are the volunteers and the conversations they have. We partnered with Yoruba and Kashmiri Wikimedians, and tested a few other ideas. Today, we have been successful enough to have consistently organised '''43 editions of [[DCW Conversation Hour]]''' - a conversation that focuses on Wikimedia movement strategy and beyond. For [https://www.iup.edu/languageliteraturewriting/faculty/vetter-matthew.html Professor Matthew Vetter] of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "These conversation hours are just incredible resources for engaging our communities and working to advance the mission of Wikipedia's free knowledge."<ref>25-11-2024, ''[[Wikipedia and AI: Ethical Boundaries in LLM Training]]''. DCW Conversation Hour</ref>
<gallery>
File:Wikimedia-Futures-Lab-26-Friday-118.jpg| Aafi and [[:en:Lisa Seitz-Gruwell|Lisa Seitz-Gruwell]] during Wikimedia Futures Lab
File:Gate of sher mandal, old fort delhi.jpg|Gate of Sher Mandal - a quality image by [[commons:User:Mahi zahidi|Mahi Zahidi]]

</gallery>
We organised '''8 iterations of our [[Heritage Lens]]''' program, bringing about 1714 images to Wikimedia Commons. Our Heritage Lens fellow, Afreen Banday, appreciates its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions. For her, "it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts."<ref>[[meta:Heritage Lens/Iteration 8|Learning Report]], Iteration 8, Heritage Lens, Meta-Wiki</ref> Through the [[DCW-K Editathon]], our volunteers contributed over 279 articles to the Kashmiri-language Wikipedia. Our volunteers helped revive Urdu Wikiquote and made significant contributions to the English and Urdu Wikipedias, as well as to Wikidata. Good articles, Did You Know facts, and much more.

<gallery>
File:Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025 Prague - Day 1 - 34.jpg| [[meta:User:CosmicCodex|CosmicCodex]] during Youth Conference
File:DCW annual Convening 2025.jpg|DCW Annual Convening, 2025
</gallery>
In the 2023 edition of WikiConference India, we had a meagre participation of 2 people from the DCW Community, and in the 2026 edition, 7 of our volunteers received full scholarships to participate in the conference. We made our way to Wikimania conferences in Singapore (2023), Nairobi (2025), and Paris (2026). 2 of 3 three South Asians at the Wikimedia Youth Conference in Prague (2025) were DCW volunteers. We represented our community at the Wikimedia Summit in 2024 in Berlin, and were significant enough to share our thoughts at the Wikimedia Futures Lab in Frankfurt (2026). Our volunteers also made their way to the WikiWomenCamp (2023), GLAM-Wiki Conference in Lisbon (2025), and She Leads Bootcamp in Bangalore (2025), among many other significant events.

In 2026, we have an active contributor base of 40+ people. Many are associated with our Wiki Clubs: [[Wiki Club AMU]] and [[Wiki Club Jamia]]. We organise our residential leadership and skills development program, [[Train a Wikipedian]], two times a year. We have partners like the Embassy of Ukraine in India, alongside the Kerala Wikimedians User Group.<ref>27-04-2026, ''[https://india.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/indian-wikipedians-join-ukraines-cultural-diplomacy-month-2026 Indian Wikipedians Join Ukraine’s Cultural Diplomacy Month 2026]''</ref> In early June 2026, our volunteers developed a '''[https://certificates.dcwwiki.org/ Digital Certification Portal]''', helping us to support retention - and making DCW the first to bring such a solution in the Wikimedia ecosystem.

These are a few of the many works that the Deoband Community Wikimedia has been doing, and continues to do. For me, as the founder of the community, I recall what [[:en:Subroto Bagchi|Subroto Bagchi]] expresses in his work, ''The Day The Chariot Moved'', "All good things have the capacity to replicate but often in ways we cannot comprehend in the beginning. Our job is to be the catalyst. Our job is to trust the power of good and pull the chariot."<ref>Aafi, A. A. (2026). The Day the Chariot Moved: How India Grows at the Grassroots. By Subroto Bagchi, New Delhi: Penguin, 2025. Xix+371 pp. ₹699.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-14-347125-7. Public Administration Review, 86(3), 864-865. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70118</ref>

===Reflections===
To mark the 5th anniversary, members, contributors, and academic collaborators shared reflections over the past week on their experiences with DCW:

{| class="wikitable" style="border: none; background: transparent; width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px;"
|-
| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I immensely enjoyed the Deoband Community Wikimedia [https://dcwwiki.org/Youth_Focus_Meetup,_October_2025 workshop], and it was also lovely hosting the group at my place. I look forward to welcoming you all again. Congratulations on the fifth anniversary, and on helping build a more open and inclusive world."''
 '''— Prof Swati Chawla'''

| style="width: 50%; background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Reflecting on DCW’s five-year journey reminds me that strong communities are built by people who quietly show up, support others, and give their time without expecting anything in return."''
 '''— Muntaqibah'''

|-
| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I am pretty sure that DCW will grow into a very important element in the academic culture of the future."''
 '''— Dr. Aishwarya Kumar'''

| style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"Looking back at the past five years, joining Deoband Community Wikimedia (DCW) has been one of the best decisions of my Wikimedia journey."''
 '''— User:Khaatir'''

|-
| colspan="2" style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaecf0; border-top: 3px solid #36c; padding: 15px; vertical-align: top; border-radius: 4px;" |
''"I don’t think words can truly capture the impact DCW has had on all our lives, whether in big ways or small. It has opened us to the world while also helping us discover the world within ourselves. For that, I will always be grateful."''
 '''— Sana Sabir'''
|}

===What did we do at the 5th anniversary celebration===
<gallery>
File:Ice breaker Session.jpg| Learning about contributions our volunteers are proud of
File:Participants responses, Interactive Quiz, DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg | Exploring our focus as our volunteers want
File:DCW anniversary celebration.jpg| Hearing from our [[DCW Graphic Design Internship|Graphic Design Interns]]
File:DCW 5th Anniversary Celebration Cake.jpg| the Celebration cake
File:Group photo from DCW 5th Anniversary.jpg|Group photo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

__NOTITLE__
__NOTOC__