Wikimedia Foundation CEO Katherine Maher to Step Down in April 2021
February 4, 2021. Katherine Maher, the Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, will be leaving the organization in April. Under her leadership, Wikipedia attained its highest public trust in the institution’s history. Since becoming CEO in 2016, Katherine defined an expansive strategic direction for Wikimedia’s next decade, significantly….
Elevating Wikimedia: a Universal Code of Conduct for free knowledge
Wikipedia began 20 years ago with a radical premise: to build a free encyclopedia to which anyone could contribute. That idea has grown into an inspiring, aspirational vision: to create a world in which every single person can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. The values at the core of this promise, openness….
Wikipedia Embraces First-of-Its Kind Universal Code of Conduct, Conceived For The New Internet Era
February 2, 2021. The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that administers Wikipedia, launched a first-of-its-kind Universal Code of Conduct that expands on the project’s existing policies to create a global set of community standards for addressing negative behavior on the site. More than 50% of the global population has access to the internet, an increase that….
Wikipedia celebrates 20 years of free, trusted information for the world
14 January 2021 — Wikipedia, the world’s largest free online encyclopedia, turns 20 years old on 15 January. This birthday commemorates two decades of global efforts to support free knowledge, open collaboration, and trust on the internet. In a time when disinformation and polarization challenge our trust in information and institutions, Wikipedia is more relevant….
The infinite potential of human collaboration
On November 2, 2000, a space capsule carrying three astronauts arrived at the International Space Station (ISS). It was appropriately named “Expedition 1,” and it was the beginning of 20 years of humans continuously living and working onboard the ISS. Just two months after the landing of Expedition 1, another seemingly impossible human endeavor launched….
Pandemics and politics: 2020 through the lens of Wikipedia
This is my sixth annual post sharing the list of Wikipedia’s most popular articles of the year, and each year I’ve had to come up with different ways of saying “people really love the latest pop culture.” Then 2020 happened — and, as with most things this year, the list was very different. Instead of….
What Wikipedia saw during election week in the U.S., and what we’re doing next
Election Day in the United States was a critical moment for the country, with impacts that will extend well beyond one election cycle. For many Americans, it was an anxiety-inducing event. While voters waited — and waited — for the results to come in, Wikipedia editors across the globe stood ready. As one of the….
The majesty of nature (and an abundance of birds) on full display in Wiki Loves Earth 2020
In the volcanic valleys of Russia, a red fox lies alert amongst chossy boulders; in the treetops of Thailand, an owl precariously slumbers; and in the forests of Bangladesh, a venomous pit viper stalks its prey. As unprecedented as 2020 has been, this year’s Wiki Loves Earth photography competition presents a stunning view of the….
Supporting Wikipedia and the environment: The Wikimedia Foundation and Plant Your Change collaborate to plant 400,000 trees
Update: Thanks to the generosity of Wikipedia donors, we were able to meet our goal of planting 400,000 trees! If you have not yet given to Wikipedia and are able to, we are grateful for your support. Visit donate.wikimedia.org to make a contribution. Timed with our 2020 end-of-year fundraising campaign on English Wikipedia, the Wikimedia….
The world relies on Wikipedia. Wikipedia relies on you.
During difficult times, we discover a lot about ourselves. We also find out who our friends are. In 2020, millions of people found a good friend in Wikipedia. Some folks, like me, were stuck at home making sense of a changed world. Others were out there keeping the world running. But all of us could….
Help us unlock the world’s knowledge.
As a nonprofit, Wikipedia and our related free knowledge projects are powered primarily through donations.
Donate now