Dubai: United Arab Emirates, 06 April 2023: Emirates Literature Foundation and the Wikimedians of the UAE User Group are organizing the second edition of Ramadan edit-a-thon. The group editing workshop aims to enrich Wikipedia with Arabic and English articles that highlight key aspects of Ramadan traditions in the Arab world. The event, open to public, will be held on Thursday 13 April at the Mist Dxb in Business Bay in Dubai from 9:30 – 11:30 PM. Prior registration via the website is required.
Participants are encouraged to use the resources on the website to get started as Wikipedia editors. They will also have the opportunity to learn platform best practices and tips and tricks from experts in the field, as well as collaborate with them to create and edit articles with detailed information about fasting, prayers, charity, and other religious and cultural traditions. All editors are encouraged to contribute more information about common Arabic traditions and customs observed during the holy month to the online encyclopaedia. In respect for the Ramadan values of community and sharing, attendees can enjoy free refreshments during the edit-a-thon followed by Suhoor.
"Connections, collaboration, and interdependence are at the heart of Ramadan, and there is no better time to bring people together and encourage a sense of community in efforts to achieve our common goal of improving and enriching Arabic digital content, preserving the culture, customs, and traditions of the region, and showcasing its legacy to the world through the most popular online encyclopaedia.” Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of Emirates Literature Foundation and Leader of Wikimedians of the UAE User Group, said. "We also hope that these workshops will contribute to the formation of a creative and inclusive space in which all segments of society from diverse cultural backgrounds can learn from one another and create digital content that reflects the UAE's culture of tolerance and coexistence."
Interested participants must register on this website, create Wikipedia accounts, and bring their own laptops or tablets to the event. Participants will receive a certificate of appreciation by email after the event.
In the inaugral Ramadan edit-a-thon held in 2022, to create the article "Ramadan in the UAE" on Wikipedia and covering important aspects of Emirati culture such as Haq al-Layla, sighting the crescent, Iftar, worship, charity tents, family gatherings, and other Ramadan rituals and traditions. The article has more than 1230 views so far.
Since Emirates Literature Foundation launched the Kateb Maktub initiative, it has successfully increased the number of pages of Arab authors on Wikipedia, in both Arabic and English, by more than 500%. These unprecedented results and the support of a large number of keen volunteers led to the team’s takeover of the Wikimedians of UAE User Group in an official capacity.,
More information about the Emirates Literature Foundation can be found online and year-round news of EmiratesLitFest on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,YouTube and TikTok.
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For more information, please contact: emiratesliteraturefoundation@actionprgroup.com
About the Emirates Literature Foundation:
The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives.
Established in 2013 by Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a love for literature, with a focus on the Arabic language.
In line with the National Reading Policy of the UAE, the Foundation has implemented several long-term projects including the School Librarian of the Year Award, Kateb Maktub, and From the Inside Out, as well as conducting year-round student education programmes, book clubs and mentorship programmes. The Foundation’s previous initiatives included the 2020 International Literary Festivals Conference, the 2017 Dubai International Publishing Conference and the 2016 Dubai Translation Conference.
The Foundation is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE’s premier literary festival.