Chief Executive Officer of Wikimedia Foundation.
The Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in San Francisco in the United States, which operates Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects, has announced the launch of the inaugural Open the Knowledge Journalism Awards and is inviting nominations for articles written by African journalists that help to close knowledge gaps on Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects.
The Awards is aimed at celebrating the remarkable contributions of journalists in Africa who prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in their reporting and play a vital role in creating well-researched articles that serve as source materials for volunteer editors to develop content on platforms like Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.
Award Criteria:
- Geography: Journalists must be citizens of a country in Africa and primarily reside on the African continent.
- Relevance: Articles should focus on the African continent and align with the award categories mentioned below.
- Publishing Date: Articles should have been published between January 1, 2022, and June 23, 2023.
- Language: Articles should be published in English.
- Originality: Submissions must represent the journalists’ own original work, demonstrating in-depth analysis and/or investigative reporting.
- Proof of Publication: Providing proof of publication in the form of a link/URL will facilitate the review process.
- Reliability and Accuracy: Articles should be accurate, well-researched, and devoid of misinformation or misrepresentation of facts. Objective reporting ensures the information on Wikipedia remains reliable.
- Ethical Conduct: The Wikimedia Foundation values human rights and seeks articles developed with utmost respect for people. Journalists demonstrating ethical conduct and adherence to journalistic standards are preferred.
- Accessibility: As an advocate for free knowledge, articles must be freely accessible without any paywalls.
Journalists can submit multiple articles for consideration, but each article must be entered in only one category that best represents its contents. The Wikimedia Foundation, in collaboration with volunteer Wikimedia editors, will leverage these nominations to identify deserving journalists for this esteemed recognition.
The awards will reward first place with US$2,000, along with a trophy and certificate of recognition. He/she will have the exclusive opportunity to join fellow Wikimedians at the African Regional Community Conference, Wiki Indaba, in November 2023. At this event, the award recipient can share their valuable experiences as a journalist, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities they encounter in their work. The second place will be granted USD 1500 and a certificate of recognition.
The Wikimedia Foundation will also recognize Special Mentions to four additional nominees, one in each category, as a token of appreciation for their exceptional contributions.
African journalists living on the continent can self-nominate their articles under the following categories: Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Sports; Health, Climate Change, and Environment; Women and Youth; Digital and Human Rights
Submissions close on June 30, 2023.
For more information and to apply or nominate, please visit https://wikimediafoundation.org/our-work/open-the-knowledge/journalism-awards/#a1-key-information.
