Photo by Ayelén Libertchuk, CC-BY-SA 4.0
Rising Voices recently took part in Iberoconf 2017, the regional conference of the Iberocoop network, which is comprised of Wikimedia affiliates in Ibero-America. The purpose of the gathering was to facilitate regional cooperation among the different groups represented:
- Apoyar y generar espacios de aprendizaje que permitan a las organizaciones participantes adquirir nuevas habilidades que fortalezcan su profesionalización a nivel local y regional
- Promover, desarrollar, fortalecer y mantener la colaboración entre las organizaciones a nivel regional
- Support and create learning spaces that allow the participating organizations to acquire new skills that strengthen its professionalization on a local and regional level.
- Promote, develop, strengthen, and maintain the regional collaboration among the organizations.
While RV is not a member of an affiliate group, our participation is directly related to our interest in promoting the participation of indigenous communities in creating knowledge in their own native languages. Last year, we were awarded a Project Grant to conduct a research mapping project looking at the challenges and opportunities for Wikipedia in indigenous languages of Latin America. The project is winding down and our report which will focus on lessons learned and recommendations will be released in July.
Our objective is to continue to explore ways to support indigenous communities seeking to share knowledge in their own languages by helping to facilitate networks between native-speaking editors with the support of different institutions, especially with regional Wikimedia affiliates, many of whom are already working in this area or have interest in supporting local groups.
