Re: Wikipedia at 25: A Wake-Up Call (essay)

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Dear Christophe and all,

Many of the trustees and WMF leadership have been following these threads
and have had similar conversations with other community members (both
on-wiki
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2026=
-2027>
 and in other spaces
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2026-2027=
/Collaboration#Co-created_Community_spaces>)
about the change we need to deliver Wikimedia's mission with the internet
at an inflection point. You yourself were present, together with many
executives and Trustees, for the Wikimedia Futures Lab
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Futures_Lab/Events>.

You'll see in our annual plan
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2026-2027=
>
that
we've been tracking these global trends. Wikipedia is seeing declines in
pageviews
<https://diff.wikimedia.org/2026/03/10/engaging-and-reengaging-wikipedia-re=
aders/>
and
referral traffic from Google, and unprecedented increases in bot traffic.
We believe this is not a temporary phenomenon, but a structural shift and
we are acting to mitigate this. The world needs us all to evolve and adapt.
We are looking forward to continuing the conversation at Wikimania where
the organisers have created lots of discussion spaces on the agenda
<https://wikimedia.eventyay.com/wm/wikimania2026/schedule/> and on-wiki
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation/Board_of_Trustees/Com=
munity_and_Affiliate_Liaisons>
for
those not able to attend.

We are also happy to meet you at the call you are organising
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:This_is_not_a_meeting>, in our
continued commitment to talking to Wikimedia volunteers where they gather,
not only in spaces created by the Foundation. Talk to you soon!

Thanks,
*Maciej Nadzikiewicz (User:Nadzik)*
Community & Affiliates Liaison of the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustee=
s

pt., 3 lip 2026 o 21:23 Christophe Henner via Wikimedia-l <
[email protected]> napisa=C5=82(a):

> I love this discussion, thank you all for speaking up. :)
>
> One note on "the community can just do it," I do think it's the right
> direction, so please read the next couple of paragraphs as a friendly
> amendment (just to make sure everyone's on the same page) rather than a
> pushback.
>
> "The community can just do it," feels very appealing right now: because w=
e
> are missing ownership and leadership, self-organizing is kinda the only
> option with that vacuum. It probably is the best tool we have to
> rebuild/respark the ownership we are missing.
>
> That being said, a couple of comments:
>
> 1. Community means staff too, to me. Many of the people the movement pays
> are also among its most committed contributors, so let us not run this as
> volunteers versus the Foundation/paid staff. I know it sometimes reads
> simplistic, but we're all in the same boat, or at least we should be.
>
> 2. At this scale the work will need people with dedicated time on it.
> Because the Foundation is not taking leadership doesn't mean it doesn't
> have a responsibility. The Foundation owns most of the resources in the
> movement, and if we, as a movement, are to change/evolve, we need those
> resources. It can't rely only on volunteers. However, I'm not saying we
> need X, Y or Z, just that we will need people with dedicated time at some
> point.
>
> Brooke, to your comment on the Foundation being a service organisation, I
> would agree if the Foundation was being supportive. But it's neither
> leading the change nor being supportive on that topic, in my opinion. And
> don't anyone get me wrong, I do know how hard it is first hand to do eith=
er
> (or both), but I also know it can happen. And I hope they'll take the fir=
st
> opportunity to join in the discussion.
>
> Speaking of opportunities, I've started a second thread with an invitatio=
n
> to meet next week. It's a bit of last minute notice, but I'd love to keep
> the momentum :)
>
>
> --
> Christophe
>
>
> On Fri, 3 Jul 2026 at 00:10, Samuel Klein via Wikimedia-l <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Dear Nada, excellent framing.  It is entirely in our control to fix
>> outreach, build welcoming and forgiving environments, make strides with
>> less-resource languages and communities.
>>
>> Christophe, thanks again for persisting in this thread (and planning a
>> range of activities around Wikimania!)  I see many people engaged with
>> these topics who don't want to engage in discussion about angst over
>> current problems, but are deeply enthusiastic about, and actively engage=
d
>> in, building new things / working on new possibilities.
>>
>> Brooke writes:
>> > Wikimedia is a participatory system... We have to put in the work
>> ourselves.
>>
>> Absolutely.  The civilized netizen's first duty is to be always prepared
>> to rewrite <https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Umberto_Eco> anything truly
>> important from scratch.
>>
>> Galder writes:
>>
>>> One correction: I'm not a trustee!
>>>
>>
>> But we surely trust you, including to make the world's best Txikipedia.
>>
>> We have many good ideas and talented people in the community.  We do
>> need persistent spaces to discuss and make plans, in part because in the
>> last growth spurt we fragmented communication channels across hundreds o=
f
>> pages, sites, lists, and apps.  Recombining many of those streams would =
be
>> good for coherence and continuity.
>>
>> But our wikis are better suited to experimenting, reverting, and
>> iterating than distilling large-scale consensus. Quick decisions by
>> ~sortition (or by the first few people to turn up) help polish the rough=
est
>> edges. Having spaces that push back against the iron law
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_law_of_oligarchy> of oligarchy and
>> preserve freedom to experiment is essential, even when simultaneously
>> waiting for delayed consensus.
>>
>> Our strongest shared identity is as people committed to building
>> freely-licensed knowledge together, in every language, accessible to the
>> entire world. More people care about this today than ever before. We sim=
ply
>> have to make space for it again.
>>
>> =F0=9D=90=96=E2=99=A1, SJ
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- [email protected], guidelines
>> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
>> Public archives at
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]=
org/message/RJV4EYFT53SYRNXZPOMP54CXTRGWLNB3/
>> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- [email protected], guidelines
> at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
> Public archives at
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]=
rg/message/UZBRT3CYMTTGU47QIT2NKACDWIBSGRW7/
> To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org



--=20
*User:Nadzik <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Nadzik>*

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"auto">Dear Christophe and al=
l,</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Many of the trustees =
and WMF leadership have been following these threads and have had similar c=
onversations with other community members (both=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://met=
a.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_Annual_Plan/2026-2027">on-wi=
ki</a>=C2=A0and=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_F=
oundation_Annual_Plan/2026-2027/Collaboration#Co-created_Community_spaces">=
in other spaces</a>) about the change we need to deliver Wikimedia&#39;s mi=
ssion with the internet at an inflection point. You yourself were present, =
together with many executives and Trustees, for the=C2=A0<a href=3D"https:/=
/meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Futures_Lab/Events">Wikimedia Futures La=
b</a>.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">You&#39;ll see in=
 our=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_A=
nnual_Plan/2026-2027">annual plan</a>=C2=A0that we&#39;ve been tracking the=
se global trends. Wikipedia is seeing=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://diff.wikimedi=
a.org/2026/03/10/engaging-and-reengaging-wikipedia-readers/">declines in pa=
geviews</a>=C2=A0and referral traffic from Google, and unprecedented increa=
ses in bot traffic. We believe this is not a temporary phenomenon, but a st=
ructural shift and we are acting to mitigate this. The world needs us all t=
o evolve and adapt. We are looking forward to continuing the conversation a=
t Wikimania where the organisers have created lots of=C2=A0<a href=3D"https=
://wikimedia.eventyay.com/wm/wikimania2026/schedule/">discussion spaces on =
the agenda</a>=C2=A0and=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wik=
imedia_Foundation/Board_of_Trustees/Community_and_Affiliate_Liaisons">on-wi=
ki</a>=C2=A0for those not able to attend.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div>=
<div dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"auto">We are also happy to meet you at the=C2=
=A0<a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:This_is_not_a_meeting">=
call you are organising</a>, in our continued commitment to talking to Wiki=
media volunteers where they gather, not only in spaces created by the Found=
ation. Talk to you soon!</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div></div><div dir=3D=
"auto">Thanks,</div><div dir=3D"auto"><b>Maciej Nadzikiewicz (User:Nadzik)<=
/b></div><div dir=3D"auto">Community &amp; Affiliates Liaison of the Wikime=
dia Foundation Board of Trustees</div></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_q=
uote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">pt., 3 li=
p 2026 o 21:23=C2=A0Christophe Henner via Wikimedia-l &lt;<a href=3D"mailto=
:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>&gt; n=
apisa=C5=82(a):<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:=
0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">=
<div dir=3D"ltr"><div><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">I love this discussion,=
 thank you all for speaking up. :)</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">One not=
e on &quot;the community can just do it,&quot; I do think it&#39;s the righ=
t direction, so please read the next couple of paragraphs as a friendly ame=
ndment (just to make sure everyone&#39;s on the same page) rather than a pu=
shback.</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">&quot;The community can just do it=
,&quot; feels very appealing right now: because we are missing ownership an=
d leadership, self-organizing is kinda the only option with that vacuum. It=
 probably is the best tool we have to rebuild/respark the ownership we are =
missing.</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">That being said, a couple of comm=
ents:=C2=A0</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">1. Community means staff too, =
to me. Many of the people the movement pays are also among its most committ=
ed contributors, so let us not run this as volunteers versus the Foundation=
/paid staff. I know it sometimes reads simplistic, but we&#39;re all in the=
 same boat, or at least we should be.=C2=A0</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)=
">2. At this scale the work will need people with dedicated time on it. Bec=
ause the Foundation is not taking leadership doesn&#39;t mean it doesn&#39;=
t have a responsibility. The Foundation owns most of the resources in the m=
ovement, and if we, as a movement, are to change/evolve, we need those reso=
urces. It can&#39;t rely only on volunteers. However, I&#39;m not saying we=
 need X, Y or Z, just that we will need people with dedicated time at some =
point.</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Brooke, to your comment on the Foun=
dation being a service organisation, I would agree if the Foundation was be=
ing supportive. But it&#39;s neither leading the change nor being supportiv=
e on that topic, in my opinion. And don&#39;t anyone get me wrong, I do kno=
w how hard it is first hand to do either (or both), but I also know it can =
happen. And I hope they&#39;ll take the first opportunity to join in the di=
scussion.=C2=A0</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Speaking of opportunities,=
 I&#39;ve started a second thread with an invitation to meet next week. It&=
#39;s a bit of last minute notice, but I&#39;d love to keep the momentum :)=
</p><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></p></div><div><div dir=3D"ltr" class=
=3D"gmail_signature">--<br>Christophe</div></div><br></div><br><div class=
=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, 3 Jul 2026 a=
t 00:10, Samuel Klein via Wikimedia-l &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:wikimedia-l@lis=
ts.wikimedia.org" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt;=
 wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px =
0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=
=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr=
"><div dir=3D"ltr"><span style=3D"background-color:transparent">Dear Nada, =
excellent framing.=C2=A0 It is entirely in our control to fix outreach, bui=
ld welcoming and forgiving environments, make strides with less-resource la=
nguages and communities.=C2=A0 <br><br>Christophe, thanks again for persist=
ing in this thread (and planning a range of activities around Wikimania!)=
=C2=A0 I see many people engaged with these topics who=C2=A0</span><span st=
yle=3D"background-color:transparent">don&#39;t want to engage in discussion=
 about angst over current problems, but are deeply enthusiastic about, and =
actively engaged in, building new things / working on new possibilities.</s=
pan></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><span style=3D"background-color:transparent"><br=
>Brooke writes:=C2=A0=C2=A0<br></span><span style=3D"background-color:trans=
parent">&gt; Wikimedia is a participatory system...=C2=A0</span><span style=
=3D"background-color:transparent">We </span>have to<span style=3D"backgroun=
d-color:transparent"> put in the work ourselves.</span></div><div dir=3D"lt=
r"><br></div><div dir=3D"ltr">Absolutely.=C2=A0 The civilized netizen&#39;s=
 first duty is <a href=3D"https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Umberto_Eco" target=
=3D"_blank">to be always prepared to rewrite</a>=C2=A0anything truly import=
ant from scratch.=C2=A0=C2=A0<br><div><br></div><span style=3D"background-c=
olor:transparent">Galder writes:</span></div><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><bl=
ockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-lef=
t:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div>




<div dir=3D"ltr">
<div style=3D"font-family:Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
One correction: I&#39;m not a trustee!</div>
<div id=3D"m_4652385835740564772m_-5797757815149628226m_6520172203024871229=
m_8356870054322612186m_-6692941270673887459m_4218606558173225528m_-66157310=
68182817330appendonsend"></div>
</div></div></blockquote></div><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature"><=
/div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><div dir=3D"ltr">But we surely trust you, includi=
ng to make the world&#39;s best Txikipedia.=C2=A0</div><br><div class=3D"gm=
ail_quote"></div>We have many good ideas and talented people in the communi=
ty.=C2=A0=C2=A0<span style=3D"background-color:transparent">We do need pers=
istent spaces to discuss and make plans, in part because </span>in<span sty=
le=3D"background-color:transparent"> the last growth spurt we fragmented co=
mmunication channels across hundreds of pages, sites, lists, and apps.=C2=
=A0 Recombining many of those streams would be good for coherence and conti=
nuity.</span></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br>But our wikis are better suited to =
experimenting, reverting, and iterating than distilling large-scale consens=
us. Quick decisions by ~sortition (or by the first few people to turn up) h=
elp polish the roughest edges. Having spaces that push back against the <a =
href=3D"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_law_of_oligarchy" target=3D"_bla=
nk">iron law</a> of oligarchy and preserve freedom to experiment is essenti=
al, even when simultaneously waiting for delayed consensus.<br><br>Our stro=
ngest shared identity is as people committed to building freely-licensed kn=
owledge together, in every language, accessible to the entire world. More p=
eople care about this today than ever before. We simply have to make space =
for it again.</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div><div dir=3D"ltr">=F0=9D=90=96=
=E2=99=A1,=C2=A0SJ</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
_______________________________________________<br>
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rg" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>, guidelines at: <=
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noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists=
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Public archives at <a href=3D"https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/w=
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el=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/=
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blockquote></div>
_______________________________________________<br>
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rg" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>, guidelines at: <=
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blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><br></div><span class=3D=
"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_sign=
ature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"color:rgb(34,34,34)"><div=
 dir=3D"ltr"><b><a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Nadzik" sty=
le=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)" target=3D"_blank">User:Nadzik</a></b></div></di=
v></div></div>

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