Wikimedia Community Ireland was delighted to host the Wiki Women Erasmus+ Partners Meeting
Wikimedia Community Ireland was delighted to host the Wiki Women Erasmus+ Partners meeting last week (October 25th). We were joined by partners from Coláiste Oiriall in Monaghan, Learning Hub Friesland, Afûk (which promotes the Frisian language and culture), Mercator-Fryske Akademy (who facilitate interdisciplinary research on the Frisian language and Culture and minority languages), Euskal Wikilarien Kultura Elkartea (the Basque Wikimedia Group) and Antigua-Luberri BHI (A Basque Secondary School).
WikiWomen addresses many imminent challenges the need for digital skills and literacy, the position of Europe’s smaller and minority languages, the need for multilingualism to be mainstreamed across school curricula, and the importance of gender equality, not only in society but also in the information we access.
The WikiWomen Partners gathered at Dublin Port to Discuss Teaching Materials and GLAMs Toolkits
Dublin Port kindly provided a space for the meeting to take place. Discussions about Teaching materials and GLAMs Toolkits took place overlooking vistas of Dublin’s Docklands, the Liffey, and the distant Dublin mountains.
The teaching materials included lesson plans and student activities on the gender gap, digital literacy, and the importance of elevating minority languages. These activities have been implemented in schools on an ongoing basis since the project began and are being developed and fine-tuned so that more schools can take part in the program.
‘GLAMs’ stands for galleries, libraries and museums. The partners are designing materials to provide GLAMs and language institutions with a step-by-step action plan to implement the WikiWomen program structurally in their educational outreach activities and collaborate with schools.
We ended the day with beef and Guinness stew, fish and chips and a toast to a successful first day. Being Spooky season, there was also some fun to be had as the Partners embarked on the Dublin Ghost Bus Tour. We experienced the dark side of the city making stops at the haunted Royal College of Surgeons, St.James graveyard, and the haunted steps of St Audeon’s Church. Screams, frights, and delights were had while also learned about important heritage sites, the history of gravedigging, and Dublin’s most spotted ghost the green lady.
The WikiWomen Partners Make Plans for Basque and Frisian Wikithons in 2024
On the second day, the partners made important plans for the Basque and Frisian Wikithons taking place in 2024. These discussions took place in the renovated historical substation building on the Dublin Port HQ grounds. The substation is a 20th-century redbrick building located on the corner of East Wall Road and Alexandra Road once played a pivotal role in the early electrification of Dublin Port. During renovations, part of the city’s 18th-century sea wall was discovered running under the Substation. The wall is now preserved under a glass floor in the building and on permanent display to the public and forms an integral part of the Port’s history. The partner meeting was followed by a guided tour of Dublin Port where we learned about its rich maritime history and heritage zone.
The partners left feeling inspired and motivated by the discussions, eager to get to work on the plans. A huge thanks to all of our partners for joining us in Dublin and to Dublin Port for being such amazing hosts! You can learn more about the WikiWomen Erasmus+ Project here or check out the project’s website.
