GLAM/Newsletter/November 2012/Contents/Mexico report
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Mexico/Spain editathon, Creative Commons activites and Wiki Loves Monuments contest awards
A simultaneous Spanish Wikipedia editathon from two continents
In Wikimedia México, we have had success partnering with groups and initiatives that share our values of freedom and the commons. One of those initiatives is Procommons Mexico Lab, a project supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), where our member Alan Lazalde works.
Recently, we developed the idea to conduct an editathon at the Spanish Cultural Center in México, and we welcomed the cooperation of Wikimedia España as our partner in the first editing marathon between two Spanish-speaking countries. This was also an important demonstation of work between members of Iberocoop — an initiative of Wikimedia chapters that share Iberoamerican cultural heritage. The members of the Mexican and Spanish Wikimedia chapters had already talked months ago about doing common projects because of our shared history.
For the members of the Mexico chapter, we had the opportunity to conduct the event at the Spanish Cultural Center in México, an epicenter of cultural activities in Mexico City. I contacted María Sefidari and Santiago Navarro, both members of Wikimedia España, and through our respective channels of communication and social media, we publicized the event to gain more participants, both in person in Mexico and remotely from people’s homes in Spain.
On Sunday, November 18th, at 10 am, María gave a short greeting vía Skype, and then editors from Wikimedia México and the student club Wikimedia Amoxcalli started writing about topics related to the Spanish Cultural Center in México, adding more information and updating what was already existing on the Spanish Wikipedia. We also wrote about its museum, cultural offices and programs.
Throughout the day, we worked on other topics related to Spain and Mexico: the Knife rebellion, which happened before the War of Independence between both countries; the Spanish soldier Torcuato Trujillo; contemporary artists like María La Ribot and Magda Donato; and the Spanish Ateneum of México. There was also a translation of a new article to the French Wikipedia by El Caro, and several to Catalan Wikipedia, thanks to GLAM promotor Àlex Hinojo and also to Gustavo Góngora writing from Catalonia.
We coordinated via the IRC channels of both chapters, and kept updating our progress on Facebook and on Twitter with the hashtag #EditMXES. In all, we had event participants in México at the venue and in Guadalajara; participants in Spain from Barcelona, Ferrol, La Seu, Madrid, Palencia, Vila-real and Zamora; and we were joined by the coordinator of Wikimedia Colombia from Bogotá .
By 4 pm, when we ended the editathon, we had written 18 new articles and expanded two more on Spanish Wikipedia. Plus we added seven new articles on Catalan Wikipedia and one new article on French Wikipedia. What had started as an initiative between Wikimedia México and the AECID resulted in a wider collaboration between many countries. We hope to hold more events like this soon.
Corredor Cultural Roma Condesa editathon
The Corredor Cultural Roma Condesa (CCRM) is a citizen initiative to promote cultural activities in the Condesa and Roma boroughs (colonias) in Mexico City. It is held twice a year, each of the editions dedicated to each of one of the areas, which are geographically close. The corridor includes activities of contemporary art, design, fashion, film, environment and food, involving galleries, shops, restaurants, and cultural centers of the two colonias.
This year among with the Universidad de la Comunicación, we run an editathon with articles of both boroughs on November 24th. The event was inaugurated by Carlos Mackinley, head of Tourism of Mexico City Government, Ana Elena Mallet, leader of CCRM, Salvador Corrales, vice Chancelor of the Universidad de la Comunicación and Carmen Alcázar, vocal of Wikimedia México.
15 new articles were finally written in Spanish, three in English and two in Catalan. Plus, the Universidad de la Comunicacion donated to Wikimedia Commons, part of their historical images.
Artes de México collaboration
It was included in the list of editathon, the article of Artes de México, the most connoted magazine of art in Mexico. I contacted Gabriela Olmos, editor of the magazine, who attended the event and gave us first-hand material to do the article. We agreed start soon a joint project to expand the presence in Wikipedia of the magazine, given its relevance in the study of art in our country.
Telecápita
Telecápita is an organization that perform various activities related to the reflection and discussion of issues of contemporary society. For the second time, the Second International Meeting Telecápita, which was attended by a number of researchers, lecturers and activists under the theme "Red-volution". At this meeting Wikimedia Mexico, through its President Ivan Martinez, participated in the dictamination of "Free Internet" roundtable discussion, which was attended by Jacobo Nájera, also member of the chapter as well by Enrique César, Ulises Kentros and Roberto Vivero Miranda. The roundtable discussion was held at Casa Vecina, in the downtown of Mexico City.
Token:encounter
Wikimedia México was attended the Token:encounter meeting, through his member and Mozilla Rep, Odin Mojica, among with other free culture initiatives and activists such as Astrovandalistas, BanquetaLab, El Proyecto Sonidero, La tertulia de los cuervos, Labdoo Mexico, Sursiendo, Ruido 13, Vlax and Enrique César.
Creative Commons Latinoamerican Meeting
Alan Lazalde, Wikimedia Mexico member, actively participated in the implementation of the Latin American Meeting of Creative Commons, held in Mexico City on November 20 and 21 . Alan made much of the coordination and invitation of the attendees and moderating discussion boards. Within the meeting, Carmen Alcázar presented our activities and projects, highlighting Wiki Loves Monuments. Also participated in the event Evelyn Heidel, of Wikimedia Argentina, introduced the DIY free scanner.
Wiki Loves Monuments
On November 22th we made in the Museo Universitario del Chopo a press conference announcing the Wiki Loves Monuments winners, with the presence of Ana Lorenia Garcia, art researcher and member of the jury, Carmen Alcázar, coordinator of the contest in Mexico and Óscar Martínez, spokesman of Wikimedia México. Then on November 30th, we did an awards event with some of the winners of the contest, also at the Museo Universitario del Chopo. There we inaugurated an exhibition held with the support of the museum, which will continue at different venues in Mexico City for a few weeks, thanks to a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation.
Education Program activities
Continuing with the activities of our Education Program, we gave several talks related to editing Wikipedia from the classroom.
Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, UNAM
Thanks to the Wikipedia Student Club in the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, we gave a talk with the students of Professor Alberto Posada Betancourt, who teaches World History to students of that degree. The professor started an ambitious project with their students, with the participation and support of Wikimedia México, about Theories of History and Social Hermeneutics in Wikipedia and Wikibooks, enriching both projects on authors such as Marc Bloch, Fredric Jameson. Agnes Heller, Ernst Bloch, Mikhail Bakhtin and Jean Paul Sartre. The professor and his students do other projects as "Planet of Slums", a monitoring student who performed, among other activities, radio spots on the G-20, which were broadcast on Radio UNAM.
On another occasion, Carmen Alcazar gave a talk to students of the class of teachers Mariana Osuna and Roberto Cruz.
Universidad Veracruzana
Through Silvia Gutierrez, responsible for the Digital Library of the Universidad Veracruzana, we worked an integral project of collaboration with the institution starting from 2013. Silvia has made several rounds of talks with the authorities and interested in participating.
