GLAM/Newsletter/September 2025/Contents/Belgium report
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Make cultural heritage freely accessible, Hasselt's collections shine online & Let's give women a voice on Wikipedia!
News from Wikimedia Belgium.
Make cultural heritage freely accessible
From October 1 to December 31, 2025, we invite volunteers, heritage enthusiasts, and anyone with a passion for free knowledge to contribute to Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata.
Why this challenge?
In 2026, the copyright on works by countless writers, artists, and photographers who died in 1955 will expire. By writing biographies and collecting data now, we are ensuring that their lives and work will be immediately visible as soon as they officially enter the public domain.
What can you do?
- 📝 Biografieën schrijven of uitbreiden van makers (overleden in 1955) wiens auteursrecht in 2026 afloopt
- 📷 Vrije media uploaden naar Wikimedia Commons (overleden in 1954)
- 🔎 Gestructureerde data toevoegen aan Wikidata voor wereldwijde vindbaarheid
Why participate?
- 📚 Cultural heritage is preserved and becomes freely accessible
- 🌍 Your contribution reaches millions of readers worldwide
- ✍️ Participating is easy: all you need is a free Wikimedia account
➡️ Join in!
Register today via the official event page.
Together, we ensure that valuable heritage is not only preserved, but can also be freely shared – for everyone, everywhere.
Hasselt's collections shine online
These new uploads are the result of ongoing collaboration between Wikimedia and the museums in Hasselt, with the aim of making heritage accessible to everyone.
- Jenever Museum: posters, postcards and porcelain cards – a colourful glimpse into the rich history of jenever. View the collection.
- Fashion Museum: elegant clothing accessories and several ensembles from the 18th and 19th centuries – fashion history to enjoy. View the collection.
But uploading is only the first step. To really make these images shine, we need your help.
Link the new photos to relevant Wikipedia articles and bring this unique Hasselt heritage to the attention of a global audience.
Together, we ensure that these gems are not only preserved, but also shared and admired.
Let's give women a voice on Wikipedia!
Across Flanders, heritage organisations are organising Wikipedia writing sessions to make stories of inspiring women visible to a wide audience.
Information session for heritage organisations
Would you like to participate as an archive, museum, library or heritage institution, or organise a session yourself? Then join the online information session organised by Bruges Public Library on 13 November, from 10 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., and listen to their inspiring testimony.
During this session, you will gain a clear overview of the following points:
- Why are these writing sessions so important?
- What do you need? From preliminary research to practical tips.
- How do you host a location? How do you join an existing session?
💡 Participation is free, but registration is required.
All information can be found here.
