Join us at MIT libraries for a celebration, symposium and exploration of Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia, as it turns 25 years old. Founded on January 15, 2001, Wikipedia has become a foundational part of the Internet, an information resource in 300+ languages that is used by millions around the world. Today, Wikipedia’s model of collective knowledge that anyone can edit, organized by a global volunteer community, is operating in an Internet landscape of constant communication, cameras in every pocket, generative models, intelligent agents and mis- and dis-information.  How can Wikipedia continue to provide the world’s information for the next 25 years and beyond? 

Join us for a day-long event, featuring talks from long-time Wikipedians, educators who teach with Wikipedia, a streaming international celebration of the 25th anniversary, and a chance to have hands-on interactions with games and tools based on Wikipedia. 

Join for the full day or for any part of the event. All events will be held in person at MIT Libraries, in the Hayden Library Nexus, 14S-130. Open to all but registration required. 

Schedule: 

• 10:00-11:00 - "Wikipedia as a Democratic Experiment: Twenty-Five Years of Collective Authorship and Public Knowledge" - talk by Dr. Amy Carleton, MIT Comparative Media Studies/Writing
• 11:00-12:00 - livestream of the international Wikipedia at 25 virtual birthday celebration, featuring trivia, Wikipedians from around the world and more. We'll watch on the big screen together. With celebratory cake! 
• 12:00-1:00 - lunch and conversation
• 1:00-2:15 - Wikipedia: the next 25 years (and beyond) - lightning talks and panel discussion on Wikipedia and AI, streaming media and more. With Peter B. Kaufman (MIT Open Learning, author of The New Enlightenment and the Fight to Free Knowledge; Andrew Lih, author of The Wikipedia Revolution: How a bunch of Nobodies Created the World's Greatest Encyclopedia, Sam Klein (Public AI); moderated by Phoebe Ayers (MIT Libraries, author of How Wikipedia Works).
• 2:15-2:30 - break and room reset 
• 2:30-4:00 - Game arcade and petting zoo: hands-on demos featuring games and tools based on Wikipedia. Drop by to play a game, learn how to add a citation or create an account, collaborate on projects or articles, and try out new tools. 

The Nexus (room 14S-130) is in Hayden Library, in building 14 on the MIT campus (Google Map). Once inside the library, the room is just past the Hayden cafe on the first floor. The closest T stop is Kendall/MIT on the red line. A list of nearby parking garages is here; or a cheaper option is the metered parking available on Memorial Drive (note some spots are 1 hour limit).

We will provide lunch to registered attendees; let us know any dietary restrictions. Note attendees will be asked to adhere to the WMF Universal Code of Conduct and the events code of conduct from Wikimedia NYC. 

Supported by a Concordance Project grant and the MIT Libraries.