— Overview
Wikimedia CH is uniquely positioned to advocate for issues important to our Movement. As Switzerland is home to the United Nations and other international organisations and non-profits, as well as the European headquarters for many corporations and start-ups, our potential for impact at a political and social level is significant.
In 2024, Public Affairs & Partnerships focused on expanding our impact through advocacy work and strengthening relationships with partners and institutions. The successful launch of our first Wikipedia Day in Bern marked a significant milestone, bringing together our community around the timely topic of artificial intelligence. This event kicked off a year-long exploration of AI's implications for free knowledge through various formats and channels. We also increased our policy work at both national and European levels while developing new approaches to engage partners and support our mission.
Included in our public affairs efforts are our communication and fundraising activities, which support all of our programmes. This year, we continued to strengthen our outreach tools and increase our communications activities.
— Highlight activity
Wikipedia Day
Our first-ever Wikipedia Day, held on 27 April in Bern, brought together around 100 Wikipedians, partners and like-minded organisations to explore the intersection of Wikipedia and artificial intelligence. Under the theme "Wikipedia & Artificial Intelligence: The race for free knowledge", the event created a space for meaningful dialogue about one of the most pressing topics facing our Movement.
The day featured impulse talks, panel discussions and networking opportunities that allowed participants to explore how AI impacts Wiki platforms and what that means for the future of free knowledge. Notable speakers included Patrick Karpiczenko, Nadia Fischer and Anna Jobin, who shared insights on AI's potential benefits and risks. The event also incorporated our General Assembly and celebrated scientific photography with the Wiki Science Competition awards ceremony.
The success of Wikipedia Day catalysed a year-long exploration of AI's impact on free knowledge through a series of articles and editorials on our website. These ranged from practical considerations to broader philosophical questions about AI's impact on democratic societies:
- Editorial: Balancing Artificial Intelligence with Human Knowledge
- Interview with Wikipedian Kevin Golde: AI in Wikipedia – possible, but clear rules are needed
- Editorial by Jenny Ebermann: Reshaping Knowledge with AI: Risks and Challenges for democratic societies
- Editorial: Succumbed to the quick temptation and failed
This sustained focus on AI throughout 2024 helped position Wikimedia CH as a thoughtful voice in discussions about technology and free knowledge while demonstrating our commitment to addressing challenging topics that affect our community and mission.
— Key programme activities
- Organised an in-person General Assembly in conjunction with Wikipedia Day, where association members elected two new board members: Nawal Aït-Hocine and Amandine Cabrio.
- Launched a new More Women for Wikipedia initiative to bring more women into the community and close the gender gap in Wikipedia content by inviting women-focused organisations, groups and institutions to partner with us.
- Attended the 2nd General Assembly for Wikimedia EU, where we discussed the association's future.
- As a member of the Parliamentary Group on Digital Sustainability (Parldigi) and Wikimedia EU, we presented our work to Swiss Parliamentarians and discussed how EU legislation on digital regulation and data protection impacts Switzerland.
- Signed an open letter with AlgorithmWatch to the states negotiating the Council of Europe's AI Convention with the aim of encouraging closer regulation of tech companies around AI.
- Represented Wikimedia CH at the Swiss Internet Governance Forum, where Jenny Ebermann was a panellist during a session entitled "Net Zero and Digital Transformation: A Contradiction?"
- Increased our storytelling with several articles about our work, mission and vision on our website News page, including the AI-focused articles mentioned above.
- Garnered increased media attention through significant press outreach.
- Collaborated with Swiss broadcasting institutions, including SRF and RSI Edu to make certain media available on Wikimedia projects.
- Participated in the "Big Fat Brussels Meeting," which convened several Wikimedia chapters to discuss pressing policy issues affecting the community and our work.
- Organised a successful Friendraising event at EPFL Montreux Jazz Café where around 40 participants— including team and Board members, partners and like-minded organisations— gathered for meaningful networking and sharing.
- Signed an open letter to the members of the Finance Committee of the Council of States (FK-S) and Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter to protect subsidies for civil society digitalisation projects and ask that Article 17 EMBAG remain as an optional provision in the law.
— Programme impact
- Our first Wikipedia Day attracted approximately 100 participants and generated significant engagement around AI and free knowledge, positioning us as a thoughtful voice in discussions about technology's impact on knowledge sharing.
- We strengthened our policy work through active participation in key forums and initiatives, including presenting to Swiss Parliamentarians and contributing to important discussions about AI regulation.
- The launch of our More Women for Wikipedia initiative set the stage for new partnerships with women-focused organisations, advancing our goal of increasing diversity in both content and contributors.
- Our Friendraising event at EPFL Montreux Jazz Café successfully brought together around 40 stakeholders, strengthening our network and creating opportunities for future collaboration.
- We significantly increased our thought leadership through targeted articles and editorials, particularly around AI and free knowledge, leading to increased media attention and engagement.
- We reached over 48,000 monthly recipients of our newsletter with an open rate of more than 55%, which is well over the industry average.
— Looking ahead
In 2025, we will significantly expand our engagement at both national and international levels, leveraging Switzerland's unique position as a host to international organizations, nonprofits and corporate headquarters. We plan to work more closely with the Wikimedia Foundation and other chapters to multiply our voices and impact. We will continue our active involvement with Parldigi and Alliance Digitale, while deepening our commitment to European initiatives by increasing our support for Wikimedia EU and helping establish Wikifranca's presence in Geneva. We will strengthen existing collaborations, such as with VSA-AAS and SRF, while seeking new partnerships to increase our visibility and impact.
We will once again combine Wikipedia Day with our General Assembly, where we'll launch the development process for our next five-year strategy. We will also strengthen our advocacy work by participating in relevant meetings, conferences and forums where we can advance our mission and contribute to discussions about the future of free knowledge.
Support Free Knowledge!
Join us in supporting access to free and unbiased knowledge. Besides being an active member in Wikimedia CH, or a contributor to Wikipedia and its sister projects, you can give tax-deductible financial support. Wikimedia CH is an independent non-profit. Your donations directly support some of the most popular collaborative reference projects in the world.
Wikimedia CH would like to thank the staff, community, board, partners and donors for making these projects possible.
Together, we are working towards a diverse, open and, above all, knowledgeable society in Switzerland and beyond.
Photo credits
- Bern at sunset. Entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2020. Photo by Giles Laurent - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- A bee gathering pollen on a pink flower. Entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2020. Photo by Gnu-Bricoleur - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Map of the member countries of Wikimedia Europe. Image by Nadzik - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Pictogram representing Community for the wikimedia.ch website. Image by dellarocreative.ch - own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- View of the Aare River in Bern. Entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2022. Photo by OlhaSolodenko - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Jenny Ebermann at the Parldigi and Wikimedia CH event in the Federal Palace, Bern, 3 June. Image by Kerstin (WMCH), CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Participants at the Parldigi and Wikimedia CH event in the Federal Palace, Bern, 3 June. Image by By Kerstin Sonnekalb (WMCH), CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Participants of the Women for Wikipedia edit-a-thon in May. The events series is one of the ways Wikimedia CH supports gender equality in our community and platforms. Image by By Zalo13 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Narcissus field with a view of Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps at sunset. Entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2022. Photo by CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Sunset view from Montreux in Lake Geneva (lac Léman). Entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2022. Photo by Vavaloin - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Lauterbrunnen. Entry in Wiki Loves Switzerland 2022. Photo by Dini78 - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.