Author: Olesia Lukaniuk

Are you in the process of preparing your local contest? Or maybe you are during the active process? Or are you already going to finish gathering uploads and about to start the evaluation process?

In any case, WLE open office hour is for you!

Come to hear about the last contest’s updates, important reminders, and stages to help you organize the competition smoothly. Take a chance to ask your questions as well!

Join the meeting on the 11th of June at 13:00 CET by this link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88498170093

Let us know, and we will add you to the calendar invitation.

Convert a time into your local timezone here: https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1718103600.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at wle-team@wikimedia.org.ua!

And we have the first and most exciting results so far:

48 countries are on the participants list. Check them here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/Participating_countries

23 countries already started their local competition in May

More than 570 participants uploaded their images.

Over 12,200 images uploaded so far. Check them all here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/Category:Images_from…

We are excited to see new submissions and participants, and let’s make WLE the most productive this year!

We have prepared useful guidelines, instructions, and templates for you to improve your participation and find the answers to many questions that you may face during organizing and uploading.

Find the Resources Center here:https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/WLE_Resources_Center

Later, we will add more materials and links, and soon, you will be able to find all the instructions in French, Arabic, and Spanish.

You are always welcome to contribute your ideas for the instructions or to participate in developing some of them!

Feel free to check out the existing materials, share them with your team and your participants, and stay tuned for more updates!

Wiki Loves Earth 2024, the largest International photo competition, has started today!

The local contest has started in 13 countries, and we have the first 500 uploads of natural heritage.

Check the participating countries and their timelines here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/Participating_countries.

We are waiting for your brilliant images, and let’s depict our beautiful planet together

Today is International Earth Day, and it is 10 days before the start of Wiki Loves Earth 2024!

Everyone should care about the planet we live on and do everything possible to provide its growth and beauty. We encourage you to take one simple step toward it, especially today.

One of them can be organizing and participating in photo contests, which aim to depict natural heritage sites.

Very soon you will be able to upload your unique images and for the organizers to prepare the best local contest!

As well, support this Day by uploading images for the special nomination “Human Rights and Environment”.

Check the details on our page and be ready to upload from 1st May.

Happy Earth Day!

Dear WLE community, we have prepared some exciting news for you!💚
The Wiki Loves Earth 2024 has started and will last from 1st May to 31 July!

Wiki Loves Earth is an annual international photographic competition. Participants take pictures of local natural heritage in their countries and upload them to Wikimedia Commons. For all participating countries, separate competitions are organized by local teams.

🌞How can you join the contest this year as an organizer?
For that, you need the following:

• Team of volunteers with clear roles and timelines;
• Defining eligible natural sites (must be officially protected);
• Preparing a landing page for the local contest;
• Promotion for the contest in social networks;
• Jury to evaluate the photos (select top-15 local winners for an international contest);
• Awards for your winners.

Find out more about the process in our detailed guidelines for the local teams.

🌞How can you join the contest as a participant?

Read all the rules and FAQs and check the list of participating countries. Then, follow the local guidelines of your country to know when and how to upload.

• This year, we also continue to raise awareness about environmental problems, so we launched our special nomination “Human Rights and Environment” for the 4th time.
• The wide and beautiful natural heritage can be showcased, and Wikipedia articles can be illustrated not only with images but also with videos. In this special “Video” nomination, we recognize videos depicting natural monuments worldwide. Upload your beautiful videos and check the criteria here.

Follow our channels for local organizers to receive the most important information:

• Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wlecommunity/
• Telegram chat: https://t.me/+jtPfBWQVCGkzMmIy
• A mailing list for the local organizers: wikilovesearth@lists.wikimedia.org

Also, subscribe on our social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

If you have any questions or need any help, please contact the international team at wle-team@wikimedia.org.ua

The contest is starting very soon, and this message is for those who are still hesitating: to join or not to join?

You still have time to contribute! Already, 37 countries are in the active stage of the preparation, and you can be the next one!

Check the list of participating countries here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/Participating_countries

A reminder that you need some of the criteria to start the contest:

– Team of volunteers with clear roles and timelines;

– Defining eligible natural sites (must be officially protected);

– Preparing a landing page for the local contest;

– Promotion of the contest in social networks;

– Jury to evaluate the photos (select top-15 local winners for an international contest);

– Awards for your winners.

If you have any questions or need help, please contact the international team anytime at wle-team@wikimedia.org.ua

Don’t hesitate to make your unique contribution to the Earth’s heritage!

We are waiting for your participation!

Dear WLE community!

We are pleased to introduce you to a new initiative that aims to protect endangered natural and cultural heritage.

Heritage Guard Network (HGN): Empowering Communities to Safeguard Cultural and Natural Treasures through Crowdsourced Digital Efforts aims to create long-term, sustainable networks that compile, build, and share best practices for successfully crowdsourcing data and information on cultural and natural heritage in danger.

HGN brings together formal project partners, all of which are independently registered national NGOs recognized as national representatives of the international Wikimedia movement. These include Wikimedia Sweden (Technology & Content), Wikimedia Poland (Engagement), Wikimedia UG Georgia (Legal), and Wikimedia Ukraine (Risk), alongside two Hub initiatives, the Content Partnerships Hub and the Central and Eastern European Hub.

These entities share a common mission through the project and will exchange knowledge and experience, primarily through online workshops and conferences.

Read more about this initiative here: https://diff.wikimedia.org/…/a-new-initiative-aims-to…/

We invite all interested volunteers and experts, including representatives of cultural institutions, to join our soon-to-be-launched brainstorming meetings.

If you are interested in joining a working group, according to your interests and expertise, you can show interest by contacting us at hgn@wikimedia.ge.

Are you the one who consistently questioned: Why is my country not on the list of participating countries for Wiki Loves Earth?

That’s precisely the time to fix it and organize a local WLE yourself!

Already, 21 countries have decided to join WLE in 2024, and we also want to see your country on the list!

Check the list of participating countries and hurry up to put there yours: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/Participating_countries

Don’t have experience in organizing the contest?

That’s not a problem! Text us at wle-team@wikimedia.org.ua, and we’ll send you a detailed guide and help you with your steps.

Check the criteria to start the contest: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/Commons:Wiki…/Organise

Don’t hesitate to make your unique contribution to the Earth’s heritage!

We are waiting for your participation!

The wide and beautiful natural heritage can be showcased, and Wikipedia articles can be illustrated not only with images but also with videos. In this special nomination, we recognize videos depicting natural monuments worldwide.

If you are a local organizer, you can decide whether to promote and choose the local winning videos for this nomination. However, take your time to think!

Check the page of this special nomination, where you can read all the detailed information you need to know: https://commons.wikimedia.org/…/Common…/Video_nomination

Still, having some questions?

Then we are waiting for your message at wle-team@wikimedia.org.ua.

Love our Earth, and hurry up to participate in the contest!