In light of the increased global concern and vigilance surrounding the spread of COVID19 and the postponement of Adaptations Futures, CDKN and FCFA will be suspending the Wikipedia edit-a-thon proposed for 1 May 2020 in Delhi. At this stage we intend to move the event to take place after Adaptation Futures in September/October but will communicate alternative plans at the earliest opportunity once we have a clear way forward.

Are you attending Adaptation Futures 2020? Do you want to learn how to edit Wikipedia and contribute climate research and information to the world’s largest online encyclopaedia? Apply to be part of a 1-day edit-a-thon in New Delhi on 1 May 2020.

In a time of an increasing urgency to respond to the climate challenge, policy makers, practitioners and citizens need accessible and relevant information on climate change. With an average of 19 billion page views a month, information on Wikipedia is freely available to anyone with an internet connection and is an important platform for communicating climate knowledge. However, often people working in the climate change field don't consider Wikipedia as a dissemination channel.

Following the success of Africa’s first Wikipedia edit-a-thon on climate change last year, CDKN and Future Climate for Africa are hosting another climate change Wikipedia edit-a-thon after Adaptation Futures in New Delhi, India, on 1 May 2020. 

The edit-a-thon will bring together approximately 30 climate change researchers and practitioners, as well as veteran Wikipedia editors, to update and add content related to climate change.

Applicant requirements:

• You must be working in the climate change field, including researchers and practitioners
• Strong proficiency in English as this will be the language of instruction for the edit-a-thon, and because most editing will take place on English Wikipedia. 
• You must be attending Adaptation Futures and have funds to cover all your conference expenses for your trip to Adaptation Futures including flights, transfers, accommodation, visas, registration, and meals. 
• It is a prerequisite for you to attend the session: Wikipedia as a tool to accelerate adaptation knowledge at Adaptation Futures, as this will prepare you for the full-day editing event on 1 May.
• We strongly encourage developing country and female researchers and practitioners to apply given the underrepresentation of developing country and female editors on Wikipedia.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The organising team will only cover the costs necessary to extend your stay to attend the Wikipedia edit-a-thon after Adaptation Futures. This includes covering the hotel, airport transfer and food expenses once Adaptation Futures ends. You are responsible for covering the cost of your flight and making sure it is booked for a later date in order to attend the edit-a-thon on 1 May. The organisers will not cover any flight changes to accommodate attendance at the event. 

Interested researchers and practitioners are invited to apply by completing this Google Form by 13 March 2020. 

If your application is successful, you will be notified by the week of 16 March 2020. If you do not receive a response by then, please consider your application unsuccessful. 

If you have any questions please email wiki@southsouthnorth.org. 

Photo: Participants at a WikiEducator workshop in New Delhi, India. Courtesy of Niyam Bhushan via Flickr.