Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2026/Submissions/Wikimedia Italy and Wikimedia Ukraine cooperation: Planting a sunflower seed

ID : 99	Wikimedia Italy and Wikimedia Ukraine cooperation: Planting a sunflower seed
Author(s): Olesia Lukaniuk, Brian Sciretti		Username(s): OlesiaLukaniuk (WMUA), Sciking	Type of submission: Poster, but can be a lightning talk also
		Affiliation: Wikimedia Ukraine, Wikimedia Italy	Theme(s): Community Engagement, Partnerships, Diversity
Abstract: This poster presents the collaboration between Wikimedia Italy and Wikimedia Ukraine in 2026 and highlights a series of joint initiatives promoting Ukrainian culture, heritage, and participation in Wikimedia projects. Key activities included the photo exhibition “Wounded yet Resilient: Ukraine in Photos”, hosted in Milan, Bergamo, and Trieste in collaboration with Ucraina Più Milano. Featuring images from Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Earth, and Wiki Loves Folklore, the exhibition showcased Ukraine’s cultural and natural heritage while raising awareness of the ongoing war and its impact on the country. The partnership also led to the first Ukrainian-language edit-a-thon in Italy, an important step toward building a Ukrainian Wikimedian community in the country. The event encouraged Ukrainians living in Italy to contribute to Wikimedia projects by creating and improving content related to Ukraine. In parallel, the Italian Wikipedia community organized a dedicated writing week focused on Ukraine, further strengthening collaboration between the two communities. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how international Wikimedia partnerships can foster cultural exchange, community engagement, and knowledge sharing across borders.			Slides: TBA
			Level of advancement: Basic
			Special requirements:
			Recording (Yes/No): Yes
			Photography (Yes/No): Yes
How will this session be beneficial for the communities in the region of CEE? Strengthening the collaboration between CEE countries and their neighbours. Showing a model of a photographic exhibition about Ukraine in foreign countries. Talking about the engagement of Wikimedia communities that do not speak the majority language of the State they live in.

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