Recognized annually, Wikipedia Day is a celebration held in honor of the foundation of Wikipedia, the free, global, and online encyclopedia that was established on the 15th of January, 2001.
This day is observed by those who utilize, contribute to, and support the platform. The aim is to acknowledge the significant roles Wikipedia plays in the global spread of information and knowledge. The day also serves to honor the multitude of volunteers from different backgrounds who tirelessly contribute content in various languages to the platform.
History of Wikipedia Day
The idea of creating Wikipedia was first proposed by Larry Sanger and Jimmy Wales in 2000. Their vision was to establish an internet-based encyclopedia that anyone could edit and access for free. So, on January 15, 2001, the inaugural version of Wikipedia was launched. Initially, it began as an encyclopedia in English, but it wasn’t long before editions in other languages began to emerge.
In the early days, there were many skeptics who doubted the viability of an open-source encyclopedia platform. Concerns were raised over the issue of accuracy due to the potential for vandalism and misuse. However, Wikipedia proved these skeptics wrong over time, emerging as both a trusted and valuable resource. The community of Wikipedia volunteers grew exponentially, with individuals from all corners of the globe adding and contributing to the collection of articles on a myriad of topics.
Fast forward to 2003 and the formation of the non-profit organization, the Wikimedia Foundation. This organization took on the responsibility of managing Wikipedia and its associated projects. By 2023, Wikipedia boasts more than 6.7 million English articles and operates in over 300 different languages.
The festivities surrounding Wikipedia Day have varied throughout the years. Some years, the Wikimedia Foundation hosted celebrations at its San Francisco headquarters. Other years, local Wikipedians would organize meetups in their respective cities. These celebrations often feature cake, speeches, and discussions about the future trajectory of Wikipedia. In addition, individuals around the globe celebrate online by creating new articles or enhancing existing ones.
Wikipedia Day Timeline
Wikipedia was launched
Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger launched Wikipedia on Jan 15, 2001.
First non-English Wikipedias were launched
The German Wikipedia launched on March 16 and Japanese Wikipedia on May 11.
Wikipedia became a non-profit
The Wikimedia Foundation was created by Jimmy Wales and the Wikipedia project was transferred.
One million articles in English published
Wikipedia reached one million articles on the English site.
Video and audio files on Wikipedia
Wikipedia started to support moving video and audio files.
20 years of Wikipedia
The online encyclopedia celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Ideas to Celebrate Wikipedia Day
Surprise Topic Presentation
Round up some friends and make it interesting by selecting a random topic from Wikipedia for each person. Give everyone 10 minutes to read about their topic before they present the key points to the group.
Wikipedia Edit-a-thon
Plan a communal writing event where you and your peers congregate to add new articles to Wikipedia or improve the existing ones, enhancing their accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Wikipedia Trivia Night
Plan a trivia event with Wikipedia being the focus. Extract interesting tidbits and events from Wikipedia to use as trivia questions.
Wiki Hunt
Organize a treasure hunt that requires participants to seek out specific details on Wikipedia. Award the first person who identifies all the details correctly.
Wikipedia Review Day
Dedicate your time to go through articles related to your expertise. Contribute to the monumental repository by rectifying inaccuracies, hence making it a more reliable and accurate source of information.
7 Interesting Facts About Wikipedia
One of the Largest Websites in the World
As per data from Alexa Internet in February 2021, Wikipedia is listed as the 13th most visited website across the globe.
Multilingual Access
Wikipedia content can be consumed in as many as 320 languages. The version with the greatest variety of articles, over 6.7 million, is the English one.
Crowning the First Article
Wikipedia's inaugural article was devoted to the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Symbolic Logo
The logo of Wikipedia depicts a globe made from several puzzle pieces, each adorned with characters from different scripts. The absent pieces represent the articles waiting to be penned.
A One Man Army
Steven Pruitt stands as Wikipedia's most active contributor, boasting over 5 million edits and the creation of 35,000 original compositions.
Wikipedia and Academia
While academia does not recognize Wikipedia as a reliable knowledge source given its freely editable content, one study showed 80% of Wikipedia's medical data was as accurate as information in peer-reviewed medical journals.
Speedy Deletion Process
Some specific articles can be removed instantly on Wikipedia, without a requirement for discussion. This ‘speedy deletion’ occurs in cases of vandalism, advertising, gobbledygook, or if the content is in a language other than English.
Wikipedia Day FAQs
Next Wikipedia Day Dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | January 15th | Sunday |
| 2024 | January 15th | Monday |
| 2025 | January 15th | Wednesday |
| 2026 | January 15th | Thursday |
| 2027 | January 15th | Friday |
| What is the pattern? | Every January 15th | |
Wikipedia Day Word Search
- Wikipedia
- Encyclopedia
- Information
- Articles
- Community
- Education