Wikimania 2025

Butch Bustria

Butch Bustria is an Overseas Filipino Worker / Wikimedian (OFW) based in Singapore, He use his spare time in doing Wikimedia projects. His first edit was in December 2005 with a series of edits about the Philippines’ hosting of the Southeast Asian Games. In 2010, he along with 4 others co-founded Wikimedia Philippines, the second Wikimedia chapter in Southeast Asia. Since 2017, Butch had been involved in organizing the ESEAP conferences and summits in Bali, Indonesia, in Bangkok, Thailand, in Sydney, Australia, in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and in Manila, Philippines. He is part of the Regional Funds Committee for ESEAP since 2021. He is remembered as well as the Event lead for Wikimania 2023 in Singapore. Since 2020, he is part of the Wikimania Steering Committee and as of this writing, its vice chairperson.


Sessions

08-06
11:15
25min
Unlocking Government Data for Wikidata: Stories, Impacts, and Open Dialogue
Butch Bustria, Wishywiz, Lady01v, Doc James, Jan Ainali

🎥 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Unlocking_Government_Data_for_Wikidata;_Stories,_Impacts,_and_Open_Dialogue.webm

ETHERPAD (audience notes) link: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/2025_N7BDNB

As part of the 20th anniversary celebration of Wikimania, this session will explore how the reuse of public domain & government datasets enriches Wikidata & bolsters public engagement with Wikimedia projects. Drawing inspiration from previous sessions such as "Add Your Country to Wikidata Govdirectory" (2023, 2024) & the Philippine success story featured on diff.wikimedia.org titled "Ten Years of Philippine Local Government Data as a Gift to Wikidata’s 12-Year Anniversary", this program highlights the practical & transformative benefits of structured open data.

Through short, compelling stories, participants will learn about successful case studies showcasing integration of government data into Wikidata. The session will culminate in an open forum where attendees can ask questions & exchange insights on accessing & reusing government datasets to create a more inclusive & impactful Wikimedia ecosystem.

Open Data
NAIROBI (🗣️ ar, es, fr, sw)
08-07
11:00
60min
Meet the new Wikimedian of the Year!
Butch Bustria, Robertsky, gillteshu

Meet the new Wikimedian of the Year Robert Sim and Runner-up awardee Nitesh Gill!

Village Pump (remote only)
Village Pump (remote only)
08-08
17:15
90min
Reflection on 20 years of Wikimania
Andrew Lih, Phoebe Ayers, Lodewijk, Notafish, SJ, Gnangarra, Patricio.lorente, mathias schindler, ProtoplasmaKid, Asaf Bartov, Iolanda Pensa - iopensa, eric luth, islahaddow, Butch Bustria, SGrabarczuk (WMF), Bobbyshabangu, Nina

Reflecting on 20 years of Wikimania with some organizers from many different years!

Village Pump (remote only)
Village Pump (remote only)
08-09
11:45
55min
Future of Wikimania
Butch Bustria, eric luth, Maciej Nadzikiewicz / User:Nadzik, Lodewijk, remy, Florence Devouard, Adélaïde Calais WMFR, ProtoplasmaKid, Alice Kibombo, Andrew Lih

🎥 Session recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/IIJaOtycCf0?feature=shared&t=8278 🎥

ETHERPAD (audience notes) link: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/2025_Future_of_Wikimania

Link to Video podcast interview: http://youtu.be/Wpm_Vi2LftA

As Wikimania celebrates its 20th anniversary, this session will explore the future trajectory of the Wikimedia movement. By reflecting on past achievements and addressing emerging challenges, we aim to co-create a vision for the next editions of Wikimania. This session will focus on fostering inclusivity, amplifying impact, and ensuring sustainability within the Wikimedia ecosystem.

Community Engagement
MERU (🗣️ ar, es, fr, sw)
08-09
14:45
40min
Empowering the Wikimedia Movement through Inclusive Resource Distribution and Regional Engagement
Butch Bustria, Anna Torres Adell

🎥 Session recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/-kU4brAaXO8?feature=shared&t=19394 🎥

ETHERPAD (audience notes) link:: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/2025_3EX7LA

This session will examine how the Wikimedia Global Resource Distribution Committee (GRDC) and Regional Fund Committees (RFCs) contribute to advancing inclusivity, impact, and sustainability in the Wikimedia Movement. The presentation will introduce the role of the GRDCs on resource distribution, based on its proposal, and discuss the critical role of RFCs in empowering volunteers through capacity building and regional community development. A dynamic open forum will follow, inviting attendees to share experiences, raise questions, and discuss innovative approaches to resource distribution and volunteer engagement.

Community Engagement
NYERI