The Bikol Wikipedia Community held a big celebration of the site’s 15th anniversary last October 31 at Jazz Bar, New Crown Hotel, Naga City, with help from the PhilWiki Community and other institutional partners. On behalf of Dr. Fay Lea Patria M. Lauraya, president of the university, curator Juan Paolo Suzara of the UNC Museum accepted the honor.

Wikipedia x UNC partnership started with the Information Technology Department and the E-Library with a series of trainings and seminars in 2013, and now Wikipedia is in its second-year partnership with the University Museum’s digitization project. Four Wiki events have taken place at the University of Nueva Caceres since 2013: Open Web Day UNC, the 1Lib1Ref Campaign, the Wikimania 2022 satellite event, and earlier this year’s Bikol Wikisource outreach initiatives. 

This partnership with Wikipedia recognizes the UNC’s effort to promote active learning where students can actively participate in educational activities. As an extension of learning, Wikipedia, through the local Bikol Wikipedia Community and the Philippine Wikimedia Community Inc., will embark on digitizing some of the collections of the University Museum.

The goal of the year-long celebration, which got underway in November 2022, was to pique stakeholders’ interest and attract a larger audience. The events sparked conversations on open and free knowledge and produced chances for teamwork, such as invites and interactions with partners and people. 

While the weekly radio program and community conversations deepened the public’s understanding of various topics surrounding various Wikimedia projects and the movement, the webinars, forums, and conferences served as venues for increasing awareness and correcting misconceptions about Wikipedia among teachers and students.