Crimean Tatar Wikipedia celebrates its birthday and holds a marathon with gifts
This year, the Crimean Tatar Wikipedia celebrates its 17th anniversary. As part of the celebration, a traditional marathon to create and improve articles has been announced. This is a great opportunity to contribute to the development of this unique resource and win prizes.
The marathon will run from 12 to 27 January 2025. The organisers are the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the NGO Wikimedia Ukraine. The aim of the event is to fill the Crimean Tatar section of Wikipedia with new articles covering basic concepts, Ukrainian culture, history, as well as topics related to Crimea and Crimean Tatar culture. Participants are encouraged to create new articles or improve existing ones by adding sources, expanding the text or adding illustrations.
How to join
To participate in the marathon, you need to:
- Register on Wikipedia if you do not already have an account
- Fill in the registration form (available on the marathon page)
- Create or improve at least one article in the Crimean Tatar language on one of the proposed topics during the marathon
Training and support for participants
On 18 January, at 17:00, a webinar will be held with practical tips on writing quality articles, using templates and working with sources. Registered participants will have access to video tutorials and information materials.
Prizes and awards
Ten of the most active participants will receive valuable prizes, including souvenirs from the organisers.
Why It Matters
The Crimean Tatar Wikipedia is an important tool for preserving and promoting the language and culture of the Crimean Tatars. Today, it is maintained by a small but active community of editors who need the support of new volunteers.
The Crimean Tatar language is a Turkic language, the native language of the Crimean Tatars. Due to the active actions of the Russians over the past 250 years (liquidation of the Crimean Khanate, settlement of Russians on the peninsula, Russification, deportation of Crimean Tatars to Uzbekistan and their constant emigration to Turkey due to oppression), the number of speakers of this language is constantly decreasing.
The Crimean Tatar language is unique in its kind, as it is the language of the autochthonous population of the Crimean peninsula, which has come a long way in the formation and influence of different peoples. The systematisation and formation of the rules of this language began only in the late 1920s, and in 1944, on Stalin's order, Crimean Tatars were deported to Uzbekistan, and measures to destroy their cultural identity and language began.
After the seizure of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in 2014, Russians began to persecute Crimean Tatar politicians and public figures. The Crimean Tatar language is now an optional language in the occupiers' educational programme, and its use has been reduced to ceremonial.
Such events are held to prevent this language from becoming a dead language in the near future.
"Welcome to Crimea" in Cyrillic in Crimean Tatar. Source: Wikipedia
How to find out more?
The details of the marathon, a list of required topics, instructions for creating or editing articles, as well as the rules of participation are available on the event's Wikipedia page. We encourage everyone who can help to join this cultural event.
The official page of the marathon: crh.wikimedia.org.ua
