The Wikipedia Monument (Polish: [Pomnik Wikipedii] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), located in Słubice, Poland, is a statue designed by Armenian sculptor Mihran Hakobyan honoring Wikipedia contributors. The fiber and resin sculpture cost about 50,000 złotys (approximately $14,000; 12,000 euros) and was funded by Słubice regional authorities. It was unveiled in Frankfurt Square (Plac Frankfurcki) on 22 October 2014 in a ceremony that included representatives from both local Wikimedia chapters and the Wikimedia Foundation.

Wikipedia Monument
Polish: Pomnik Wikipedii
Four figures stand in a circle holding up the symbol of Wikipedia, which consists of a globe made of jigsaw pieces, with few pieces missing, symbolizing that the work of the encyclopedia will never be finished
The sculpture in October 2014
ArtistMihran Hakobyan
Year22 October 2014 (2014-10-22)
TypeSculpture
Material
SubjectWikipedia community
Dimensions170 cm × 60 cm × 60 cm (67 in × 24 in × 24 in)
LocationSłubice, Poland
Coordinates52°20′57.5″N 14°33′37.3″E / 52.349306°N 14.560361°E / 52.349306; 14.560361Coordinates: 52°20′57.5″N 14°33′37.3″E / 52.349306°N 14.560361°E / 52.349306; 14.560361
OwnerSłubice regional authorities

Description edit

Inscription:

MIHRAN HAKOBYAN
Wikipedia


With this monument the citizens of Słubice
would like to pay homage to thousands of
anonymous editors all over the world, who
have contributed voluntarily to the creation
of Wikipedia, the greatest project co-cre-
ated by people regardless of political, re-
ligious or cultural borders. In the year this
monument is unveiled Wikipedia is avail-
able in more than 280 languages and con-
tains about 30 million articles. The bene-
factors behind this monument feel certain
that with Wikipedia as one of its pillars the
knowledge society will be able to contrib-
ute to the sustainable development of our
civilization, social justice and peace among
nations.

 22.10.2014[1]

The monument depicts four figures holding aloft a globe based on the Wikipedia logo,[2] reaching over two meters up.[3][4] The fiber and resin statue was designed by Armenian-born artist Mihran Hakobyan, who graduated from Collegium Polonicum.[2][4][5] It cost about 50,000 złotys (approximately $14,000; 12,000 euros) and was funded by Słubice regional authorities.[2][5][6]

History edit

The monument was suggested around 2010[6] by [[{{{1}}}]] [], a university professor and director of the [[{{{1}}}]] [] in Słubice. Wojciechowski said, "I'm ready to drop to my knees before Wikipedia, that's why I thought of a monument where I could do it."[2] Polish Wikipedia is a popular website in Poland and, with over a million articles, the 12th-largest Wikipedia in the world.[5][7] According to Piotr Łuczynski, deputy mayor, the memorial "will highlight the town’s importance as an academic centre".[5] A Wikimedia Polska representative stated that the organization hopes that this project will "raise awareness of the website and encourage people to contribute."[4]

It was unveiled on 22 October 2014,[2] on the [[{{{1}}}]] [],[4][6] becoming the world's first monument to the online encyclopedia.[5] Representatives from the Wikimedia Foundation as well as from the Wikimedia chapters for Poland and Germany (Wikimedia Polska and Wikimedia Deutschland, respectively) attended the dedication ceremony.[5][8] Dariusz Jemielniak, a professor of management, Wikimedia activist, and an author of Common Knowledge? An Ethnography of Wikipedia, delivered an opening ceremony address.[9]

Statement from Jimmy Wales edit

On the occasion of the unveiling, Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia, issued the following statement of recognition:

When Wikipedia started back in 2001 I have to say that I never imagined a day when Wikipedia would be honored with a monument – we write about them, we photograph them with our Wiki Loves Monuments competition, and now we have a monument of our own. It is a truly special and exciting day, and one that I hope shines the spotlight on the thousands of Wikimedians who edit Wikipedia and make it the source of free knowledge it has come to be. I look forward to visiting Słubice one day to see the monument for myself and perhaps meeting some of those involved in the project.[10]


References edit

  1. "Photograph of the Wikipedia momument inscription". gorzow.gazeta.pl. Adamski, Daniel, photographer. Agencja Gazeta. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Poland to Honor Wikipedia With Monument". ABC News. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  3. Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". thenews.pl, abgerufen am 24. Oktober 2014.Vorlage:Cite web/temporär
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Day, Matthew (10 October 2014). "Polish town to build statue honouring Wikipedia". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". Polskie Radio, abgerufen am 9. Oktober 2014.Vorlage:Cite web/temporär
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". 10. Oktober 2014, abgerufen am 13. Oktober 2014 (polish).
  7. List of Wikipedias – Meta. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  8. Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". In: Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". Abgerufen am 10. Oktober 2014 (german).
  9. Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". 21. Oktober 2014, abgerufen am 21. Oktober 2014 (polish).
  10. Script error: No such module "Vorlage:Internetquelle". Wikimedia Foundation, 22. Oktober 2014, abgerufen am 25. Oktober 2014.Vorlage:Cite web/temporär

External links edit