العربية 
Sana’a – The University of Science and Technology (UST) in the capital, Sana’a, on Thursday hosted a knowledge-focused event titled “Wikipedia 25 in Yemen,” marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of Wikipedia, one of the world’s most prominent free knowledge platforms.
The event, held in the University Hospital Hall, witnessed the official announcement of the launch of the Wikimedia Yemen User Group, a step aimed at strengthening the presence of Yemeni content online and encouraging community participation in the production of free knowledge.
The program featured a series of presentations with the participation of academics and specialists from Yemen, Egypt, and Iraq. Engineer Rafan Al‑Tai from the Republic of Iraq delivered an introductory presentation on the Wikimedia Foundation and its various projects, in addition to outlining editing policies and the essential tools required for publishing on Wikipedia.
For her part, Dr. Walaa Abdelmonem reviewed the experience of user groups and their role in developing digital content, highlighting the experience of the Egypt User Group as a successful model in this field.
Engineer Rashad Al‑Khameesi also presented an overview of the Wikimedia Yemen User Group, explaining its objectives and future plans to build an active community of Yemeni editors.
In the final segment, Dr. Iman Barakat, Professor of Translation at the University of Science and Technology, addressed the topic “Enriching Arabic Content in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” discussing the impact of artificial intelligence, its advantages and drawbacks in the production of knowledge content, and outlining the key challenges and opportunities associated with its use in content creation.
In a statement on the sidelines of the event, the Dean of the College of Computer Science and Information Technology at the University, Prof. Bilal Al‑Fahidi, affirmed that hosting this event falls within the University’s community, technical, and knowledge-based role. He emphasized the importance of the initiative in narrowing the gap between Yemen’s rich civilizational heritage and its limited presence in the digital space.
Prof. Al‑Fahidi explained that the establishment of the Wikimedia Yemen User Group represents an important step toward empowering youth and researchers to document Yemen’s history, culture, and civilization, and to contribute to building digital content that reflects national identity and enhances its global presence. He added that such initiatives and events encourage Yemenis to become producers of knowledge rather than merely consumers.
The event was attended by more than 200 participants, including content creators, activists, media professionals, academics, and students, as part of an initiative aimed at supporting the documentation of Yemen’s cultural and historical identity on digital platforms and strengthening its presence on Wikipedia in various languages.
