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Wikipedia for World Heritage

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A visual presented supporting Wikipedia's listing at the Wikimedia Conference Berlin 2011

Wikipedia for World Heritage refers to the efforts put forth to get Wikipedia listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The idea was originally proposed to the Wikimedia chapter by the Wikimedia Foundation at the 2011 Wikimedia Conference in Berlin.[1][2] An online petition was started at the German Wikipedia on May 23, 2011.[3] That same day the Edmonton Journal published a piece in which it called the bid 'a long-shot bet' inferring the platform was not a culturally defining artefact.[4] Wikipedia was also argued to be 'lacking the effect or maturity for listing' as World Heritage.[4] The bid is considered to be the first for a digital entity and is expected to be controversial with the list's maintainers who are notably conservative.[2]

Jimbo Wales has stated that "the basic idea is to recognize that Wikipedia is this amazing global cultural phenomena that has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people."[2]

If Wikipedia does not get listed as a World Heritage Site, and UNESCO has denied its application as it does not meet most criteria, it has been suggested that they apply for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Wikimedia Conference 2011/Documentation/Common Project I: 10 years Wikipedia". Wikimedia Meta-Wiki. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b c O'Brien, Kevin J. (23 May 2011). "Worthy Online Resource, but Global Cultural Treasure?". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  3. ^ a b Williams, Christopher (May 26, 2011). "Wikipedia seeks World Heritage Site status". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  4. ^ a b O'Brien, Kevin (23 May 2011). "Wikipedia seeks UNESCO recognition as world treasure".
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