Wiki Loves Pride 2025: Towards a Globally Coordinated Campaign

This June marked a milestone for the Wikimedia movement. For the first time, Wiki Loves Pride unfolded as a truly coordinated international campaign, bringing together editors across languages and projects with a shared vision: improving LGBTQ+ representation on Wikimedia platforms while celebrating Pride month.

Organized by the Wikimedia LGBT+ User Group, the campaign extended across English, French, and Spanish Wikipedias, as well as Wikimedia Commons. Running from June 1 to June 30 for Wikipedia and stretching to July 15 for Wikimedia Commons, the initiative not only encouraged the creation and improvement of LGBTQ+-related articles but also invited participants to upload photos from LGBTQ+ archives and Pride events around the world. Offline events and edit-a-thons complemented the online work.

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Background: From Local to Global

Wiki Loves Pride has existed since 2014, with local communities celebrating Pride month by expanding and improving LGBTQ+-related content. Over the years, campaigns have taken shape in different countries and languages.

But until now, efforts were largely parallel rather than unified. 2025 was different. Building on years of lessons and conversations, organizers pushed for a globally coordinated campaign, aligning timelines, branding, and resources. Logos, banners, and communication materials were prepared and shared across communities.

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Launching the Campaign

As June began, the campaign went live across the three Wikipedias and Wikimedia Commons. Organizers announced recognition and prizes for contributors, not just based on volume but on articles that respected quality guidelines and campaign goals.

There was some nervousness — memories lingered of earlier campaigns that had faced technical hurdles or uneven participation. But apart from a few small glitches at launch, the campaign unfolded smoothly. For many participants, seeing the event kick off simultaneously across languages felt like a breakthrough moment.

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Participation and Activities

The heart of Wiki Loves Pride 2025 lay in its diversity of activities:

• Wikipedia contributions: Hundreds of new articles were created or expanded across English, French, and Spanish Wikipedias. Topics ranged from biographies of LGBTQ+ activists and artists to histories of Pride movements in different regions.

• Wikimedia Commons: From colorful parades to quiet marches in small towns, participants uploaded hundreds of photos documenting Pride celebrations worldwide. The extended timeline (until July 15) gave contributors time to capture and share their experiences.

• Offline events: Local communities organized satellite events, workshops, and edit-a-thons. These gatherings fostered learning, mentorship, and collective celebration.

• Community engagement: Conversations across Telegram, and local project pages built momentum and encouraged multilingual collaboration.

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Impact

The numbers tell only part of the story. Yes, numerous articles were created and improved (280+ in English, 150+ in French, and 350+ in Spanish) and hundreds of images uploaded (1100+ photos) — but the real achievement was the spirit of global coordination. Contributors across continents felt connected to a common cause, supported by shared branding, timelines, and recognition.

For many, the campaign highlighted the value of making LGBTQ+ content visible, reliable, and accessible. Articles that might once have gone unnoticed were now being translated, illustrated, and shared widely. Pride became not just a celebration in the streets, but a celebration in the digital knowledge spaces of Wikimedia.

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Lessons Learned

The Wikimedia LGBT+ User Group and partner communities came away with several insights:

• Coordination matters: Shared timelines and communication created momentum.

• Technical preparation is key: Early planning reduced glitches and improved contributor experience.

• Local + global balance: Allowing space for local events alongside global coordination kept the campaign both flexible and inclusive.

These lessons set the stage for stronger campaigns in the years ahead.

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Looking Ahead

As the campaign closed in mid-July, many contributors were already looking to the future. Could 2026 bring even more languages into the fold? Could Wiki Loves Pride grow into a cornerstone of global Wikimedia campaigns, much like Wiki Loves Monuments?

The hope is that next year will see even more articles, images, and communities joining the effort, continuing the journey of representation and visibility. Wiki Loves Pride 2025 showed what is possible when local energy and global coordination come together. It was, in every sense, a proud moment for the Wikimedia movement.