Wikipedia Monument
| Wikipedia Monument | |
|---|---|
| Polish: Pomnik Wikipedii | |
 The unveiling | |
| Artist | Mihran Hakobyan |
| Year | 22 October 2014 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | |
| Subject | Wikipedia community |
| Dimensions | 170 cm × 60 cm × 60 cm (67 in × 24 in × 24 in) |
| Condition | New in 2014 |
| Location | Słubice, Poland |
| 52°20′57.5″N 14°33′37.3″E / 52.349306°N 14.560361°E | |
| Owner | City of Słubice |
The Wikipedia Monument (Template:Lang-pl), 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.
Description
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] It is under two meters in height.[3] The fiber and resin statue was designed by Armenian-born artist Mihran Hakobyan, who graduated from Collegium Polonicum.[2][4][3] It cost about 50,000 złotys (approximately $14,000; 12,000 euros) and was funded by Słubice regional authorities.[5][2][4]
History
The monument was suggested around 2010[5] 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 at over a million articles, the 12th largest Wikipedia in the world.[4][6] According to Piotr Łuczynski, deputy mayor, the memorial "will highlight the town’s importance as an academic centre".[4] A Wikimedia Polska representative stated that the organization hopes that this project will "raise awareness of the website and encourage people to contribute."[3]
It was unveiled on 22 October 2014,[2] on the [[{{{1}}}]],[5][3] becoming the world's first monument to the online encyclopedia.[4] 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.[4][7] Dariusz Jemielniak, a professor of management, Wikimedia activist, and an author of Common Knowledge? An Ethnography of Wikipedia delivered an opening ceremony address.[8]
References
- ^ "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) - ^ a b c d e "Poland to Honor Wikipedia With Monument". ABC News. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d Day, Matthew (10 October 2014). "Polish town to build statue honouring Wikipedia". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "Poland to unveil world's first Wikipedia monument". Polskie Radio. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "W nowosolskim Malpolu powstaje pierwszy na świecie pomnik Wikipedii" (in Polish). 10 October 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^ List of Wikipedias – Meta. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
- ^ "Slubice: Polnische Stadt setzt Wikipedia ein Denkmal". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Wikipedia na cokoły! W Słubicach będzie miała pomnik" (in Polish). 21 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
External links
Media related to Wikipedia Monument at Wikimedia Commons
