From 16 to 18 October 2025, the 4th United Nations Open Science and Open Scholarship Conference convened in Tokyo, Japan, at the United Nations University and online, bringing together policymakers, researchers, librarians, publishers, and civil society to accelerate the transformation of science and scholarship in line with the UN Pact for the Future.
I had the honor of being invited by the United Nations Library to participate as a panelist on the third day of the conference, contributing both as a librarian and Wikimedian. The day’s discussions centered around the theme of “Inclusive Knowledge Ecosystems and Community Participation,” exploring how openness, collaboration, and equitable access to information can strengthen scientific progress worldwide.
The conference, co-organized with partners such as SPARC, UNESCO, and other international organizations, underscored the importance of global collaboration to accelerate progress in open science and scholarship. It was a timely call to action — emphasizing that open science is not just about access to research outputs, but about building trust, equity, and participation in the way knowledge is created and shared. Openness is the foundation for innovation, sustainable development, and ensuring no one is left behind in the global knowledge commons.
During my presentation, I shared insights from the Wikimedia movement’s long-standing commitment to open knowledge, illustrating how collaborative platforms can complement and enhance formal scientific communication. I presented two key initiatives from Wiki In Africa as examples of how open knowledge thrives in community-driven contexts:
- The WikiChallenge African Schools, which empowers students to contribute local knowledge to Vikidia, the little sister of Wikipedia, nurturing digital literacy and fostering pride in their communities.
- Wiki Loves Women, which highlights and amplifies the contributions of African women across multiple fields, addressing content gaps and promoting gender equity in knowledge spaces.
Both projects demonstrate how openness in knowledge creation can inspire participation, diversity, and inclusion — principles that lie at the heart of Open Science.
From my perspective, open science is a cultural shift as much as it is a technical or policy agenda. It challenges us to rethink how knowledge is produced, who participates in that process, and whose voices are heard. True openness means recognizing the value of diverse contributions — from local knowledge and community research to citizen science and collaborative platforms like Wikimedia. For Africa and other regions where access to scientific resources can be limited, open science offers a pathway toward visibility, empowerment, and equitable participation in the global exchange of knowledge.
Open science is not a destination but a practice — one that grows stronger through collective action, transparency, and shared responsibility. I am proud to contribute to this movement through Wikimedia and through the many communities that continue to make knowledge accessible for all.