AUK and IBB Launch Wikipedia Translation Project for Students

Duhok, Kurdistan Region – May 12, 2024 – The American University of Kurdistan (AUK) and Ideas Beyond Borders (IBB) launched the “Wikipedia Club” at AUK to foster cultural interchange by translating Kurdish articles on the established online encyclopedia into English.

On May 2, the club met with eight interested students from various colleges, supervised by the faculty of AUK’s General Education Program and managed by Lina Akram, a lecturer at the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, to explain more details and procedures and formally kick off the Wikipedia Translation Project. AUK President Dr. Randall Rhodes and IBB Director Mr. Hussein Ibrahim were also welcomed to the gathering.

“This club signifies our collective dedication to championing free knowledge, preserving linguistic diversity, and celebrating cultural richness,” stated Lina Akram, and added, “We look forward to the positive impact our collaboration with IBB will have on our students and the broader community.”

The collaborative endeavor underscores AUK’s and IBB’s joint mission to promote knowledge accessibility, education, and empowerment within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The formal Memorandum of Understanding signed by AUK and IBB in late 2022, underscoring their shared commitment to promoting educational opportunities and developing a culture of information sharing, serves as a foundation for this initiative.

The AUK Wikipedia Club aligns with the institution’s theme of the month, “Achieve a Career,” as part of the AUK 10th anniversary campaign, and aims to serve as a platform for students to develop valuable professional skills, particularly in English and Kurdish translation, enhancing their employability and prospects on the global stage. Additionally, the project actively contributes to Kurdish society and culture by generating valuable content.