Public Affairs & Partnerships
Switzerland's position as host to international organisations and corporate headquarters uniquely positions Wikimedia CH to advocate for issues important to our Movement at both political and social levels.
© reset.tech
Overview
The Advocacy & Partnerships programme saw significant growth in 2025 as Wikimedia CH evolved from participant to sought-after partner in digital policy discussions. Organisations increasingly approached us for collaboration and expertise, reflecting our growing recognition as a credible voice in debates around free knowledge, digital rights and cultural heritage. This shift enabled us to expand our advocacy infrastructure through strategic partnerships with networks like Sovereign Digital Switzerland and the TAROCH coalition whilst strengthening coordination with other Wikimedia chapters.
A major milestone was hosting our second Wikipedia Day in conjunction with our largest-ever General Assembly, bringing together approximately 100 Wikipedians, association members and partners to co-create Wikimedia CH’s future. Throughout the year, we maintained strong presence at key international forums, including Wikimania in Nairobi and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, whilst deepening our engagement in Switzerland’s digital policy landscape.
We also developed and began implementing a coordinated advocacy strategy to ensure our free knowledge advocacy work aligns with broader strategic goals, positioning us for the 2026 jubilee year celebrating both Wikimedia CH’s 20th anniversary and Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary.
Highlight activity
Strengthening global networks and advocacy reach
© Athulvis
In 2025, Wikimedia CH’s advocacy work reached a new level as organisations increasingly approached us for partnership and expertise. This shift from participant to sought-after partner reflects our growing recognition in digital policy discussions.
At Wikimania 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, we joined discussions centred on inclusivity, impact and sustainability, with particular emphasis on amplifying diverse voices within the Wikimedia Movement. The conference featured strong representation from African countries, enriching our understanding of how different regions approach free knowledge advocacy.
We reinforced our position in global digital policy at the WSIS+20 High Level Event in Geneva, where networking with other participants proved as valuable as the formal sessions. We expanded our advocacy role through membership in the new Sovereign Digital Switzerland network and the TAROCH coalition, which encourages UNESCO member states to improve open access to cultural heritage.
At the national level, we advocated for free knowledge at the Swiss Internet Governance Forum, participating in a panel on data, data protection, and data governance and strengthening our voice in Switzerland’s digital policy landscape.
Throughout the year, we coordinated with other Wikimedia chapters and user groups through the Big Fat Brussels Meeting and regular advocacy meetings organised by the Wikimedia Foundation. We also attended the Political Tech Summit in Berlin alongside Wikimedia DE and Wikimedia Europe, networking with political experts, academics and technology specialists to address education and innovation needs in the political sphere. These touchpoints helped us stay connected to Movement-wide priorities while sharing Switzerland’s unique perspective as a host country for international organisations and a multilingual democracy.
This increased demand from existing partners and new networks reflects Wikimedia CH’s growing recognition as a reliable partner in digital policy discussions and our ability to bridge local Swiss contexts with global Movement priorities.
Key programme activities
© Kerstin Sonnekalb (WMCH)
Organised and hosted our second Wikipedia Day, a successful event that brought together around 100 Wikipedians, association members and partners to kick off our new strategy development process and co-create Wikimedia CH’s future.
Organised the association’s largest-ever in-person General Assembly in conjunction with Wikipedia Day, where members elected three new board members: Monique Morrow, Anna Jobin and Mirko Bischofberger.
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Continued our partnership with SRF to make explanatory SRF videos available under Creative Commons licences on Wikipedia and SRF’s website, a successful project that was publicised by SRF’s group, SRG/SSR.
Developed and began implementing an advocacy strategy to enable more coordinated and strategic advocacy work across national and international levels.
Partnered with the Public Discourse Foundation and Parldigi to plan an Open Hearing in 2026 on the impact of hate speech online and in Swiss politics.
Developed an awareness campaign around Wikimedia CH’s purpose and impact, preparing the foundation for increased communication during the 2026 anniversary year.
Attended the 3rd General Assembly of Wikimedia Europe in Prague where we networked with other European chapters and explored how to amplify our impact through collaboration.
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Launched a new open source membership platform to facilitate communication with members and allow for more direct sharing of opportunities to participate in association activities.
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Continued the More Women for Wikipedia initiative to bring more women into the community and close the gender gap in Wikipedia content by inviting women-focused organisations, groups and institutions as partners.
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Attended SXSW in London as a member of the Alliance Digitale, attending panel discussions on digital technology, regulations and geopolitics while building relationships with like-minded organisations such as Reset Tech and Amnesty Tech.
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Partnered with Wikimedia IT at the Classic Car Circuit Campione, documenting motor racing history and strengthening cross-chapter collaboration.
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Began planning for the 2026 jubilee celebrating both Wikimedia CH’s 20th anniversary and Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary
Confirmed attendance at the Political Tech Summit in January 2026 in Berlin together with Wikimedia Europe and Wikimedia DE to continue building relationships in the political technology space.
Continued work to modernise our website to make it more user-friendly and improve communications with diverse stakeholders.
Hosted another successful “Friendraising” event in Zürich, which included a visit to the SRF studio and welcomed around 45 guests.
Programme impact
Key accomplishments
Continued our evolution from participant to sought-after partner in digital policy discussions, with organisations increasingly approaching us for collaboration and expertise.
Strengthened our position as a convening force within the Wikimedia Movement, bringing together approximately 100 stakeholders for Wikipedia Day and facilitating coordination between European chapters.
Expanded our advocacy infrastructure through development and implementation of a coordinated advocacy strategy, positioning us for more strategic engagement at both national and international policy levels.
Grew our newsletter recipient list by nearly 33% while maintaining an open rate of 53%, which is well over the industry average.
Lessons learned
Strategic preparation for high-level conferences yields better results. Reviewing attendance lists in advance and arranging meetings beforehand requires time and planning but significantly increases the value of these events.
Acting as a unified Movement rather than individual chapters amplifies our impact in international spaces and strengthens our collective voice.
Internal coordination needs improvement across multiple areas— from how we present the chapter and Movement to determining who attends which conferences and how we communicate our purpose and mission.
While the entire team advocates for free knowledge, we need a coordinated approach to maximise our effectiveness and ensure our efforts align with broader strategic goals.
Looking ahead
In 2026, the programme will focus on strategic advocacy work whilst maintaining our presence at UN gatherings and Swiss policy meetings.
We will deepen collaborations with Swiss IGF, Parldigi, the Network for a Sovereign and Digital Switzerland and Alliance Digitale, aligning our work with Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimedia Europe and Wikimedia DE strategies to strengthen our collective impact. We will also continue our micro-financing effort for Wikifranca, as well as the “Care Forward” initiative to counter hate speech on Wikimedia platforms and beyond.
A major campaign will highlight Wikimedia CH’s values and purpose, coinciding with Wikipedia’s 25th anniversary and Wikimedia CH’s 20th anniversary.
The Theory U strategy development process will culminate in a retreat launching our 2027–2032 strategic plan, whilst the General Assembly will be embedded in birthday celebrations around Wikipedia Day.
These milestones provide opportunities to strengthen our voice in digital policy discussions whilst celebrating our achievements and setting ambitious goals for the future.