Wikimania 2025

The moment

For twenty years, Wikimania has brought together the people who build and protect free knowledge. Its twentieth anniversary edition came to Nairobi in 2025.

The conference had to serve a multilingual programme across several time zones, run across three hotels and reach a live virtual audience. We partnered with the Wikimedia Foundation for six months to design and deliver it from the ground up.

Designing for community, not just an agenda

Alongside keynotes, breakout sessions, hackathons, themed breakfasts, networking lunches and evening functions, we built moments that let the community see itself.

A Vox Pop time capsule recorded attendees’ hopes for the next twenty years of free knowledge. Collaborative murals grew over the four days, an attendee wall mapped the countries represented, and a cultural exchange corner let delegates share keepsakes from home. An onsite T-shirt press made souvenirs on the spot, and reflection and signing walls gave people space to mark how far the movement has come.

Nairobi as host

More than 700 international participants travelled to Kenya, and we made sure the city was part of the experience rather than a backdrop. Ghetto Classics and Nairobi Horns performed live, delegates rode in organised matatus, and optional visits took them to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Venue visuals drew on Kenyan textures and design.

Six months, 792 hours

Over six months, from early planning to the final day on site, Waridi led the conference from start to finish. We managed accommodation and airport transfers for hundreds of international guests, ran registration and onsite flow, aligned show schedules across three venues, produced the branding installations, and tracked budgets and risks at every stage.