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Commons:Wiki Loves Earth 2025/Report

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  • WLE
  • 2026
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Welcome to wiki Loves Earth 2025

This page provides a full report of the international photo contest Wiki Loves Earth in 2025, organised by Wikimedia Ukraine.

Pages and channels

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Statistics

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How to organize WLE 2025

https://wikiloves.toolforge.org/

Categories and nominations

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International organising team

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Core team
  1. AnastasiaPetrova (WMUA)
  2. AntonProtsiuk (WMUA)
  3. Ilya
  4. NickK
  5. OlesiaLukaniuk (WMUA)
Support
  • Romaine — CentralNotice Banners and technical infrastructure.
  • Geugeor — French-speaking region (translations and promotions).

Timeline

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How to take part in WLE 2025
  • January — February: review of the rules, update pages on Commons, website, and social media channels. Public announcement and invitations for the local teams.
  • March — May: understanding the needs of local organizers, communication with them, promotion of the contest, CentralNotice Banners setting up, review of Rapid Funds applications, and decision making together with WMF.
  • May — July (partly prolonged to August): contest period.
  • July — September: local results, checking local team’s submissions.
  • August — September: choosing the international jury team, WLX jury tool setting-up, guidelines for the jurors.
  • September — November: international evaluation process.
  • November — December: summing up the final results, receiving the feedback, and preparing for the announcements.
  • December: announcement of the final results, sharing the results in different channels, communication with the winners, and international online award ceremony.
  • January (2026): reports and post-servicing, awarding the winners, sending the gifts to everyone involved.

The main results and highlights

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1 million milestone
Numbers
  • 57 participating countries and territories (the record number).
  • 4 countries joined for the first time: England, Iran, Kuwait, Oman.
  • 79,216 images were submitted overall by participants.
  • 10,698 (13%) images used in Wikipedia.
  • 5,256 uploaders (3,945 (75%) registered after the competition started).
  • Top countries with the most number of uploads: Germany, India, Ukraine.
  • 618 local winning images were sumbitted (the record number).
  • 13,329 images submitted for the special category "Human Rights and Environment".
  • 5 videos submitted for the special category "Video".
  • More than 1 million submitted images for the entire history of Wiki Loves Earth International — a milestone in 2025.
  • 33 international winners overall: 17 for the main nomination and 16 for the special categories.


Final results

Awarding

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Award ceremony
Presentation from the Award Ceremony of WLE 2025
WLE 2025 award ceremony group photo
  • The award ceremony was held online on the 19th of December, 2025, on Zoom.
  • Around 30 participants have joined: winners, jurors, the local organizer, and volunteers.
  • Recording from the ceremony is available on our YouTube channel.
Prizes
  • Winners of the main nomination received a voucher for online shopping (mostly from Amazon or any other local shop). The amount depends on the winning place. Also, they received online diplomas and are going to receive WLE-branded souvenirs;
  • Winners of the special categories and jurors received online diplomas and WLE-branded souvenirs.

Contest’s representation

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Presentation: Wiki Loves Earth — from Central Asia to the world
WLE poster on Wikimania 2025
Presentation: Wiki Loves Earth. Deeper storytelling beyond just beauty

Jury report

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An International jury report 2025 is available on Wikimedia Commons. Find there the full information about each of the winning images, jurors, and the detailed selection process.

WLE 2025 Jury report

Contest overview and analysis in 2025

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What worked well
  • A record number of participating countries (57) + 4 new countries (growth: +1,8% compared to the previous year).
  • Important milestone achieved: more than 1 million images have been uploaded since the contest was founded.
  • Cooperation with WMF regarding Rapid Funds: shared review of the applications from local organizers and decision-making process.
  • Cooperation with WMF regarding contest promo: joint creation of the promotional video and sharing via WMF and WLE channels.
  • Communication with the local teams: constant updates, reminders, and a personal approach, with an averagly fast response rate from the organizers. Awarding the local organizers with the physical certificate of gratitude and souvenirs.
  • Communication and work with the jurors: the more diverse people and the number of jurors involved, joint call and internal chat for effective communication.
  • Constant promotion of the contest on social media channels, and the main contest page enhancement.
  • The award ceremony was traditionally and successfully conducted.
  • Proactive winners actively engaged on social media, promoted the project, and maintained a high response rate in communication with us.
  • Contest representation on the international level: presented the project to a global community by conducting a session during the Central Asian WikiConference and CEE Meeting, organised a meetup and poster during Wikimania, presented on different calls and local conferences, and CEE newsletters. As well, WLE-branded promotional materials have attracted strong interest from international audiences and have been featured at numerous events worldwide.
  • General positive feedback from the participants, jurors, and organisers. As a result, communities want to organise again and uploaders to take part.


What can be improved
  • General timeline and contest's time framework: to follow micro deadlines (some processes planned in advance) and limit participation by the end of July (or to prolong by the middle of August).
  • To increase the number of uploads (achieve 80,000+).
  • Continue and develop cooperation with WMF (and CEE Hub) regarding the Rapid Funds reviewing process.
  • Better promotion of the special categories among local contests, and engage more quality content.
  • More constant engagement with the local teams: open office calls, exchange spaces, webinars, chat interactions, and other related activities.
  • Continue developing WLE Resources Center: create and add more instructions, translate into a few languages.
  • To involve more participating countries: to increase the number to 60.
  • To develop work with volunteers: to involve more volunteers and ambassadors among the regions: at least to have 3 ambassadors and 3 active volunteers + to have a constant engagement with them.
  • More promotion and visibility for the project on social media channels, create new promo materials, and share among organizers.
  • To improve the WLX jury tool and its functionality.
  • More activity on the talk pages and other related events pages.
  • Lists of protected areas improvement: to identify countries that lack lists of protected areas or where existing lists need improvement, and to support them, particularly at the implementation stage and in practical use. In cooperation with partners, the project aims to improve these lists, share clear guidelines, and conduct a webinar.
  • Develop stable partnerships on the international level.

International jury team

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The main nomination
  • Osama Silwadi is a photojournalist, visual storyteller, archivist, and folklorist. He started his professional career in 1991. During the first Palestinian Intifada, he faced difficulties and challenges and was in danger as he worked in the conflict areas. In October 2006, Osama was seriously injured by a stray bullet during a march in the center of Ramallah, which resulted in paralysis of the lower limbs. Silwadi has won titles inspired by his work in documenting the Palestinian heritage, including "The Eye of Palestine" and the "Palestinian Heritage Documenter". Osama was the international jury member of the previous WLE editions (2020–2024).
  • Bijay Chaurasia, is a travel photographer and long-time Wikimedia contributor passionate about visual storytelling. Active since 2014, he has captured Nepal’s rich natural and cultural heritage through his lens and shared it widely on Wikimedia Commons. Bijay has served as a jury member for international photo contests such as Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Earth, and Wiki Loves Food, and as the Deputy General Secretary of the Maithili Wikimedians User Group, he continues to lead and document outreach programs that connect creativity with open knowledge. Bijay was the international jury member of the previous WLE editions (2023–2024).
  • Lloyd Ericson C. Rodriguez is a Biological Sciences major who has completed his academic requirements for a Master’s degree in Educational Management. He brings together his passions for education, photography, and writing. Since 2016, he has gained recognition in national and international competitions — his work has earned awards in peace-themed, environmental, documentary, and travel photography contests, and many of his photos have been published and exhibited worldwide. This year, one of his photographs was chosen from thousands of global entries as one of only 75 works featured in the third edition of the In Colors Project in Porto, Portugal. His essay on youth participation in democracy was also published by the ASEAN Youth Forum. Now a Secondary School Teacher III, Rodriguez mentors young writers and photojournalists while organizing writing and photography workshops and events. This marks his second time serving as a jury member for Wiki Loves Earth International.
  • Habib Mhenni has been a Wikimedian since 2010, an Admin on Wikimedia Commons, and a jury member of many international Wiki Loves contests over the years. This marks his second time serving as a jury member for Wiki Loves Earth International.
  • Elena-Tatiana Chiș is an architect working in restoration and interior design in France. Part-time freelance graphic designer, passionate about photography (landscape and architecture), monuments, and travel. She had some photos presented in different exhibitions, some of them published in architectural magazines and books, web articles (UNESCO), calendars (2013 KLM Social Calendar), etc. She discovered Wiki in 2016 through the Wiki Loves Monuments contest. That year, she was a winner in the top 10 nationally in the following countries: 1st and 5th place in Morocco, 3rd place in Peru, 3rd and 4th place in Tunisia. Also, one of the Wiki Loves Monuments coordinators in Romania (2018–2020). One of the members of the Wikimedians of Romania and Moldova User Group since 2018. Elena-Tatiana was the international jury member of the previous WLE editions in 2020 and 2024.
  • Ajeigbe Rukayat is a certified trainer of Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom Program, an ambassador for movement charters in the Movement Charter Drafting Committee (MCDC), and a Kiwix ambassador, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria (WUGN) Community Support Fund Committee 2022/2023, among others. She has also participated in and co-facilities various Wikimedia projects such as the Wikimedia Awareness Program in Osun State, Wiki4HumanRight Campaign in Osun State 2023, Wiki Loves Earth 2023, Wiki Loves Africa 2023, Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos (WPWP), Wikidata (media personalities in Nigeria), WikiGLAM Awareness for Libraries and Librarians in Kwara, Wikidata for Libraries and Librarians in Nigeria, and 1lib1ref in Kwara 2022. This marks her second time serving as a jury member for Wiki Loves Earth International.
  • Johan Jönsson began editing Wikimedia wikis in 2004 and has primarily been active on the Swedish Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. He has also spent significant time trying to educate the Swedish public about the wikis and how they work. His book Wikipedia inifrån contains a chapter on how photos used in Wikipedia relate to the neutral point of view. He's a previous member of the Swedish Wiki Loves Monuments jury.
  • Rakesh Baro is an award-winning photographer and former computer science engineer based in Canada. After leaving a successful IT career to follow his passion, he has made his mark in the world of photography. His work has earned global recognition, including the IPA Color Nature Award and OnePlus Photo of the Year (2022), and has been featured by National Geographic, BBC, Smithsonian, eBird, Nature InFocus, Wild Karnataka, Times UK, The Telegraph, Canadian Geographic, and 500px.
  • Inessa Yurovskih is a professional photographer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in portrait, family, and documentary photography in the lifestyle genre. She is a member of the Eurasian Photographers Association, the League of Professional Photographers, and ART Portrait. Inessa holds the V IAAP (Virtuoso) distinction from the International Association of Art Photographers and has received multiple FIAP and IAAP international awards. Her works have been exhibited and published in international magazines such as Moveux, Taurus, Turn-Off, Vida, and Photohouse. As a photographer, she focuses on capturing genuine human emotion and natural beauty through light and atmosphere.
  • Suzanna Tymochko is a communications specialist at the NGO “Ukrainian Ecostations Network”, where she develops conservation projects and communication initiatives. In her free time, she travels and photographs, exploring the beauty and history of both well-known and hidden corners of Ukraine. She uses her photos for work purposes and to promote sustainable tourism, nature-based solutions, and biodiversity conservation. In 2020, she served on the Ukrainian jury of Wiki Loves Earth in the special category “Best Video”.
  • Jophel Botero Ybiosa is a world-class and multi-award-winning visual artist with more than 500 local and international honors. Some of his historic achievements are the following: First Filipino to win a 1st Prize in the Best Art Awards, First Filipino to win a Gold Award in New York Photo Fair, First Filipino Gold Medalist in World Art Camp Olympiad, First Filipino Gold Medalist in Southeast Asia Photo Circuit, First Filipino Grand Prize Winner in ASEAN-Korea Multimedia Competition and Two-time Best Photograph Winner in Global Festival Photography Competition. Ybiosa is an 11-time Ani ng Dangal Awardee for Visual Arts (National Commission for Culture and the Arts), Bagong Bayani Awardee for Culture and the Arts, Go Negosyo Inspiring Balik-bayan Creative Artist, an Outstanding Alumnus for Arts and Culture (Culiat High School), and Notable Alumni Awardee for Visual Arts (Polytechnic University of the Philippines – College of Communication). He is the Founder of an award-winning arts and advocacy group – the Team Juan Makasining (2017 Asia-Pacific Excellence Awardee for Outstanding Arts and Advocacy Organization), and works as a Master Photographer at Princess Cruise Lines, and has served as a Special Lecturer at Polytechnic University of the Philippines and as a Global Photo Show Program Host. He ́is the Captain of the World Photographic Cup Philippine Team and was recently appointed to the New York Photography Awards and Global Photography Awards Grand Jury. Other significant accomplishments are the following: Outstanding Achievement Award in International Color Awards 2025, Platinum Winner in London Photography Awards 2025, Gold Winner in European Photography Awards 2025, Most Creative Award and Bronze Winner in Singapore International Art Contest 2025, 2nd Place Winner in World Art Awards 2025, Global Photographic Union Gold Medalist in Greek Photographic Circuit 2025, etc. His artistic works have been exhibited and recognized in the U.S.A., the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, and across Asia.
  • Elisabeth Damaris Fingkreuw actively works as a photographer and videographer for various campus and community events, and focuses on documentation, visual storytelling, and human-interest photography. She is an undergraduate Student at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (Institut Seni Indonesia – ISI), Major in Film and Television Production. She also served as a photography competition judge in Indonesia. Her achievements and recognitions: 1st Place, Film Competition for Teachers’ Day (PGRI) in West Java, Best Actress Award, Local Film Festival – 3rd Place, International Sustainable Film Festival, Film Nominee, Lift-Off Film Festival, United Kingdom. Elisabeth aims to contribute by appreciating the visual works of young creators and encouraging them to tell meaningful stories through photography that carry strong social messages.
  • Jhuma Datta is an acclaimed professional photographer with experience of over a decade. Jhuma is a globe-trotting storyteller who weaves the essence of nature and humanity through her lens. As a dedicated contributor to Wikimedia and a Conservationist, she leverages her craft to inspire and educate. With exhibitions worldwide and a published coffee table book, Jhuma's work embodies her passion for capturing the beauty and complexity of our world.


Special category “Human Rights and Environment”
  • Juliana Almeida — integrates UNEP’s Law Division as an Environmental Law Specialist. She is currently working with matters related to human rights, the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, future generations, and building judicial capacity for the environment. She has previously worked in the European Parliament and the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union in environmental matters. She has a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws in International and European Law from the Nova University of Lisbon, as well as a post-grad in Environmental Law.
  • Ananya Mondal — a veteran Wikimedian, hobbyist nature photographer, and conservationist. Passionate about exploring the wild, she is also fond of forest surveys, rock climbing, and Himalayan trekking. Her deep love for photographing butterflies inspired her to initiate and successfully lead Wiki Loves Butterfly. Widely recognized as the “Butterfly Wikimedian,” Ananya received the Wikimedian of the Year 2021 – Rich Media Award. She also serves as a member of the organizing teams for Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM) India and Bangla WikiMoitree.
  • Susanna Ånäs — a coordinator by practice and an artist, photographer, and documentarist at heart. Having joined the Wikimedia movement in 2012, she now runs the AvoinGLAM group in Helsinki, Finland, promoting open access to cultural heritage. The group likes to interpret GLAM as Global Languages, Art, and Memory instead of the institutional Galleries, Libraries, and Museums. The focus of the work is on urgent and important issues and bringing people together from across domain boundaries to work and learn together on them in case studies, experiments, or events like the co-creation "hackathon" Hack4OpenGLAM. Susanna has organized Wiki Loves Monuments in Finland three times. She wishes to explore and promote ways in which open culture advocates can make a positive impact on vulnerable and threatened cultural heritage or secure environmental sustainability.


Special category “Video”
  • Yılmaz Caner Özyayikci — Graphic designer, Visual Communication Design graduate, Media Contributor of the Year 2024. Since 2014, he has been contributing to Wikimedia projects. He likes to share his experience and help Wikimedians in various Wiki events in Turkey, and helps many communities and users in the Wikimedia movement, especially the Wikimedia community and student clubs in Turkey, in various areas, especially in the field of graphic design. Caner is also interested in cultures and developing them as free knowledge through various designs. In terms of photography, he likes to take and analyze macro photographs the most. He also enjoys comparing the locations of historical photographs to their current state.
  • Jan Ainali — started his Wikimedia journey on Wikimedia Commons in 2006. He has been the CEO of Wikimedia Sverige and is a co-founder of Wikimedians for Sustainable Development. In previous years, he has been on the jury for the Swedish Wiki Loves Earth and Wiki Loves Monuments, as well as the international Wiki Loves Monuments. In his day job, he helps organizations become better at working in the open at Open By Default.
  • Saddam Husein — professional documentary photographer and videographer focusing on environmental issues.

International winners

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Landscapes category

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Macro/close-up category

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Human Rights and Environment

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Video category

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Comments

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@OlesiaLukaniuk (WMUA): thank you very much for compiling the report! Any information about what happened to WLE 2025 Thailand? It seems to have been completely abandoned; no winners have been announced. --The Cosmonaut (talk) 17:34, 24 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]

@The Cosmonaut thanks for your comment! Yes, unfortunately, the local organizers didn't announce their local winners for 2025. Maybe @Athikhun.suw has more to comment on this. OlesiaLukaniuk (WMUA) (talk) 18:23, 24 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
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