WASHINGTON, D.C., February 6, 2012:  Wikimedia District of Columbia (Wikimedia DC) is partnering with the U.S. State Department’s Office of eDiplomacy to bring the international conference “Wikimania 2012” to the nation’s capital on July 12-14, 2012. The conference will take place at George Washington University.

“Our partnership with the Office of eDiplomacy centers around our shared vision of advancing global cooperation through collaboration on knowledge-sharing initiatives,” says James Hare, coordinator of Wikimania 2012. “Bringing together key international players in the Wikimedia movement is a key step toward achieving Wikimedia DC’s goal of global empowerment through access to knowledge and fits well within Secretary Hillary Clinton’s call for 21^st Century Statecraft.”

Since 2005, Wikimania has been the premier annual international gathering of experts, academics, and enthusiasts whose vision is to empower people around the world through free access to global knowledge. Wikipedia and Wikimedia Projects are the principal tools of the Wikimedia movement, encompassing resources that span more than 270 languages. Wikimania has been previously held in Frankfurt, Germany; Boston, Mass.; Taipei, Taiwan; Alexandria, Egypt; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Gdańsk, Poland; and Haifa, Israel. Additional information on the conference can be found at www.wikimania2012.org

ABOUT WIKIMEDIA DC. Wikimedia District of Columbia is the official regional chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation in the District, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Delaware. A non-profit educational organization, Wikimedia DC is dedicated to the advancement of general knowledge and the collection, development, and dissemination of educational content under a free license or in the public domain.