In Ghana, on November 28, 2022, the 17th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) brought together members of the Dagbani Wikimedians community in Tamale to join the global celebration hosted in Adisa Ababa and remotely hosted in several countries across Africa to discuss issues relating to the Internet.
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is an important conference for discussing the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.
This year’s IGF was based on the theme: “Resilient Internet for a Shared, Sustainable, and Common Future” which brought participants from diverse backgrounds to reflect on how a resilient internet society could help create opportunities and partnerships for sustainable development across the ecosystem.
The celebration took place at two different locations, the Accra Viewing Hub, which was organized in collaboration with the Internet Society of Ghana (ISOC) Ghana and other Civil society organizations on November 28 and 30, 2022.
The second event, named the Tamale Viewing Hub, was organized by the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group in Tamale on the 29th and 30th of November 2022.
At the Tamale event, several sessions featured activities around internet health and the state of internet governance in Ghana. Other sessions were focused on Wikimedia, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning in Ghana.
Mr Sadik Shahadu, the executive director of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group and one of the conference’s main organizers, gave the keynote speech and welcomed everyone to the event, which was a hub for watching the international event that was also happening in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, from self-driving cars to virtual assistants and online recommendations. The ability of AI to process and analyze large amounts of data has the potential to improve many aspects of our lives, but it also raises important ethical and societal concerns.
The internet today is powered by AI, and since the day was dedicated to internet governance-related discussions, ranging from internet fragmentation to holistic internet service and many other topics, Ms Khadija Iddrisu, a PhD candidate at Dublin City University, presented a session on the history of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is changing the world. She also shared the future of AI and how participants can leverage the power of AI to improve their lives.
The second session for the day on Wikidata was facilitated by Mr. Alhassan Abdul Wadud (Achiri Bitamsimli), an astute Wikimedian who introduced participants to Wikidata and how they could contribute to it and then demonstrated how the “Quickstatement” tool is used to do mass or repetitive edits.
The search platforms and all other internet-based knowledge panels are interconnected, and one of them is Wikidata. Wikidata is a free and open knowledge base that can be read and edited by both humans and machines. Wikidata serves as a central repository for structured data and connects all Wikimedia projects. Of course, there was a need for a session on such a powerful platform.
The third session for the day was on Creative Commons (ccCC) licenses and how to use the right license for products, content, and data online and offline. By using a Creative Commons license, creators can ensure that their work is freely available for use in research and other projects, while still retaining control over how it is used. The licenses available from
The day was capped with a session on Openstreetmap by Mr. Fuseini Mohammed Kamal-deen (User:Dnshitobu) dubbed “Let’s map Northern Ghana”.
Participants were taken through the use of OpenStreetMap (OSM). Participants were taken through account creation and the mapping of buildings, paths and adding points of interest using the OSM website and apps.
Another captivating session was introduced by Mrs Hamidu Rukaya (User:Ruky Wunpini). This was Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Commons is an online repository of free usable images, sound, and other media files. Participants were taken through what Wikimedia Commons is about and the existing campaigns such as Wiki Loves Folklore, Wiki Loves Monument, Wiki Loves Earth et al.
The importance of the internet in the age of AI cannot be overstated. The internet is the primary source of information and communication for many people, and it’s essential to ensure that it remains open, accessible, and trustworthy. The IGF provides an important forum for discussing the challenges and opportunities that AI and other digital technologies present, and for finding ways to harness their potential for the benefit of all.
In conclusion, the use of AI in various online platforms and its effects on society is a topic that should be given attention and discussed in an open and inclusive manner.
The IGF is an important platform where stakeholders can share their views, experiences, and best practices to shape the future of the internet and ensure that it remains open, accessible, and trustworthy.
