The world’s first monument to Wikipedia is to be erected in the Polish town of Słubice, close to the border with Germany.

photo - wikipedia

The initiative for the memorial came from the director of the city’s Collegium Polonicum Krzysztof Wojciechowski.

The design is by Mihran Hakobjan, a 30 year-old Armenian-born artist, a graduate of the Słubice college.

The funds for the project, amounting to 50,000 zlotys (10,000 euros), were provided by the town authorities.

Wikipedia has always been popular in Poland, with the Polish edition having consistently ranked among the biggest editions in the world since its launch in 2001, peaking at fourth during 2006-11. The edition currently has over a million articles, making it the 12th largest one worldwide.

According to deputy mayor, Piotr Łuczynski, the Wikipedia memorial – to be unveiled on 22 October - will highlight the town’s importance as an academic centre. The unveiling will be attended by representatives from WikimediaDeutschland as well as some from the Wikimedia Foundation, which hosts Wikipedia among other wikis. (mk/sl/pg)