Commons:Wiki Loves Folklore

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Wiki Loves Folklore (WLF) is an international photographic contest where the photographers can contribute media (photographs, video, and audio) about their local folk culture to Wikimedia Commons under free licenses to be used on Wikipedia and any other places with attribution. This photography contest is focused on folk culture of different regions, including folk dances, folk music, folk activities, folk games, folk cuisine, folk wear, folklore, and tradition, including ballads, folktales, fairy tales, legends, traditional song and dance, folk plays, games, seasonal events, calendar customs, folk arts, folk religion, mythology, etc. The campaign is _targeted at protecting the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

The Wiki Loves Folklore International photography contest serves as a vital catalyst for preserving intangible cultural heritage, in accordance with the 2003 UNESCO Convention. It encourages people from diverse backgrounds to capture and share images representing their cultural heritage, effectively documenting and sharing these intangible aspects of culture. Through visual storytelling, it raises awareness about the importance of cultural practices, rituals, and traditions and promotes community engagement in heritage preservation. By showcasing intangible cultural heritage on Wikimedia Commons, Wiki Loves Folklore ensures its transmission to future generations, making it more accessible and relevant in the modern world while upholding the principles of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.

Every year, the Wiki Loves Folklore photography contest runs from February 1st to March 31st. Originally globally launched in 2019 as "Wiki Loves Love", the contest was subsequently renamed to "Wiki Loves Folklore." Over its 6-year journey, the contest has garnered an impressive collection of 121,512 media files from 168 different countries, with the invaluable contribution of 8,337 dedicated volunteers.

Editions

Commons:Wiki Loves Folklore 2025, the contest in February and March 2025
Commons:Wiki Loves Folklore 2024, the contest in February and March 2024 (images)
Commons:Wiki Loves Folklore 2023, the contest in February 2023 (images)
Commons:Wiki Loves Folklore 2022, the contest in February 2022 (images)
Commons:Wiki Loves Folklore 2021, the contest in February 2021 (images)
Commons:Wiki Loves Folklore 2020, the contest in February 2020 (images)
Commons:Wiki Loves Love 2019, the contest in February 2019 (images)

Winning pictures in former editions

Wiki Loves Love 2019

An authentic Russian wedding ceremony
The famous Kinabayo Festival celebrations of Philippines
A Belarussian style wedding
A couple at a wedding in Nashik, India
Bridegroom placing Sindoor on bride’s forehead, as part of a Hindu wedding in India
A couple at a pre-wedding ceremony in Thailand
Wedding ceremony in Punjab, India
A couple at a wedding ceremony in Indonesia
A student pays Namaste to a Yoga master in India
A couple watching fireworks as a part of Chinese New Year celebrations
Theatre of spirit rituals of Maya Indians

Wiki Loves Folklore 2020

淚中之愛 by 黃孝擎
Tbourida Moroccan folklore fantasy by Houssain tork
Viva for Niño by Herbert Kikoy
Bharatanatyam by Vijay Sundararaman Iyer
Theyyam by Shagil Kannur
Dance drama by Tapas Kumar Halder
Woman at Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival by Elisolidum
Kadayawan Festival by Fpj455
Jallikattu festival by Sundaram Perumal
Theyyam by Adzac5848
Manobo Girl by Herbert Kikoy
Bal Krishna makeup by Tapas Kumar Halder
Hmong folk costume of Vietnam by Martyna.pedziach
Port de Grave Christmas Boat Lighting by Ting ting Chen
The water transfer by Mikhail Kapychka
Tango Porteño by Manticora87
Ardhanarishvara by Tapas Kumar Halder
Raiyani Muharramah Gendang beleq by RaiyaniM

Wiki Loves Folklore 2021

Mongolian Man and his Eagle by NuclearApples
The Yellow Fellowship by Herbert Kikoy
Pintaflores Queen by Francisco Pajares, Jr.
Traditional Japanese ladies by Dieglop
Riding into the festival by NuclearApples
International Folk Festival Polka at Bychlew, Poland by Korpusik
Seruling Gambuh Bali by RaiyaniM
MSFF Uniwersytet Śląski 7 Fot. Wojtek Korpusik by Korpusik
Cultural dance of Sinulog Festival in Cebu, Philippines by Wynn Loner U. Uy
Bullock Cart race in Jaffna, Sri Lanka by Visuvanathan Aruran
A girl dressed as Lord Krishna attends open-air theatrical performance by TAPAS KUMAR HALDER
Sinulog Festival Ritual Dance by Jumelito Capilot
L’art de Tbourida Marocaine by Houssain tork
Grand shadow play at Wat Khanon Temple by Paul-shy
Peresean, a traditional sport conducted by the Sasak Tribe people in the province of West Southeast Nusa, Indonesia by RaiyaniM
Matigsalug Elders by Theglennpalacio
Strings of the Ancient by Herbert Kikoy
Woman dressed as Sherawali, the warrior goddess who rides a tiger, by TAPAS KUMAR HALDER

Wiki Loves Folklore 2022

Child's Faith to Santo Niño by Michol Sanchez
Moroccan Berber at Sahara Dessert by Dieglop
Women painting Patachitra artform in Odisha by Euphoric Captures
Traditional body painting on kids of Ethiopian Banna Tribe by WAVRIK
Peacock dance performer by TAPAS KUMAR HALDER
Karen tribal woman in traditional clothes by Varvara Kless-Kaminskaia
Golden Eagle traditional and folk festival competition by Gabideen
Man dressed in Native American traditional costume by BENNY GROSS.1
Children learning to play the local drum in northern Region of Ghana by Sir Amugi
Women performing traditional Dhunachi ritualized dance worship by Bhuppigraphy
Miao folkdance in Guizhou, China by PeterSzabo83
Romanian teens in traditional clothes are dancing at "Hora Bucovinei" – Folk festival, Frasin – Romania by ShadowNighy
"Pece Atanasoski" Folk Festival by Lenivongeleva

Wiki Loves Folklore 2023

Traditional folk face painting by TAPAS KUMAR HALDER.
National Mask Festival of Papua New Guinea by JBYBIOSA.
A man performing bleaching process on copper utensil by Summering2018
Lumad basakanon by Kliencyril08
Tbourida by Mohamed El Idrissi
Red and Gold for Niño by Herbertkikoy
Indian Traditional Wedding by Aman Agrahari
Fishing net weaver of Manipur by Pdhang
Piping at a wedding by Iainmacharg
Han Dan by Yake2434
Líderes indígenas by Edgar Kanaykõ Xakriaba
Little buffalo herder by Alisabih
Holi, The festival of colors by AjoyDutta1997

Our Partners

Wiki Loves Folklore is a project organized by the Open Heritage Foundation. We express our thanks to the Wikimedia Foundation along with Wikimedia Espana, Wikimedia Russia, Wikimedia Thailand, Wikimedia Peru, Wikimedia Community Kenya, Wikimedia Belgium, Wikimedia France, Wikimedia Deutschland, Wikimedia of Benin Usergroup, Dagbani Wikimedians, Wikimedia Community of Tatar language User Group, Wikimedians of Erzya language User Group, Hausa Wikimedians Usergroups, Punjabi Wikimedians, Wikimedia Community Ireland, PhilwikiCommunity, IGBO Wikimedians Usergroup, Wikimedians of Albanian Language Usergroups, Wikidonne Usergroup, Community Wikimedia User Group Haïti, Amical Wikimedia, Wikimedia Community Malta, Wikimedians of Mali Usergroup, Yoruba Wikimedians Usergroup, Wiki Loves Falles, Women in Red, Global Open Initiative and Le Sans Page for supporting the project in the past years.

We would like to also thank Scholastic, American Folklore Society, TheFolkloreSociety, Archivalia Hypotheses (Germany), Wikiwand, Tribune India, Punjab Tribune, Ajit News, Dainik Bhaskar, VCA Government of Malta, fes ta festa.cat, Businessnews, Futmax.org, Dainik Savera, Dainik Jagran, and Punjabi Jagran for their support to make this campaign visible to the public.

We also acknowledge the supported by national organizers from countries like Albania and Kosovo, Belarus, Benin, Burundi, Ghana, Haiti, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Land of Valencia, Mali, Malta, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Thailand and Zambia in the past years.

In the previous editions Wiki Loves Folklore has received uploads from 168 countries like Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Collaborating partners in countries

The Wikipedia project of Feminism and Folklore has been supported by affiliates and partner organizations from 11 countries – India, USA, Italy, France, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Tunis, Ghana, and Geneva.