State of the Map Africa 2021

Keynote Speech : Closing (Obliterating) the Gaps
11-19, 09:10–09:40 (UTC), Room 1
Language: English

Whichever way you look at it, Africa has had a raw deal. The efforts of community-based projects such as Open Street Maps and Wikimedia that are concentrated on activating Africa's spaces and knowledges face more challenges than most regions. At times it seems like there are insurmountable odds stacked against them – especially when it comes to access, control, representation, and participation. In this talk I use the Wikipedia work as an example of where we currently stand; hoping that together as aligned communities, we can leap over these challenges, whilst taking the opportunity to do it on our own terms.

See also: SoTMAfrica Keynote Isla HF static slides (8.3 MB)

A Zimbabwean by birth, and a Capetonian by adoption, Oxford-educated Isla Haddow-Flood is a writer, editor and project strategist who is passionate about harnessing technology and media platforms to advance access to, and contribution of, knowledge – especially knowledge that relates to and enhances the narratives of Africa online via the Open Movement.