The award was expanded in 2021 with additional categories including Media Contributor of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Tech Contributor of the Year, and Wikimedia Laureate. In 2024, an additional category of Functionary of the Year was added.
The Newcomer of the Year award was first presented in 2021.
List of Newcomer of the Year award recipientsThe 20th Year Honouree award was first presented in 2021. In 2022, the award was renamed Wikimedia Laureate.
List of award recipientsThe Tech Innovator award was first presented in 2021. The honor was renamed Tech Contributor of the Year in 2022.
List of award recipientsThe Rich Media award was first presented in 2021. The honor was renamed Media Contributor of the Year in 2022.
List of Rich Media award recipientsThe Functionary of the Year award was first presented in 2024, to recognize Wikimedians who work behind the scenes to "ensure the safety, smooth operation, and sustainability of Wikimedia projects".
List of Functionary of the Year award recipientsVarious Wikimedia affiliate organisations give national "Wikimedia of the year" awards. For example, Wikimedia UK has given a series of "UK Wikimedian of the Year" awards to people and organisations since 2012.
Quist, Ebenezer (October 16, 2020). "Ghanaian lady awarded by Wikipedia as its worldwide best worker for 2020". Yen.com.gh. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020. https://yen.com.gh/173249-ghanaian-lady-awarded-by-wikipedia-worldwide-worker-year-2020.html
Morris, Kevin (April 26, 2013). "Winners of Wikipedia's biggest award still haven't received prize money". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2016. http://www.dailydot.com/news/wikipedian-of-the-year-jimmy-wales-prize-money/
Michel, Casey G. (April 2, 2015). "Wikipedia Founder Distances Himself from Kazakhstan PR Machine". EURASIANET.org. Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2020. https://eurasianet.org/wikipedia-founder-distances-himself-from-kazakhstan-pr-machine
Morris, Kevin (April 26, 2013). "Winners of Wikipedia's biggest award still haven't received prize money". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2016. http://www.dailydot.com/news/wikipedian-of-the-year-jimmy-wales-prize-money/
Orlowski, Andrew (December 22, 2014). "What's Jimmy Wales going to do with $500k from the UAE?". The Register. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/22/the_withinthelaw_jimmy_wales_on_the_run_with_500000/
Morris, Kevin (April 26, 2013). "Winners of Wikipedia's biggest award still haven't received prize money". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2016. http://www.dailydot.com/news/wikipedian-of-the-year-jimmy-wales-prize-money/
"Rémi Mathis". École nationale des chartes (in French). December 19, 2016. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020. http://www.chartes.psl.eu/fr/conferencier/remi-mathis
Geuss, Megan (April 6, 2013). "Wikipedia editor allegedly forced by French intelligence to delete "classified" entry". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/wikipedia-editor-allegedly-forced-by-french-intelligence-to-delete-classified-entry/
"Ukraine Today: Ihor Kostenko given posthumous annual award (VIDEO)". Kyiv Post. September 14, 2014. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2016. http://www.kyivpost.com/multimedia/video-2/ukraine-today-ihor-kostenko-given-posthumous-annual-award-video-364591.html
Savchuk, Iryna (August 15, 2014). "Ukrainian from the Heavenly Hundred becomes Wikipedian of the Year". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2017. http://www.kyivpost.com/article/guide/people/lifestyle-blog-ukrainian-from-the-heavenly-hundred-became-a-wikipedian-of-the-year-360551.html
Sutherland, Joe (July 31, 2015). "2015 Wikipedians of the Year unveiled in Mexico". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016. https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/07/31/wikipedians-of-the-year-2015/
"Emily Temple-Wood macht Wikipedia weiblicher". Geo (in German). Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://www.geo.de/wissen/22423-rtkl-sexismus-wie-emily-temple-wood-wikipedia-weiblicher-macht
Gordon, Maggie (November 9, 2017). "Wikipedia editing marathons add women's voices to online resource". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/Adding-women-s-voices-to-Wikipedia-12344424.php
D’Alterio, Emily (March 12, 2019). "Women in culture and tech: Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight, academic, Wikipedian and champion of 'impractical' girls". Europeana Pro. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://pro.europeana.eu/post/women-in-culture-and-tech-rosie-stephenson-goodknight
Zahneis, Megan (July 19, 2018). "Some Colleges Cautiously Embrace Wikipedia". Chronicle. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://www.chronicle.com/article/Some-Colleges-Cautiously/243968
Ofori-Boateng, Pamela (August 29, 2017). "Felix Nartey named Wikimedian of the Year 2017!". Classic Ghana. Archived from the original on December 20, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20171220105530/http://www.classicghana.com/ghanaian-crowned-wikimedian-year-2017/
"Татарстанец Фархад Фаткуллин стал первым россиянином, признанным Википедистом 2018". Tatar-inform (in Russian). Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020. https://www.tatar-inform.ru/news/society/23-07-2018/tatarstanets-farhad-fatkullin-stal-pervym-rossiyaninom-priznannym-vikipedistom-2018-5556347
Nadiya, Jennene (October 17, 2019). "Emna Mizouni, première femme arabe à obtenir le prix "Wikimédienne de l'année"". Tunisie Haut Debit (in French). Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://thd.tn/emna-mizouni-premiere-femme-arabe-a-obtenir-le-prix-wikimedienne-de-lannee/
Quist, Ebenezer (October 16, 2020). "Ghanaian lady awarded by Wikipedia as its worldwide best worker for 2020". Yen.com.gh. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020. https://yen.com.gh/173249-ghanaian-lady-awarded-by-wikipedia-worldwide-worker-year-2020.html
Bedirian, Razmig (August 16, 2021). "Arab medical professional Alaa Najjar honoured by Wikipedia for Covid-19 coverage". The National. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021. https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2021/08/16/arab-medical-professional-alaa-najjar-honoured-by-wikipedia-for-covid-19-coverage/
"Celebrating the 2022 Wikimedians of the Year!". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. August 14, 2022. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/08/14/celebrating-the-2022-wikimedians-of-the-year/
Foundation, Wikimedia (August 16, 2023). "Celebrating the 2023 Wikimedian of the Year Winners". Diff. Retrieved August 16, 2023. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2023/08/16/celebrating-the-2023-wikimedian-of-the-year-winners/
Wikimedia (August 7, 2024). "Meet the Wikimedians of the Year 2024". Diff. Retrieved August 7, 2024. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/08/07/meet-the-wikimedians-of-the-year-2024/
Harrison, Stephen (September 12, 2024). "Wikipedia is facing an existential crisis. Can gen Z save it?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 28, 2024. /wiki/Wikipedia:Stephen_Harrison
"Վիքիպեդիայի հիմնադրի անակնկալը Սուսաննա Մկրտչյանին" [The founder of Wikipedia's surprise to Susanna Mkrtchyan]. MediaMax (in Armenian). July 29, 2015. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020. https://mediamax.am/am/news/education/14970/
Sutherland, Joe (July 31, 2015). "2015 Wikipedians of the Year unveiled in Mexico". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016. https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/07/31/wikipedians-of-the-year-2015/
Erhart, Ed (June 24, 2016). "Jimmy Wales names Emily Temple-Wood and Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight as Wikipedians of the Year". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. Archived from the original on July 3, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016. https://blog.wikimedia.org/2016/06/24/wikipedians-of-the-year/
Harmon, Elliot (December 21, 2017). "Diego Gómez Is Safe, but Threats to Curiosity Still Abound". Electronic Frontier Foundation. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/12/diego-gomez-safe-threats-curiosity-still-abound
Wikimania 2017 Closing Ceremony. Wikimedia Foundation. August 17, 2017. Event occurs at 17:30. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020 – via YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQqUjESjSA
Koebler, Jason (April 27, 2016). "Wikipedia's Piracy Police Are Ruining the Developing World's Internet Experience". Vice. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020. https://www.vice.com/en/article/wikipedia-zero-being-surveilled-by-piracy-police/
Elsharbaty, Samir (July 26, 2018). "Farhad Fatkullin named Wikimedian of the Year for 2018". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020. https://blog.wikimedia.org/2018/07/26/farkhad-fatkullin-wikimedian-of-the-year/
"Una scienziata al giorno". August 12, 2018. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020 – via PressReader. https://www.pressreader.com/italy/corriere-della-sera-la-lettura/20180812/281621011167157
Evans, Jocelyn (February 11, 2020). "Physicist writes 900 Wikipedia entries to boost diversity in science". ITV News. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020. https://www.itv.com/news/2020-02-11/physicist-writes-900-wikipedia-entries-to-boost-diversity-in-science/
Devlin, Hannah (July 24, 2018). "Academic writes 270 Wikipedia pages in a year to get female scientists noticed". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jul/24/academic-writes-270-wikipedia-pages-year-female-scientists-noticed
"Meet Netha Hussain: Wikimedian of the Year 2021 Honourable Mention winner". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-netha-hussain-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-honourable-mention-winner/
"Meet Carmen Alcázar: Wikimedian of the Year 2021 Honourable Mention winner". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-carmen-alcazar-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-honourable-mention-winner/
Riquelme, Rodrigo (August 15, 2021). "Una mexicana gana mención honorífica en los premios al Wikimedista del 2021" [A Mexican woman wins honorable mention in the 2021 Wikimedista Awards]. El Economista (in Spanish). Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021. https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/arteseideas/Una-mexicana-gana-mencion-honorifica-en-los-premios-al-Wikimedista-del-2021-20210815-0005.html
"Celebrating the 2022 Wikimedians of the Year!". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. August 14, 2022. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/08/14/celebrating-the-2022-wikimedians-of-the-year/
Foundation, Wikimedia (August 16, 2023). "Celebrating the 2023 Wikimedian of the Year Winners". Diff. Retrieved August 16, 2023. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2023/08/16/celebrating-the-2023-wikimedian-of-the-year-winners/
Wikimedia (August 7, 2024). "Meet the Wikimedians of the Year 2024". Diff. Retrieved August 7, 2024. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/08/07/meet-the-wikimedians-of-the-year-2024/
"Meet Carma Citrawati: Wikimedian of the Year 2021 Newcomer of the Year winner". Diff. Wikimedia Foundation. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-carma-citrawati-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-newcomer-of-the-year-winner/
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Wikimedia (August 7, 2024). "Meet the Wikimedians of the Year 2024". Diff. Retrieved August 7, 2024. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/08/07/meet-the-wikimedians-of-the-year-2024/
Pourzaki, Mehrdad (July 18, 2022). "Who will be the 2022 Wikimedian of the Year?". Wikimedia Foundation. Archived from the original on September 18, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/07/18/who-will-be-the-2022-wikimedian-of-the-year/
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"Meet Lodewijk Gelauff: Wikimedian of the Year 2021 20th Year Honouree winner". Wikimedia Foundation. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-lodewijk-gelauff-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-20th-year-honouree-winner/
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Foundation, Wikimedia (August 15, 2021). "Meet Jay Prakash: Wikimedian of the Year 2021 Tech Innovator winner". Diff. Retrieved January 12, 2025. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-jay-prakash-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-tech-innovator-winner/
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Sharma, Unnati (August 17, 2021). "3 Indians win Wikimedia awards for helping provide free, accessible knowledge on the internet". ThePrint. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021. https://theprint.in/india/3-indians-win-wikimedia-awards-for-helping-provide-free-accessible-knowledge-on-the-internet/716746/
"Meet Ananya Mondal: Wikimedian of the Year 2021 Rich Media winner". diff.wikimedia.org. August 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2021/08/15/meet-ananya-mondal-wikimedian-of-the-year-2021-rich-media-winner/
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Odom, J.L. (August 30, 2023). "Trans identity of Wikimedia awardee steers their work". Bay Area Reporter. https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&sc=news&id=327961
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Crampton, Katie (December 6, 2023). "The winners of the 2023 UK Wikimedian of the Year Awards". Wikimedia UK. Retrieved April 29, 2025. https://wikimedia.org.uk/2023/12/winners-2023-uk-wikimedianoftheyear-awards/