Text originally published at OK Somalia Blog.
Open Data Day is an annual global celebration of open data, and this year, Open Knowledge Somalia took part by hosting a training workshop on “Open Street Mapping” on March 25, 2024. The event, sponsored by Zamzam University of Science and Technology, featured Abdiaziz Hassan Ahmed from Open Knowledge Somalia as the lead facilitator. The workshop aimed to enlighten attendees on the fundamentals and applications of open street mapping, a collective method for creating and refining maps with freely accessible geographic data.
Throughout the workshop, various facets of open street mapping were explored, including its significance in disaster relief, urban planning, public health, and community development. Attendees were introduced to essential tools and methodologies for contributing to open street mapping projects, such as gathering data through GPS devices or satellite images and collaboratively editing maps on platforms like OpenStreetMap. Furthermore, the training provided participants with valuable insights and competencies in open street mapping initiatives, offering advantages for both individuals and organizations.
The Open Knowledge Somalia team extends its heartfelt gratitude to all participants and the facilitator for their invaluable contributions to the workshop.
About Open Data Day
Open Data Day (ODD) is an annual celebration of open data all over the world. Groups from many countries create local events on the day where they will use open data in their communities.
As a way to increase the representation of different cultures, since 2023 we offer the opportunity for organisations to host an Open Data Day event on the best date within a one-week period. In 2024, a total of 287 events happened all over the world between March 2nd-8th, in 60+ countries using 15 different languages.
All outputs are open for everyone to use and re-use.
In 2024, Open Data Day was also a part of the HOT OpenSummit ’23-24 initiative, a creative programme of global event collaborations that leverages experience, passion and connection to drive strong networks and collective action across the humanitarian open mapping movement
For more information, you can reach out to the Open Knowledge Foundation team by emailing opendataday@okfn.org. You can also join the Open Data Day Google Group to ask for advice or share tips and get connected with others.
