The Project

WikiArabia is the annual conference of the Arabic Wikimedia community, bringing together contributors, developers, and open knowledge advocates from across the region.

​In 2022, I was tasked with creating the brand identity for WikiArabia UAE, the first Wikimedia conference in the GCC, held at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library and welcoming local and international delegates from across the Arab world.

Brand Research

Before developing the logo, I studied previous WikiArabia identities and noticed a recurring visual reference to the Arabic letter “و” (wāw)—a character that closely resembles the “W” in Wikipedia.

2015-2016
Tunisia & Jordan

2017
Egypt

2019
Morocco

2021
​Algeria

Brand Evaluation

Inspired by the shared “w” sound between the Arabic letter “و” (wāw) and the W in Wikipedia, I built the brand identity around the letterform, creating a mark that reflects both the Arabic language and the Wikimedia ecosystem.

Logo concept featuring the 'و' (wāw) and UAE landmarks

Logo Design

My analysis showed that relying on host country symbols could dilute WikiArabia’s core brand identity. Instead, I proposed developing a timeless and adaptable identity that could be used by Wikimedian communities across the region.

Font Psychology

Concept # 1
Tradition, sophistication, intelligence, style

Concept # 2
​Young, creative, new, bold, impactful

Concept # 3
​Exclusivity, elegance, intelligence, style

Colour Psychology

Passion, energy, warmth, friendliness, excitement, intellect, happiness

​Sophistication, security, power, elegance, authority, substance

Brand Identity

The final logo balances tradition and modernity, creating a cohesive and recognizable identity for WikiArabia UAE while remaining adaptable for future conferences. Following the success of the branding, the same logo was later used for WikiArabia Oman 2024.​

This work was developed as part of my role at the Emirates Literature Foundation, which hosted WikiArabia in the UAE.
All project materials are presented here for portfolio purposes to reflect my personal contribution to the event’s visual identity.
The WikiArabia UAE wordmark is archived on Wikimedia Commons.