Polish town builds a $14,000 statue in honor of Wikipedia
Most people show appreciation for Wikipedia by donating a bit of money to keep it running, but the folks in one Polish town have come up with something bigger: they've built a monument in its honor. It all began when Colegium Polonicum professor Krzysztof Wojciechowski decided he wanted a place where he can literally drop to his knees before Wikipedia. See, he was in awe with what the crowdsourced online encyclopedia has accomplished for people worldwide -- Polish speakers, in particular, have more than a million Wiki pages they can read. The town authorities of Slubice where his college is located then agreed to take up his suggestion, making his idea a reality.
As you can see in the image of the model figurine below, the statue features Wikipedia's logo held up by four people. It won't be unveiled until October 22nd, but The Telegraph says the finished product erected in a central square is less than 6-and-a-half feet in height, and made of fiber and resin but laminated to look like brass. It cost the town $14,000 to build the statue, and one could argue that authorities could've just donated the money. But everyone involved is hoping it becomes a tourist attraction, one that encourages people to contribute money and time to the website for years to come.
