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Documentary heritage reflects the diversity of languages, peoples and cultures. It is the mirror of the world and its memory.
But that memory is fragile.
Every day, fragments, if not entire sections of the documentary heritage disappear for ever.
To guard against collective amnesia, it must remain our aim and hope to preserve manuscripts and other rare and valuable archive and library materialexisting in any form, whether written, audio-visual or electronic, and to ensure their wider dissemination. For this reason, UNESCO has launched a vast and ambitious programme entitled "Memory of the World". The twofold purpose of the UNESCO's "Memory of the World" programme is to safeguard and promote the endangered world documentary heritage. The scale and structure of the programme are such that intellectual, technical and financial partnerships will be required. In this programme, UNESCO intends to act as a co-ordinator and catalyst. An International Advisory Committee guides the overall implementation of the programme and determines on the award of the "Memory of the World" label to the projects selected. At national level, a committee is responsible for project selection and follow-up. A world list of endangered library and archive holdings will be a cornerstone of the programme. Preservation by means of the most appropriate techniques, ease of access and wide dissemination must be the hallmarks of this programme, which is to include not only rare manuscripts and documents from libraries and archives, but also, audio-visual and computerized recorded material. The "Memory of the World" Programme has aroused every great interest from the time it was launched, and requests for assistance are regularly being received by UNESCO. The task ahead is immense for this vast world campaign to safeguard and disseminate documentary treasures in danger. |
Scope and objectives of the Memory of the World Programme
International Conference on the Memory of the World Programme (Oslo, June 1996)
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