Page 5 - 2022 UNESCO ICDH Newsletter_vol.3

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Celebrating the 30th Over the last 30 years, UNESCO’s Memory of the ◦ Ensure that documentary heritage is protected in the International Federation of Library Associations
World (MoW) Programme has been working to
memory institutions;
and Institutions (IFLA), the International Council
anniversary of ensure that the world’s documentary heritage is fully ◦ Make it readily available and accessible to all; and on Archives (ICA), the Co-ordinating Council of
Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA), the
preserved, protected, and accessible to all, while
advocating for effective policy mechanisms and ◦ Promote its use and re-use as a matter of International Council of Museums (ICOM), etc.
UNESCO’s Memory of promoting national and international cooperation fundamental freedoms.
among Member States. The MoW Programme, For the success of the celebration, active local
the World Programme established in 1992, is celebrating its 30th anniversary Indeed, these ideas are encapsulated in the 2015 participation åis also expected from national and
this year, making it a great opportunity to celebrate Recommendation, which underlines “the importance regional committees as well as other partners of
achievements to date and share the direction for the of documentary heritage to promote the sharing of the Memory of the World Programme. To this end,
future. knowledge for greater understanding and dialogue, various national and/or regional activities may be
by. Fackson Banda In marking the anniversary, UNESCO proposes a in order to promote peace and respect for freedom, contemplated, such as exhibitions, publications, the
democracy, human rights and dignity.”
launch of national registers where these do not exist,
celebration week from 27 October to 5 November Taking into account the above conceptual framework media events promoting the work of the national
Chief, Documentary Heritage Unit 2022 under a global theme: “Your window to the world: and the overall goal of the Memory of the World and/or regional committee, and videos highlighting
Communication and Information Sector Enlisting documentary heritage to promote inclusive, Programme, the main issues that may define the different aspects of the global theme in context.
just and peaceful societies.” celebration of the 30th anniversary include, are but not
limited to: Given their solid contribution to the MoW Programme
An important point to make with regard to this theme over the past 30 years, we look forward to their
is that it brings together the Co-ordinating Council of ◦ Identifying documentary heritage which promotes enthusiastic participation in the celebration.
Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA)’s multi- greater understanding and dialogue across cultures;
year theme for the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage ◦ Celebrating documentary heritage, including that of
(“Your window to the world”) with that of the MoW marginalized groups, which contributed to bringing
Programme’s celebration (“Enlisting documentary about inclusive, just, and peaceful societies in a
heritage to promote inclusive, just and peaceful particular national, regional or international context;
societies”). This is an important strategic partnership
which will ensure a combined celebration, on 27 ◦ Highlighting the gender inequalities in access to,
October 2022, of both the World Day for Audiovisual and usage of, documentary heritage;
Heritage and the 30th anniversary of the MoW ◦ Exploring how documentary heritage can be used
Programme.
as an educational resource and how media can
exploit the historical value of documentary heritage
This theme takes its cue from the 2030 Agenda for for contemporary reporting on issues of sustainable
Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable development; and
Development Goal (SDG) 16. SDG 16 seeks to
“promote peaceful and inclusive societies for ◦ Highlighting best practices on safeguarding
sustainable development, provide access to justice documentary heritage at risk.
for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive
institutions at all levels”. In particular, Target 16.10 of The celebration will take two forms – global and local.
this SDG aims to “ensure public access to information
and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with For the global celebration, UNESCO’s Documentary
national legislation and international agreements.” Heritage Unit, which manages the Memory of the
World Programme, will host a global exhibition of
Therefore, trying to understand the role of documentary selected MoW inscriptions during the celebration week
heritage in relation to SDG 16 means looking at (27 October – 5 November) and an online-onsite
documentary heritage as an information resource, symposium. The symposium will feature a keynote
which lends itself both to the “public access to speech, a series of testimonies, as well as a
information” and “fundamental freedoms” aspects of showcasing of items of documentary heritage that
Target 16.10. promote inclusion, justice and peace.

More specifically, in order to work towards positioning A celebratory anniversary statement will also be
documentary heritage as a contributing factor towards produced and uploaded online. Its content will be
building inclusive, just and peaceful societies, there is shaped by experts selected from national and regional
a need to: committees of the Memory of the World Programme,
with input from key partners of UNESCO, including

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