Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific

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Opening of Knowledge Centre at Renmin University, Beijing

A second Knowledge Centre was opened on 11 July 2017.  It is based in Beijing at the School of Information Resource Management, Renmin University.  A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Dean Zhang Bin; Professor Nuo Jin, Chairperson of the University Council; Li Minghua, Director General of the State Archives Adminstration of China, chair of MOWCAP and chair of the China MoW Committee; Professor Lothar Jordan chair of SCEaR; Papa Momar Diop, Memory of the World International Advisory Committee; and Zheng Suiquan,Vice- Chairperson of the University Council.

Mr Li Minghua welcomed everyone to the opening.  He spoke about the value of the Memory of the World Programme and noted that China had 10 items inscribed on the Memory of the World Asia and Pacific register.  Professor Nuo Jin spoke about the importance of the Knowledge Centre to Renmin University and the importance of the work done by UNESCO to encourage institutions and citizens to preserve national memories.

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Regional workshop on UNESCO Recommendation on Documentary Heritage concluded in Tehran

Countries of Western and Central Asia such as Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan share cultural and historical commonalities. These commonalities are reflected in the documentary heritage of the region such as the Medieval manuscripts on medicine and pharmacy kept by the Institute of Manuscript of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences or the Old Assyrian Merchant Archives of Kültepe from Turkey, already inscribed into the UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MoW) Register. The shared history and the shared documentary heritage enable also joint nominations to MoW.

In a view to strengthen regional cooperation amongst these countries for the preservation of and access to documentary heritage and within the framework of UNESCO’s 2015 Recommendation, a workshop was organized by the UNESCO Office in Tehran, the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO and the National Library and Archives of Iran on 28 and 29 August 2017.

Opened by Dr Ashraf Boroujerdi, Head of the National Library and Archives of Iran and Chairperson of the Iranian MoW Committee, the workshop was attended by the MoW representatives from seven countries of the sub-region as well as members of the Iranian MoW Committee, including the Library of the Islamic Parliament of Iran, the Centre for Promoting Documentary Heritage, the Iranian Cultural Heritage, the Handcrafts and Tourism Organization and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

Facilitated by Ms Misako Ito, Adviser for Communication and Information at UNESCO Bangkok, and Dr Roslyn Russell, Chairperson of the Australian Memory of the World Committee, the workshop explored opportunities for regional collaboration for Memory of the World, including the mechanisms for joint nominations.

In her opening remarks, Ms Esther Kuisch-Laroche, Director and Representative of UNESCO Tehran Office, reminded that the UNESCO MoW programme expresses “the great humanist idea that people from all cultures and faith can unite around common heritage”. Talking about the MoW Register, she added that it “is not just a list of marvelous documents. It is a vision for peace, embodied in maps, books and manuscripts, with the power to change the minds of men and women, to shape a different future for all.”

The UNESCO MoW programme was created in 1992 to protect and promote world’s documentary heritage. The workshop in Tehran resulted in the adoption of a Regional Cooperation Plan for the Implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Documentary Heritage in Western and Central Asia.

Main photo caption: Al-Masaalik Wa Al-Mamaalik © National Museum of Iran

Participants of the regional workshop on UNESCO Recommendation on Documentary Heritage at the National Library and Archives of Iran © UNESCO

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Preserving South East Asia’s Cinematic Heritage

UNESCO and the Asian Film Archive Workshop June 17

From the 7-8 June 2017 UNESCO and the Asian Film Archive cooperated to hold a two-day workshop that explored how UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme (Memory of the World Asia Pacific “MOWCAP”) can help protect and preserve Southeast Asia’s precious audiovisual heritage. Twelve participants from ten Southeast Asian countries attended the workshop which aimed at helping in the identification of potential audiovisual heritage for nomination and assistance in the inscription process. The workshop was generously supported by the National Library Board, Singapore.

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UNESCO ASEAN Member States Action Plan for the UNESCO Recommendation on Documentary Heritage created

A five-point UNESCO-ASEAN Member States Action Plan emerged from the ASEAN-UNESCO+3 Consultation on the UNESCO Recommendation on Documentary Heritage (09-11 May 2017, Kuala Lumpur).

The Action Plan identifies concrete actions that can be taken in the areas of documentary heritage identification, preservation and access, as well as policy measures to support efforts in these areas and opportunities for international cooperation. The Action Plan was adopted by delegates from 10 ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste.

Action Plan:  http://bit.ly/2rlekp1 

ASEAN Member States, museums, archives and libraries will use the Action Plan to guide the implementation of UNESCO’s Recommendation at the national level.  The Action Plan will also help the ASEAN Secretariat, UNESCO, and the Memory of the World Committee for the Asia Pacific develop policies, trainings and projects to address challenges identified by member states. [Read more…]

National Workshop Held in Yangon, 4-5 May

Myanmar’s documentary heritage is rich and diverse, ranging from ancient texts carved in stone and palm leaf manuscripts to cinema and audio-visual materials. As a developing nation, however, Myanmar faces major challenges in safeguarding this heritage and making it accessible to all.

UNESCO working closely with the Myanmar National Commission for UNESCO, held a national level Memory of the World (MoW) training workshop from 4-5 May 2017.

The workshop focused on increasing participants’ knowledge of and skills related to the MoW programme, particularly developing nominations to MoW registers and how the programme can bolster efforts to safeguard Myanmar’s documentary heritage through the establishment of a Memory of the World National Committee.

[Read more…]

International Symposium on Preservation and Access to Southeast Asia’s Documentary Heritage starts 8 May

The symposium is the first global event of its kind. It starts on 8 May with the aim of developing an action plan, for Southeast Asian countries, for the implementation of the landmark UNESCO Recommendation on documentary heritage.

All sessions of the symposium will be streamed live on UNESCO Bangkok’s Facebook page (www.Facebook/UNESCOBKK). Detailed information about the symposium, including the agenda is  available here.

Successful Memory of the World Exhibition in Canberra

An exhibition, Memory of the World in Canberra, on display at Canberra Museum and Gallery from 12 November 2016 to 19 March 2017, has come to a successful conclusion.

Memory of the World in Canberra showcased the documents inscribed on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register held in Canberra institutions, including two items that are also on the Memory of the World International Register – Captain James Cook’s Endeavour Journal and the Mabo Case Manuscripts – and two that are on the MOWCAP Register, the FE Williams Collection of photos of Papua and the Landmark Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth of Australia.

The Australian Register book is now available in e-book form on the Australian Memory of the World website and on iTunes. Click here to access a copy.

More information on the exhibition is available here.

Preserving Documentary Heritage in Timor Leste

The preservation of documentary heritage in Timor Leste has received a boost  with the official launch of the National Committee of Timor Leste for Memory of the World (MOW) in early December 2016. The launch event was supported by UNESCO through the Malaysia-UNESCO Cooperation Programme (MUCP) in cooperation with the Timor Leste National Commission for UNESCO and the State Secretariat for Art and Culture of Timor Leste and included a two-day capacity building workshop with local stakeholders on 1 and 2 December.

More news on this development is available here.

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