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UNESCO launches an Expert Hub for Memory of the World in Africa
The training, organized in collaboration with the Africa Regional Committee for Memory of the World (ARCMoW), the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) and the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO, marked a significant milestone in the establishment of the Expert Hub for the Memory of the World in Africa, a platform created to support National MoW Committees and advocate for increased preservation and access efforts of documentary heritage in Africa.
Addressing Africa’s documentary heritage challenges
Africa is home to a vast and diverse documentary heritage, including materials that capture significant historical movements, traditional knowledge, and cultural legacies. However, the continent remains underrepresented in the International MoW Register, with only 5% of global registered documentary heritage originating from Africa. Key challenges such as inadequate storage facilities, environmental threats, and limited public awareness hinder preservation efforts. UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa initiated this expert training to empower preservation practioners with the knowledge and skills to support MoW in Africa, and increase nominations of documentary heritage from the region for international recognition.
In order to improve the number of nominations on to the International Memory of the World Register, we have to enhance collaboration among the countries that we have seen today because Africa is the home to many documentary heritage collections that are across the borders. Therefore, working together and developing joint nominations is a way forward.
From theory to practice
The workshop featured a structured programme covering key aspects of the Memory of the World such as the history and governance of the Memory of the World Programme, guiding texts and standards related to documentary heritage preservation, the International Memory of the World Register, from International to Regional and National Registers and their nomination processes, a brief introduction to the , the establishment of National MoW committees and the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize among other MoW projects and initiatives supported under MoW.
A crucial component of the training focused on establishing and operationalizing National MoW Committees in Africa. Participants engaged in discussions on best practices for setting up and managing these Committees, learning strategies for enhancing coordination and policy development within their respective countries. They also delved into the significance of the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize, which recognizes efforts in documentary preservation, and explored opportunities for regional and international collaboration.
I have been provided with comprehensive and significant insights into the objectives and importance of the Memory of the World initiative, on the importance of preservation of documentary heritage in our country, on the different criteria that are required for inscription of the collections from the national archives.
Preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage at risk was one of the key themes of the training. Experts shared insights on effective strategies for mitigating threats such as environmental degradation, poor storage conditions, and technological obsolescence. The training emphasized the importance of raising public awareness and advocating for stronger policies to support documentary heritage preservation at national and regional levels.
Through organized group work sessions, experts worked on the criteria of documentary heritage significance i.e historical, form and style, social/community/spiritual, gender, rarity and integrity – to identiy common items for nomination. Resulting group presentations highlighted several significant collections for country-specific or joint nominations to the MoW International Register, which pointed to the rich shared histories and deep cultural ties between the different countries.
The training was facilitated by various experts of documentary heritage, including Mr. Fackson Banda, Head of the Documentary Heritage Unit at UNESCO, Mr. Jan Bos, Chair of the International Advisory Committee (IAC), Ms. Lydia Muthuma, Executive Committee Member of ARCMoW, Ms. Linh Anh Moreau, Secretary-General of MOWCAP, representatives from the International Centre for Documentary Heritage (ICDH) and Ms. Misako Ito, UNESCO Regional Advisor for Communication and Information in Africa. They provided valuable insights and guidance to the participants throughout the training, enhancing their understanding of the programme and ways in which to benefit from the opportunities available for partnerships both in the region and internationally.
Path for the future: Commitment to strengthening regional efforts
At the conclusion of the workshop, UNESCO awarded certificates to the participants, officially recognizing them as trained members of the Expert Hub for Memory of the World in Africa. Moving forward, these experts will play a crucial role in supporting African countries in developing MoW initiatives, advocating for increased recognition of African documentary heritage, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of preservation efforts.
What I hope to see as a result of these activities is the creation from the group to build the capacity of others and share what they have learnt during the workshop to their community of custodians and institutions in their own countries, so that more communities can participate in the Memory of the World programme.
On the final day of the training, participants had the opportunity to visit the Kenya National Archives and the National Museums of Kenya to gain practical insights into archival preservation efforts.
UNESCO through its Memory of the World programme will continue to foster regional expertise and implement UNESCO’s Global Priority Africa in documentary heritage. The newly trained experts are now better equipped to contribute to safeguarding Africa’s rich historical and cultural records, ensuring that future generations can access and learn from them.
