UNESCO Memory of the World Programme Secretariat

Overview

The UNESCO Memory of the World Programme Secretariat is the administrative body housed within UNESCO's Communication and Information Sector (specifically its Documentary Heritage Unit) that coordinates the global Memory of the World (MoW) Programme. Launched by UNESCO in 1992, the programme aims to safeguard the world's documentary heritage against collective amnesia, neglect, decay, and deliberate destruction, and to promote universal access to documentary heritage of outstanding significance.

History and Founding

UNESCO initiated the Memory of the World Programme in 1992 in response to growing global awareness of the vulnerability of documentary heritage—particularly following large-scale losses during the twentieth century. The programme's first International Advisory Committee (IAC) meeting was held in 1993 in Pultusk, Poland. The Memory of the World International Register was established in 1997, and the first inscriptions were made that year. By the mid-2020s, the Register contained 570 entries from 193 countries. UNESCO also created the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize in 2004 to recognize individuals and institutions contributing to the preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage.

Structure and Functions

The Secretariat, located at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, provides administrative and technical support to the programme's governance bodies. Its functions include:

• Supporting the International Advisory Committee (IAC) and its subsidiary bodies, including the Register Subcommittee (RSC)
• General administration and monitoring of the programme
• Maintaining the Memory of the World Register, including documentation on standards, nominations, and registrations
• Conceptualizing and implementing projects furthering the programme's objectives
• Serving as the primary contact point for all MoW matters

The programme also operates through regional committees (such as MOWCAP in Asia-Pacific) and national committees, which are autonomous entities that maintain their own national and regional registers.

Collections and the Register

The Memory of the World International Register lists documentary heritage recommended by the IAC and endorsed by the UNESCO Director-General as having outstanding universal value. Items range from ancient manuscripts and oral tradition recordings to audiovisual materials, archive holdings, and digital records. Notable inscriptions include the League of Nations Archives (2009), the Magna Carta (2009), and Anne Frank's diaries.

Relevance to Journalism and Media Research

Several MoW inscriptions are directly relevant to journalism and media history, including historical newspaper collections, broadcasting archives, and documentation of press freedom movements. The programme's frameworks also inform international standards for the preservation of news archives and audiovisual heritage.