World Audiovisual Heritage Day (27/10)

Preserving the audiovisual heritage of the world — means preserving our collective memory and ensuring its transmission to future generations. We must know the past in order to shape our common future on the basis of dialogue and understanding. Former head of UNESCO Irina Bokova

In 2005, at its 33rd session, the UNESCO General Conference approved a resolution proclaiming 27 October as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage — to commemorate the anniversary of the adoption in 1980 of the Recommendation on the Protection and Conservation of Movable Images and as a mechanism to raise general awareness of the need for urgent action to recognize the importance of audiovisual documents as an integral part of national identity.

The resolution stresses that special efforts are required to preserve the audiovisual heritage, since the information carriers are highly vulnerable and short-lived.

Every year the Day is dedicated to a specific topic within the framework of this problem. And among the events dedicated to this international date are — round tables, conferences and public lectures on the importance of preserving audiovisual documents; local programs prepared jointly by national film archives, audiovisual societies, television or radio and government; showing films, etc.

Audiovisual heritage includes films, radio– and television programs, audio– and video recordings. Mass distribution of such documents began in the 20th century, and now they are one of the main carriers of primary information. They help to transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries, are perceived equally effectively aurally or visually by both literate and illiterate people. In other words, audiovisual documents have become an addition to traditional written media.

Audiovisual archives tell us the life stories of people and cultures from all over the world. They represent an invaluable heritage that serves as a testament to our collective memory and a valuable source of knowledge. They reflect the cultural, social and linguistic diversity of our communities. Audiovisual archives help us grow and comprehend the world in which we all live together.

According to Irina Bokova, who served as Director General of UNESCO in 2009-2017, audiovisual materials « should be considered as a mirror of human creativity and the living fabric of our cultures», and «the preservation of this heritage depends on awareness of its true value. Unfortunately, a significant part of it has already died irrevocably as a result of a lack of understanding of its value, chemical decay or technological backwardness. But can we imagine the loss of such fateful moments as the first human landing on the Moon or the release of Nelson Mandela»?

Audiovisual heritage is vulnerable in nature. In this regard, UNESCO has taken a leading role in the conservation and exchange of these short-lived materials. Created in 1997, the international register «Memory of the World» currently includes more than 300 documentary heritage titles, including audiovisual ones, which are of global importance.

By the way, the audiovisual history of Russia is kept in the State Fund for Television and Radio Programs. The archive has more than 3 million items.

Initiatives such as World Audiovisual Heritage Day and the World Remembrance Program constantly carry out painstaking professional activities by heritage conservation specialists, which gives impetus to the rational use of a number of technical, political, social, financial and other factors that threaten the preservation of cultural heritage. To this end, the UNESCO Archive initiated the project «Digitization of our common history UNESCO».

World Audiovisual Heritage Day reflects the mandate enshrined in the UNESCO Charter to promote the free dissemination of ideas through verbal or visual means« as a reflection of our common heritage and memory. In doing so, World Audiovisual Heritage Day highlights the role of heritage in protecting peace in people's minds.



Postcard «October 27 — World Audiovisual Heritage Day»

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