In 1992, UNESCO established the Memory of the World
Program, an initiative that arose out of an awareness of the alarming state of
preservation of humanity’s documentary heritage and the precariousness of our
access to it in different regions of the world.
War and social upheaval, as well as difficulties with document conservation, are
placing this heritage in danger.
An international advisory committee met in Poland in 1993 and produced a plan of
action in which UNESCO plays the role of coordinator and catalyst, raising the
awareness of governments and international organizations and foundations.
The vision behind the Memory of the World Program is founded on the idea that
this heritage belongs to everyone and should be permanently preserved and
protected in its entirety for the benefit of all.
The Program’s mission is to facilitate conservation through more appropriate
techniques, to ensure universal access to this heritage and to raise more
awareness around the world of the existence and value of our documentary
heritage.
This project to establish a global library reminds us of the Library of
Alexandria, which served as a beacon and storehouse of the knowledge of the
diverse cultures of its time. Scholars from around the world collaborated on
this colossal work.
It is essential to protect this heritage, which reflects a diversity of
cultures, peoples and languages. It is a mirror and a memory of the world,
guaranteeing the future of humanity.
When history loses its memory, it sinks into prehistory.
