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General Background

UNESCO established the Memory of the World Programme in 1992. Impetus came originally from a growing awareness of the parlous state of preservation of, and access to, documentary heritage in various parts of the world.War and social upheaval, as well as severe lack of resources, have worsened problems which have existed for centuries. Significant collections worldwide have suffered a variety of fates. Looting and dispersal, illegal trading, destruction, inadequate housing and funding have all played a part. Much as vanished forever; much is endangered. Happily, missing documentary heritage is sometimes rediscovered.

The Memory of the World Register lists documentary heritage which has been recommended by the International Advisory Committee, and endorsed by the Director-General of UNESCO, as corresponding to the selection criteria regarding world significance and outstanding universal value.

 

Three Register Types

The world’s documentary heritage is so vast and complex that a single register would be unwieldy and unworkable. Geographically-based registers also allow appropriate regional and national expertise and local resources to be applied to assessing and safeguarding nominations in a way that would never be possible if there was only a single register.

The international register was the first to be established – in 1997 – and is therefore the oldest and largest. Regional registers are managed by regional MoW committees. They inscribe documentary heritage which has been influential within that region and therefore have regional significance. National registers are managed by national MoW committees (or in their absence by UNESCO National Commissions) and inscribe documentary heritage which has been influential within that country and is judged to have national significance. The regional committee for Asia Pacific (MOWCAP) was established in 1997 and Latin America-Caribbean committee (MOWLAC) established in 2000. The first national committees appearing in Poland (1996), China and Australia (both 2000). The registers are not a hierarchy. All are equally important.

 

Current Registration

Up until 2019, the Memory of the World Register (International) has inscribed 429 documentary heritages originated from 119 countries and institutions. For the full lists and introductions of the entire documentary heritages, please find on the UNESCO MOW website “Memory of the World Register”

Up until 2019, there are 13 Chinese documentary heritages listed on the Memory of the World Register (International), and another 12 Chinese documentary heritages listed on the MOWCAP Regional Register.  The full lists and introductions of these documentary heritages can be found on this website: “Chinese Documentary Heritages Listed on International Register” and Chinese Documentary Heritages Listed on MOWCAP Regional Register “.