WORLD DAY FOR AUDIOVISUAL HERITAGE
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage on October 27th seeks to raise awareness about the need to preserve important audiovisual material for future generations.
In today’s world of technology, we create and find most types of information in digital form. This technology includes music, videos, and audio. Things like cassette tapes, film reels, and VHS tapes are all becoming obsolete. While we still have CDs and DVDs, even these types of media aren’t as popular as they once were.
In recognizing this trend, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) knew something had to be done to protect audiovisual material. UNESCO realizes audiovisual documents contain the history of the 20th and 21st centuries. Unfortunately, these documents can easily be destroyed or damaged. For these reasons, it’s all the more important to preserve our audiovisual heritage.
Safeguarding these valuable documents is essential if they are to be handed down to future generations. These recordings contain memories. They tell stories making up our cultural heritage. Without them, we would lose some of our history forever.
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage also celebrates those who do dedicate their energy to archiving and protecting our heritage. Many caretakers, including librarians and archivists, work hard to preserve our audiovisual heritage. They care greatly for these valuable collections. It takes knowledge and devotion to preserve, digitize, and provide access to audiovisual files.
HOW TO OBSERVE #WorldDayForAudiovisualHeritage
UNESCO hosts a variety of events for the occasion. Along with a logo contest, there are also special film screenings. Conferences and public talks are held to discuss the importance of preserving audiovisual documents.
Audiovisual societies, television and radio stations, and national film archives also hold local programs.
Do you have old tapes and cassettes laying around? Do you have old home movies you’d like to transfer to a digital format? If so, World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is a great time to digitalize all your documents. Where do you turn for assistance?
- Check your local listings for historical societies.
- Watch for programs at your local and state libraries.
- Contact your local and state museums.
Doing so will help you preserve your memories for years to come. Be sure to spread awareness by sharing #WorldDayForAudiovisualHeritage on social media.
WORLD DAY FOR AUDIOVISUAL HERITAGE HISTORY
On October 27, 1980, UNESCO adopted the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images. During UNESCO’s conference in 2005, the General Conference passed a resolution to proclaim October 27th as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage History. The date commemorates the resolution passed 15 years earlier.
Recent themes for this day include:
- 2019: Engage the Past Through Sounds and Images
- 2018: Your Story Is Moving
- 2017: Discover, Remember, and Share
- 2016: It’s Your Story – Don’t Lose It