2015 Theme: Archives at Risk:
Protecting the World's Identities
Audiovisual documents, such as films, radio and
television programmes, are our common heritage and contain the primary records
of the 20th and 21st centuries. They help to maintain the cultural identity of
a people; but countless documentary treasures have disappeared since the
invention of image and sound technologies that permit the peoples of the world
to better share their experiences, creativity and knowledge.
All of the world's audiovisual heritage is endangered.
Nowhere can it be said to be preserved, but through initiatives such as the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage and the Memory of the World Programme, the precious work
of preservation professionals is given impetus to manage a range of technical,
political, social, financial and other factors that threaten the safeguarding
of our heritage.
It was in this context, that the General Conference in
2005 approved the commemoration of a World Day for Audiovisual Heritage as a
mechanism to raise general awareness of the need for urgent measures to be
taken and to acknowledge the importance of audiovisual documents as an integral
part of national identity.
