UNESCO Memory of the World

Fancy going on a world tour of documentary heritage collections? Then read on ...

The UNESCO Memory of the World project was launched ten years ago. It aims to recognise & create awareness, provide access and ultimately help contribute towards the preservation of culturally significant documentary heritage from around the world. Cultural institutions are encouraged to nominate material for the internationally recognised register.

A look through the register reveals a wide array of items: illuminated manuscripts, archival records from significant companies, newspaper collections, photograph & film archives and even woodblocks. A wide range of languages, cultures, individuals, groups and events of significant social and cultural change are represented.

A newsletter of the National Committee of New Zealand Memory of the World has recently been started and the first issue is currently available online.

The New Zealand register currently contains six items: The Treaty of Waitangi (the first NZ item on the register), The 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition, Toyko War Crimes Trial Papers, Overture Aotearoa, National Film Unit Weekly Review, Pictorial Parade newsreels and The Grey New Zealand Māori Manuscript collection (GNZMMS) held at the Sir George Grey Special Collections, Central City Library.

Ref: 7-C1926, Sir George Grey Special Collections
Keep tuned, there will be more to follow in a later post about the significant Grey New Zealand Māori Manuscript collection gifted by Sir George Grey.

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