Guardians of Memory: International Archives Day 2024

On June 9th each year, archivists, historians, researchers, and the public come together to celebrate International Archives Day. This global event highlights the critical role that archives and records play in preserving our collective memory, ensuring transparency in governance, and safeguarding the rights and identities of individuals. Let's delve into the origins, significance, and impact of this important day.

The Birth of International Archives Day: A Global Initiative

The story of International Archives Day begins in 2004 at the International Congress on Archives in Vienna. Over 2,000 participants, representing archival institutions and professionals from around the world, adopted a groundbreaking resolution. They called upon the United Nations (UN) to designate a specific day to raise awareness about the immense value of archives.

This call to action was not without precedent. In 2005, UNESCO had declared October 27th as the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH). This day was established to highlight the urgent need to preserve audiovisual documents, which form a vital part of our shared heritage. However, audiovisual records represent only a fraction of the vast documentary heritage that deserves international attention.

Recognizing this, the International Council on Archives (ICA) took a decisive step during its 2007 Annual General Meeting. They officially declared June 9th as International Archives Day (IAD). The choice of this date is symbolic, marking the day in 1948 when the ICA itself was established under the auspices of UNESCO. This connection underscores the long-standing relationship between archival professionals and global cultural organizations.

The celebration of IAD began in earnest in 2008, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the ICA. However, the event's scope expanded significantly in 2019 when the ICA extended the celebration to an entire week. This International Archives Week (IAW) allows organizations worldwide to participate more fully, sharing events and collaborating with the ICA to promote the value and importance of archives and archivists.

Archives: The Foundation of Rights, Identity, and Accountability

At its core, International Archives Day aims to raise awareness about the fundamental role of records and archives in society. These repositories are not mere collections of old documents; they are the bedrock upon which people's rights and identities are built.

Consider, for example, birth certificates, land records, or census data. These documents do more than record facts; they establish legal identities, prove property ownership, and track demographic changes. In many cases, access to these records is crucial for individuals to claim their rights, trace their heritage, or seek justice.

Moreover, archives play a pivotal role in ensuring governmental accountability and transparency. By preserving official records, meeting minutes, and policy documents, archives provide a paper trail that allows citizens to scrutinize the actions of their leaders. This transparency is fundamental to a healthy democracy, fostering trust between the government and the governed.

The importance of archives extends to the private sector as well. Businesses rely on their archives to understand past strategies, track long-term trends, and protect intellectual property. NGOs and charities use archives to demonstrate their impact over time, which can be crucial for securing funding and support.

Preserving the Past, Informing the Future: The Dual Role of Archives

Archives serve a dual purpose: they preserve the past while informing the future. This makes the long-term preservation of and access to archives a critical concern, one that International Archives Day seeks to highlight.

Preserving archives is a complex task. Documents, especially older ones, are fragile. They can be damaged by light, moisture, pests, or improper handling. Digital records, while seemingly more durable, face their own challenges. Software and hardware obsolescence can render digital files unreadable, while cybersecurity threats pose risks to data integrity.

Archivists are at the forefront of addressing these challenges. They employ a range of techniques, from climate-controlled storage for physical documents to digital preservation strategies like migration (moving data to new formats) and emulation (recreating the original digital environment). Their work ensures that the records of today will be accessible and understandable to researchers, policymakers, and the public of tomorrow.

But preservation is only half the battle. Archives must also be accessible. This means organizing materials logically, creating finding aids, and increasingly, digitizing records for online access. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the value of digital access, allowing researchers to continue their work even when physical archives were closed.

Engaging the Public: Making Archives Relevant to All

One of the key objectives of International Archives Day is to enhance the image of archives and raise their profile globally. This involves challenging the stereotype of archives as dusty, forbidding places accessible only to academics.

On this day and throughout International Archives Week, archives worldwide open their doors (physically or virtually) to the public. They host exhibitions showcasing their most unique, extraordinary, or rare documents. These might include historical treaties, ancient maps, famous letters, or early photographs. Such events captivate the public imagination, making history tangible and personal.

Archives also use this time to educate. They might host workshops on genealogy, teaching people how to trace their family histories through records. Or they could offer behind-the-scenes tours, showing the meticulous work that goes into preserving documents. Some archives collaborate with schools, introducing students to primary sources and fostering a new generation of historically-minded citizens.

Social media plays a growing role in these efforts. Hashtags like #IAD2024 or #InternationalArchivesWeek allow archives to share their treasures globally. A letter from a World War II soldier in a small town archive can be seen and appreciated by people worldwide, creating a shared sense of history.

In conclusion, International Archives Day on June 9th is more than a professional celebration; it's a global recognition of the archives that underpin our rights, identities, and shared history. From its origins in a 2004 resolution to its current week-long observance, this day has grown to reflect the expanding role and relevance of archives in our lives.

As we face global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and threats to democracy, the lessons preserved in archives become ever more valuable. They remind us of our resilience, warn us of past mistakes, and guide us toward a more informed future. By celebrating International Archives Day, we don't just honor the past; we invest in our collective future, one document at a time.