The Future of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme – Discussion Paper

To mark the 30th anniversary of the Memory of the World Programme in 2022, the Brandenberg University of Technology, in cooperation with the Institute Heritage Studies, convened an international Think Tank of MoW experts to evaluate the achievements and future prospects of the Programme. They judged that in developing a global structure to facilitate preservation of, access to and awareness of documentary heritage, MoW has been remarkably successful, as evidenced by the development of registers, standards, capacity building, and expert networks. Yet while it remains underfunded, understaffed and still struggling for brand recognition, its success has paradoxically attracted an increasing politicisation. This has overshadowed its expert-led character and made its operation more complex. The meeting considered that MoW’s future depends on dealing with these and several other concerns. These include realising the potential for documentary heritage to enrich education, multiculturalism, sustainable development and post-conflict reconciliation. Raising awareness of the threat to documentary heritage from political and economic conflicts and population displacement has become more urgent. Dialogue and cooperation with experts in other disciplines and with other UNESCO programmes such as World Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage is needed. The Think Tank concluded that, while MoW has amply demonstrated the need for its existence, it has yet to reach its full potential.