October 27th is UNESCO’s annual World Day for AudioVisual Heritage. Each year this day is set aside to raise awareness of the importance of audiovisual collections as memory institutions and celebrate the achievements of audiovisual archives and archivists.
This year the theme is:
It’s your story – don’t lose it.
This theme is designed to increase the realisation that archives are not just about a place to leave old things, but vibrant places full of relevance to individuals as well as organisations. The films and tapes may be old but the stories held on these objects resonate with contemporary society and provide context and meaning to why things are the way they are. More importantly the stories are about us as individuals.
This year I encourage all members to connect with the general population and host events and activities that increase the realisation that archives are about us, everyday people, and our stories matter now and into the future.