Milestones of Memory
UNESCO’s Memory of the World International Register features world significant records worth remembering and preserving for the future.
Peace negotiations at Muenster (1662) by Laurens Van der HemUNESCO Memory of the World
What is Documentary Heritage?
Documentary heritage represents humanity’s history, culture, and identity. It comes in an abundance of forms: papyrus, parchment, palm leaves, wooden and stone tablets, medieval manuscripts, books, maps, photographs, paintings, oral traditions, music, films, television, digital files and audio-visual media. By grounding our sense of identity in collective history, documentary heritage helps us to better understand the past and reimagine the future.
Exodus from Egypt (14th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
Documentary Heritage and Memory of the World
But documentary heritage is fragile and vulnerable to loss. UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) was set up in 1992 to safeguard documentary heritage against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and willful and deliberate destruction.
Tablet within an envelope (2nd Millennium/Middle Bronze Age)UNESCO Memory of the World
The Memory of the World International Register
In 1997, UNESCO established the MoW International Register to raise awareness about the importance of documentary heritage and to make it universally accessible. Today, the Register includes over 400 records and the list continues to grow.
Sample of the Book of the Gospels of Emperor Otto III, part 4. Sample of Book of Gospels of Emperor Otto III (11th century) by Monastery of ReichenauUNESCO Memory of the World
UNESCO Member States from all over the world submit nominations to the MoW International Register. For an item to be included in Register it must be considered of “world significance.” This is determined by three criteria: historical; form and style; and social, community, or or spiritual significance.
MoW collageUNESCO Memory of the World
The MoW Register tells amazing stories from our collective history:
A single-leaf print of the Ninety-Five Theses, page 3 (20th century) by Martin LutherUNESCO Memory of the World
Key Themes
Some of the key themes featured in the MoW International Register include: Human Rights and Civil Rights, Illuminated Manuscripts, Islamic Heritage, Inscribed Stone and Tablets, Languages, Maps, Politics, Technology, and World Literature.
Constitutio Antoniniana (3rd century) by Emperor CaracallaUNESCO Memory of the World
Human Rights and Civil Rights - Constitutio Antoniniana
The Constitutio Antoniniana, also known as the Edict of Caracalla, promulgated on 11 July in AD 212, is an official order that declared that all free men in the Roman Empire were given full Roman citizenship and all free women were given the same rights as Roman women. The Edit established unitary citizenship for the first time in an area that included millions of people from different cultural backgrounds on three continents, Europe, Africa, and Asia. It’s the first in world-historically important documents of civil and constitutional history.
Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard visiting the victims of the tsunami (21st century)UNESCO Memory of the World
Disaster - The Indian Ocean Tsunami Archives
The Indian Ocean Tsunami Archives is a collection that recorded the event, disaster response, rehabilitation, and reconstruction related to the Tsunami on December 26th, 2004 that inflicted widespread destruction (wave heights exceeding 30 meters and casualties in excess of 310.000 lives) in Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and 12 other countries. The Archives are a collective memory as they describe an extraordinary disaster that created a spirit of unity, solidarity, and humanity among the nations in the world.
Ms 32, fol. 59r, detail (9th century)UNESCO Memory of the World
Illuminated Manuscripts - Utrecht Psalter
The Utrecht Psalter is a 9th century illuminated manuscript that’s famous for its rich palette of motifs, illustrations of the psalms and canticles, revolutionary and dynamic style, and visual messages about proper rulership. Its illustrations reflect the violence and warfare of the time but are meant for moral instruction, apparently for a future king, and known as the first visual “mirror of princes.” It’s a key manuscript of Christian art and forms a crucial link between Late Roman art and its Carolingian translation.
The Golden Letter of the Burmese King Alaungphaya to King George ll of Great , view 1 (18th century) by King AlaungphayaUNESCO Memory of the World
Politics - The Golden Letter
The Golden Letter from Burmese King Alaungphaya to King George II of Great Britain contains a trade proposal granting the English a base, providing them with a strategic advantage over the rival French interest, in exchange for military support against Alaungphaya’s enemies.The text is engraved on pure gold and the gold leaf is decorated with 24 rubies. It’s the sole surviving golden letter from Burma. It reflects the shift of English-French rivalry from within Europe and North America to southern Asia and the rise of Burma as a new regional power.
North Shore, Lavender Bay, Sydney Harbour and Fort Macquarie (19th century) by Bernhardt Holtermann and Charles BaylissUNESCO Memory of the World
Technology - Giant Glass Plate Negatives of Sydney Harbour
Three giant glass plate negatives – measuring 1.35 x 0.94 meters (53” x 37”) – are understood to be the world’s largest 19th century wet-process negatives. These images record the view of Sydney Harbour in 1875, documenting the future site of the world-heritage listed Sydney Opera House. Bernhardt Holterman was determined to promote his adopted home to the world through photography.
