Editor's Letter

According to many voices the 1997 FIAT/IFTA Conference in Budapest was one of the best so far. The beautiful city of Budapest did of course help but it was not the main reason for the success. I would like to thank MTV and all those involved in organising the Conference. The wonderful staff from MTV deserve many thanks for their hard work and professional attitude. I would also like to thank all delegates; if a good conference constitutes good attendance from interested and knowledgeable people then the FIAT/IFTA Conference in Budapest was a very good conference indeed. From the attendance figures and the praise from delegates it must be seen as one of our most successful conferences. It was also a conference where FIAT/IFTA's ambition to help less fortunate members was put into practice once more. Several delegates received financial help in order to come to the Conference and one of the speakers, Moises Xadreque Chongo, National Archives of Mozambique, was sponsored by Protape, one of our members (see also article by Dr. Peter Dusek, ORF, in this issue).

The annual conference is of course a natural focus point in the FIAT/IFTA year and will most certainly stay that way but we need to make sure that it is not made the only point on FIAT/IFTA's agenda. The work to improve conditions for and between archives must not be limited to one week a year but must be seen as an ongoing process. FIAT/IFTA must be seen as a tool to improve your own archive; and a tool is no good to anyone if it is not used. Somewhere in FIAT/IFTA there is someone or something that is of use to everyone of our members, be it technical knowledge, parts for an old 2" machine, contacts to help get hold of that missing piece of footage, etc. FIAT/IFTA can never be more than its members. You need to use our organisation for your own good, and be ready to give back to those who need your help.

You can start by using the pages of the Newsletter. I will be more than happy to accept articles on this subject. No matter how successful a conference is there are always people who feel that their problems were not attended to. It is a fact that a conference cannot cover all subjects and problems. This is where FIAT/IFTA as an organisation comes in, not just as a conference organiser. If you have questions, ask them; go straight to those who might have the answers or go via members of the commissions and the Executive Council. If you do not know where to go you can always ask me where to turn to or, even better, you can share your question/s with the readers of the Newsletter. So, until next conference, use and be of use.

Gösta Johansson
Editor and Administrative
Secretary

Photo: Gösta Johansson