The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (27 October) is an initiative of the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA) and UNESCO to honour audiovisual preservation professionals and institutions that safeguard our heritage for future generations. As a founding member of the CCAAA, FIAT/IFTA is involved in the organisation of the World Day.

Around the world audiovisual archives join together annually on 27 October to celebrate their work with events that not only highlight the vulnerability of these valuable materials, but also to celebrate the often, unheralded work of the institutions that provide protection and preservation, ensuring their availability in the future.

In 2019 the theme of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is “Engage the Past Through Sound and Images”. The CCAAA Board stated:

“Our collective histories are often captured on film, video, audio or digital formats, and through these, we engage to learn about the past and to share our own histories with future generations. Increasingly recordings serve as our memories and tell the stories that constitute our cultural heritage. In recognition of the preservation efforts of the thousands of archivists, librarians and caretakers around the world who care for these valuable collections, this year’s World Day for Audiovisual Heritage again celebrates their dedication and expertise. Without the knowledge and devotion that is required to preserve, digitize and provide access, large portions of our cultural heritage would disappear to be lost forever.”

Many FIAT/IFTA members are organising events to celebrate World Day: events, archival tours, screenings, archival platform launches etc. If your organisation has planned such an initiative, we encourage you to post it also on the CCAAA website.