Since 2014, FIAT/IFTA has kept a wonderful tradition — to use this moment to recognise someone who has truly shaped our community. Someone whose work has left a lasting mark, not only on this federation, but on the whole world of media archiving.

This year, we have the honour of celebrating a very special person. Our awardee started his journey in the academic world, with a PhD in cultural history. His research explored how his favourite kind of music was perceived in his country during one remarkable decade. Already then, it was clear — this was a curious and creative mind, someone who understands how culture, technology, and society are deeply connected. 

Later, he joined the Italian-language branch of his national broadcaster, where he led the archives with vision and courage. At a time when “mass digitisation” was still just a dream for many, He was already making it real. He introduced a robotic workflow, and was among the very first to bring speech-to-text from the research lab into daily archival work.

Later on, he joined the General Management of the broadcasting group, ensuring that archival knowledge and collaboration were shared across all language regions. But his curiosity has always gone beyond management. He is also one of the most respected historians of broadcasting in his country —writing about music, the social history of radio, and the cultural value of audiovisual archives in the digital age. He has always managed to bridge two worlds — the academic and the practical — showing that ideas and action can go hand in hand.

Within FIAT/IFTA, he served on the Executive Council from 2016 to 2024, including a term as Treasurer. He has been a strong supporter of our Save Your Archive projects — first in Zimbabwe, and later in Ukraine — always combining professional expertise with genuine human solidarity.

Many of us know him as a bridge-builder — between people, between disciplines, between past and future. For more than 35 years, he has been a leader, a mentor, and a friend. And yes… his family name means “little mouse” in his mother tongue. But anyone who has met him knows — there is nothing small about him: not his stature, not his achievements, and not his generosity.

So, with great admiration, respect, and affection, it is a pleasure to present the FIAT/IFTA Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 to our dear friend: Theo Mäusli.