Meet our former travel grantees!
One of last year’s FIAT/IFTA Travel Grantees was Esmeralda Canas, a seasoned digital archivist and librarian from the Philippines with over 22 years of experience in organizing, managing, and optimizing digital assets at GMA Network Inc.’s News Library.
Esmeralda was kind enough to share her experience as a Travel Grantee at the 2025 FIAT/IFTA World Conference in Rome, Italy.
As a past grant recipient, attending the FIAT/IFTA conference was a deeply meaningful experience for me, both professionally and personally.
As a librarian working in a broadcast media archives in the Philippines, opportunities to attend international conferences like this are rare for many of us.
FIAT/IFTA opened a door I never would have imagined, allowing me to step into a truly global space for learning and exchange.
Meeting archivists and media professionals from different countries reshaped how I see my work and reaffirmed the value of preserving broadcast memory, not just locally, but as part of a shared global responsibility.
It was inspiring to realize that even behind‑the‑scenes archival work connects us across borders through common challenges, ideas, and purpose.
As a librarian from the Philippines working in broadcast media archives, meeting peers from around the world through FIAT/IFTA reshaped how I see my work through global exchange, shared stories, and generosity.
YOU CAN STILL APPLY TO THE 2026 TRAVEL GRANT!
Download the call for applications below and submit your application through the application form before April 30.
Grant recipients are awarded:
*To download the document, select the “Download PDF File” option within the three-dot menu of the PDF viewer.
