UNESCO UK launch Memory of the World 2022

The UNESCO UK Memory of the World (MoW) programme seeks to help protect, preserve and make permanently accessible to all, the UK’s distinct, disparate and diverse documentary heritage. The UK MoW Register aims to champion and raise awareness of lesser-known and overlooked material of national significance, placing them alongside better known to truly highlight, represent and celebrate the contribution and impact of individuals, groups and communities to our collective national life.

Nominations are assessed against, and include reflection and context on:

  • Time – does it evoke a particularly significant or tumultuous period in time?
  • Place – does it highlight the features, nature or community of the place where the documentary heritage was created?
  • People – does it illustrate a significant aspect of human social, industrial or artistic development?
  • Subject and theme – does it represent a particular historical or intellectual development?
  • Form and Style – is it an outstanding or aesthetically beautiful example of its type?
  • Social/spiritual/community significance – does it possess a certain emotional attachment for the community or contribute to that community’s identity and social cohesion?

UK MoW nominations can be made by anyone, not just institutions, and can include documentary heritage on any subject, place, person or community. They can come in any format from physical to digital, manuscripts to printed material, and big-data to audio-visual formats. 

Nominations open from 9 June 2021 and close 31 January 2022. To access the handbook for nomination, guidance on assessing significance please consult the UNSCO UK website here.

Or contact

Rachel Hosker, Chair – Rachel.Hosker@ed.ac.uk

Matthew McMurray, Secretary – Matthew.McMurray@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk