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UNESCO's programme aiming at preservation and dissemination of valuable archive holdings and library collections worldwide organises a workshop on 12 September 2008 in Rabat, Morocco.



The Moroccan National Commission for Education, Science and the Culture and the UNESCO Office in Rabat organise the first Memory of the World workshop in Morocco. The event will be held on 12 September 2008 at the National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research (Rabat), which is also a partner institution.

The main objective of the workshop is to constitute a National Memory of the World Committee for Morocco, to outline its mandate and to propose a national conservation strategy. Furthermore, the workshop will examine general guidelines for submitting proposals to the Memory the World Register and will finally look at the different issues related to the conservation of documentary heritage. At the end of the meeting, recommendations will be formulated in order to advance the conservation and the accessibility of archive and library collections in Morocco.

UNESCO established its Memory of the World Programme in 1992 to preserve and disseminate valuable archive holdings and library collections worldwide. The Memory of the World Register currently lists 158 items from 67 countries, which include films, sound recording, photographs, ancient manuscripts, newspaper collections, etc. Regional and national Memory of the World committees are crucial parts of the Programme structure. UNESCO encourages the creation of such committees in every country where it is practicable.